Kitchenware

Cooking tools, tableware and storage. Material choice, and whether it can be repaired.

Think in materials

Kitchen tools are used for years, so replacement frequency drives their impact more than anything else. Stainless steel, cast iron, wood, bamboo, glass and enamel all last, trading maintenance for longevity.

Japanese tools are unusually often designed around repair and part replacement. A wooden cutting board can be planed flat again; an iron pan is seasoned rather than replaced; the same is true of donabe and lacquerware. Designing against disposability is part of the tradition here.

What to check

Material, and whether there is a coating
Availability of spare parts and repair
Dishwasher and induction compatibility
For bamboo and wood: origin, and what adhesive is used
Packaging — whether it is excessive