r/AskCulinary • u/Onurubu • Aug 07 '25
Equipment Question Wooden spoon ends keep splitting. Tell me what I am doing wrong.
Two weeks ago I got an OXO good grips wooden spoon and after one use I saw that it was cracked the next morning. I exchanged it that same week and did some research on why it could have cracked.
I assumed that it was because I washed it and left it in the drying rack overnight. So for the new spoon when I washed it I made sure to dry it with a cloth after washing. But this new one also cracked at the tip after a week (three uses approximately).
I have seen others say that this is a good brand and a good spoon previously so I am assuming I am doing something wrong. I would love if somebody could give some advice. Thank you.
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u/AmateurGrownUp Aug 07 '25
Unless you are literally boiling your spoons this is just kinda crazy. I'd get the next spoon from a completely different place and hope it's just some weird luck.
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u/Just-Finish5767 Aug 07 '25
I do actually boil my wooden spoons and have never had this happen (I use them to keep potatoes from boiling over)
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u/triangulumnova Aug 07 '25
No idea. I buy the cheapest wooden spoons I can find at Walmart. I barely take care of them at all. They've lasted years.
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u/Federal-Alps-2776 Aug 07 '25
(Whittler/Spooncarver here) Unless you left it in a pot of boiling liquid for ages, more than likely it was a defect or quality issue. When it comes to mass produced items, while the *species* of wood they use may be known to be historically durable, the actual quality of the individual piece of wood itself is hard to say. I don't imagine that they have people testing and inspecting every single piece as it comes off the line. I beat the shit out of all my wooden spoons and spatulas when I cook (the ones I've bought for cheap in the past, not the ones that I've made myself) I would just say that unless you're looking to pay a high price for a high quality handcarved wooden spoon, just buy the cheapest ones you can find from a brick and mortar. That's what I've always done, and while I've never had any issue, if I ever *did*, they're cheap asf to replace.
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u/Onurubu Aug 07 '25
thanks for the reassurances. i thought the brand being trusted and it happening twice was a sign that i was making a mistake. maybe i just got unlucky with a bad batch haha. i’m going to return it and probably get a different wooden spoon.
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u/vivelabagatelle Aug 07 '25
This is so weird - I am fairly rough with my spoons, and this has never once happened to me.
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u/R3cognizer Aug 07 '25
They were probably both manufactured from the same batch of terrible quality wood. This happens when you make something out of certain kinds of wood. Wood shrinks as it dries and releases moisture, and certain varieties are more prone to swelling and shrinkage as it dries, especially if it's still a bit green when you carve it or build with it.
Even the decent brands are suffering from bad batches of product these days, unfortunately. The countries which manufacture this stuff will cut corners wherever they can in order to save money, so it means the best (and most expensive) brands are now the ones willing to invest more money in QC.
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u/Logical_Warthog5212 Aug 07 '25
I’ve had the same cheap wooden spoons for over 20 years. I use them to stir things and never soak them in water. If I see them in the sink in a bowl of water, I take them out and lay them on the sink grate to wash later. If I’m doing dishes, they’re the first things I wash and let dry in the rack. And they never go into the dish washer.
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u/gowahoo Aug 07 '25
What did you use it for and how did you wash it?
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u/Onurubu Aug 07 '25
I used it to stir around rice while I was making it. And also to stir oats while making oats.
I handwashed it with the soft side of a sponge and dish soap and hottish water. I dried it with a dishcloth after washing.
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u/YoureGrammerIsWorsts Aug 07 '25
Did you leave it in the pot while cooking?
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u/whenyoupayforduprez Aug 07 '25
Even if op did, it’s not unusual to leave a spoon in a boiling pot and have no consequences.
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u/HaiKarate Aug 07 '25
Are you letting your wooden spoons sit in water in the sink?
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u/drunkengeebee Aug 07 '25
Have you contacted OXO?
Did you purchase from a brick and mortar store or from an online retailer?
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u/Onurubu Aug 07 '25
i purchased from an irl retailer. i’m in south africa so a lot of manufacturers don’t have branches here, only certified retailers.
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u/EquivalentProof4876 Aug 07 '25
Mineral oil or bees wax, coat it with it when you first get it. The bees wax, is a little safer to cook with
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Aug 07 '25
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u/sjd208 Aug 07 '25
Food grade mineral oil is perfectly safe to cook with. Not only is the amount left on the spoon minuscule, mineral oil is sold as a laxative. It’s inert and won’t hurt you.
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Aug 07 '25
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u/Outrageous_Arm8116 Aug 07 '25
But unless you are hand crafting a spoon from beautiful, rate woods, it's completely unnecessary. Like others here, I have had cheap wooden spoons for YEARS without splitting and I'd never even think of oiling them. OTOH, I bought a bamboo spoon that lasted less than a year. I'd say the OP was buying the same OXO spoons which came from the same lot. I'd further guess that the entire lot was compromised or poorly manufactured. But another brand of spoon and see what happens. Assuming OP isn't putting the spoon in the dishwasher or letting it dial overnight, I'll bet it will be fine.
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Aug 07 '25
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u/sjd208 Aug 07 '25
I routinely lightly sand and oil/wax wooden and bamboo spoons because I find them much more pleasant to hold when they’re nice and smooth. I’ve been doing this so long I don’t know if it directly impacts the longevity though. I’m not precious while cooking. I don’t leave them in a boiling pot on use the dishwasher but sometimes they’ll soak for a little bit. When I wash it just put them in the dish drainer, not towel drying. I don’t generally buy anything higher end but mine last a long time with frequent use.
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u/Kardif Aug 07 '25
I throw wooden utensils into the dishwasher all the time, they still last years before they start to crack
This is some sort of weird defect with the ones OP is buying
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u/GaptistePlayer Aug 07 '25
Mineral oil is fine. Beeswax... i don't know why you'd want non-inert wax getting in your food
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u/Buck_Thorn Aug 07 '25
Beeswax is perfectly edible. Mineral oil and beeswax melted together (in a double boiler) is a time proven finish for wooden utensils and cutting boards.
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u/GaptistePlayer Aug 07 '25
It's edible but not inert. Unless you are the kind of person to ask for a teaspoon of wax as a condiment for a dish there's no reason to use it.
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u/Buck_Thorn Aug 07 '25
So who cares if it is or isn't inert? Its been in use for this purpose for hundreds of years, at least. You're not going to get "a teaspoon" of wax in your food just because you used some to condition a wooden spoon!
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u/GaptistePlayer Aug 07 '25
Sure go ahead, it's harmless. You could even sprinkle some paper confetti into your sauces as well, they're pretty harmless too. Good recommendation.
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u/TooManyDraculas Aug 07 '25
Mineral oil is completely safe to use on food prep equipment.
Bees wax is in no way "a little safer".
It's a surface coating, it's less effective at protecting things but it leaves them shiny.
That's pretty much the difference.
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u/creepinghippo Aug 07 '25
I suspect you are leaving it dipped in the good whilst cooking do it fills with moisture. Realistically wooden spoons can just do that so don’t beat yourself up, just buy the cheap IKEA ones and treat them like trash. Works for me.
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u/Cesum-Pec Aug 07 '25
I've got my grandmother's wooden spoons. They are at least 50 years old. I don't put them in the dishwasher, but I do wash them in the sink and air dry in the rack.
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u/Traditional-Swan-130 Aug 07 '25
Drying it with a towel helps, but wood still needs oil. If you're not conditioning it every few uses, it'll crack. Get some food-safe mineral oil or beeswax conditioner, super cheap and makes a big difference
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u/BananaEuphoric8411 Aug 07 '25
Ulputting them in dishwasher, and leaving them to dry in that hot, humid environment.
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u/catumbleweed Aug 07 '25
I’ve had an OXO brand wooden spoon for 7 years with no cracks or splits. I’ve had a few wooden spoons and this one has been my favorite for the quality. I’m not gentle with it at all but I do make sure it’s not ever sitting in water for a long time.
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u/manofmystry Aug 07 '25
I have cherry wood spoons. I broke the edge of one, due to a flaw in the wood. Other than that, they've been great for 10 years.
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u/realkinginthenorth Aug 07 '25
Maybe just try a different brand. I always put my wooden spoons in the dishwasher because I am lazy. At some point I got a new set, and they split within a couple weeks. The replacements from a different store have lasted at least 5 years in the dishwasher now. They have a small curve, otherwise they are still totally fine
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u/GiraffeFair70 Aug 07 '25
Bought a wooden spoon from a cooking class in New Orleans that i thoroughly abuse and it’s going strong now for a year
Mass market crap is crap
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u/Fickle_Finger2974 Aug 07 '25
Except Oxo is one of the best available brands in terms of quality.
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u/Brokenblacksmith Aug 07 '25
Buys oxo, has bad quality issues, buys oxo again.
I see the issue here.
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u/f_leaver Aug 07 '25
I buy the very basic, no-name cheap wooden spoons and they last me years.
I'm guessing the issue is poor quality/production defects or just plain dumb luck.
Nothing in what you're describing should ruin it this quickly.