How Long Should Your BBQ Tongs Be?

Most people have one pair of tongs. They use it to move coals, flip a brisket and poke at the fire when they're bored. Same tong for everything.

And then they wonder why their arm hair is gone and guests don't want to go back for more food.

Here's the truth: there are two jobs when you're grilling, and they need two different tools. One job is food. One job is fire. The right tong length, and the right tong design depend entirely on which one you're doing.

The Short Answer

For food: 27"/69cm. For fire: 32"/80cm. If you want to do both properly, you need both.

That's the honest answer. But it helps to understand why, so you know exactly what you're buying and what it does.

The Donkey Long Tong 32"/80cm: For Fire

The Donkey Long Tong 32"/80cm handles the fire. Coals, logs, heat management, adjusting the coal bed, that's what it's built for.

At 32", you can reach across a deep fire pit without leaning in. The head is a classic shell-shape. It grips wood and coals well. The serrated edges give it purchase on irregular surfaces. It's not designed to handle food. We find that the serrated edges that work so well on wood tears a piece of meat.

Here's what it's made of: 304 food-grade stainless steel, ProNature 0% VOC white oak handles, solid brass rivets, stainless spring steel. Handmade in Cape Town.

It works on big fire pits, smokers, and wood-fired pizza ovens to name a few. Anywhere there's heat that needs managing, this is the tool.

The Donkey Tong 69cm: For Food

The Donkey Tong 27"/69cm is a BBQ tong. Its entire job is to grip, turn, and handle meat without tearing it.

At 27", it gives you enough distance from the heat to keep your hands safe, while still letting you feel exactly what you're doing. Too short and you're leaning in. Too long and you lose control. 27" is the sweet spot.

The head of this tong is also uniquely shaped. It’s designed specifically to grip without tearing. It holds a thick T-bone or a stack of ribs without the meat sliding off or getting ripped.

What it's made of: 304 food-grade stainless steel, which is the same grade used in commercial kitchens. ProNature 0% VOC white oak handles. Solid brass rivets. A stainless spring steel that gives a satisfying click every time you open and close it. (That click has a name around here. It’s called the Donkey's kick.)

There's also a sliding lock to keep it closed in your kit and a built-in bottle opener, because a BBQ has priorities.

This is a food tong. Preferably, don't use it to move coals.

The Donkey Combo

The Donkey Tong 27"/69cm handles the meat. The Donkey Long Tong 32"/80cm handles the fire. Together, they cover every stage of the BBQ, from lighting the kindling to plating the last piece of the meat.

Most people who start with one end up buying the other. Once you've grilled with the right tool for each job, using one tong for everything feels like eating soup with a fork.

If you're serious about your braai, get the combo. It's the complete grilling setup.

Frequently Asked Questions