Since ancient times, wood has been a popular option for cooking utensils, such as spoons and spatulas. Even today a lot of people prefer wood over other options, because of its aesthetics and functionality. There are a number of advantages of using wood kitchen tools compared to stainless steel or plastic ones. Here are some of them:
- Wooden utensils won’t scratch your cookware. Wooden utensils are soft and very gentle on delicate cooking surfaces. One of the distinct advantages of wooden spatulas is that they are not going to scratch the finish on your non-stick pans. They also won’t scratch your cast iron or stainless steel pans, and opposite to metal utensils, they don’t make noise.
- Wooden spoons don’t conduct heat. Another reason that makes wooden utensils superior to metal utensils is that wood doesn’t conduct heat. If you leave a wooden spoon in the hot pot for a long time, the handle will still stay cool and you don’t need heat-resistant gloves to grab it. With a metal spoon, you may end up with a burned hand. The plastic spoon will melt if you stir something really hot or leave it to rest on a hot pan.
- Wood is an inert material. Another plus is that wood is a non-reactive material and won’t leach harmful chemicals into your food. Wooden utensils don’t react with the acids in foods and don’t leave a metallic taste as metal spoons do.
- Easy to grip handles. Holding a metal spoon can be uncomfortable for you, while sharp edges can damage delicate ingredients. The wooden spoon handles are gently rounded and feel nice in your hand. You will feel comfortable and satisfied using it.
- Beautiful Design. Another benefit of wooden kitchen tools is that they look attractive and elegant. The creative and artistic design of wooden utensils adds a beautiful accent to your kitchen. Handcrafted wooden spoons look like pieces of art, which makes them wonderful gifts.
- Durability. Wooden utensils are reasonably durable. As long as you take proper care of them, you can expect them to give you long service. They are hard to break, and you can stir even the thickest ingredients or scrape food off the bottom of the pan. They can withstand high heat and won’t melt in an unattended pan. A little sanding from time to time can help remove burn marks and stains.
- Germs and bacteria don’t like wood. Research indicates that some woods (pine and oak) appear to have natural bacteria-killing properties. Germs and bacteria grow faster on plastic and metal than on wooden kitchenware surfaces.
- Wood is an environmentally friendly material. Environmentally conscious individuals can choose wooden utensils with confidence. Wood is a natural and renewable resource, so it is an environmentally responsible choice for kitchen utensils. We can help protect the environment by using kitchen utensils that are made from renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic materials.
The Disadvantages of Wooden Cooking Tools
Wooden kitchen tools do have a few downsides:
- Wooden utensils are harder to clean than stainless steel or plastic cooking utensils. Food particles easily stick to the porous surface of the wood. Wood expands in water, so soaking wooden utensils in water should be avoided.
- Wooden utensils quickly lose their glossy finish and might develop splinters or cracks if they are not properly washed or handled.
- Wooden spoons tend to pick up stains if used to cook soups and sauces.
- Sometimes, it could be hard to determine if the glossy finish of your new wooden utensil is food-safe, especially for items that have been brought from abroad. This shiny finish will wear off as you use them and you don’t want harmful substances ending up in your food. To stay on the safe side, always buy wooden cooking utensils from reputable manufacturers.
Wooden Cooking Utensils Sets
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- Wooden House Wooden Cooking Utensils13 pieces (Made of natural teak wood and include a spoon rest)
- Tmkit Healthy Cooking Utensils Set (nicely polished and comes with storage wooden barrel)
- Wooden Spoons for Cooking by Gudamaye (Includes spurtles that are excellent for stirring and scrapping)
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Thanks for the tips. I really like that wood does not put any toxic chemicals into my food. That is why I do not like to use plastic as much. I worry that it could be leaving chemicals in my food.
I love cooking with wood too, surprisingly. Wooden utensils are great, and so cheap! Great tips.
Good stuff of information. Thanks for sharing.
Another advantage of using kitchen tools is they sound good.
Hi, I love wooden kitchenware and I always try to purchase wooden if I have a choice between plastic and wood. Your post perfectly highlights the advantages of wooden kitchen tools.
Thank you for sharing such a helpful article. I personally feel that wooden utensils are always the best for my kitchen. Recently i also found an amazing website- IRONWOOD GOURMET that sells the best quality of wooden kitchen ware. All their products are made up of Acacia wood that not only looks stunning but has an anti-bacterial quality to it. Please do check their website, I am sure you are going to love it.
https://ironwoodgourmet.com/
Why not link to this research that “proves” wood is anti-germ? I don’t remember when I last saw hospitals and commercial kitchens using wooden instruments and surfaces. Oddly, they use metal, which can actually be sanitized. I suspect that they’d be very interested in this research that shows a less expensive material might actually be better at preventing disease.
I also suspect that the research doesn’t exist.