How does a skimmer remove fat from hot soups and stocks? Am I missing something?

[cheflorraine]

Another product question... I had a customer who bought the skimmer specifically to skim fat off of gravy and soups (which is what the product description says: removes excess fat from hot soups and stocks).
But she says that it simply doesn't work for that purpose, as when the fat is hot, it's a liquid and simply goes through the mesh. I can see that it would work if you let the stock cool, and the fat harden - then the skimmer should work well to get rid of the solids and fat that you don't want.
Am I (and my customer) simply not understanding some basic principle of how this should work?
Any suggestions? I told her that if it wasn't doing what she wanted it to, she could gladly have it replaced with another product, but maybe there's some vital information I'm missing?

 

[raebates]

I know that the recipe that comes with the Skimmer calls for skimming the "fat and foam" from simmering chicken soup. My guess is this is the type of skimming they're talking about. It won't mop up just the fat like our old fat mop. If you're doing something more like chili, you'd need to cool the soup and skim the fat as it congeals.

 

[Admin Greg]

It sounds like you and your customer may be misunderstanding the purpose of the skimmer. Skimmers are typically used to remove solid particles or foam from liquids, such as when making stocks or soups. This is why it works best when the liquid has cooled and the fat has solidified. It is not designed to remove liquid fat from hot soups or gravies. If your customer is looking to remove liquid fat from hot liquids, she may want to consider using a fat separator or a slotted spoon instead. These tools are specifically designed for that purpose. If your customer is still not satisfied with the skimmer, you can offer to replace it with a different product that better suits her needs. It's always important to make sure your customers are happy with their purchases.