Plastic Kitchen Tools I’d Avoid and What I’d Replace Them With

If you’ve been thinking about reducing plastic tools in your kitchen, there’s no better time than now to start trading up for healthier options. We know that plastic tools are releasing microplastics and chemicals into our food. I have a Master’s degree in Public Health Nutrition and have spent years tracking the latest science regarding plastic’s effect on the body, and I think it’s time to get serious about plastic-free swaps in the kitchen.

As your friendly neighborhood public health pro, I’ll tell you that the easiest way to mitigate your microplastics exposure (and safeguard your health) is to make changes where you can. It’s particularly rewarding to apply that to the kitchen; every small change to how you cook and store food adds up to better health for you and your family. Below, I’ve made you a handy list of plastic tools I’d never use and rounded up the safer alternatives I’d use instead, including finds like a lightweight wooden cutting board, a pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet, and plastic-free dishcloths.

Best Non-Plastic Kitchen Tools

• OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Silicone Utensil Set, $29
• Shun Cutlery Small Hinoki Cutting Board, $30, originally $38
• Anchor Hocking 16-Piece Glass Storage Container Set, $27, originally $40
• Lodge 8-Inch Cast Iron Skillet, $15, originally $26
• Swedish Dishcloths, 10-Pack, $17, originally $24

Don’t Buy: Black Plastic Kitchen Utensils

Buy Instead: Wooden, Silicone, and Stainless Steel Utensils

In case you missed it, black plastic tools are often made of recycled electronics like VCRs (remember those?), which means that flame retardants and phthalates from those original items find their way into our spoons and spatulas, then leach into our food when exposed to heat. No, thanks.

Instead, I use wooden, silicone, and stainless steel kitchen utensils. I’ve used the GIR silicone set extensively, and nothing beats its unibody construction, high-quality silicone, and diverse range of tools. Pro tip: When looking for wooden tools, choose ones made from 100% hardwood — some bamboo options are constructed with formaldehyde-heavy glue.

Don’t Buy: Plastic Cutting Boards

Buy Instead: Wooden Cutting Boards

Thanks to the scientific community, we know that our plastic cutting boards — which we’ve proudly shredded with our knives — have been sloughing microplastics into our food for years. While I still reach for them to prepare meat (sanitizing plastic is easier and more reliable than other materials available on the market), I encourage everyone to ditch their plastic boards in favor of wood (or other alternatives) when preparing other sorts of food.

I like hardwood or end-grain wooden boards, but my favorite cutting boards are made from hinoki, a soft, forgiving Japanese cypress that’s gentle on knives.

Don’t Buy: Plastic Takeout Containers or Tupperware

Buy Instead: Glass Storage Containers

After going to the trouble of avoiding plastic cutting boards and utensils, it boggles my mind that we still store leftovers in plastic. Heating or keeping food in plastic — especially those ubiquitous takeout containers — is proven to disrupt our gut, heart, and cardiovascular health. When it comes to storing food, go for glass. Not only do glass pieces last longer without staining or warping, but most are fortified against thermal shock, so they can go from the freezer to the microwave without cracking or releasing suspect particulates into your food.

I’m a fan of Caraway’s modular food storage system, which is made from tough borosilicate glass and ceramic. The brand’s transparency about making and using materials without forever chemicals puts me at ease when tucking leftover homemade lasagna into the fridge.

Don’t Buy: Teflon Cookware

Buy Instead: Cast Iron, Carbon Steel, Ceramic Nonstick, or Stainless Steel Cookware

Trust me, I get the appeal of Teflon. This material is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene, making it easier to clean after cooking tricky things, like eggs and fish, that want to stick to the pan. But Teflon, and its ilk of plastic-based nonstick coatings, are fallible. With extended use, exposure to heat, and repeated dings with sharp utensils, Teflon coatings will begin to chip and release micro- and nanoplastics into our food.

Opt instead for cast iron, which will only gain more nonstick properties with time and use.  Stainless steel, which can be slick as an ice rink with a few easy tricks, carbon steel, or ceramicized nonstick will work well, too. The 10-inch frying pan from Misen included below is one of our favorite stainless steel skillets we’ve ever tested, and Matfer’s carbon steel pan won our recent round of testing.

Don’t Buy: Plastic-Based Reusable Kitchen Towelettes

Buy Instead: Plant-Based Kitchen Towels 

I used to reach for reusable kitchen towelettes, delighted to be choosing something with more life in each sheet than a paper towel. But did you know that some brands get their stain resistance or longevity from PFAS, or “forever chemicals?” Check the labels of reusable dishcloths or paper towels to confirm that they’re PFAS-free, or opt for versions made from plant-based materials like cotton or cellulose.

I love the colorful dishcloths from Swedish Wholesale. The brand uses plant-based cloth to make durable, absorbent, reusable cleaning cloths.

• Swedish Wholesale Dishcloths, 10-Pack, $17, originally $24
• Mioeco 24-Pack Organic Unpaper Towels, $32, originally $40
• Recyco 5-Pack Swedish Washable Dishcloths, $9, originally $13
• Mioeco 10-Pack Organic Paperless Kitchen Dish Cloths, $18, originally $23
• Nnx Reusable Plant-Based Paper Towels, $80