A spoon may not seem like much to get excited about, but a carefully designed spoon can be a wonderfully versatile tool.

These are the spoons you see in constant use all over Asia (12 for $6) — and there are many reasons why:

First: the shape is perfect. Easy to hold, it picks up a substantial spoonful (much more than most Western-style soup spoons); the side is sharp enough to cut long noodles against the side of the bowl, but not so sharp that it would cut your mouth; the spoons stack compactly in minimal space, and are small enough to easily fit in a lunch box or food container. The classic shape is elegant enough that fancy restaurants use them to present one-bite appetizers. They also works well as small scoops: use to pack ice-cream in cones, to dip salt out of a jar, etc. There’s one on my potting bench, used as a mini-trowel; I even keep a set of these at work to use while scooping and weighing medicinal chemicals. You can turn it around and use the handle end to scoop if you need to work with smaller amounts… and when you see what lab-ware companies charge for a single stainless “spoonula” you’ll see the appeal.

Second: easy to grip, a boon for toddlers and those with fine-motor mobility issues. Flat bottom prevents tipping if you set it down.

Third: stainless steel! Durable, corrosion-free, easy to clean, recyclable, eco-friendly. Shiny!

Fourth: CHEAP!

Caveats: They’re rather short, so you probably don’t want to put them in a deep bowl of ramen or they might unexpectedly submerge; use the flat bottom to perch the spoon on a plate or napkin instead. Be careful when loading them into the dishwasher, or they’ll nest into each other and not get completely clean…and of course, be careful with these spoons around their natural enemy: the ever-hungry garbage disposal. I’ve had a couple dozen of these for over 5 years; they’re always the first spoons we reach for, yet still look like new. Give them a try!

-- Barbara Dace 09/11/19