Best practice to label thumb scoopers/dishers

Question

I've included an image because I am not sure of the best word to use. Portion scooper I guess is what you might call them.

What is the best way to label them? I've got about 4 in my drawer, and I am never sure which to use when it comes time to cook (and usually have to measure by adding water, then drying).

I figure maybe some white tape, or a label maker, but these methods all seem to get wrecked by the dishwasher. My wife suggested to handwash them all, but no. If it can go in the dishwasher, it will.

Answer 1

I mark my kitchen tools using a scriber.

It's just a sharp stylus point made of some hard metal (tungsten carbide or similar) in a pencil-like holder. You use it like a pencil to etch lettering into metal, hard plastic, or glass (watch for chips though).

You can buy one at a hardware store or online for less than USD 10. Once you have one, you'll probably find all other kinds of things around the house that you want to mark. You can usually replace the point when it gets dull (though they last a long time). Just don't get it mixed up with your iPad stylus!

Answer 2

I would photograph them lined up together, and print that out, labelling it with the bowl width (so you can check with a ruler), empty weight (so you can check with scales) and capacity (because that's what you really need to know). Hopefully with the picture alone you can identify which one of the set to use, but the empty weight or width would allow you to check if most were in the dishwasher already.

Alternative, colour code them with cable ties (zip ties) in different colours. On most such scoops there's somewhere they'll wrap round the handle with getting in the way. Trim off the loose end with wire cutters (poultry shears will go through them, but don't leave such a nice edge). Cable ties are made of the same sorts of nylon used in cooking utensils, and stand up fine to dishwasher. The upper spray arm of mine is held together with some, that have kept their colour for years, after I had to open it up in a way it wasn't designed for to clear a blocked hole.

If you had a flat bit of metal, you could try to get your hands on some metal stamps, that you'd hit with a hammer. But you'd need good support from behind and the one pictured doesn't look suitable

Answer 3

This is a good question, and a somewhat difficult one, because dishwasher detergent is really aggressive stuff.

I've had success with fine-tip permanent felt-tip pens, but not all brands will work, and you can't predict the outcome when you're shopping for pens.

A workable and non-destructive alternative is nail polish. You won't be able to write the exact volume on the scoop, but you can color-code them using a dot or two on the handle. It can chip away with time, but seeing that scoops are usually not in daily use, it may last long enough for your needs.

The really certain solutions would be etching or engraving. You could etch them yourself, if you're willing to work with a strong acid. If the handles are plastics, ask in an electronics shop for the stuff they etch PCBs with. If they're metal, you would need 25% HCl or something similarly strong, and you should be able to achieve a visible discoloration even on stainless steel. Again, nail polish can be useful here, in this case to apply the template for the etching (at least it works with the PCB flux, I don't know if it stands up to HCl).

As for engraving, I don't know of a way to do it at home - even if you had a tool for it, it would be difficult to actually write any kind of text without spending months of training. But since all you need is a way to differentiate only four items, you can just use a drill to make a distinctive pattern of a few holes in the handle. Or you can go to a professional to engrave numbers, especially if it's metal.

The last option I'd consider is to try super strong mounting glue like Sikaflex to add something visually distinctive, like a colored bead, to the handles, so it would look like color-coded fondue sticks. I haven't tried this in a dishwasher, but it really works as advertised in difficult environments.

If you have handles made from a known plastics, you can consider if it's suitable for plastics welding. You probably won't even need to weld anything to the handles, just use differently colored filament on each scoop.

If you have the exact same model as shown in the picture, the easiest solution might be yarn. Crochet a tight ring of yarn between the handle and the guard to color-code the scoops, and it shouldn't slip away. If you can't crochet, you can also try winding it at that place tightly until you have a snug, nicely visible band of color.