I consider kitchen tongs one of the most essential kitchen tools but due to a lot of moving around recently I no longer have a pair.  Rather than just picking up a cheap pair at the corner store I figured I would ask the experts and get something worth holding onto this time.  I'd like to know more about the following:   What material is best and why?  I'm familiar with metal tongs but would there be any advantages to other materials such as wood? I have some non-stick pans.  If you recommend metal tongs, are there any available that have some kind of plastic on the tips or some other coating that would not damage the teflon? Cleaning would be a consideration. I don't want something that food is going to get stuck under. What should I be looking for in a latching mechanism?  I've seen types that you can just tip upside down and close which makes closing them very quick, but have also experienced faulty ones that won't open right (usually when you really need them and have only one hand free!) Is there an ideal length?  Obviously too long is going to be awkward and too short gets you too close to the heat, but what I'm wondering here is if I'm missing some advantages to having a certain length, for example, if shorter than X inches it's good for the stove top but dangerous for the oven. Any comfort factors I should consider such as grips at the top or just go bare?  
I have five different sets of tongs in my kitchen drawer.   One is specifically for getting cooked spaghetti out of a pot:    I never use them but my husband likes them.  One is small (4" long) and I use it for turning bacon (more precise):    One is the classic "good tongs" in @TFDs answer. These are my go-to tongs for day to day work.  One is an awful pair I've had for decades and should throw out:     And one is specifically for getting pickles out of jars:    They were a gift, but I have to say there are times I am glad I own them.  I also have lots of chopsticks.  Assuming you don't want to build a "tong collection" I would say get one good metal pair and a pack of wooden chopsticks. For light weight stuff like picking up an almost-cooked piece of macaroni from the pot so you can taste it, or for working on a Teflon pan, you can easily use the chopsticks, which have the advantage of staying cool - you would burn your mouth on a metal tong when eating macaroni. For everything else (turning steaks or chicken breasts, getting all the roast potatoes out of the hot pan etc) use the good metal ones. 