The Best Serving Spoons

Buying Guide

Most of us don’t think too long or hard about the spoons in our kitchen. After all, they’ve got one job to do: Transport side dishes or soup from the plate to our mouth. Right?

Not if we’re talking about serving spoons. Savvy cooks know there are several types of spoon. At the smaller end, there’s the sugar or tea spoon. On the larger side, there’s the serving spoon, and it does a lot more than serve. These workhorses might be used to stir up food while it’s cooking, clean out containers at a busy buffet, and yes — scoop heavy semi-solids onto a plate. And if you’re hosting a big family dinner, they’ve got to look good doing it all.

Almost all these jobs require one common trait, and that’s durability. That’s the main thing to look for in an everyday serving spoon, and that makes wood or stainless steel two of the most popular materials. (Though silicone and other synthetic spoons are becoming increasingly common.)

Far and away, stainless steel spoons will be the toughest of the bunch. This staple kitchen metal won’t rust, for one thing. If you like big portions, these kind of spoons can handle heaping piles of mashed potatoes and still come back for more. They can also handle the heat, even in the hottest pots of boiling pasta water. On the down side, they can also conduct that heat. They’re also notorious for scratching the non-stick coating off sensitive pots and pans.

That makes wood a solid choice if you’re hoping to preserve that heirloom cookware. Quality wood holds up almost as well as steel when it comes to heavy scooping, and it has a certain homespun appeal that works well in rustic kitchens. Mind you, they do need a little more TLC. Stainless steel wipes clean relatively easily and can go through the dishwasher unscathed. Wood spoons may require scrubbing and even then can hold onto stains from tomatoes or heavier sauces.

The modern choice of silicone is in many ways the best of both worlds. This synthetic material is soft on pots and pans, and it wipes clean in a jiffy. Most silicone can also hold up under heat to the point that you can even leave it in the oven, though quality can vary widely among different brands. It may not have much old-world appeal if you’re hosting a formal dinner, but for everyday serving it’s more than capable. Just make sure you’re not buying standard plastic if you plan to keep it immersed in hot food. Melted serving spoons aren’t just ugly, they’re potentially toxic.

When you’re setting up a buffet, serving spoons can be some of your most crucial utensils. If you’ve got a variety of food types, make sure you’re stocking both regular and slotted spoons. Slotted spoons have “slots” or angular holes that let liquid pass through when pasta or other solids get scooped up. Perforated spoons are another variety that have smaller holes — but they essentially do the same thing. They can be a little harder to clean but they’re a must-have for side dishes.