The Best Wooden Spoons
Equipment expert Adam Ried shares his top pick for wooden spoons.
Buy FAAY 13.5″ Teak Cooking Spoon:
Buy Jonathan’s Spootle:
ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.
If you like us, follow us:
WOW WOULDN'T UTENSILS FOR THE KITCHEN ARE WOODEN UTENSILS FOR THE KITCHEN REMEMBER DO NOT SOAK THEM IN WATER FOR VERY LONG BECAUSE THEY'LL FALL APART AND TURN TO SLUDGE THAT AND THEY'RE COVERED IN DANGEROUS POISONOUS LACQUER TYPE SEALANTS AND THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT IN YOUR FOOD. REMEMBER SPERTLES ARE EXACTLY WHAT THEY MEAN THEY'LL GIVE YOU THE SPURTS IF YOU USE THEM IN YOUR FOOD
I've made a couple of red oak japanese spatulas and looked everywhere for advice on the best oil to use and the best way to season them.
Any idea?
Is coconut oil ok to use?
The only advice I got was to use mineral oil but should I warm up the spatula first?
I am now curious about the "finish" especially on the "Spurtle" type scrapers and spoons, etc.
May you use YouTube chapters please
So we can share each chapter
Can you add the playlist in description please
Oh yes, now I know what I will be aiming for while I am carving with random pieces of wood at the campfire.
I use the bamboo spoons and bought mine at Amazon. I like that they are smooth and don't hold smells. I always wash mine on the top shelf of my dishwasher. No problems. No need to buy a fancy model.
I’m not absolutely positive, but I think I grab different wooden spoons/implements depending what I’m doing. Sometimes the perfectly flat one you showed, sometimes a more “spoonish” one. I rarely buy a really expensive one unless it’s got a great unique look, and then it’s usually not about utility! 😏
I’d be surprised if it was there but I wished he mentioned the disciplinary uses of a wooden spoon.
Aldi’s have a knockoff $30 for a wooden spoon is an insult.
Okay.
I’ve heard that wood from the olive tree makes for the most durable wooden utensils. I have checked them out, and they are very expensive. I agree with others who’ve commented here that “seasoning” wooden utensils is the most important thing you can do for durability, and, of course, NOT putting them in dishwasher or soaking in water. I use a food-grade oil on them before first use, and reapply oil after every cleaning. It is the same oil I use on my wood cutting boards. While I like wooden utensils, I actually prefer the new silicone utensils.
This is the best segment of the show.
I discovered Jonathan's wooden cooking utensils over 25 years ago and have used them ever since. They are beautiful, functional, and clean well. Pricey, yes, but I still have and use every one I ever purchased. A little mineral oil on the cherry wood occasionally and they stay beautiful.
Bit of a half baked comparison
That chunky Oxo one is terrible. Cheap, rough finishing and it split all over the first time I washed it.
The best wooden spoon material isn't made from wood at all. Get bamboo instead, and hang your pretty wood spoons on the wall as art.
I forgot to add that the whole bowl end of the spoon is thin as well not just a shallow bowl.
How could you not discuss the depth and shape of the bowl of the spoon? My favorite spoon for baking and cooking has a very shallow bowl. Of my several wooden spoons,the biggest variable for me is the shape and depth of the spoon’s bowl, more than the other factors in your video, which are also important.
Thanks for this. Could you also talk more about the different woods and finishes and how to care for them?
Question. Why using a wooden spoon? They are porous, get smells, are difficult to clean, some are quite fragile. A good steel spoon does everything as well or better and lasts for ever. So, why?
I've found, for me, most of my really nice wooden spoons (that look similar to ATK winners) at my local Asian markets and only paid $1-4 a piece. I've had no problems with soaking, washing, even put them on the top dish rack, they all come out fine, no cracking or splits. Some I've have some for 20 years. The wood is also very sturdy, not the cheap wood spoons at found at Walmart and other stores.
Lol, how did I know where choosing a wooden spoon, the winner was going to priced insanely high. $28 for a wooden spoon!
I have 4 kinds of wooden spoon. The one I use all the time is the 3rd one from our left. It's the handle that sealed the deal for me. And at $3, oh yeah!
How clean can you get wooden spoons?
I read that wooden spoons are not allowed in commercial kitchens 🤔.
This review is not very informative at all. Disappointing. Bob Vila has an excellent article on the best wooden spoons for cooking. Much better than this one. All Adam does is tell which one was the winner. Surprised it wasn't Oxo.
Mmmmmm nope. I’m not paying more that $2 for a multi-pack. They get burned, broken, stained or damaged too easily, and it’s not worth it to me.
I'm a fan of the Epicurean wooden spoons in natural (not slate) but sadly these were not tested. I've had mine for ten plus years and love that I can put them in the dishwasher. I have the small, medium, large spoons and use them all. In addition, I have 2 of the angled turners that are great for cooking up ground beef or turkey – using one in each hand to crumble it up. They are a bit pricey, so that is the only down side.
Where's Lisa? I thought she did the reviews. I like her and I trust her reviews. I really hope they didn't get rid of her. Say it ain't so.
Lmao. Also a wonderful way to correct a child