More and more often we are looking for sustainable and safe products to bring into our homes. Bamboo is making it easy for people looking for sustainable products because it is one of the most sustainable materials around.
In this article, I will share the 13 bamboo kitchen utensils that are more sustainable from spoons to tongs to cutting boards.
If you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen utensils with eco-friendly options, I have the list for you. Continue reading to learn all about how bamboo kitchen utensils are more sustainable and better for your home and kitchen.
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Benefits of bamboo kitchen utensils
Bamboo kitchen utensils offer many advantages over plastic, metal, and wooden utensils. They are more eco-friendly, non-toxic, durable, and lighter than many of the common kitchen utensil options used today.
Bamboo & sustainability
Bamboo is one of the most sustainable resources our planet has to offer because it grows rapidly without the need for pesticides and without requiring very much care.
Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth. Some species of bamboo grow as fast as 35 inches (90 cm) per day, and they generally take only 5 to 7 years before they are ready to be harvested. This is very fast when you compare it to trees which can take 30 to 80 years.
Bamboo is not a labor-intensive crop. It is naturally resistant to insects and only requires watering for the first three years until the roots are established. Once roots are established, bamboo is almost fully self-sufficient.
Bamboo does not require replanting. Bamboo is not a tree. It is a grass. When bamboo is harvested, it regenerates on its own without replanting, just like mowing your lawn doesn’t cause your grass to die. Farmers can harvest bamboo yearly for decades without needing to replant and wait decades for the plant to reach maturity.
Bamboo also captures more carbon than most timbers. This means that substituting bamboo for things that traditionally use wood helps offset the amount of carbon it takes to produce that item.
Bamboo is biodegradable. When a bamboo kitchen utensil gets damaged or otherwise needs to be replaced, it won’t take up space in a landfill for the rest of eternity the way a plastic or metal utensil would. It will eventually breakdown and return nutrients to the soil.
Bamboo in the kitchen
Bamboo is a great material to use for kitchen utensils not only because it is an eco-friendly choice, but also because it is lightweight, non-toxic, and harder than wood.
Bamboo is lighter than wood. This difference is especially noticeable in cutting boards. A large 18” by 12” bamboo cutting board will weigh between 3 and 4 pounds, while a large hardwood cutting board will weigh around 7 pounds.
Bamboo is not usually treated with any chemicals. Unlike plastic utensils, bamboo utensils will not leach any harmful chemicals into your food. Bamboo is completely non-toxic and only food-grade finishes are applied to kitchen utensils.
Because bamboo is naturally resistant to insects and fungi, it does not usually need to be treated with chemicals of any kind. Certified organic bamboo is very easy to find for this reason.
Bamboo is harder than most hardwoods. Bamboo is extremely durable, which is why many prefer to use it in flooring, but this same durability will extend to your kitchen utensils. It is harder than hardwoods and has more tensile strength than steel.
Bamboo is not as porous as wood. Because it is less porous, bamboo will not stain as easily as wood does, and it will not be damaged by water as easily as wood wither.
Bamboo is heat resistant. Unlike metal utensils, bamboo is heat resistant. After using a bamboo spoon to stir pasta in a pot of boiling water, the spoon will not hold as much heat as a metal spoon.
Bamboo won’t scratch your pots and pans. If you use any pans that have a non-stick finish or that are susceptible to damage from scraping, you won’t have to worry about it with bamboo utensils. Bamboo utensils will not cause gouges or scratches in any of your pots and pans.
Bamboo kitchen tools
Bamboo kitchen utensils are becoming more and more popular as people are looking for more eco-friendly, non-toxic cookware, and they are becoming easier to come by.
Bamboo kitchen utensil sets
Bamboo kitchen utensils can often be bought in sets that come with a variety of utensils you are likely to find useful. Whether you are ditching the plastic and overhauling your kitchen or just starting out in your first kitchen, these kits are the way to go.
Buying your utensils as a set is usually more cost-effective than buying them separately. For just a little more than the price a single utensil, you will get a handful.
Bamboo Spoon Set
These high-quality bamboo spoons are sure to last you years. This set comes with three spoons including a 10-inch round spoon, a 12-inch round spoon, and a 12-inch oval spoon.
These spoons stand out from the rest because they are dishwasher safe, probably because of the finish that is put on them.
If you’re looking for high quality, long-lasting bamboo spoon set, then these bamboo spoons are perfect for you. However, if you want more control over the finish applied to the spoons, you will want to go with a set that features raw, untreated bamboo.
Riveira Cooking Utensil Set
This 6-piece set comes with a solid spoon, a slotted spoon, a solid spatula, a slotted spatula, a spork, and a turner wooden spatula. Each piece is made of organic bamboo and is smoothly finished.
The handle of each utensil also has a hole drilled into it that makes hanging the utensils easy, if that is your preferred method of storing your utensils.
Organic Bamboo Cooking Utensils by Metal Glass & Wood
This 6-piece set features a spatula, slotted spatula, spoon, slotted spoon, spork and risotto spoon. Each utensil is made from organic bamboo.
Unlike other sets, the wood is left raw. There is no varnish, lacquer, or oil applied to the wood.
It is suggested that you use food grade oil of some sort to prolong the life of the utensils. This means you get to select the kind of oil and the quality of the oil that you use.
Oiling the utensils will give them a shine, but from a practical perspective, oiling the utensils helps prevent staining and odors from penetrating the wood.
Helen Chen's Burnished Bamboo Kitchen Tools
Helen Chen’s Bamboo Kitchen Tools set is a great starter set. This 6-piece set includes a spoon for every occasion including:
- 9-inch rice paddle
- 10-inch mixing spoon
- 12-inch mixing spoon
- 15-inch mixing spoon
- 12-inch corner spoon
- 13-inch stir fry spatula
This set is unique in the way that it includes a rice paddle. If you cook a lot of rice, this is a very nice tool to have around the kitchen. Additionally, the corner spoon and stir fry spatula sets this kitchen utensil set apart.
These spoons are untreated bamboo and require oiling to prolong their life. Each spoon also had a small hole in the bottom of the handle to use if you prefer to hang your utensils.
EcoCheph 4-Piece Bamboo Utensil Set
The EcoCheph 4-Piece Bamboo Utensil Set comes with four thick, sturdy utensils: a spoon, a slotted spoon, a spatula, and a slotted spatula.
These utensils are 100% bamboo and they are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which means the bamboo used for these spoons was ethically harvested.
They are not treated with any toxic lacquers or dyes, but they do come pre-treated with a plant-based oil.
EcoCheph offers a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with these utensils.
Neet Home's Colorful Bamboo Cooking Utensils
If you’re looking for something that will fit into colorful kitchen decor, the Neet Colorful Bamboo Cooking Utensils is the set for you. This 5-piece kitchen tool set comes with a solid spatula, a spork, a risotto spoon, a solid spoon and a curved spatula.
The handles on the utensils are colorfully painted with vibrant blue, green, red, yellow, and orange. Only the handle of the spoon is painted, so you don’t need to worry about the paint contaminating your food. It does provide a nice feel to the spoon where you hold it.
They are constructed of one solid piece of organic bamboo with no gluing. They are not pre-treated with a protective oil, but you can easily add one to the end of the spoon you use for cooking.
Neet offers a 100% money back guarantee and a lifetime guarantee on these spoons.
Grand Sierra Designs Bamboo Cooking Utensils
This 11-piece organic bamboo utensil set has just about every cooking utensil you would need to start out your kitchen. The set includes:
- Spatula
- Angled spatula
- Slotted spatula
- Mixing spoon
- Slotted mixing spoon
- Spork
- Tongs
- Salad mixers
- Fork
- Holder
The pieces in this set are coated with a food grade lacquer approved by the FDA which provides a nice smooth finish, although you may prefer a different set if you want to choose what kind of finish is put on your utensils.
What is nice about this set is that it comes with salad mixers and tongs, something the other sets lack.
Matcha Tea Set
Do you regularly go to a coffee shop or a tea house to drink a healthy matcha tea? Why don’t you get your own Matcha Tea Set and make it at home? This way you can enjoy it more often! This pack comes with the whisk, spoon, and scoop.
So, you only need the matcha powder and a cup to make some tea.
The scoop measures the perfect amount of powder for you tea. The pronged whisk produces a creamy consistency. When it settles, you can use the spoon for stirring.
Bambusi Cutting Board Set
If you like to have cutting boards of different sizes on hand, the Bambusi Cutting Board Set is a good place to start. It comes with 4 cutting boards of different sizes. The largest is 18 inches wide and 12 inches long with a ¾ inch thickness and has a juice groove around the edge.
The smallest is 9.5 inches wide and 13 inches long. The two mid-sized board have handles cut into the board so you can move them around easily.
Each board is made of durable organic bamboo, but the largest has a two-tone design that adds visual appeal.
Woven Bamboo Coasters
Maybe this rather counts as a dinnerware item, but I still want to include them. These adorable coasters have a tight weave for that rattan look that many people choose on their patio.
The set includes 6 small (3 inches) coasters and one larger (4 inch) coaster/mat. It is meant for a Chinese tea cups, which is why they are quite small.
Individually sold bamboo kitchen tools
You may not need to go all out with a full set if all you’re looking for is a few additions to your already well stocked kitchen. Just about any utensil you can find in a set, you can find sold individually, but below I have listed a number of utensils that are not always easy to find as part of a set.
Totally Bamboo Soup and Sauce Ladle
Most of the spoons that come with bamboo utensil sets are meant for mixing, not scooping, and they are nearly flat. The Totally Bamboo Soup and Sauce Ladle holds up to 4 ounces or ½ cup of liquid with each scoop.
The spoon part of the ladle is shaped with a small pouring spout to allow the liquid to be poured more easily.
This ladle is made of one piece of organically grown bamboo, and it is 14 inches long, which gives a nice long handle.
It is finished with an FDA approved lacquer, which adds to its durability and gives it a nice satin finish. The finish also means that it can be washed in your dishwasher instead of by hand.
Totally Bamboo French Style Rolling Pin
This French style rolling pin by Totally Bamboo is a beautiful 20.5 inch organic rolling pin that only weighs 1 pound, but it is undeniably strong. This style of the rolling pin is a favorite among pastry chefs, but it can do anything a traditional style rolling pin can.
Despite the contrasting color designed into this rolling pin, there is no paint or stain used. Totally Bamboo uses a heating process to achieve a darker color on some pieces of the wood. This causes the sugars in the wood to caramelize and become dark. The color will not fade over time.
RuiLing Long Grip Tongs
This two-pack of long grip tongs by RuiLing are a versatile addition to any kitchen. If you don’t have a pair of tongs in your kitchen, you don’t know what you’re missing. Tongs can be used for anything from flipping chunks of meat to grabbing toast.
These 9.5 inch tongues are great for picking up lightweight items and are especially nice for pulling toast out of the toaster without burning your fingers or risking a shock. They can also serve as a substitute for chopsticks in a pinch.
HHXRise Large Organic Bamboo Cutting Board
The HHXRise Large Organic Bamboo Cutting Board is a good sized cutting board. It is 17 inches by 12.6 inches and about ¾ of an inch thick. It is two sided. Both sides have a juice groove, but one side also has three small compartments for storing the food you’ve chopped.
The three compartments are useful when chopping and separating food, but it also makes it easy to use the cutting board as a serving platter.
It also has a handle to make moving it around and storing it easy, and since it is made of bamboo, it is much lighter than a wooden cutting board of the same size.
RuiLang offers a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your purchase.
Bamboo Spoon Rest
This bamboo spoon rest will match all of the bamboo kitchen utensils you’re buying. It is approximately 10.5 inches long, which is perfect for any size spoon. It can even hold multiple spoons if you’re cooking more than one dish.
Since the spoon rest is made out of bamboo, you can be sure that it is a durable, eco-friendly choice, and its natural look will fit any kitchen style.
How to clean your bamboo kitchen utensils
No matter which brand or style you buy, there are some specific cleaning guidelines you should follow so that your new utensils will last as long as possible.
First of all, most bamboo utensils will not hold up to trips through the dishwasher. The high temperatures, the blasting from jets, and the amount of water they would encounter simply aren’t good for them. They may not absorb as much water as a wooden spoon, but they still do absorb some.
Bamboo utensils also shouldn’t be left sitting in water to soak. Prolonged exposure to water can damage bamboo utensils.
To clean bamboo kitchen utensils, all you need to do is rinse them off with water and give them a few quick swipes with a soapy sponge. It is recommended that you do this as soon as you are done using the kitchen tool to prevent food from getting stuck on it.
If food gets stuck on the utensil, you can use a soft scrub brush or a scraper to remove the food.
Bamboo utensils will also need periodic oiling. There are oils made specifically for the purpose of finishing wooden kitchen utensils. For example, Bayes Wood and Bamboo Conditioner/Protectant is a food-grade mineral oil meant for use on items that come in contact with food.
Alternatively, you can use coconut oil, beeswax, or linseed oil to refresh your bamboo utensils. All of these oils work well, so this is a matter of preference. Many people like to use coconut oil because many people have this on hand already. Do not use any oil that can get rancid like olive oil or canola oil.
