We tested a few kids training chopsticks by sending some pairs home with several Wirecutter staffers for their little ones (ages ranging from 3 to 10).
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These are fun for kids without being a pain for adults to wash. And the removable finger loops and hinge mean they can grow with your kids’ skills.
Of the ones we tested, the Marcus & Marcus Learning Chopsticks were our favorite. They strike the best balance of being appealing to kids and simple to use and wash. They have a helper hinge that comes in an assortment of cute animal shapes, plus guiding rings (for right- and left-handers) that help keep hands in the right position for proper chopstick technique. Best of all, the hinge and rings can be removed, leaving simple, shorter, dishwasher-safe chopsticks for your kids to use when they’re ready.
We’ve also tried these Lalo chopsticks for kids, though we’ve gotten some mixed reviews. An 8-year-old tester has been enjoying using them without issue, but our 3-year-old tester finds that when the sticks cross, the wide paddled tips end up locking them in place, which is apparently no fun for a 3-year-old to undo during his meals. And unlike the Marcus Marcus trainers, this pair lacks finger rings. Perhaps for older kids, or families with minimalist-leaning aesthetics, the Lalo chopsticks could be a fine choice.
We so wanted to love the adorable Fred & Friends dinosaur Munchtime Chomping Chopsticks, which also come in a shark version. They got a thumbs-up from most of our kid testers (staff writer Ingrid Skjong said of her son, “He’s having so much fun. He says, ‘The mouth opens for shark lovers.’”). But they got a pretty universal thumbs-down from parents (deputy editor Annemarie Conte said, “I had to clean rice out of the shark’s mouth. I am not okay with that.”). They handled food well enough and got kids excited about trying chopsticks, so we think they could still make a fun gift. But for actual learning without the cleanup headache, we’d go with the Marcus & Marcus pair.
We know chopsticks preference is an extremely subjective thing. And considering they are essentially two straight sticks, there’s a surprising amount of variation in how they’re built. So we started by casting a wide net, hoping to collect a spectrum of chopsticks that could be beautiful, comfortable, and easy to use for a variety of tastes. Since we do think people can settle into a favorite pair over time, we wanted them to also be reasonably durable. We organized our choices using a few criteria:
Without getting too geopolitical here, chopsticks can be broadly grouped into three shapes, corresponding to countries from the East Asian cultural sphere:
There’s no denying you might have attachments to a certain shape based on cultural background or the type of food you frequently enjoy. But there’s also an objective reality that different handles, tips, and lengths will serve you in different ways. Here’s what to consider:
Handle shape: Round chopstick handles may be the most comfortable to use, but they tend to roll off of plates and tables. Meanwhile, squared handles (like those of most Chinese styles) or flat chopsticks (like the Korean style) don’t roll, but they can dig into your fingers. Rounded square or trendy hexagonal or octagonal styles are meant to strike a balance between the two.
Thickness: If you have any hand or wrist injuries, this is where the chopsticks you choose makes a difference. Japanese cooking instructor Elizabeth Andoh had significant hand and wrist injuries as a result of prolonged keyboard use, and she learned how to use chopsticks safely as she recovered. She said, “The closer your thumb and your pointer finger have to come together to grasp something, the more stressful it’s going to be to that joint.” So if manual dexterity is an issue for you, the thicker the better.
Tips: When you want (or need?) to convey large quantities of food into your mouth, you’ll want chopsticks that have thicker tips. Chinese-style chopsticks are ideal for this kind of eating-at-scale. This also makes them a better starting point for beginning chopsticks users, since the thickness will allow you to more successfully scoop food into your mouth if pinching at individual pieces isn’t working. On the flip side, Korean cookbook author Maangchi prefers the precision her flat rectangular Korean chopsticks offer. She finds the sharp-angled tips important for plucking the precise clump of soybean sprouts you want from the banchan plates in front of you.
Length: Shorter chopsticks give you better control, while longer ones have better reach. And the length you prefer has a lot to do with the size of your own hand. One rule of thumb (ha ha) is to measure the distance between the tip of your thumb and the tip of your pointer finger when your fingers are outstretched, as instructed in this article. A good length for you would be roughly 1½ times that distance. This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, though. The type of chopstick you’re most familiar with (those accustomed to Chinese shapes will likely prefer something longer than the above formula would offer) also matters, as does how you’re using them (family dining? personal plates? cooking?). We tried to pick a range of lengths but found that any longer than 10 inches was a little unwieldy, and pairs shorter than 8½ inches were a little too mini for most adults.
Hardwood and bamboo are classics, and for good reason. They’re beautiful, and they tend to be warm and comfy in the hand. The biggest downside to wood is its tendency to warp after consistent or prolonged exposure to moisture and heat, both common stressors on your stovetop, in your bowl, and in the dishwasher. Bamboo may fare better. Scott Misture, Inamori professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Alfred University, told us, “I’d suspect that wood is more likely to warp than bamboo because bamboo has a highly uniform cellular structure between nodes (knots).”
For those who want to be able to throw all their utensils straight into the dishwasher, we also tried a few stainless steel pairs, as well as plastic pairs made from melamine, acrylic, and fiberglass to see how they would stack up in looks, usability, and durability.
We stayed away from super-shiny lacquers (they often make the chopsticks too slippery, and in our experience they inevitably chip away). But we also found that chopsticks with overly raw finishes had a tendency to shred and splinter. Senior staff writer Michael Sullivan, who’s written many of our guides to kitchen gear, said of one of the rougher pairs, “It causes the chopsticks to sort of stick to my lips. Once they’re coated in oil, they’re much better to use, but they seem too much like takeout chopsticks for the first few bites.” We favored wooden chopsticks that have a smooth-enough finish for a pleasing mouthfeel but are still natural enough to supply some grip to the food. Even our melamine pick has some texture to its tips.
Most people probably want several pairs, and in my experience even the best chopsticks are liable to eventually warp, break, or slip between cracks due to their thin, long physiques. So we knew we wanted to keep prices low. I didn’t bother testing the $300 ivory-inlaid decorative chopsticks at Yùnhóng Chopsticks in Manhattan’s Chinatown (and they are problematic for reasons besides cost). The ones we tried ranged from less than a dollar to $39 a pair (for the beautifully crafted but seriously extra Snow Peak Wabuki Chopsticks). But most of our picks hover right around $1 a pair, with a couple splurges in the $5 range.
We tried several pairs of Muji chopsticks, including this shorter octagonal pair (at 8½ inches, they were the shortest chopsticks we tried, and they might be a good option if you have really small hands). However, the unpredictability of online and in-store availability notwithstanding, we found most of Muji’s chopsticks too thin at the tips. At $10 a pair, they were also overpriced.
The persimmon Tetoca Chopsticks from Kawai (they come in a plum-tree version, too) look lovely, and their tips are a little sturdier than those of the too-skinny Mujis. Unfortunately, the wood on both pairs showed some shredding after a few washings (even by hand). We worry they could cause splinters, which at $9 a pop is inexcusable.
As we found with reusable straws, round stainless steel chopsticks from a variety of retailers tend to look very similar. And though these chopsticks are certainly durable and dishwasher safe, few testers liked them. We tried this Stainless Steel Chopsticks Set from Williams Sonoma and Korin, both now discontinued. In addition to being virtually indistinguishable, they rolled around a lot, dropped a lot of food, and consistently landed in testers’ “least favorite” piles.
Even worse, Crate & Barrel’s round Stainless Steel Chopsticks looked extra-cheap due to a shiny finish and what looked like SKU numbers printed on the handles.
The artsy Aero Chopsticks with Rest by Portuguese luxury-flatware maker Cutipol were definitely a case of form over function. Chopstick novices and mavens alike could barely pick up food with the stiletto-sharp stainless steel tips. They speared food pretty well, but at $25 a pair, that makes them very expensive toothpicks.
Anyone who grew up going to dim sum or pho restaurants knows all about these faux-ivory Melamine Chopsticks with dragon and phoenix designs. At 10⅝ inches long, they’re a lot of chopstick to handle, and most testers found them unwieldy. Again, those who grew up using them liked them just fine. They come in a variety of colors, held up great in the dishwasher, and offer great value.
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The Hiware Fiberglass Chopsticks are a good length and shape, but they’re really heavy, and the (admittedly subtle) embellishments make them look just a little dated.
The Snow Peak Wabuki Chopsticks are finely crafted. The polished bamboo tips screw so seamlessly into the stainless steel handles, you feel like you’re James Bond putting together one of your secret-agent tools. However, 007 would get hangry if he had to screw these things together every time he ate. And although the tips store neatly in the shafts with the aid of little caps (all of which then can go into a canvas carrying case), those caps seem entirely too easy to lose. For all that beautifully crafted impracticality, you’re paying $39 for a pair. These might make a thoughtful gift for that friend who’s a camping-and-sushi enthusiast, but for everyday use they don’t quite work.
The Kikkerland Travel Chopsticks have hardwood tips and stainless steel handles, the pieces slot into each other quickly and smoothly, and they come with a small plastic carrying case. Testers gave them mixed reviews, but most agreed the tips felt a bit too heavy. At $14 a pair, they’re not cheap, either. If you really want chopsticks you can take out with you, we’d recommend wrapping a pair of our melamine, bamboo, or sturdier-wood recommendations in some cloth or a bag and getting on with life.
Chopsticks are kitchen/eating utensils that are shaped pairs of equal-length sticks that have been used in East Asia for over two millennia. First invented and used in China, chopsticks later spread to countries that were tributary states of the Empire of China. In Southeast Asia, only Vietnam and ethnic Chinese communities consume all food with chopsticks. In Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Indian and Malay communities in Singapore and Malaysia as well as in Nepal, chopsticks are generally used only to consume noodles. In Thailand, chopsticks have only recently started being used along with the spoon and fork.
Chopsticks are smoothed and frequently tapered and are commonly made of bamboo, plastic, wood, or stainless steel. They are less commonly made from titanium, gold, silver, porcelain, jade, or ivory. Chopsticks are held in the dominant hand, between the thumb and fingers, and used to pick up pieces of food.
The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian writes that chopsticks were known before the Shang dynasty (– BCE) but there is no textual or archeological evidence to support this statement. The earliest evidence is six chopsticks, made of bronze, 26 cm (10 inches) long and 1.1 to 1.3 cm (0.43 to 0.51 inches) wide, excavated from the Ruins of Yin near Anyang (Henan) and dated roughly to BCE; those were supposed to be used for cooking.[18][19][20] The earliest known textual reference to the use of chopsticks comes from the Han Feizi, a philosophical text written by Han Fei (c. 280–233 BCE) in the 3rd century BCE.
The first chopsticks were used for cooking, stirring the fire, serving or seizing bits of food, and not as eating utensils. Chopsticks began to be used as eating utensils during the Han dynasty. Chopsticks were considered more lacquerware-friendly than other sharp eating utensils. It was not until the Ming dynasty that chopsticks came into normal use for both serving and eating. They then acquired the name kuaizi and the present shape.
To use chopsticks, the lower chopstick is stationary and rests at the base of the thumb, and between the ring finger and middle finger. The second chopstick is held like a pencil, using the tips of the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, and it is moved while eating, to pull food into the grasp of the chopsticks.[24] Chopsticks, when not in use, are placed either to the right or below one’s plate in a Chinese table setting. Some Chinese people feel that using serving chopsticks is more sanitary.[25]
Chopsticks come in a wide variety of styles, with differences in geometry and material. Depending on the country and the region some chopstick styles are more common than others.
Length: Chopsticks are typically about 23 centimeters (9.1 in) tapering to one end. Very long, large chopsticks, usually about 30 or 40 centimeters (12 or 16 inches), are used for cooking, especially for deep frying foods.
Taper: Chopsticks are usually tapered in the end used for picking up food. Chinese chopsticks are more commonly blunt, while Japanese ones tend to be sharp and pointed in style. Korean chopsticks typically have sharp tapers, but with flatted grip.
Material: A large variety of materials is available, including bamboo, wood, plastic, metal, bone, jade, porcelain, and ivory.
Bamboo and wood chopsticks are relatively inexpensive, low in temperature conduction, and provide good grip for holding food. They can warp and deteriorate with continued use if they are of the unvarnished or unlacquered variety. Almost all cooking and disposable chopsticks are made of bamboo or wood. Disposable unlacquered chopsticks are used especially in restaurants. These often come as a piece of wood that is partially cut and must be split into two chopsticks by the user (serving as proof that they have not been previously used). In Japanese, these disposable implements are known as waribashi
Plastic chopsticks are relatively inexpensive, low in temperature conduction, and resistant to wear. Melamine is one of the more commonly used plastics for chopsticks. Plastic chopsticks are not as effective as wood and bamboo for picking up food, because they tend to be slippery. Also, plastic chopsticks cannot be used for cooking, since high temperatures may damage the chopsticks and produce toxic compounds.
Metal (commonly stainless steel) chopsticks are durable and easy to clean, but metal is slippery. Silver is still common among wealthy families, as are silver-tipped wooden or bone chopsticks. A common material for Korean chopsticks.
Other materials such as ivory, jade, gold, and silver are typically chosen for luxury. Silver-tipped chopsticks were often used as a precaution by wealthy people, as it was believed that the silver would turn black upon contact with the poison.
Embellishments: Wooden or bamboo chopsticks can be painted or lacquered for decoration and waterproofing. Metal chopsticks are sometimes roughened or scribed to make them less slippery. Higher-priced metal chopstick pairs are sometimes connected by a short chain at the untapered end to prevent their separation.
Disposable chopsticks in a university cafeteria recycle bin in Japan.
The most widespread use of disposable chopsticks is in Japan, where around a total of 24 billion pairs are used each year, which is equivalent to almost 200 pairs per person yearly. In China, an estimated 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are produced yearly. This adds up to 1.66 million cubic meters (59×106 cu ft) of timber or 25 million fully grown trees every year.
In April , China imposed a 5% tax on disposable chopsticks to reduce waste of natural resources by overconsumption. This measure had the most effect in Japan as many of its disposable chopsticks are imported from China, which account for over 90% of the Japanese market.
American manufacturers have begun exporting American-made chopsticks to China, using sweet gum and poplar wood as these materials do not need to be artificially lightened with chemicals or bleach and have been seen as appealing to Chinese and other East Asian consumers.
The American-born Taiwanese singer Wang Leehom has publicly advocated the use of reusable chopsticks made from sustainable materials.[61][62] In Japan, reusable chopsticks are known as maharishi or Maebashi (マイ箸, meaning “my chopsticks”).
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