I Tested 11 Wooden Spoons to Find the 5 Best Ones for Stirring, Scraping, and Serving 

When it comes to kitchen tools, it doesn't get more basic than a wooden spoon. While plastic and silicone tools degrade with repeated washings and exposure to heat, wooden spoons can last decades when properly cared for. They also won’t scratch or damage the coatings of enamel or nonstick pans. If you’re looking to buy a new wooden spoon, there are many different shapes and sizes to choose from, including some options that look more like spatulas than spoons.

I put 11 popular wooden spoons head-to-head in four tests examining their scraping, stirring, and serving capabilities. I also observed how well each model held up to washing and repeated use. As with most tools, comfort and ease of use were essential qualities of a great wooden spoon, but the wood type, head shape, and even handle length also came into play when choosing the best ones. 

The Winners, at a Glance

This spoon features a flat, angled edge that makes it ideal for scraping fond off the bottom of a pan (almost like a spatula). The ergonomic handle is comfortable to hold, no matter which way you grip it. Made from durable cherrywood, the Spootle looked good as new after several uses (and washes), plus it’s available in both left and right-handed options. 

While this set includes three different wooden cooking tools, I focused my testing on the most spoon-like of the bunch, which came in as a close second to the winning Spootle. It was super light with a comfortable handle, and the pointed edge was perfect for scraping hard-to-reach corners. This set of spoons also had the most resilient finish of all the models I tested. They stayed smooth and shiny even after multiple washes. 

Out of all the spoons I tried, this one felt the most familiar—a simple wooden spoon with an oval head, deep bowl, and smooth, rounded handle. While this spoon did a decent job at scraping, it shone at serving up generous portions and was also particularly comfortable to grip while stirring large amounts of tomato sauce. It's also under $20.

Made from olivewood, this spoon held up particularly well to washing and stayed super smooth throughout all my tests. The large, rounded head is big enough to be an effective scraper, an efficient stirrer, and of course, a generous server, but it wasn’t as great at getting into tight corners. It was also a bit too large for smaller pans. 

While none of the tools in this set are technically spoons, the mesquite spatulas were excellent for scraping and stirring. The minimalist design doesn’t look very ergonomic at first glance, but the spatulas were surprisingly comfortable to hold. However, because the spatulas are totally flat, they’re not very useful for serving or scooping.

The Tests

• Oatmeal Test: I used each spoon while making a double serving of oatmeal. I observed how well the spoons stirred and scraped the oatmeal as it cooked, then noted how each one performed at serving portions into bowls. 
• Sausage Test: I used each spoon to break up sausage meat as it cooked, scraping up any fond that formed on the bottom of the pan. As I moved the sausage around, I observed how well the spoons reached into the corners of the pan, then used each one to scoop the meat into a bowl.
• Red Sauce Test: I made a large batch of tomato sauce, using each spoon to break up chunks of tomato and to stir the sauce as it cooked. I then let the spoons sit in the simmering sauce for 10 minutes, after which I washed them and looked for signs of damage and/or persistent stains. 
• General Use Test: Throughout all my tests, I noted if the spoons were comfortable to hold. After every use, I washed the spoons by hand, let them dry, then observed if the spoons felt dry and rough. After all the tests were completed, I rubbed each spoon with a thin coat of mineral oil and noted which spoons still looked dry and which ones appeared restored.

What We Learned

Smaller, Shorter Handles Provided More Control

It’s no surprise that a comfortable handle is key to a pleasant stirring experience. All of my favorite spoons had shorter, moderately slim handles (about eight to 10 inches long and three-quarters to one inch wide) that were comfortable to hold using different grip styles. They provided good control for scraping and serving. While most of my top picks had rounded handles, I also enjoyed the flatter handle of the Field Company spoon. Thicker handles, like those of the OXO Good Grips Large Wooden Spoon and the OXO Good Grips Corner Spoon, felt awkward and clunky, and were too big and square-shaped to hold using a pencil grip. While I did have a preference for shorter handles, a long handle, like that of the Sabatier spoon, has its benefits too: It adds leverage when stirring large quantities of pasta, soup, or sauce.

Different Head Shapes Were Good for Different Purposes

Spoons with a flat edge, like the winning Jonathan’s Spoons model, were especially good at scraping bits of food off the bottom of a pot or pan. They were also better at navigating tight corners than a spoon with a more standard curved head. The Field Company wooden spoon, another favorite, has a rounded shape that comes to a point on one side, which was also useful for corners. Both of these spoons had a sort of hybrid spoon/spatula shape that made them more versatile than a standard spoon. I also enjoyed using spoons with a more traditional round or oval head. The round Sabatier spoon and the oval FAAY model both efficiently served up generous portions of oatmeal and also excelled at stirring larger quantities of tomato sauce.

A Thin Edge Was Better for Scraping and Serving 

Spoons with a thin edge were more effective at scraping than thicker edges. While all of the winning spoons shared this characteristic, the Jonathan's Spoons model is a particularly good example, as its edge is steeply tapered, creating a sort of ramp for food to slide onto. The edge is also subtly sharp, which makes the spoon especially useful for breaking up sausage meat. The Made In spoon, on the other hand, has a thick edge that food struggles to clear—it was especially noticeable when attempting to scoop food into bowls. 

Deep Bowls Are Better for Serving 

Spoons with deep bowls are better for, well, spooning. They provide a nice divot for catching food or liquid and create extra surface area for increased capacity. The Sabatier and FAAY spoons had particularly deep bowls that both served up impressively large portions. Both OXO Good Grips spoons were also quite deep, but other factors, like their clunky handles and thick edges, kept them from earning a top spot. My two favorite spoons from Jona than’s Spoons and the Field Company were actually the shallowest models I tested, though they could still scoop decently sized portions thanks to their thin edges. 

Some Materials Hold Up Better Than Others

My top two spoons from Jonathan’s Spoons and the Field Company are made from cherrywood, which is known for its hardness and durability. The finish on the Field Company spoon is particularly impressive. It stayed super smooth and even shiny after multiple washes, and never felt dry or coarse to the touch. The spoons made from olivewood also held up particularly well—the Sabatier and the Sur la Table models were extremely smooth straight out of the packaging and stayed in excellent shape after multiple washes. The Faay spoon was another of my favorites. Made from super water-resistant teak, it held up nearly as well as the Field Company model. Spoons made from beechwood were more disappointing. The Made In, OXO Good Grips, and Le Creuset models all dried out quickly, taking on a rough texture after a single wash.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Wooden Spoon

A great wooden spoon has a comfortable, rounded handle that's eight to 10 inches long and three-quarters to one inch wide. It also has a deep bowl for serving generous portions, as well as a thin, tapered edge to assist in scraping. A flat side or pointed corner, which helps the spoons navigate tight spaces, is a bonus. 

Our Favorite Wooden Spoons

What we liked: I loved how lightweight and nimble this spoon was, with its angled head and rounded, ergonomic handle. The flat, tapered edge of the spoon gives it a spatula-like feel that makes it excellent at scraping up browned bits of fond from the bottom of the pan and also helps it reach into tight corners. It also has a moderately deep bowl for easy scooping and serving. When it came to durability, this spoon held up impressively well during the tomato sauce test and didn’t dry out even after several hand washes. One of my favorite features of this spoon is that it’s available in both left and right-handed options. As a lefty myself, this spoon felt custom-made for my hand! 

What we didn’t like: The shorter handle provides ample control for scraping and serving, but it may be too short to use with large pots. The bowl of this spoon was also a bit small compared to other models I tested, and didn't hold quite as much food per scoop.

Key Specs

• Weight: 1.4 ounces
• Materials: Cherrywood
• Total length: 12.25 inches
• Handle length: 8.75 inches
• Head width: 2.5 inches
• Head shape: Angled

What we liked: This set contained three wooden tools: two flat-edged spatula-like utensils and a wooden spoon. I focused my testing on the wooden spoon, which quickly became one of my favorites, though I enjoyed using the other two tools as well. The spoon has an oval head with a pointed edge that worked especially well for scraping cooked-on oatmeal from the corners of a straight-sided pot. It was also very effective at breaking up sausage meat and large chunks of tomatoes. The handle of this spoon isn’t rounded like my other favorites, but it is similarly sized and very comfortable to hold. This set of spoons had the most impressive finish of any of the models I tried—they stayed surprisingly smooth and shiny even after repeated washes.

What we didn’t like: Like the Jonathan’s Spoons Spootle, the handle of this wooden spoon is a bit short for certain tasks. The bowl is also on the smaller side, but since the spoon was so nimble at scooping up food, it was easy to serve up decently sized portions.

Key Specs

• Weight: Each weighs about 1.5 ounces
• Materials: Cherrywood
• Total length: 12 inches
• Handle length: 8.75 inches
• Head width: 2.3 inches
• Head shape: Oval with a pointed corner

What we liked: Made from smooth and sturdy teak, this spoon has the most familiar feel of all the models I tried. I loved its oval-shaped head and deep bowl, which made easy work of both stirring and serving. With a length of 13.75 inches, this spoon is slightly longer than the Jonathan’s Spoons and Field Company models. This makes it super versatile, whether you’re stirring a small pot of oatmeal or a large pot of stock. The rounded handle is particularly comfortable to hold. When it came to durability, this spoon was just behind the Field Company set; it retained its smooth finish impressively well, even after all four tests.

What we didn’t like: The oval head of this spoon is on the narrower side, which made it less efficient at breaking up bits of sausage and scraping cooked-on bits of food from the bottom of a pan.

Key Specs

• Weight: 2.6 ounces
• Materials: Teak
• Total length: 13.75 inches
• Handle length: 10.25 inches
• Head width: 2.5 inches
• Head shape: Oval 

What we liked: This spoon had one of the largest heads of all the models I tested, and it was the definite winner when it came to serving up sizable portions. The generous round head also makes it an especially efficient stirrer. It moved large quantities of sauce and oatmeal around a pan in a single pass. Plus, the long handle provides extra leverage for stirring large quantities. While this spoon doesn’t have a flat edge, it still excelled at scraping up cooked-on bits of sausage and oatmeal; the rounded shape lets more of the spoon’s edge come in contact with the pan, especially compared to more oval models.

What we didn’t like: Since this is a big spoon, it’s tough to use in small pots. It felt like overkill when I used it to stir two portions of oatmeal, and I couldn’t navigate the tight corners of the small pot.

Key Specs

• Weight: 3.4 ounces
• Materials: Olivewood
• Total length: 13.75 inches
• Handle length: 10 inches
• Head width: 3 inches
• Head shape: Oval with a pointed corner

What we liked: This set contains four pieces: two mesquite spatulas, a super sturdy maple scraper, and a mesquite spreader (which I didn’t include in my testing). While I appreciated the durability of the maple scraper, I quickly fell in love with the longer mesquite spatulas. The flat, angled design is excellent for stirring and scraping. This surprised me since I generally preferred spoons with rounded handles. The mesquite wood also stood up well to washing—the spatulas actually got smoother over time.

What we didn’t like: The completely flat design means that these spatulas are not useful for serving or scooping.

Key Specs

• Weight: 2 ounces
• Materials: Mesquite
• Total length: 12.25 inches
• Handle length: 12.25 inches
• Head width: 2 inches
• Head shape: Angled

The Competition

• Le Creuset Revolution Scraping Spoon: The best part about this spoon was its deep bowl, which made easy work of serving and spooning. But while the large, rounded handle was comfortable for stirring large quantities of sauce, I felt a lack of control when stirring smaller amounts of oatmeal. This spoon also struggled to scrape efficiently due to its narrow head. 
• OXO Good Grips Large Wooden Spoon: This beechwood spoon had a wide, square-shaped handle that made it a challenge to scrape and serve with any sort of precision. Plus, after just one wash, the wood felt parched and rough. Spooning and serving were also a challenge because of the spoon’s particularly thick edge. 
• OXO Good Grips Corner Spoon: Like the other OXO Good Grips spoon, this model had a thick, unwieldy handle and became very dry after one wash. However, the pointed shape of this spoon was useful for scraping up cooked-on food as well as navigating the corners of straight-sided pans. 
• Sur La Table Olivewood Cook’s Spoon: This olivewood spoon was very similar to the Sabatier model, which was one of my favorites. It did well at scraping, stirring, and serving, plus it held up well to washing. In the end, it was edged out by the Sabatier’s rounder, wider head and slightly shorter handle. The Sur La Table’s handle was by far the longest of any I tried, which could be useful for cooking large quantities, but mostly got in the way during testing. 
• Made In The Wooden Spoon: This spoon had a wide, angled head and thick, blunt lip around the perimeter that presented challenges when both scraping and spooning. It also held up poorly during the durability tests, developing a small crack after simmering in the tomato sauce. (It did appear to close up after the spoon cooled down.) It also became very dry and rough after washing. 
• Williams Sonoma Walnut Wooden Spoon: I loved the shape and feel of this simple spoon. It was one of the smallest of the bunch, but felt most similar to the wooden spoon I’ve been using at home for years. It’s particularly agile when it comes to stirring and scraping. Unfortunately, it became super parched and rough after washing—even a coat of mineral oil wasn’t enough to bring it back to life. 
• Earlywood Large Flat Saute: This saute paddle was useful for a variety of tasks, including stirring and scraping, but like the Boardsmith spatula, this tool simply isn’t a spoon and doesn’t work well for serving or scooping. If that's okay with you, then it is a nice scraper!
• Epicurean Chef Series: Made from paper composite, this spoon is the only one I tried that can go in the dishwasher. That said, the small, shallow head made this spoon less efficient at scraping and scooping. 
• Earlywood Long Server: As the name suggests, this spoon is best for serving. The large, rounded head was a bit too large for most cooking tasks, and the handle felt uncomfortably short. 
• Material The Wood Spoon: This spoon has a flat, paddle-style head that made for awkward stirring. The maple wood also showed more signs of wear and tear than other models I tried.  
• KitchenAid Universal Bamboo Basting Spoon: I have no major complaints about this simple bamboo spoon, but compared to the winners, it has a shallower bowl and less comfortable handle.

FAQs

What wood is best for wooden spoons?

Most wooden spoons are made from dense hardwoods, which are durable and offer the best water resistance. Some perform better than others. In testing, I found that spoons made from teak, olivewood, and cherrywood held up the best to repeated washes, while spoons made from beechwood dried out faster. 

What's better: wooden or bamboo spoons?

Like wooden spoons, bamboo spoons and utensils are durable and heat-resistant. While wooden spoons tend to dry out, spoons made from bamboo are more likely to splinter. Ultimately, both are safe, durable materials for use in the kitchen, though a quality wooden spoon could potentially last longer if properly cared for. 

Do you have to oil wooden spoons?

Many wooden spoons go years without being oiled and hold up just fine. (Several examples are sitting in drawers at my parents’ house right now.) That said, a thin coat of food-grade mineral oil or wood butter can help them last longer and maintain a smoother finish; plus, it enhances their water resistance. Oil your spoons at least a few times a year for the best results. 

How do you clean wooden spoons?

Wooden spoons should always be washed by hand to ensure a long lifespan. Wash them with soap and hot water, then dry them promptly. Never leave a wooden spoon soaking in liquid for extended periods of time, as this can cause splitting, cracking, and warping. 

How long does a wooden spoon last?

When cared for properly, a wooden spoon can last for decades. To help improve the lifespan of your wooden spoons, rub them with a thin coat of food-grade mineral oil or wood butter a few times a year or anytime they’re looking particularly dry. Be sure to throw out any wooden utensils that are cracked or split, as these hard-to-clean crevices can harbor bacteria. 

Why We're the Experts

• Zola Gregory is a writer and recipe developer for Serious Eats and other food publications. 
• Zola has been cooking professionally since 2016. Before beginning her career in food media, she worked as a pastry chef, baker, and cooking instructor. 
• For this review, she tested 11 popular wooden spoons, using each to stir batches of oatmeal and tomato sauce and to break sausage meat into small pieces. She noted how well each spoon performed at stirring, scraping, and serving, and also observed how well the spoons held up after washing.  
• We kept the competition from our previous tests in this review.