Salad Tongs: Utilitarian Style vs. Actual Utility

Over at Apartment Therapy - the kitchn (one of my favorite blogs), they are featuring some lovely wood salad tongs that look like wrenches.

They are pretty cool. On the other hand, why not just go all out, save $25, and use something more like the real thing?

I'm thinking that large adjustable pliers would work pretty well for salad tongs. If you use these, make sure that they are clean of grease. You can always use food-safe oils on them.

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of salad tongs which are, essentially, two spoons (or wrenches). I find them a bit awkward. I prefer something more tong-like that you can manipulate with one hand and gives you a better grip with more control. The pliers would work, but they might bruise your salad. I might use the same tongs I use in the kitchen, unless I'm trying to be fancy.

Something like these wood, spring-action tongs might be a nice compromise between class and utility, though they lack the wrench-like geek-appeal.