The Tongs Trick You Should Try When You Can't Find Your Citrus Juicer

If you're transitioning through a move, or you're a first-time home owner, a college student, or maybe just someone with a minimalist aesthetic, you probably don't have the space, time, or money to stock your kitchen with every new gadget or gizmo. No matter how much of a foodie you are — or how much time you spend cooking instead of going to therapy — we can't justify spending $700 on that SMEG Dolce and Gabbana juicer. Even if it perfectly matches our magnet-tile, renter-friendly kitchen backsplash.

When it comes to kitchen gadgets, we all have unique ways of cutting corners. But one task that always seems to foil our tricks is squeezing citrus. We always end up with juice in our eyes or seeds in our food. That is ... until we pick up the one tool that's been in front of us all along: tongs. Place half of the citrus between the tongs' arms and squeeze them together. That's it. Continue to move the citrus around until you're satisfied you've got every last drop of sweet, sour, citrus-y goodness in your meal.

Tongs are essentially a super-strong third hand. Instead of using one hand to squeeze your citrus, this trick uses pressure from both hands to squeeze out all the juice you need. The arms and length of the tongs protect your skin and eyes from falling victim to wayward lemon squirts. With tongs, there's no surprise seeds, red eyes, or burning cuts.

Our favorite celebrity chefs have been using this trick for years. Michael Symon — a grilling aficionado best known for his appearances on "Iron Chef America", "The Chew", and "Burgers, Brew and 'Que"—told E! News that tongs were one of his kitchen-must haves, calling them, "Versatile and useful, especially when cooking with fire (or juicing citrus)."

For best results with this tongs trick, place the citrus as close to the hinge as possible. If your citrus feels hard, soften it in the microwave and roll it around a bit for maximum juice-age. Warm to room temperature lemons can provide 20 to 25% more juice than ones that have been sitting in the fridge for a few days (or weeks, we don't judge).

If you're still struggling with runaway seeds, try wrapping a cheese cloth around the lemon. This allows the citrus-y juice to seep through while catching pesky seeds. No cheesecloth? A mesh strainer works just as well. No strainer, either? Rachel Ray recommends squeezing the lemon cut side up with your hand over the top. This will direct the juice down the sides of the lemon and keep the seeds in the rind.

Kitchen tongs are a staple in the kitchens of professional and home chefs. Tongs are not only versatile, they're inexpensive. You can get a 3-size variety pack of kitchen tongs from Amazon for just over $10. You can get them from your nearest restaurant supply store for even less.