What factors should I consider when buying kitchen tongs?
Get good metal

A decent pair of 23 to 30 cm (9 to 12") stainless steel tongs should weigh around 125 to 150 g (4.5 to 5.5 oz); if it weighs less than this it is not going to be strong enough to be truly useful, and will probably bend and break in short order

Longer tongs, say around 35 to 40 cm (13.5 to 15.5") are great if you operate a very hot grill frequently

If it has a locking mechanism (recommended) it should only lock when the tongs are pointed up and squeezed close. It should unlock when pointed down and squeezed. This is normally achieved with a pin just below the hinge pin that is engaged when tipped up. Locks that require fiddling or two hands to operate are a pain, and often fail over time

Go for plain metal, the plastic bits never last very long or stay hygienic, and you will be adding to the rubbish pile before long

I have various tongs like this that have lasted 20 years and are still great

Cheap Chinese tongs are often just chrome plated crap steel. They are bad in so many ways: hygiene, longevity, easy of use, etc

Examples



Good tongs 23 cm with internal locking pin. Cannot bend steel with hands.



Bad tongs with silicone ends that wear out quickly. The two handed locking mechanism that jams or breaks easily