The Hole in Your Saucepan Handle Isn’t Just for Hanging: One Kitchen Trick Gives It Another Purpose
Saucepan handles often have a small hole near the end, designed to hang cookware from hooks or kitchen racks. On some pans, the opening is wide enough to hold a wooden spoon, giving cooks another place to rest a utensil while preparing food.
The trick appeared in a Reddit discussion when user u/M0rtimerDuke shared a photograph of a wooden spoon resting on the handle of a Mauviel M’250 CI copper pan. The spoon stayed above the cookware, leaving the countertop free from drips.
The idea drew mixed reactions. Some cooks wanted to try it, while others questioned whether sauce could run down the spoon toward the handle or whether the utensil might sit too close to a gas flame.
The Handle Hole Was Designed for Hanging Cookware
The opening at the end of a saucepan handle allows the pan to hang from a wall hook, rail, or cookware rack. Hanging keeps the cooking surface accessible and reduces the need to stack pans inside cabinets.
Some handles have round holes, while others feature elongated slots or open metal loops. Their shapes depend on the cookware design, handle material, and intended storage arrangement.
The opening was not designed across all cookware brands as a spoon holder, but certain handle shapes can support a utensil without requiring a separate spoon rest.
A Wooden Spoon Can Fit Into the Handle Opening
On some saucepans, the narrow end of a wooden spoon can pass through the handle hole, allowing the wider head to remain suspended above the pan.
The spoon’s shape matters. A narrow handle may slide too far through a large opening, while a thick or curved utensil may not fit. The saucepan handle must also provide enough support to keep the spoon from slipping.
In the Reddit example, the owner reported that the spoon rested close to level, preventing food residue from running back toward the handle during use.
Other cookware owners described using their pan handles for the same purpose, although the method depends on the combination of pan and utensil.
The Spoon’s Position Can Create Two Problems
Resting a used spoon above the pan may keep sauce off the countertop, but its angle can allow liquid to travel down the utensil toward the handle.
Thin cooking liquids may drip back into the saucepan, while thicker sauces can collect around the opening or run toward the cook’s hand. A spoon rest or small plate avoids transferring food residue onto the cookware handle.
Heat presents another concern. On a gas stove, a wooden utensil suspended near the burner can become exposed to rising heat or flames extending beyond the pan.
The Reddit creator acknowledged the risk and said the spoon remained away from the flame and was never left unattended. That precaution matters because a wooden utensil should not be left where burner flames or excessive heat can reach it.
Not Every Saucepan Handle Works as a Spoon Rest
Before using the trick, check whether the spoon fits without sliding, whether its head stays clear of the burner, and whether the handle can support it without tipping.
A pan with a small hanging hole may hold a narrow wooden spoon, while an open metal loop may support the utensil across its upper edge. Other handles offer no secure resting position.
The hole’s original purpose remains hanging storage, but the right combination of handle and spoon can provide another use during cooking. Keep the utensil away from direct heat and remove it before lifting or moving the pan.
Source: u/M0rtimerDuke’s discussion in r/Coppercookware.