The Best Wooden Spoon & Spoon Set

Buying Guide

Whether you’re a professional chef or a budding home cook, one of the most essential tools in your kitchen is the humble wooden spoon or a wooden spoon set. Wooden spoons and sets are useful whether you’re making soup or strawberry shortcake, versatile in all of its roles. The key job of a wooden spoon is stirring. Wooden spoons typically have a wide base, which makes it easier to move large amounts of food around in your pot or mixing bowl. The long, sturdy handle offers both control and comfort, so you can easily stir the food.

Another important task the wooden spoon helps with is scraping bits of food from the bottom of the pot. This is particularly useful when you’re deglazing the pan, making a pan sauce, or braising meat. The wooden surface is smooth so it doesn’t scratch the bottom of your metal pans. And as any good cook knows, you have to taste your food while you make it. A wooden spoon is the perfect shape to be able to lift both liquids and solids from the pot to your mouth.

There are many different shapes of wooden spoons, and they each have their own purpose and benefits. The basic round wooden spoon is highly versatile, perfect for mixing salads, stirring soups and mixing batters. It’s the most common type of wooden spoon you will find. The slatted wooden spoon has vertical openings in the spoon, so liquid can drain through them. This spoon is great for stirring or scraping meals like pasta and hearty stews. The wooden spatula is another useful tool for your kitchen. This one is great for tossing stir-fries or making scrambled eggs.

• When you’re looking to buy wooden spoons, take an inventory of the cooking utensils you already have so you can purchase ones to complement your set. You’ll want to make sure you have round wooden spoons in different sizes, as well as a slatted wooden spoon and a wooden spatula. You can find sets that come with multiple types of wooden spoons, or buy each spoon individually.
• Take note of the type of wood your spoons are made out of. This will give you an idea of the quality you’ll get. Aim for wooden spoons that are made out of solid beech wood, bamboo or olive wood for the best results.
• When it comes to the handle of the wooden spoon, the optimal length is 14 inches. This is long enough so that the spoon can sit against the walls of the pot without falling completely inside. It’s also short enough that it is not cumbersome or in the way while you cook. Keep this in mind when buying your wooden spoons. One of the most frustrating things is setting your spoon up against the side of the pot and having it fall into the food.
• Depending on your kitchen setup, you may want to look for wooden spoons that have holes at the end of the handles. This will enable you to hang up your wooden spoons and easily access them while cooking.
• Maintaining your wooden spoons properly ensures that they last a long time. The wood is already durable, but taking good care of your spoons means they will remain sturdy and useful for years. Wash your spoons in warm water and dish soap after each use. Make sure they fully air dry before putting them away. Sanitize your wooden spoons every 6-8 weeks with 3% hydrogen peroxide. This will make sure that you don’t contaminate your food with any bacteria. If you have a particularly special spoon, you can oil it with mineral oil to keep it from drying out.