A Bacon Comb
What Is a Bacon Comb?
A bacon comb is a small kitchen utensil designed specifically for handling strips of bacon while they cook. Instead of using tongs or a fork, which can tear bacon or cause hot grease to splatter, the bacon comb allows you to:
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Lift bacon strips cleanly
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Turn them without puncturing the meat
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Separate strips that stick together
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Reduce grease splatter
It’s a specialty tool that many people don’t recognize unless they’ve used one before.
Why It Looks Like a Tiny Comb
The “comb” design is not decorative—it’s functional.
Key design features:
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Multiple long metal prongs
These slide under bacon strips instead of stabbing them. -
Thin, evenly spaced tines
They distribute the bacon’s weight evenly, preventing tearing. -
Small size
Designed to fit comfortably in one hand and maneuver in a frying pan. -
Plastic handle (often red)
Red is common because:-
It’s heat-resistant plastic
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It’s easy to see among kitchen tools
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Many classic mid-century kitchen tools were red
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How It’s Used
To use a bacon comb:
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Slide the prongs gently under a strip of bacon
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Lift slightly to flip or reposition
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Lower the bacon back into the pan
Unlike forks or tongs, the prongs don’t pierce the meat, which:
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Keeps fat from escaping too quickly
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Prevents bacon from curling excessively
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Reduces grease popping
Why People Often Forget What It Is
Bacon combs are less common today because:
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Tongs have become the default tool
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Many kitchens use nonstick pans (where metal prongs are discouraged)
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The tool is very task-specific
As a result, they often end up mysterious in drawers—especially in homes passed down from parents or grandparents.
Other Tools It Could Be (Less Likely)
If your object doesn’t quite match a bacon comb, here are a few alternatives worth considering.
1. Vintage Toast or Grill Lifter
Some older grill or toaster tools resemble combs with metal prongs.
Differences:
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Usually longer overall
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Often wooden handles
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Prongs may be thicker or fewer
2. Seafood Pick or Shellfish Lifter (Uncommon)
Certain shellfish tools have comb-like prongs for lifting delicate seafood.
Why it’s less likely:
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Usually metal throughout
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Often sharper or curved
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Rarely bright red plastic
3. Cake or Pastry Tool (Very Unlikely)
Some pastry tools use prongs for texture or lifting.
Why it doesn’t fit well:
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Pastry tools are usually flat or wide
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Prongs are shorter and more numerous
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Typically stainless steel, not plastic-handled
4. Hair Comb (Extremely Unlikely)
Occasionally people mistake grooming tools for kitchen tools.
Why it’s probably not that:
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Hair combs don’t have long metal prongs
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Wouldn’t be stored in a kitchen drawer
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Metal teeth would be uncomfortable for grooming
How to Confirm It’s a Bacon Comb
You can confirm it with a few quick checks:
Visual Check
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Are the prongs smooth and rounded, not sharp?
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Are they parallel and evenly spaced?
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Is the handle short and comfortable?
Functional Check
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Try lifting a strip of raw bacon or deli meat
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Does it slide under easily without piercing?
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Does it feel balanced and intentional?
Heat Safety
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Is the handle clearly heat-resistant plastic?
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Are the prongs firmly embedded in the handle?
If yes to most of these—it’s almost certainly a bacon comb.
A Brief History of the Bacon Comb
Bacon combs were especially popular in:
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Mid-20th century kitchens
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Homes where bacon was cooked frequently
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Cookware sets sold in the 1950s–1970s
They were marketed as:
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Cleaner than forks
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Safer than fingers
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Better for preserving bacon texture
Many were produced with red plastic handles, which were fashionable and practical at the time.
Why You Rarely See Them Today
Modern kitchens tend to favor:
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Silicone-tipped tongs
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Spatulas
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Nonstick-safe tools
As a result, bacon combs quietly disappeared from mainstream cookware—but not from drawers.
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