Certain kitchen tools simply feel right. Maybe it's the weight of the wood in your hands, or the way the grain catches the light. Maybe it's the knowledge that what you're holding is simply what it appears to be: a single piece of tree, shaped by human hands, finished with care.
No hidden layers. No mysteries. No compromises.
If you've found yourself reading ingredient lists on everything from dish soap to cookware, if you've started asking what's really in this? about the tools you use to prepare food for the people you love, you're not alone. You're being intentional.
This is a guide for those of us who've learned to trust our instincts for quality. For those of us who'd rather own just a few tools of the highest quality than fill our kitchens with convenience that comes with questions we can't answer.
Let's talk about what makes kitchenware truly non-toxic, and why the simplest answer might also be the oldest one.
What Does "Non-Toxic" Really Mean in Kitchenware?
The term gets thrown around liberally, often paired with certifications, lab results, and marketing language designed to reassure. But here's what it comes down to for most of us: non-toxic kitchenware doesn't introduce harmful substances into our food or our bodies.
That means:
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No chemicals leaching from surfaces during regular use
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No synthetic coatings that break down over time
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No microplastics shedding into what we eat
It sounds simple, and in many ways, it is. At Andrew Pearce Bowls we e choose materials that have been used safely for thousands of years, materials that don't require engineering or chemical intervention to be food-safe.
The Hidden Risks in Everyday Kitchenware
Plastic: The Microplastic Problem
Plastic cutting boards and utensils have become ubiquitous. But research into microplastics in plastic cutting boards has revealed something unsettling: every time a knife scores the surface, tiny plastic particles are released. Over time, with regular use, those particles end up in our food.
Studies suggest that a single plastic cutting board can shed millions of microplastic particles throughout its lifetime. We're only beginning to understand the long-term health implications, but we suree don’t want plastics in our food.
Then there's the question of what's in the plastic itself. Even BPA-free varieties often contain replacement chemicals whose safety profiles are still being studied.
Why Hardwood Is the Gold Standard for Chemical-Free Cookware
Wood is disarmingly simple. It's a single material, unchanged in its essential nature. When a bowl or cutting board is made from solid hardwood, there's nothing hidden inside it. No layers. No coatings that will wear away to reveal something else underneath. This is craftsmanship in its most essential form: taking a material that is already food-safe and shaping it without compromise.
Natural Antimicrobial Properties
One of wood's most remarkable qualities is one we can't see: hardwoods like cherry, walnut, and maple have natural antimicrobial properties. Studies have shown that bacteria introduced to wooden surfaces tend to die off, while the same bacteria can multiply on plastic.
This isn't marketing language; it's observable science. Wood's structure actively works against bacterial growth, making wooden spoons more hygienic than plastic alternatives, and making solid wood cutting boards a genuinely safer choice for food preparation.
Durability That Outlasts Synthetic Alternatives
When we talk about wood vs plastic durability, we're comparing materials with fundamentally different lifespans. Plastic cutting boards show visible wear quickly and are often replaced every few years.
A well-made hardwood cutting board, properly cared for, can last decades. The wood develops a patina, but it doesn't degrade in the same way as plastic. Minor knife marks can be sanded out. The surface can be re-oiled. The board doesn't shed particles; it simply becomes more itself over time.
This is the kind of durability that makes sense economically and environmentally. More than that, it's the kind of durability that builds relationships. You're not discarding and replacing. You're maintaining and keeping.
How to Identify Truly Non-Toxic Kitchenware
If you're ready to evaluate what's in your kitchen (or what you're considering bringing into it), here are the questions worth asking:
1. Is it made from solid material?
Look for bowls, boards, and utensils that are turned, carved, or shaped from solid wood rather than assembled from strips or chips. Construction from just a few pieces of wood, or even single-piece construction are inherently durable.
2. What finish is used?
The safest finishes for wooden kitchenware are natural food-safe oils like Andrew Pearce Refined Walnut Wood Oil. Food-grade mineral oil and beeswax are also viable. These penetrate the wood and protect it without creating a synthetic coating. Avoid items with polyurethane, varnish, or unlabeled "food-safe" finishes. You want to know exactly what's on the surface.
3. Can you identify the wood species?
Quality makers are transparent about materials. Cherry, walnut, maple, and other domestic hardwoods are ideal: dense, durable, and naturally antimicrobial. If the wood species isn't listed, that's worth questioning.
4. Is the maker transparent about their process?
Small-batch makers and artisan woodworkers typically share how their work is made. If you can learn about the process (where the wood is sourced, how the piece is shaped, what finish is applied), that transparency is a strong indicator of integrity.
What Makes Andrew Pearce Bowls Different
We've been making bowls and boards in Vermont for over 15 years. Every piece we make begins as a log of sustainably sourced hardwood (cherry, walnut, or maple) and is turned or shaped by hand.
When you hold one of our salad bowls, you're holding exactly what it looks like: wood, shaped and finished with care. Our live edge bowls preserve the natural curve of the tree, celebrating the organic beauty that mass production erases. Our no glue cutting boards and carving boards are made to withstand decades of use without introducing anything unwanted into your kitchen.
Each piece is finished with our own refined walnut wood oil: nothing synthetic, nothing hidden. We share our wood care instructions openly because maintaining these pieces is simple, and because we want them to last.
If you're ever near Hartland, Vermont, you're welcome to visit our shop and watch the wood turning happen in real time. There's something grounding about seeing a bowl emerge from a block of wood, about understanding that what you bring into your kitchen was made by human hands, without shortcuts.
You can learn more about how we work and why we work this way on our About Us page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Non-Toxic Kitchenware
What kitchenware is safest for health?
Kitchenware made from single-piece hardwood, finished with food-grade oils, is among the safest options available. It introduces no chemicals, sheds no microplastics, and has natural antimicrobial properties that help prevent bacterial growth.
Are wooden spoons more hygienic than plastic?
Yes. Research shows that hardwood has natural antimicrobial properties that cause bacteria to die off on the surface, while plastic can harbor bacteria in knife marks and surface scratches. Wooden spoons and utensils, when properly cared for, are both safer and more hygienic.
What is the best non-toxic cutting board?
The best non-toxic cutting board is one made from hardwood (such as maple, walnut, or cherry) without composite construction. These boards don't shed microplastics and can be maintained indefinitely with proper oiling.
Do plastic cutting boards release microplastics?
Yes. Studies have found that microplastics in plastic cutting boards are released every time a knife cuts the surface. Over the life of the board, millions of particles can end up in food.
Are bamboo cutting boards safe?
Many bamboo cutting boards are made from strips of bamboo glued together, which introduces excessive adhesives into the equation. Unless you can verify that the board and glue are non-toxic, and that it’s finished with a non-toxic oil, solid hardwood is a safer choice.
What does PFAS-free mean for kitchen utensils?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are synthetic chemicals sometimes found in non-stick cookware and utensils. PFAS-free kitchen utensils (like those made from solid hardwood) contain none of these persistent chemicals, eliminating a potential source of exposure.
How do I care for wooden kitchenware?
Hand-wash with warm water and mild soap, dry immediately, and oil regularly Andrew Peare Refined Walnut Oil. This keeps the wood protected, limits cracking, and maintains the natural protective qualities of the wood. Full instructions are available in our wood care guide.
Making the Shift: Choosing Kitchenware with Intention
Transitioning to non-toxic kitchenware doesn't have to happen all at once. It's not about perfection; it's about moving, piece by piece, toward a kitchen that feels right.
Start with the items you use most. A cutting board. A set of serving spoons. A salad bowl that becomes part of your daily rhythm. As you replace what wears out or what no longer serves you, choose pieces that align with your values.
Choose transparency over convenience. Choose materials you can identify. Choose makers who stand behind their work.
This isn't about spending more for the sake of it; it's about spending wisely on things that last, that don't require replacement, that don't ask you to compromise on what matters.
The Beauty of Timeless Tools
There's a reason certain materials have endured across centuries. Wood has been used for bowls, boards, and utensils since humans first began cooking, not because it was the only option, but because it worked. It was abundant, workable, safe, and beautiful.
Returning to hardwood kitchenware isn't nostalgia; it's clarity. It's choosing tools that do exactly what they're meant to do, without requiring us to parse labels, research chemical safety, or wonder what we're not being told.
Our wooden bowls, live edge cutting boards, and serving utensils aren't trying to be anything other than what they are. They're wood, shaped with care, finished honestly, made to last.
And maybe that's enough. Maybe that's exactly what we've been looking for all along.
Living with Intention, Choosing with Care
The kitchen is where we nourish the people we love. It's where intention becomes tangible, where the choices we make about materials, tools, and processes shape not just meals, but daily life.
Choosing non-toxic kitchenware is one small way of honoring that. It's a way of saying: I care about what touches our food. I care about what lasts. I care about the integrity of the objects I bring into this space.
It's not complicated. It's wood. It's craft. It's care.
And it's worth it.
Explore our full collection of handcrafted, single-piece kitchenware: