Mellon ballers vs spoons

chowhound

chowhound

New member
I was going to start making more twice baked potatoes and was wondering if a mellon baller would work better than a spoon... if it would be worth buying one. I've never held one, so don't know if a mellon baller has a cutting edge of sorts on it so it scoops better, but thinking about it, it seems like it would be easier than using a spoon to scrape and dig.
What do you folks that own both reach for when you make a twice baked potato?
 
I've got a melon baller, but I only use it for making balls for my fruit salad. I do use it when I make potato bites with really small potatoes. I never thought to use it for twice baked. I normally use a spoon.
If I didn't make a lot of fruit salad I probably wouldn't even have a melon baller.
 
I have one with two different sizes on either end. I hardly ever use it, and just for fruit salad.
To answer your question, it does have a somewhat sharp edge to cut into the fruit. But whereas you can drag a spoon thru a potato to scrape contents bigger than the actual spoon holds, the "baller" would only scoop the amount the "ball" holds.
Personally, I would keep using the spoon, unless you were looking for a more decorative finish.
 
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I agree... the melon ballers only do small round scoops Fred. Stick with a spoon for your taters. ENJOY!!!
 
Gadgets are great if you have all the space for them...and then label them so you remember what they do. Most gadgets are used for just one purpose and are rarely used after the first time. You realize the way you'd been doing it all along works better.

I use a spoon for taking the pulp out of a potato. It has a flatter surface permitting more removal with each scoop. A melon baller is too tightly round.
 
Alton Brown would not approve of you owning a mellon baller because it's a single use kitchen tool. We have one that I just found in the back of a drawer, and noticed it has rust on it...trash can city! Back to the spoons.
 
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