The Best Chopsticks for Both Beginners and Experts

Final Verdict

For a long-lasting, all-purpose set of chopsticks, it’s hard to beat the beautiful Antner Hardwood Chopsticks. If you need long chopsticks for cooking up tasty dishes, we recommend the GLAMFIELDS 16.5-Inch Wooden Cooking Chopsticks.

What to Look for in Chopsticks

Styles

The three major styles of chopsticks are Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. The standard is the Chinese style, which features blunted, cylindrical tips that don’t deviate much from handle diameters. They're the longest, followed by Korean chopsticks, which are also very flat, very thin, and typically made of metal, unlike the other two styles. The latter is not ideal for rice, but they’re also not made for rice—that’s what the spoon is for. Finally, Japanese chopsticks are dramatically thinner and pointier at the end and can be round-barreled throughout. They're much shorter and designed for precision; they also often have grip threads carved into the ends to better grasp your food and make up for the larger natural gap between the tips.

Materials

There are pros and cons to every type of material. Natural materials such as bamboo and wood can feel warm and comfortable to hold. Stainless steel is durable, easy to sanitize, and easier to match to your flatware. Plastic-type materials such as melamine, acrylic, and fiberglass are low-maintenance and long-lasting. Then, there are materials like ceramic and lacquered woods, which are beautiful but slippery.

What material your chopsticks are made of is subject to personal preference, but we advise that you stay away from uncoated bamboo or wood (to avoid splinters); plastic, which can melt; and painted chopsticks, which can chip off.

Length

The appropriate length of chopsticks depends on the style and your own hand’s dimensions. The rule of thumb here is to measure the space between the tip of your thumb and pointer finger, then multiply that by 1.5. However, if you want more control, go for shorter ones. For cooking or serving, get oversized pairs: they provide safety from heat and steam. Just bear in mind that for eating, chopsticks longer than 10 inches may feel clunky, and anything less than 8.5 inches is typically too small for most adults.

Thickness and Handling

The thicker the chopsticks, the easier it will be to scoop food and take bigger bites. Chinese chopsticks are the thickest, then Japanese-style, despite their needle-nose precision at the grabbing ends. Thinnest of all are Korean chopsticks, whose long rectangular shape tends to be uniform from end to end. These can be challenging to maneuver since their sharp angle can be rough on your hands. This challenge is useful to keep in mind for all the styles, though: Overly square, 90-degree angle handles will bite into your hands, which is less than ideal.

On the other hand, round chopsticks will have you chasing them or not putting them down during your meal to avoid them running across your bowls, plates, table, and more. Trendy handles like octagonal shapes and rounded squares may actually serve you better than these extremes for comfort, practical, and aesthetic reasons.

FAQs

Why should I buy reusable instead of disposable chopsticks?

The obvious reason is that reusable chopsticks are more eco-friendly than single-use ones, sustainable as raw bamboo can be. Because they’re unsealed, the latter can absorb bacteria, mold, and other ickies you don’t want in your mouth. And who wants to deal with those splintering edges? Reusable chopsticks are not only smoother and more pleasant to grip, but they’re also not very expensive—roughly a dollar or so per average pair.

How often should I replace wooden chopsticks?

Once the finish wears off or they start to warp, it’s time to look into a new set. Wooden chopsticks can last up to two years—even more with extra care. For instance, cleaning them by hand with very mild soaps, giving them plenty of air to dry after washing, and oiling them once in a while with food-grade mineral oil can extend their life.

Are chopsticks dishwasher-safe?

Depending on the material, they can be, but it’s not recommended to machine-wash chopsticks. Logistically, they’re thin enough to slip through the holes in utensil baskets and can shift around. This can potentially cause damage to your dishes and the dishwasher interior, particularly if they get caught in the spinner.

How do you wash chopsticks?

Simply gather them together, soap them over with a sponge, then rub the whole batch together under running water. Every so often, you may choose to disinfect them. Many Korean restaurants boil their metal chopsticks. The typical Japanese method is to fill a narrow, tall jar with plain vinegar and drop the chopsticks in for a few minutes. Rinse them with boiling water, allow them to air-dry, and presto! Germs begone.

How many pairs do I need?

For a household, you need as many pairs as there are family members, then a few more for serving. When eating family-style, you may want to use a pair of designated serving chopsticks per dish to reduce germ exposure. However, this is a subjective practice that varies by household, as it is more seemly in Asian cultures to only take a bite or so at a time and eat over a small drip plate instead of piling up an individual portion.

Do I need chopstick rests?

No, not unless you’re using round chopsticks that threaten to roll off any resting surface. Rests are often decorative and can be fun and elegant, but most Asian households don’t require them for informal occasions. Resting your chopsticks against the rim of your rice bowl or plate is fine.

Why Trust Simply Recipes?

This guide was written by Su-Jit Lin, who has over a dozen years of experience writing about food and dozens more about cooking it—and enjoying it all with extreme gusto. She's been using chopsticks since before she could be trusted with a fork. That said, Su-Jit is also a recreational volume eater, and her favorite method of food conveyance is a shovel.

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