Clongs from Dreamfarm - Yes, it's food-related

I hope I never get invited to the Dreamfarm offices.

Yes, really.

It would shatter the illusions I have of them working in an office building surrounding an always-springtime meadow filled with frolicking unicorns.

Seriously, these people are way too whimsical to be working in a cubical farm.

On the other hand, their products make so much sense. I'm totally in love with the clongs I just got.

Clongs? Um, shoes that have bells on them?

No, clongs are tongs. Click-lock tongs. Get it? Clongs?

Okay, I have maybe a half-dozen different tongs - long ones for barbecue or for reaching down into a tall pot; normal tongs; cheap tongs, silcone-tipped tongs; salad tongs; mutant tongs ...

What sets these apart is two things. First, there's the odd protrusion along one side. The idea is that you can set the tongs down on the counter and you're not slathering food on the counter since the business end stays elevated. Yes, there can still be drips, but you won't end up with a big smear of tomato sauce on the counter.

But the thing I really like best - and maybe I'm goofy - but what I like best is how the tongs lock and unlock so they're open or closed. Every other set of tongs I have, you push the tab or button on the hinged end of the tongs to open them - which is great because you can just tap them on the counter. And then you pull the tab out to lock the tongs in the closed position. Which works fine.

BUT ...

These tongs use a mechanism that's like a clicking ballpoint pen. Tap to open, and tap to lock.

See how that makes sense? You don't need two hands to lock them closed, which is great when you're holding the tongs in one hand and you've got the lid of the pot in the other hand. Tap, tap. Tap, tap. Genius. It's a little thing, but I just love it. Except, of course, that at first I was trying to pull the tab to lock the tongs closed. But now that I know how they work, I'm tickled.

Clongs come in 9-inch and 12-inch lengths with silicone tips so you can safely use them in your nonstick pans. There's also a set of 15-inch barbecue tongs with some extra features.

Who's it for: Pretty much everyone needs tongs. If you're replacing yours, or you need extras, consider these.

Pros: Extra features compared to standard straight tongs.

Cons: Extra features cost more money.

Source: I received these from the manufacturer.