14 Different Types of Forks with Images

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Have you ever used a fork when eating an ice cream? Did you know that there is a fork made for ice cream? Yes, that is right. There are actually few types of forks that you can spot elsewhere. 

ProductBrandNamePrice
HommpHOMMP 16 Pieces Stainless Steel 3-tine Dessert Fork, Cake Fruit Fork SetCheck Price on Amazon
HIWAREHiware 12-piece Stainless Steel Salad Forks Dessert Forks Set, Dishwasher Safe, 6.7 InchesCheck Price on Amazon
GJTr200 Mini Plastic Tasting Forks for AppetizerCheck Price on Amazon
OneidaOneida Mascagni II Fish Forks (Set of 12)Check Price on Amazon
OXOOXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Carving ForkCheck Price on Amazon

* If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more details, please visit our Privacy policy page.

As you might know, a fork is a kitchen utensil usually made of metal, with a long handle terminating in a head that branches into several narrow and often slightly curved tiny spears called tines. These tines are used to get a food or assist a food when cutting it with a knife. Once you spear the food with a fork, you can simply enjoy eating it. 

Forks have been an essential tool when eating foods. Italy and Spain have been the first countries to adapt and utilize the use of fork in cutlery. And then after a century, France followed the use of forks in eating their main course of meal. 

What Are The Different Types Of Forks

Here are some of the common types of forks that you may find at the table. Check them out and if you want to buy them, links will be provided  for your convenient shopping online. 

types of forks

Table Fork

Table fork is the most common fork you will find in someone’s kitchen. That is because the table fork has many purposes. It is sometimes compared to a dinner fork as they have the most identical appearance and usage. 

Like a regular fork, the table fork usually has four tines that are used to grab food and other purposes. These forks also come in different sizes and that is the reason why the table fork serves as a multi-purpose fork. 

You might not see the table fork being used in fine dining, but it is easy to spot in people’s kitchens. If you need a fork that can be used in different dishes, then the table fork would be a good choice. 

There are table forks that may look enticing and nice to the eye.

If you need to buy a table fork or a set of table forks online, just click here


types of forks

Dessert Fork

You might wonder, can’t we just use the fork from the main dish on our dessert? Well, typically there is no problem if you will use any sort of fork when you eat a dessert. But there is a specialized fork for dessert, and it is simply called a dessert fork. 

The dessert fork can be  6 to 7 inches in length. It also looks like a salad fork, but the dessert fork is narrower. It also has three tines, where the left tine is extra wide to allow cutting of firm dessert conveniently. 

You might not find the dessert fork commonly used in regular households, but you would expect to see some dessert forks provided in a fine dining restaurant. You might need to know that the dessert fork can also be called a pastry fork. 

Should you need to acquire a dessert fork or would like to stock a set of dessert forks at home, then you can grab yours by clicking here


types of forks

Salad Fork

If you don’t know, salad fork is one of the most commonly used types of forks in the modern era. You can easily recognize a salad fork with its often-reinforced center tines. This fork has four tines with an extra-wide left tine that can be used as a cutting edge for vegetables and lettuce. 

Vegetarians or those people who are fond of eating salads would be happy to have a salad fork at home. If you are going to host a formal dinner party and you serve salad, make sure to place the salad fork to the far left of your plate, ahead of the other forks.

If you don’t have any salad fork in your kitchen and you would like to score some good sets of salad forks, then simply click on this link to shop online. 


types of forks

Fruit Fork

Fruit fork can be easily recognized due to its unique look. If you will see a fork in your table that only has two sharp tines, then that is a fruit fork or called an appetizer fork. 

Fruit fork can be seen usually in  a catering/buffet set up. This is to let the guests eat their pickles, olives, or some variety of served fruits. The design of the fruit fork allows you to pick up the fruits easily. 

If you are looking for some good quality of fruit fork that is made of stainless steel, grab yours online by clicking here. You might need to get that set of fruit forks as a part of your kitchen utensils. 


types of forks

Dinner Fork

Dinner fork is the type of forks used in eating main meals or dishes. Also, dinner forks may have three to four tines or thin prongs, which are one to one and a half inch in length. These tines or prongs are used to lift food from the plate to mouth.

If you are going to compare its length to a salad fork, a dinner fork would be longer. You might also find the dinner fork as the largest of the types of forks. This is also one of the commonly spotted forks being displayed and sold in the markets. 

Dinner fork also comes in different styles and looks. The fancy-looking dinner forks might be used in fine dining, while the regular dinner fork can be used at home.

If you need some nice looking dinner fork that you can use in your kitchen, don’t hesitate to click here and buy it online. 


types of forks

Cocktail Fork

Cocktail fork has been designed to handle garnishes, such as olives, and put it on the served drinks. Cocktail fork is very useful to those who love serving cocktails in their household. 

Aside from being called a cocktail fork, it is sometimes referred to as a seafood fork as it can also be used in handling shellfish, or for picking up shrimp from a shrimp cocktail. Removing claw or tail meat from a lobster can be done with the use of a cocktail fork. 

Cocktail forks usually have three tines with a stainless steel coating. Since it can be hard to track down a cocktail fork if you need to use one, it might be essential to buy one cocktail fork or a set of cocktail forks for your home. 

You can click here to buy it online. 


Fish Fork

A standard fish fork is usually smaller compared to the regular table forks. Fish fork has an incurve shaped form and it is approximately 7 ¼ to 7 ¾ inches long. The shape of the fish fork allows an easy identification when placed beside the other types of forks. 

The tines of the fish fork are designed to remove the bones and skin from their fish. The left tine is  is slightly larger than the other tines and there is also a notch on the side of the fork. Fish forks are also larger than the salad forks. 

Should you need to get hold of this useful kitchen silverware, you can easily grab one by clicking here


types of forks

Ice Cream Fork

Remember that intro of this article? Ice cream fork is simply created to make your ice cream eating experience easier. The design of the ice cream fork is actually more like a spoon with four short tines. 

If you see a utensil on a dining table with the classic bowl shape of a spoon, topped with three to four tines, that means you are getting an ice cream fork. That should help you dig in and enjoy your favorite ice cream. 

To get one ice cream fork or a set of ice cream forks, just click here and buy it conveniently online. 


types of forks

Pastry Fork

If there is a type of fork that’s used in eating desserts, there is also a fork that can be used in eating different pastries on a plate. Pastry fork is also referred to as pie fork or cake fork. 

The pastry fork could have three or four tines, depending on the style. The three-tine pastry fork has a larger, flattened and beveled tine on the side. Whereas the four-tine pastry fork has the first and second tine connected or bridged together and beveled.

A pastry fork is usually smaller when compared to the salad forks. The design of the pastry forks are usually meant to hold a plate in the left hand and cut through pastry with the left edge.

You can buy your own pastry fork by clicking here


Carving Fork

If you need help in carving your meat, then you will need a carving to assist you with that task. A carving fork is used to hold foods securely in place. It should also keep your hands away from the sharp blades of the knives as food is being prepared.

The long tines of the carving fork allows it to go deeper into the food. It helps in stabilizing the larger pieces of meat as they are carved by a knife. That means if you are into carving big pieces of meat at your house during special occasions, you will definitely find the carving fork a handy tool. 

You can find carving forks at your local market, or you can conveniently buy it online by clicking here


types of forks

Toasting Fork

It is amazing that these types of forks are named based on their purpose and usage. Since it is named as a toasting fork, it means you can use it to hold meat in place over a fire. 

To describe the toasting fork, you will see it as a long-handled fork with two or three tines. The main use of this fork would be to toast bread, marshmallows, or other foods usually over an open flame or live coals. 

Unlike with the other forks that have short tines, the toasting fork usually has longer tines. This should allow better handling and turning of meat when grilling or roasting them. You can also use the tines to pierce the meat if you need to. 

If you love BBQs, then get one toasting fork now. Simply click here to buy online. 


Oyster Fork

Do you love to eat seafood, especially oysters? That may not be served on a day to day basis, but there is a specific fork that you can use – the oyster fork. 

Though this is called oyster fork, it can also be used on other types of seafood under the shellfish category. It typically possesses slender three tines, where the outer tines can effectively crack open a shellfish.

If you are that type of person who loves oysters, shrimp, lobster, oysters, and other types of shellfish, then this is a must-have in your kitchen. 

You can buy your own oyster fork/oyster forks by clicking here


types of forks

Spaghetti Fork

Eating spaghetti and other pasta won’t be enjoyable if you are not going to use a fork. There is a specific type of fork used for pasta, named spaghetti fork. 

A spaghetti fork is spoon-shaped with specially-designed tines. These tines have little ridges on them to allow a better grip when twirling the pasta. 

If you’re one of those pasta lovers, this is a must-have for your cutlery. You can find these in supermarkets in your area. 


Snail Fork

Snail fork can be easily determined through its two long prongs or tines. The snail fork is perfect to remove cooked snails from their shells. There are different styles of these forks that you can use the meat of the snail from their shells. 

This is also referred to as escargot fork as it is used for different escargot serving dishes. You can buy a set of snail forks and tongs to add up in your kitchen utensils. 

Just click here to shop online easily and hassle-free. 


Are Forks Essential Kitchen Utensils

Since forks are used on a day-to-day basis, it is an essential tool that should be present in your kitchen. And there are several types to choose from, depending on what you are going to eat. 

Whether you are eating seafood, preparing meat dishes, serving food and other stuff you do in the kitchen, there is a fork to help you out. You have a standard fork available, but it might be necessary to get other forks just in case you will need them badly. 

Just check out our recommendations and feel free to buy them through the links provided on each type of fork. 

ProductBrandNamePrice
HommpHOMMP 16 Pieces Stainless Steel 3-tine Dessert Fork, Cake Fruit Fork SetCheck Price on Amazon
HIWAREHiware 12-piece Stainless Steel Salad Forks Dessert Forks Set, Dishwasher Safe, 6.7 InchesCheck Price on Amazon
GJTr200 Mini Plastic Tasting Forks for AppetizerCheck Price on Amazon
OneidaOneida Mascagni II Fish Forks (Set of 12)Check Price on Amazon
OXOOXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Carving ForkCheck Price on Amazon

* If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more details, please visit our Privacy policy page.

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