6 Best Bamboo Bowls by Category

Couple cooking; bamboo bowls

Do you ever get tired of your bowls chipping after normal use?

I know I do.

That’s why I decided to see what’s available in the world of bamboo bowls.

I found that bamboo bowls have a bunch of benefits over traditional porcelain, like being shatter and chip resistant, as well as eco-friendly.

Perfect. Yes, please!

While searching for new cereal bowls, I also discovered a few other noteworthy types of bamboo bowls. If you’re like me and searching for shatter-resistant bowls, this guide compares a few different types of bamboo bowl options, all made of sustainable bamboo materials.

Read on to learn more about which products caught my eye and which bowls and brands I liked as “best of” in each category.

In This Article
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    Best Overall: Totally Bamboo 14″ Metro Bowl

    My search started with trying to find smaller mid-sized bowls, but, this bigger 14” slanted bowl by Totally Bamboo quickly earned the title of Best Overall.

    If you’ve never heard of Totally Bamboo, it’s a family-owned company in San Marcos, California, founded by the same people that invented the first bamboo cutting board.

    Totally Bamboo’s 14” metro bowl is highly adaptable, made by innovators, and it’s good looking too.

    It’s perfect for entertaining guests. The cut-away of this bowl makes for a great display of whatever you decide to store in it. You can use this as a chip bowl, fruit bowl, salad bowl, etc., just to name a few options.

    As a former office manager, I can tell you it would be a great addition to a kitchen office. This is because it’s shatter-resistant and can take a bigger beating than porcelain, thanks to it being bamboo. It also looks great for a corporate event, or for when clients need to stay late to go over a briefing and want a snack.

    Or, if you’re looking at this bamboo bowl for use in a more intimate setting, you’ll love it for sharing snacks at home or as a popcorn bowl on your next Netflix night.

    Best Under $50: BergHOFF 14″ Bamboo Salad Bowl

    If you’re on a budget, I’d suggest this under $50 BergHOFF Bamboo Salad Bowl, sold by Target. This is my favorite runner up to the Totally Bamboo brand in the category of “best overall”.

    This bowl is 14”, just like the Totally Bamboo Metro Bowl. But, instead of being cut at an angle, it’s cut straight across and gives a more modern look.

    It’s still multi-functional and is a great option for someone looking for a modern bamboo bowl that could be used in a variety of settings as a go-to bowl.

    Also, perfect as a snack bowl for entertaining guests.

    Best Disposable

    Bamboo is awesome for disposable dinnerware.

    Why?

    Because traditional single-use plastic and styrofoam bowls have presented society with a problem that’s been out of control for too long.

    PacknWood bamboo leaf bowl
    Source: PacknWood

    Lab-made, single-use bowls are ruining the environment. They’re horrible for our planet. And, if that’s not a strong enough argument, they’re just as horrible for you.

    According to Going Green Services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services listed Styrene, a chemical often found in styrofoam to-go food containers, as a possible human carcinogen, also listing styrene as a material thought to put people at increased risk for developing cancer.

    You could be eating styrene with your takeout food if styrene is released into your food from the restaurant’s to-go containers, impacting public health, and impacting your personal health.

    Bamboo is all-natural. It’s also compostable and biodegradable in 4 months to 3 years.

    In comparison to its styrofoam counterparts, which may actually never break down at all. Styrofoam, or Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS), is made from polystyrene, which is made from styrene, according to Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.

    In an educational article put together by the Collier County Government in Collier County Florida, it’s actually unknown whether or not polystyrene and styrofoam are able to biodegrade, though some experts believe it will take styrofoam 500 years to decompose.

    So to recap, bamboo takes 4 months to 3 years to decompose, whereas styrofoam will take 500 years to decompose, if ever.

    Lab-made dinnerware is not sustainable. In the same educational article by Collier County, styrofoam chemicals are said to also deplete the ozone layer.

    Bamboo is a renewable resource, it’s natural, it’s eco-friendly, and it grows quickly. Buying single-use bamboo bowls compared to plastic or styrofoam bowls is a no-brainer.

    Bamboo bowls are also just better. They’re more attractive and made of stronger, more durable materials. Although these bowls are not microwavable, they’re good for both cold and hot foods.

    Best Bamboo Cereal Bowl: World Market Mixed Materials Bowl

    These 8” bowls by World Market are made from both bamboo and recycled coffee grounds. They’re dishwasher safe, but, not microwave safe. They come in a pack of four, in three colors: Cream, Brown, and Blue. They’re the best size on this list for individual salads, soups, and cereal.

    Best Bamboo Bowl For Babies: Avanchy Bamboo Suction Baby Bowl + Spoon

    At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that bamboo is a shatter-resistant material. This makes bamboo great for kids and toddlers.

    Avanchy sells a great baby bamboo bowl and spoon set that comes in 9 different accent colors. The bottom of the bowl has a colored silicone suction ring to keep the baby bowl in place while your baby is eating.

    This particular product is meant for babies 4 to 72 months of age.

    The baby spoon is also made from bamboo, with a silicone covering to make it more gentle and comfortable for the baby’s sensitive gums. It’s also hypoallergenic and non-toxic.

    Best Bamboo Bowl Set

    Personally, I’m a fan of neutral colors. So, I really liked this set of snack bowls by Lulu and Georgia in the beige variation. I also like its minimalistic design.

    Lulu and Georgia Alfresco bamboo bowls set
    Source: Lulu and Georgia

    It comes in a set of 4 and can be used for soups, salad, and cereal. This bowl set also comes in black, if that color is more to your liking. Not microwavable.

    Conclusion

    The best bamboo bowl on the market is whichever one meets your needs.

    When doing research, keep in mind what your preferences are. Whatever style you like, there’s a bamboo version of it out there.

    Don’t make decisions on whether all bamboo dinnerware works for you until you’ve tried a few different brands. Because, just like porcelain bowls, they aren’t all the same.

    There are many eco-friendly benefits to choosing bamboo over other materials, especially plastics.

    Bamboo is a great switch to make for our environment, and for your health. It’s bio-degradable and fast-growing as a renewable resource.

    Keep in mind that pure materials, mixed materials, size, design, shape, brand, and intended purpose can change how much you vibe with a particular product. Keep experimenting until you find something that clicks.

    Author

    • bamboo

      Rachel is an interior designer living in Santa Monica, California.

      Since graduating with a BA in Philosophy, she found her calling in designing beautiful homes and indoor spaces. She believes in the future of a sustainable economy and loves when she can add beautiful bamboo goods to the spaces she decorates.

      Getting to share her research with the Bamboo Goods readers is a real bonus. Here’s to making your home a beautiful space with bamboo goods.

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