What are spoons made of?

Among the most common materials from which a spoon can be made are wood, silver, nickel silver, aluminum, stainless steel, ceramics, cupronickel, and this is not a complete list. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing cutlery, you need to rely on them so that the spoons last a long time and delight the hostess not only with their appearance, but also with their functionality.

Materials from which spoons are made

Each material that can be used for a spoon is special in its own way. It can be made from:

Tree

They are found quite rarely in the kitchen and in most cases are used as room decoration. Some housewives prefer wooden utensils for stirring dishes in non-stick dishes. However, there are spoons that are made exclusively from wood, such as honey spoons and salad spoons. When choosing just such a product, you should remember that wood is a capricious material and has a very short service life, so it will have to be changed much more often than, say, a plastic spoon. One of the advantages is, of course, environmental friendliness.

Aluminum

Aluminum used to be very popular, but now it is a relic of the past. Aluminum spoons are not very attractive, they bend, lose their shape, become dull and quickly become covered with dark spots.Perhaps, due to their very low cost, such spoons continue their life somewhere in government institutions (canteens), but you rarely see them for personal use. The exception is an inheritance from a grandmother. The only advantage we can highlight is its light weight, which, for example, is very convenient for a baby who is just learning to eat on his own.

Silver

A noble metal that in the Middle Ages was available only to the nobility. Nowadays, silver spoons can be found very rarely, since they are premium products. Despite the high cost, it cannot be said that the quality of silver spoons is excellent. Metal is very demanding to care for, tends to tarnish, and is susceptible to mechanical damage. The advantage of silver is that if it is properly cared for and stored, the devices can be inherited even by your great-great-great-grandchildren, since it is one of the most durable materials.

Cupronickel

Silver-white metal made from an alloy of copper and nickel. Even in Soviet times, having a table set made of this material was considered a sign of wealth. In appearance it is very reminiscent of silver, which is not surprising, because most products made from nickel silver are coated with silver. However, this alloy is superior in quality to silver - cupronickel spoons are resistant to bending and deformation, and therefore are more durable and retain their original shape for a longer period. Cutlery made from cupronickel stopped being produced in the 50s of the last century; it was worthily replaced by nickel silver.

Nickel silver

Nickel silver (literally translated from German as “new silver”) is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc. In appearance it is very similar to table silver, which is where its main advantage over other alloys is manifested.Does not corrode, does not bend, and is quite durable. The price of nickel silver spoons is much lower than those made of silver or cupronickel, and they are practically no different in quality. Products made of nickel silver must be silver plated, otherwise the food will have a metallic taste.

Stainless steel

The most common metal from which spoons can now be made. The most commonly used stainless steel is 18/10 grade, consisting of 10% nickel and 18% chromium. Nickel protects against food acids and gives the spoon shine, while chromium ensures the strength and anti-corrosion properties of the metal. Stainless steel spoons are not prone to darkening, dullness, or breakage. They look very attractive and their price is not high.

Plastic

Plastic spoons are most often used outside the home. They have become simply indispensable for hiking, outdoor recreation, and children's picnics. The advantage of this material is its price. Such products cost just pennies, so after using them you don’t mind throwing them away. Since plastic is not the best material for constant use, spoons made from it are considered disposable. However, there are also such greedy people that they constantly use plastic devices - in order to save money.

So what should you choose?

The answer is quite simple and it depends on where you will use the spoons:

1. For daily use with the family - stainless steel. It is quite durable, does not require special care and looks attractive.
2. For hikes and picnics - definitely plastic. You won’t have to carry extra kilos of metal, and the spoons can then be easily disposed of without the hassle of washing them.
3. If you often receive guests and need a premium table set, then this is silver or nickel silver.Guests will definitely pay attention to such attractive devices. But do not forget that these metals are quite capricious, so they need to be properly cared for and stored.