Cooking With Long Nails… Yes or No? Social Media Is Sounding Off

If you love long nails, you know the fresh manicure feeling when leaving the salon is top-tier (or even when doing them at home). For many of us, a new manicure exudes having your life together, and activities like texting, typing, or doing your makeup just hit different. However, when it comes to the kitchen, people are much more divided. In fact, viral cooking videos featuring home chefs with long nails are causing intense controversy online. While some people don’t mind it, others say preparing food with long nails is “just gross.” Oof.

So, we had to get to the bottom of the controversy. We’ve compiled social media reactions on the subject to figure out what bothers people so much about cooking with long nails— and why others actually prefer it.

First off, we have all the people grossed out by cooking with long nails IRL

To start, we found social media users who are absolutely grossed out by cooking with long nails. So much so, they won’t eat food prepared by someone with a long set of acrylics (or a natural set!). Even when talking about family and friends preparing meals at home.

Many users cite the amount of “bacteria” and “germs” that may live under long nails, recommending these cooks to wear gloves instead:

Others agree with the bacteria claims, reminding everyone that “ain’t no telling what type of crud” is under long nails:

And many more call it trapped “dirt”— AKA a rose by any other name:

Tons of people point-blank refuse to eat food cooked by people with long nails:

While others say it’s a “basic rule” to have short nails if you’re selling your food creations:

Others agree that they are not “comfortable eating food cooked by folks with super long nails,” and sometimes assume these manicures inhibit you from cooking. Like… it can’t be easy:

Others are simply “grossed” out by the practice:

And others say their background in nursing is the reason they can’t get behind cooking with long nails. It’s a “no” for them!

For some, cooking videos featuring a long manicure are especially cringe

Sometimes, people are even more grossed out by cooking videos online that show hands with extra-long nails. Sure, the practice IRL may be cringe for them too, but these cooking videos probably make them use the “block” button.

One X user feels like they’re in a “Monsters Inc” sock emergency whenever they see cooking videos with long nails… and LOL:

Yes, touching food with “long and dirty” nails may be cause for a jumpscare:

Yet another just can’t get used to these videos, calling them “kinda gross”:

And don’t even get this user started when it comes to long-nail cooking videos where chefs “prep things with their hands”:

Apart from social media cooking videos, some TV show chefs also keep their nails long. One X user said their own cooking teacher would never allow that in the classroom:

On the other hand, people who have tried cooking with long nails say it’s OK but not for the weak

Alas, we have a whole group of people who are pretty OK with cooking with long nails. One problem? Doing so is actually extremely difficult— and not for the weak. Long-nailed queens we see you and respect you!

One X user said that their long (adorable!) nails made it very difficult to open a can of soup:

Another says that cooking with long nails is downright impossible… you know, unless you’re a character in a rom-com:

Is it a “2/10” experience or not? Short nails for the win?

As yet another X user stated, having long nails made them “struggle” with cooking… so much so, they related to La Candle Jenner for a second:

While some say long nails makes cooking food “so difficult”:

Others say it’s just not practical… which is understandable:

As one person put it, “how are people surviving out here with long nails” right now? It’s safe to say you’re an “absolute legend” if so:

And let’s just hope you don’t break a nail while cutting the cebolla:

But then you have the long nail queens who cook on the regular… and it works for them!

On the other side of the spectrum, we have home cooks with long nails that see no issue with any of this. In fact, some say their long nails actually help their cooking, and make the process easier. Really.

One X user says their “long, fake nails” are great for flipping tortillas. Why? They can’t burn their fingers. Is this genius?

Similarly, others use their long nails to pull “hot a** bagels” out of the toaster. Maybe don’t try this at home?!

Yet another says their long nails make peeling soft-boiled eggs much “easier.” So much so, “it’s worth all the hassle long nails otherwise” cause. Yes or no?!

Others call cooking with long nails a “pivotal” moment in life. Maybe it’s the bad B energy?!

We may be onto something. Another says that cooking with a cute, long manicure makes them feel like “such a bad b***h.”

Another long-nailed X user has the whole process down pat. As someone with long nails, they prefer to wear gloves in the kitchen because they “hate getting food/seasoning underneath them.” This might be the middle-ground we were waiting for:

Interestingly, some people find having long nails easier than short nails. In fact, one X user says they “can’t type [on] the keyboard” or hold chopsticks with short nails, calling it “weird”:

And one thing people with long nails seem to hate?! All the people that ask them how they do things with their long manicure:

Exhibit B. They said what they said:

One person with long nails say they like to prove others wrong about the subject. “I can do anything with my nails no matter their length,” they asserted.

And if people call long nails “ghetto,” well, that’s a whole other subject we won’t entertain. As one X user wrote, “If you don’t like long nails don’t get them, but don’t hate on others.”

What do you think? Cooking with long nails— yes or no?