Experts Recommend Ditching Your Black Plastic Kitchen Utensils — Here’s What to Buy Instead

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:PeopleHome cooks, listen up! It might be time for a kitchen utensil overhaul.A new study foundthat black-colored plastic — common in spatulas, tongs, and other kitchen tools —may contain potentially cancerous chemicalsdue to mistakes in recycling practices.According to the study, published in the journalChemosphere, kitchen utensils made with black-colored plastic have been linked to health concerns including carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and reproductive and developmental toxicity. The study only evaluated black colored plastic, so they were unable to determine if other colored plastics could also be an issue.Not to worry, though! There are plenty of non-plastic kitchen utensil options on the market. We’ve rounded up our top picks from Sur La Table, Crate and Barrel, Our Place, and more top-rated cookware brands. Keep reading for 7 cooling utensil alternatives, from wooden spoon sets to stainless steel options, starting at $12.Best Alternatives to Black Plastic Kitchen UtensilsOxo 3 Piece Wooden Utensil Set, $17Cb2 Brushed Gold Kitchen Turner, $12 (orig. $17)Sur La Table Viking Stainless Steel 8-Piece Utensil Set, $100 (orig. $240)Sur La Table 5-Piece Wood Cooking Spoon Set, $26Quince Italian Olivewood Utensil Set, $50Crate and Barrel Beechwood and Stainless Steel Serving Tongs, $30Our Place Beechwood Spatulas, $15 (orig. $20)Cb2 Brushed Gold Kitchen TurnerCB2$17$12 at CB2Give your cooking utensils a luxe upgrade with Cb2’s collection of gold-brushed tools. In addition to a sleek, stainless steel spatula, you can also shop the coordinatingkitchen skimmer. Both utensils have an angled end that’s easy for resting and storing. The best part? They’re on sale for $12 right now.Sur La Table Viking Stainless Steel 8-Piece Utensil SetSur La Table$240$100 at Sur La TableIf you’re looking to splurge a bit, consider this set of Sur La Table eight-piece stainless steel utensils. The sleek, dishwasher-safe set has all the handheld tools you’ll need to safely whip up your favorite dish. It comes with a spoon, slotted spoon, pasta fork, deep ladle, spatula, slotted spatula, meat fork and skimmer. There’s no better time to overhaul your kitchen utensils, especially since this set is marked down to $100.Sur La Table 5-Piece Wood Cooking Spoon SetWayfair$26 at WayfairSwap out your plastic-coated coated kitchen utensils for this five-piece wood cooking spoon set from Sur La Table. Crafted from solid beechwood, this set comes with a slotted spoon, solid spoon, solid turner, solid ladle, and a serving fork. Plus, each spoon has a hanging loop at the bottom for easy storage.Keep reading for more kitchen utensil options to shop, with picks starting at just $12.Quince Italian Olivewood Utensil SetQuince$50 at Quince.comCrate and Barrel Beechwood and Stainless Steel Serving TongsCrate & Barrel$30 at Crate & BarrelOur Place Beechwood SpatulasOur Place$20$15 at Our PlaceOxo 3 Piece Wooden Utensil SetOXO$17 at Amazon

Photo:People

People

Home cooks, listen up! It might be time for a kitchen utensil overhaul.A new study foundthat black-colored plastic — common in spatulas, tongs, and other kitchen tools —may contain potentially cancerous chemicalsdue to mistakes in recycling practices.According to the study, published in the journalChemosphere, kitchen utensils made with black-colored plastic have been linked to health concerns including carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and reproductive and developmental toxicity. The study only evaluated black colored plastic, so they were unable to determine if other colored plastics could also be an issue.Not to worry, though! There are plenty of non-plastic kitchen utensil options on the market. We’ve rounded up our top picks from Sur La Table, Crate and Barrel, Our Place, and more top-rated cookware brands. Keep reading for 7 cooling utensil alternatives, from wooden spoon sets to stainless steel options, starting at $12.Best Alternatives to Black Plastic Kitchen UtensilsOxo 3 Piece Wooden Utensil Set, $17Cb2 Brushed Gold Kitchen Turner, $12 (orig. $17)Sur La Table Viking Stainless Steel 8-Piece Utensil Set, $100 (orig. $240)Sur La Table 5-Piece Wood Cooking Spoon Set, $26Quince Italian Olivewood Utensil Set, $50Crate and Barrel Beechwood and Stainless Steel Serving Tongs, $30Our Place Beechwood Spatulas, $15 (orig. $20)Cb2 Brushed Gold Kitchen TurnerCB2$17$12 at CB2Give your cooking utensils a luxe upgrade with Cb2’s collection of gold-brushed tools. In addition to a sleek, stainless steel spatula, you can also shop the coordinatingkitchen skimmer. Both utensils have an angled end that’s easy for resting and storing. The best part? They’re on sale for $12 right now.Sur La Table Viking Stainless Steel 8-Piece Utensil SetSur La Table$240$100 at Sur La TableIf you’re looking to splurge a bit, consider this set of Sur La Table eight-piece stainless steel utensils. The sleek, dishwasher-safe set has all the handheld tools you’ll need to safely whip up your favorite dish. It comes with a spoon, slotted spoon, pasta fork, deep ladle, spatula, slotted spatula, meat fork and skimmer. There’s no better time to overhaul your kitchen utensils, especially since this set is marked down to $100.Sur La Table 5-Piece Wood Cooking Spoon SetWayfair$26 at WayfairSwap out your plastic-coated coated kitchen utensils for this five-piece wood cooking spoon set from Sur La Table. Crafted from solid beechwood, this set comes with a slotted spoon, solid spoon, solid turner, solid ladle, and a serving fork. Plus, each spoon has a hanging loop at the bottom for easy storage.Keep reading for more kitchen utensil options to shop, with picks starting at just $12.Quince Italian Olivewood Utensil SetQuince$50 at Quince.comCrate and Barrel Beechwood and Stainless Steel Serving TongsCrate & Barrel$30 at Crate & BarrelOur Place Beechwood SpatulasOur Place$20$15 at Our PlaceOxo 3 Piece Wooden Utensil SetOXO$17 at Amazon

Home cooks, listen up! It might be time for a kitchen utensil overhaul.A new study foundthat black-colored plastic — common in spatulas, tongs, and other kitchen tools —may contain potentially cancerous chemicalsdue to mistakes in recycling practices.

According to the study, published in the journalChemosphere, kitchen utensils made with black-colored plastic have been linked to health concerns including carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and reproductive and developmental toxicity. The study only evaluated black colored plastic, so they were unable to determine if other colored plastics could also be an issue.

Not to worry, though! There are plenty of non-plastic kitchen utensil options on the market. We’ve rounded up our top picks from Sur La Table, Crate and Barrel, Our Place, and more top-rated cookware brands. Keep reading for 7 cooling utensil alternatives, from wooden spoon sets to stainless steel options, starting at $12.

Best Alternatives to Black Plastic Kitchen Utensils

Cb2 Brushed Gold Kitchen Turner

CB2

$17$12 at CB2

Give your cooking utensils a luxe upgrade with Cb2’s collection of gold-brushed tools. In addition to a sleek, stainless steel spatula, you can also shop the coordinatingkitchen skimmer. Both utensils have an angled end that’s easy for resting and storing. The best part? They’re on sale for $12 right now.

Sur La Table Viking Stainless Steel 8-Piece Utensil Set

Sur La Table

$240$100 at Sur La Table

If you’re looking to splurge a bit, consider this set of Sur La Table eight-piece stainless steel utensils. The sleek, dishwasher-safe set has all the handheld tools you’ll need to safely whip up your favorite dish. It comes with a spoon, slotted spoon, pasta fork, deep ladle, spatula, slotted spatula, meat fork and skimmer. There’s no better time to overhaul your kitchen utensils, especially since this set is marked down to $100.

Sur La Table 5-Piece Wood Cooking Spoon Set

Wayfair

$26 at Wayfair

Swap out your plastic-coated coated kitchen utensils for this five-piece wood cooking spoon set from Sur La Table. Crafted from solid beechwood, this set comes with a slotted spoon, solid spoon, solid turner, solid ladle, and a serving fork. Plus, each spoon has a hanging loop at the bottom for easy storage.

Keep reading for more kitchen utensil options to shop, with picks starting at just $12.

Quince Italian Olivewood Utensil Set

Quince

$50 at Quince.com

Crate and Barrel Beechwood and Stainless Steel Serving Tongs

Crate & Barrel

$30 at Crate & Barrel

Our Place Beechwood Spatulas

Our Place

$20$15 at Our Place

Oxo 3 Piece Wooden Utensil Set

OXO

$17 at Amazon

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source: people.com