My three kids—ages 10, 7, and 5—have fiendish appetites for fresh watermelon. Until recently, whenever summer hit, my husband and I felt like we were spending way too much time standing at the kitchen counter, knife in hand and juice dripping onto our toes, endlessly cubing the fruit.
I was tempted to hand the knife over to my oldest kiddo, but while he’s pretty good at chopping some things, a rolling seedless behemoth can be challenging, even for adults. So one night, I broke down and ordered a melon baller.
Our pick
OXO Good Grips Melon Baller Silver
Most melon ballers work fine, but this two-headed one gives you a couple sizes to work with and a soft-cushioned handle that’s easy to grip.
At first I felt sheepish. Haven’t we all been taught to avoid unitaskers? But once I saw how I could just split open a melon and let my kids ball and devour it on their own (which they did, repeatedly), it has become one of my most-prized possessions. I’ve also found it’s a lot more versatile than its name suggests.
We haven’t tested a lineup of melon ballers, but I chose the OXO model because it’s a trusted brand, the handle looked svelte, and I liked the two scoop sizes. We’ve now used it for over four years, and I have zero regrets. Its edges have stayed sharp, its handle is comfortable to hold (for small hands, too), and both scoop sizes come in handy regularly.
