The benefits of fish are great. This is not only a tasty delicacy, but also a source of large amounts of vitamins and microelements. Cleaning fish from scales is considered one of the unpleasant processes in cooking, since during cleaning small scales scatter throughout the kitchen.
It is because of this process that many housewives refuse to cook fish. And male fishermen prefer to catch rather than clean it. Now, in order to facilitate the process, there are a large number of methods and devices that will simplify cleaning and keep the kitchen free of dirt. In fact, there is nothing complicated in this process; the most important thing is to choose the right device with which you can clean the fish.
Tips on how to clean fish
Remember that fresh fish is much easier to clean, so the entire catch must be cleaned at once and then stored.
- The best option would be to clean the scales near a pond.
- Choose only high-quality sharp knives for cleaning, otherwise your hands will be cut. The knife should be sharp, wide, but not long.
- Cleaning should only be done on a special cutting board designed for fish.
- Carefully clean the scales, because carelessly cleaned fish will be more difficult to cook and will not taste as good.
- Before cleaning, be sure to place the fish in cold water with vinegar.
- Any fish can be cleaned easily if you insert a stick into its mouth all the way or use an awl to pin the tail to the board where the fish will be cleaned. Next, the fish should be pulled out until it “crunches,” holding it behind the eyes with your fingers.
- To prevent the fish from jumping out of your hands, wrap the tail with a napkin or towel. If there are no abrasions on the skin of your hand, rub it with salt.
Fish scaler with container
The container for collecting fish skin is placed in the handle area and closed with a transparent lid. This eliminates the possibility of contamination of the working surface and the device itself. Introducing one of the best fish scaler with container according to customer reviews.
Westmark
...I often go fishing and bring back perch, pike perch, and bream. This knife cleans them normally from the skin, leaving no scales at all. The skin is not damaged...
Expert opinion
The Westmark knife is sold with a waste collection container, which prevents contamination of the work surface and the area around it. True, it doesn’t fit much here, so the container has to be cleaned periodically. It closes tightly with a lid that can be easily removed if necessary.
The tool body is made of aluminum, and the cutting part is made of stainless steel. The product is highly durable and resistant to mechanical stress, so it lasts a long time. Dimensions 210x59x53 mm allow you to take it with you on the road, fishing, or traveling.
Advantages:
- The scales do not fly apart;
- Convenient shape;
- You don't need to press hard;
- Transparent lid of the container;
- Doesn't lose its edge.
Flaws:
- Short handle.
For effective and high-quality cleaning, during the procedure you need to hold the instrument parallel to the skin.
How to clean fish?
One of the popular cleaning methods is a knife. But from some types of fish you don’t have to remove scales at all, for example, salmon, gobies. This fish is simply fried in a frying pan. Catfish and burbot are quick and easy to clean; just wash off the mucus from them with water or rub the carcass with salt. The scales can be easily removed from freshly caught crucian carp simply with your fingers. Small fish can be sprinkled with salt and rinsed under water. But, ruff and perch, you will have to sweat over them.
A live fish that moves and constantly beats its tail is very inconvenient to clean, so it must be stunned. Let's start cleaning. The very first and most important step is to rinse the carcass under running cool water. It is necessary to wash the gills and body of the carcass well. You can clean with a regular kitchen knife, a special fish knife, as well as fish scalers and scrapers.
Hand tools
The mechanical cleaning method is the fastest, but not effective. Large fish can be cleaned by hand. Grasp the tail with one hand. The cleaning itself occurs with your free hand, that is, with your thumbnail across the growth of the scales. Use a knife to clean in hard-to-reach places.
An ordinary kitchen knife, not very large and wide. You need to be careful with him. To prevent the scales from scattering, the carcass can be placed in a bag, in which the scales can be removed with gentle movements. If you clean in the sink, do not forget to put a metal or plastic mesh over the drain. The carcass must be held correctly. The head should be positioned towards you, you need to hold it by the tail. The process of removing scales occurs from the tail to the head. Movements are smooth and neat.
The best tools include a brush that visually resembles a hair comb. This is a flat plate with small blunt teeth. Teeth - spikes are the main working part of the tool. This design can handle scales of different sizes without much difficulty.
It is worth noting that sometimes even a vegetable knife will do. It is better to clean under running water or in a bowl of water. Mini grater for chopping vegetables, the edges of which should be sharp. There are species of fish whose scales fit tightly to the skin. Then place the carcass in boiling water for a few seconds.
Electric household fish scaler
One of the best devices that can quickly and easily clean fish scales is an electric fish scaler. Such an electrical device can be found in most fishermen, catering workers and owners of private fish stores.
A fish scaler runs on electricity and is considered the most convenient and easy-to-use tool. Home automatic scale removal machines can operate from several power sources: a household network, a car cigarette lighter, and a built-in battery. Thanks to these power options, you can use the device not only at home, but also while fishing.
Electric household fish scalers are also very popular. The most famous models are RF 01, VesElectric 4000 battery with container. Electric household fish scalers are equipped with a special screen that prevents scales from flying away.
Fish scaler rating
As the basis for preparing a review of fish scalers, we took the method of analyzing the characteristics of the products, and also compared each nominee according to a number of criteria: from convenience to safety in operation. It was also necessary to take into account customer reviews - chefs, fishermen, housewives.
Among the parameters of the tools that determined our choice, it is necessary to note:
- Variety - scraper or knife;
- Type – mechanical or electric (powered by mains power, car cigarette lighter, battery);
- Noise level;
- Body and blade materials – plastic, aluminum, steel;
- Battery capacity and duration of its operation;
- Dimensions and weight;
- The location of the blades is horizontal or vertical;
- Degree of moisture protection;
- Handle shape and length;
- Availability of a waste collection container and its volume.
The most important thing when selecting knives for cleaning scales was the type and size of fish that the selected nominees can handle, as well as the roughness of the skin. When selecting applicants, VyborExpert specialists also paid attention to the price-quality ratio.
Making a device for cleaning fish with your own hands
For effective cleaning, there are various graters that can be purchased at the market or in a store. But you can make the device yourself. To do this, you will need a wooden block and tin with holes, which has sharp jagged edges. This device will clean the fish instantly.
Let's make a grater from a tin can. To do this, make several medium-sized holes in it. Beer cap grater. Take a wooden block, such that it is comfortable to hold in your hand. You need to nail several tin beer caps to it. The device turns out to be simple and effective; scales fly off the fish quickly.
If you don't have a lid or an empty can at home, use a simple fork or spoon. The scales can scatter a lot, so place the fish in a plastic bag.
How to choose a fish scaler
For scale removal to be effective, the tool must be sharp. It will need to be sharpened periodically to maintain functionality. It is important to have a comfortable handle made of plastic or metal that does not slip in your hand. This will prevent cuts and injuries. To avoid contamination of the device and work surface, it is recommended that you have a container for collecting waste.
Type
To remove scales from small but fatty fish, it is convenient to use a round scraper. If we are talking about long prey such as bream, pike perch, pike, then a thin metal knife will be just right. Those who plan to use it at home for personal purposes can limit themselves to a mechanical model. For professional use, the electric version is more relevant.
Blade and handle material
The blade is almost always made of stainless steel, which is resistant to corrosion. This allows you to protect it from moisture and easily rinse it with water after use. The handle can be made of impact-resistant plastic that does not heat up when exposed to high temperatures and does not cool down when exposed to low temperatures.
Blade location
In knives for removing fish scales, the most common blade arrangement is vertical, which does not require much effort to remove the outer cover. It allows you to process perch, pike perch, etc. both in the direction of scale growth and against it.
In the case of horizontal placement, you will need to hold the tool at a certain angle in relation to the product, which creates a certain load on your hands. If you have a special attachment, you can additionally cut the fish.
Tricks for cleaning fish
Any fish will be easy to clean if its tail is pinned to the board. This cleaning method has been used for a long time. By the way, regarding the knife, it is better to clean it with the blunt side rather than the sharp side. But this method is not suitable for beginners.
Electric fish scalers do their job very quickly; the only drawback is that they are expensive. If your husband brings back several crucian carp from fishing, it is better to use the old grandfather’s method. Using beer caps and parkas is a method used by fishermen.
But it is worth noting that the plugs, which are currently not suitable for cleaning, are weak and with a large number of fish, the wavy teeth will bend.
It is better to clean only fresh fish. If you buy it at the market, pay attention to the gills, they must be red, without mucus and mud. The smell should be fishy, without foreign aromas, there should be no mucus present, and the scales should adhere tightly to the skin.
Don't be afraid of Chinese purges; they do their job well. The simplest and easiest way to clean fish is with a knife and the experienced hands of a fisherman. As you can see, cleaning fish is easy; you just need to have certain skills and a special cleaning device.
Remember that it is best to clean only fresh fish. If you want to freeze a product, you must clean it, wash it, and only then freeze it. Choose for yourself the cleaning method that will cope with the task perfectly.
Electric fish scalers
Such devices require access to an outlet and a stable supply of electricity. If you have a battery, this criterion is not so important and the tool can be used comfortably even outside the home. Of the 8 candidates that customers liked the most, Vyborexperta.ru specialists included 3 of the safest, most convenient and functional cleaners in the rating.
Ves Electric VES4000
A small automatic electric model with dimensions of 325x105x107 cm, which fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. This reduces the chance of cuts while cleaning fish. The device is powered by a 1500 mAh battery, which is enough for 30-80 minutes of continuous use.
The fish scaler battery is replenished in 8-14 hours using the included charger. The device can be washed under direct running water due to its IP7 waterproof rating. The high processing speed is due to 450 rpm, and excellent quality is ensured by sharp stainless steel blades.
For easy control of the cleaning and charging process, a bright light indication is implemented. To avoid failure, protection is provided against switching on while the battery is being recharged. An electric fish scaler can be conveniently stored in the kitchen using a hanging loop or handle.
Advantages:
- Durable plastic body;
- Transparent cap for collecting scales;
- Non-slip due to the rubberized handle;
- Comfortable handle;
- Weighs 1 kg.
Flaws:
- Not detected.
As reviews show, the device is easy and effective to clean even fish with a large number of scales.
Messer FISH'ka LK-859B
The Messer FISH'ka LK-859B device is suitable for both fisherman and chefs. It weighs little (0.81 kg) and has compact dimensions (311x107x69 cm), without taking up much space in your bag. A knife for cleaning fish from scales is a professional knife and is actively used in restaurants.
The device is powered by a battery, so it is indispensable on the road. The battery capacity is 2 mAh, which is enough for 1-2 hours of continuous operation. Due to the power of 36 W, cleaning is carried out quickly and efficiently, the scales are completely removed. No special effort is required.
The battery device has a waterproof housing made of impact-resistant plastic. In view of this, the fish scaler can be washed under running water without fear of failure. The control button is located in a convenient place - on the front. The round handle provides a comfortable grip to avoid injury.
Advantages:
- The battery lasts a long time;
- High rpm – 6000;
- Non-slip surface;
- Water protection;
- No noise during operation.
Flaws:
- Biting fins.
The reviews note that the operating time of the battery fish scaler declared by the manufacturer without recharging does not correspond to reality. In active mode it is 1-1.5 hours, and in passive mode – up to 3 hours.
Farmer RF-01
An electric fish scaler is designed to speed up the process of removing scales from fish. The model has a protective cover that ensures safety and accuracy of cleaning. Thanks to it, clogging of the work surface and clothing due to flying waste is eliminated.
Farmer RF-01 is powered both from the car's cigarette lighter and from a 220 V network. Due to its compactness (72x325 cm) and weight of 0.95 kg, the knife is convenient to use both at home and during hikes. In one hour, the device is capable of processing up to 60 kg of fish, regardless of the type - pike perch, perch, etc. This is explained by the high speed of revolutions - 3500 per minute.
Advantages:
- Electric motor power – 20 W;
- Warranty period – 1 year;
- Sharp blades;
- Large coverage area;
- Quiet operation.
Flaws:
- Not detected.
According to reviews, the device is suitable for cleaning fish of all types and sizes. It is easy to care for - just rinse it with clean water after use.
Which fish scaler is better?
For fishermen, the best option would be a mechanical model or an electric one powered by a battery. You can easily take it with you on the road since it is not dependent on the network. However, for this, the size and weight must be small (up to 0.7 g). In this case, products with an aluminum body are more relevant, since they are less heavy.
Summing up the results for each nominee, it is necessary to note their main features:
- The quietest electric model is the Ves Electric VES4000 with a high degree of moisture protection.
- Chefs will appreciate Messer FISH'ka LK-859B, which can be used both at home and in restaurants.
- A universal option in terms of power supply is the Farmer RF-1, which operates both from a car cigarette lighter and from the mains.
- The LuxFish mechanical device is suitable for removing hard fish scales.
- The Arcos Varios knife is recognized as the sharpest; it is suitable for cleaning both river and sea fish.
- The most durable and easy to care for is Nadoba Karolina, which can be washed in the dishwasher without any consequences.
- A tool from Westmark with a waste container will help you keep your kitchen clean.
When preparing a review of devices for cleaning scales, special attention was paid to their sharpness, which is responsible for the quality of the process. Therefore, when purchasing, it is first of all recommended to take this factor into account, and only then look at the method of operation, manufacturing materials and a number of other parameters.
