There May Be Harmful Chemicals in Your Cooking Utensils—Swap to This $10 Bamboo Set Instead

If your kitchen drawers are stocked with black plastic cooking utensils, you’re long overdue for an upgrade—and an upgrade free of potentially harmful chemicals and microplastics, at that. It turns out, switching to wooden utensils might be better for your health, but the swap doesn’t have to be an expensive one. We found 100 percent bamboo cooking utensils with more than 10,000 perfect five-star ratings on Amazon, and it starts at just $10 for a three-piece set. 

If you haven’t yet heard much about the issues with plastic cooking utensils, here’s what you need to know: One study published last fall in the journal Chemosphere that looked for potentially harmful flame retardants in electronics and household items found that black plastic cooking utensils can expose people to the flame retardant BDE-209—not enough to come close to the reference dose in the United States (aka what the Environmental Protection Agency deems the highest acceptable amount) for adults, but still more than exposure from things like dust and diet. These harsh chemicals have negative health implications that can cause “carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and reproductive and developmental toxicity.”

Riveira 3-Piece Bamboo Wooden Spoon Set

Switching to purely wooden and bamboo cooking utensils (and other items like cutting boards!) can help you reduce your exposure to these chemicals and microplastics, since plastic won’t be touching and potentially contaminating your food as you’re prepping it. And that’s where these bamboo utensils come in: They’re made entirely from organic bamboo wood, and they’re non-stick, so you don’t have to worry about them scratching your go-to cookware or dealing with sticky, hard to remove food debris when it comes time to wash your dishes. And shoppers confirm that not only is that true, but the utensils are generally durable, lightweight, and easy to use.

“Prior reviews don’t lie,” one customer wrote. “These utensils are exceptionally well-made, smoothly finished and, importantly for me, easy to grip. They feel solid and are beautifully shaped.” Another 

The utensils come in a set of three for $10, with a solid spoon, a slotted spoon, and a spatula, but you can also purchase a set of six for just $15, and even a set of nine utensils for $25—a steal no matter which set you choose. One thing to note, though: These are best hand-washed with warm, soapy water, so make sure you leave them out of the dishwasher if you want them to last.

“I love these!” another reviewer shared. “Happy I got them. I use them allllllll the time and hand wash them. Haven’t had [an] issue yet!” For good measure, several other shoppers wrote that they coat the utensils with food-grade mineral oil after washing to keep the wood from drying out and splintering over time, so that’s definitely something to consider if you snag a set. 

A final shopper even went so far as to call the set from Riveira the “best bamboo cooking utensils ever,” noting that they’ve tried other bamboo and wooden utensils that ultimately couldn’t compare.

Head to Amazon to shop the $10 bamboo utensil set now. And if you really want to ditch the microplastics, check out more wooden kitchen necessities like spatulas, tongs, and cutting boards below.

Woodenhouse 12” Teak Wood Spatula

Dujen 2-Piece Bamboo Toast Tongs Set

Allsum Bamboo Butcher Block Cutting Board

Riveira 9-Piece Cherry Wood Utensil Set

Royal Craft Wood 3-Piece Bamboo Cutting Board Set