By Melzware — 1 October 2026 · 12 min read
A silicone utensils set for cooking is safe and a good choice for most home kitchens, as long as it is food-grade silicone and you keep it below its heat rating. Look for heads rated to at least 220°C, a solid steel core or handle, and no chemical smell. Silicone is the best match for non stick and granite pans. For high-heat searing and braai work, use stainless steel instead.
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What silicone kitchen utensils are made of
Silicone is a rubber-like material made from silicon, a chemical element extracted from sand and quartz, bonded with oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. It is often grouped with plastics, but its backbone is different. Plastic is built on chains of carbon from oil. Silicone is built on chains of silicon and oxygen, which is why it handles heat far better and stays flexible without added softeners.
“Food-grade” means the silicone is made and tested to a standard for contact with food. Food-grade silicone is not made with BPA, and it does not need phthalates to stay soft. Those two chemicals are the main concerns with cheaper plastic kitchen tools.
Most silicone kitchen utensils come in one of three builds:
- All-silicone, one piece. Silicone moulded over a hidden nylon or steel core. Easy to clean, with no joint for water to collect in.
- Silicone head on a wooden handle. Looks good, but wood cannot go in the dishwasher and can crack where it meets the head.
- Silicone head on a stainless steel handle. The stiffest option. It does not bend when stirring a thick stew, and it is dishwasher safe. The Melzware set is built this way.
Are silicone utensils safe?
Yes, for normal home cooking, food-grade silicone utensils are among the safest options you can buy. The material is stable, does not react with acidic foods like tomato sauce, and does not absorb flavours the way wood can. Here is what the common worries actually come down to.
Do silicone utensils leach chemicals?
Lab studies on silicone bakeware have found that very small amounts of siloxanes, the building blocks of silicone, can move into fatty food. The amounts are highest when the item is brand new and at very high oven temperatures, then drop with use. For a spatula that touches food for a few minutes at stovetop temperatures, exposure is far lower than for a cake mould baked for an hour. Washing new utensils in hot soapy water before first use is a sensible step.
Does silicone shed microplastics?
Silicone is not a conventional plastic, and there is little evidence that intact utensils shed particles in normal use. Torn, cracked or chalky silicone is a different matter. Replace damaged tools rather than keep cooking with them.
Is silicone better than plastic?
Yes. Nylon and other plastic utensils soften at much lower temperatures, which is how you end up with a spatula with a melted edge. Black plastic has a second problem. A 2024 study published in Chemosphere tested black plastic household items and found flame retardants from recycled electronics in several kitchen utensils. The authors later corrected a calculation error, which put the estimated exposure well below the US safety reference level. Even so, there is no good reason to keep cooking with melted black plastic when silicone and stainless steel do the job better.
That is our one strong opinion in this guide: if your plastic spatula has a melted or scorched edge, throw it away today. It is cheap to replace, and it is already failing.
How much heat silicone can take
Most food-grade silicone utensils are rated somewhere between 220°C and 260°C. The Melzware set is rated to 230°C. Health Canada's cookware guidance tells people not to take silicone bakeware above 220°C, so treat that as a safe working limit for any brand.
That leaves plenty of room for everyday cooking:
| Cooking task | Typical temperature | Silicone OK? |
|---|---|---|
| Boiling, simmering sauces and stews | About 100°C | Yes |
| Frying eggs, pancakes, stir-fry | About 150–190°C | Yes |
| Deep frying | About 170–190°C | Yes, for short contact; steel spider is better |
| Searing steak in an empty, very hot pan | Pan surface can pass 250°C | Use a steel turner |
| Braai or open flame | Well above 300°C | No |
The mistake that damages silicone is not stirring hot food. It is resting a spatula on the rim of a pan over a high flame, or leaving it on a hot plate. Use a spoon rest or the utensil holder.
Microwave, oven and dishwasher
Silicone heads are fine in a hot dishwasher and fine to leave in a bowl in the microwave for a short reheat. Steel-handled tools should not go in the microwave, because the metal can spark. In the oven, silicone spatulas and brushes cope with basting a roast at normal temperatures, but take them out again. A utensil left in a 220°C oven for an hour is working at its limit for no reason.
One more point on steel-handled sets: the steel conducts some heat. If you leave a ladle standing in a simmering pot, the handle will get warm. Lift it out between stirs.
Non toxic cooking utensils compared
There is no single perfect material. The best non toxic cooking utensils for your kitchen depend on your pans and how you cook. Here is how the common options compare.
| Material | Strengths | Weaknesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food-grade silicone | Heat resistant, won't scratch, dishwasher safe | Thick edges, not for open flame, not biodegradable | Non stick and granite pans, baking, everyday cooking |
| Stainless steel | Inert, lasts decades, thin edges | Scratches non stick coatings | Stainless and cast iron pans, searing, braai |
| Wood | Gentle on pans, natural, biodegradable | Hand wash only, absorbs stains and smells, can crack | Stirring pots, sauces, people avoiding synthetics |
| Bamboo | Light, cheap, renewable | Often glued in layers; quality varies | Light stirring and serving |
| Nylon and plastic | Cheap | Softens and melts at lower heat | Nothing silicone doesn't do better |
Most well-run kitchens end up with a mix: silicone for non stick pans and baking, one or two wooden spoons, and a stainless steel turner and tongs for high heat. If you cook on a stainless steel cookware set, you have more freedom to use metal tools.
Silicone utensils for non stick pans
This is where silicone earns its place. Non stick and granite coatings scratch under metal, and once the coating is scored, food starts to stick and the pan wears out faster. Silicone is softer than the coating, so it cannot cut into it. If you own granite or non stick pots, silicone utensils protect that investment.
What a silicone utensils set for cooking should include
Sets range from 5 pieces to more than 30. Bigger is only better if you need the extra tools. Here is what each size should cover.
The six pieces you will use every week
- Solid turner for eggs, pancakes and burgers.
- Slotted turner for lifting food out of oil or liquid.
- Solid spoon for stirring and serving.
- Ladle for soups, stews and curries.
- Spatula for scraping bowls and pans clean.
- Tongs for turning chicken, vegetables and pasta.
A 5 to 6 piece set covering these is enough for a single person or a small kitchen.
The useful extras
A 10 to 12 piece set usually adds a slotted spoon, a skimmer, a pasta server and a whisk. These matter if you cook pasta often, make sauces from scratch, or bake.
The full kitchen kit
Sets of 30 or more pieces add prep tools: measuring cups and spoons, kitchen scissors, a peeler, a grater, a can opener, a pizza cutter, a potato masher and a basting brush. The Melzware 33-piece cooking utensils set is in this group, with a holder for the main tools. A set this size makes sense for a first home, a student flat, or replacing a drawer of worn-out mismatched tools in one go. It does not make sense if you already own most of the prep tools.
Do you need a holder?
A holder next to the stove keeps the tools you reach for most within one arm's length, and it keeps silicone heads off hot surfaces. It also stops a drawer of 30 tools from turning into a tangle. If your counter is small, a wall rail with hooks does the same job without taking up any counter space. Either way, let two-part tools dry head-down before they go back in.
How to check quality before you buy
Food grade silicone utensils look much the same in photos as cheap ones. These checks separate them.
- The label. Look for “food-grade” and “BPA free” in the product details, along with a stated heat rating. No heat rating is a warning sign.
- The smell. Good silicone has little or no smell out of the box. A strong chemical smell, especially once warm, suggests fillers or poor curing.
- The pinch test. Pinch and twist a flat part of the head. If white streaks show through the colour, the silicone likely contains filler. It is a rough check, not a lab test, but a useful one.
- The core. Press the head against a hard surface. It should flex at the edge but not fold at the neck. A head that folds will struggle with thick food.
- The joint. On two-part tools, check where the head meets the handle. It should be tight with no gap where water and food can collect.
Cleaning, care and when to replace
Silicone is easy to keep clean, but it has two habits worth knowing about.
Everyday washing
Most silicone and steel utensils are dishwasher safe. Hand washing in hot, soapy water works just as well. Dry two-part tools head-down so water drains out of the joint.
The oily film
Silicone attracts oil. After a while, utensils can feel slightly greasy even when clean. Wash them in the hottest water you can handle with a grease-cutting dishwashing liquid. For a stubborn film, coat the head in a paste of baking soda and water, leave it for 15 minutes, then rinse.
Smells and stains
Garlic, curry spices and tomato can leave a smell or tint, especially on light-coloured silicone. Black silicone hides stains better. Smells usually fade after a few washes, and the baking soda paste speeds that up.
When to replace
Replace a utensil when the head tears, cracks, goes sticky or comes loose from the handle. A torn edge traps food, and a loose head lets water collect inside. Well-made silicone tools usually last for years, which matters because silicone does not biodegrade. Buying one good set beats replacing cheap ones every year.
When silicone is the wrong choice
We sell silicone utensils, and we would still steer you elsewhere in these cases:
- You cook mostly on stainless steel or cast iron at high heat. A thin steel turner gets under a seared crust far better than a thick silicone edge. Buy steel tools.
- You want tools for the braai. Silicone does not belong over an open fire. Use long stainless steel tongs and a steel turner.
- You want a fully plastic-free, biodegradable kitchen. Silicone is not plastic, but it does not break down either. Wood and stainless steel are the better fit.
- You already own a decent set. If your tools are not melted, cracked or loose, keep using them. Replace pieces only as they wear out.
- You have one small drawer. A 30-plus piece set needs space. A 6-piece set of the essentials may suit you better.
If none of those apply, and especially if you cook on non stick or granite pans, a good silicone set is one of the most useful things you can buy for your kitchen. Browse the Melzware pots range if you are kitting out the rest of the stovetop too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are silicone utensils safe for cooking?
Yes, if they are food-grade silicone and you use them below their heat rating. Food-grade silicone is stable at normal cooking temperatures and is not made with BPA. Cheap silicone with fillers is the problem, which is why a strong chemical smell, chalky surface or white streaks when you pinch it are reasons to return a set.
Do silicone utensils melt?
Not at normal cooking temperatures. Most food-grade silicone is rated to around 220°C to 230°C, and frying oil usually sits between 160°C and 190°C. Silicone can be damaged if you leave it resting on a dry pan over high heat, on a hot plate, or over a braai fire.
Are silicone utensils better than plastic?
Yes. Silicone handles far more heat than nylon or other plastic, so it does not soften or melt into hot food. Black plastic utensils have also been found to contain flame retardants from recycled electronics. If your plastic spatula has melted edges, replace it.
Are silicone utensils good for non stick pans?
Yes. Silicone is softer than a non stick or granite coating, so it will not scratch it. That is the main reason to own silicone utensils if you cook on non stick pans. Avoid metal utensils on those pans entirely.
How do I get the oily film and smell out of silicone utensils?
Wash in very hot water with a grease-cutting dishwashing liquid. For a stubborn film or smell, coat the head in a paste of baking soda and water, leave it for 15 minutes, then rinse. Strong spices and garlic can leave a smell, which usually fades after a few washes.
When should I replace silicone utensils?
Replace a silicone utensil when the head tears, cracks, goes sticky, or comes loose from the handle. A torn edge can trap food and bacteria, and a loose head can let water collect inside the joint. Well-made silicone tools usually last for years.
Related at Melzware
- Kitchen Utensils — silicone cooking tools, knives and mixing bowls
- 33 Pcs Cooking Utensils Set — silicone heads on stainless steel handles, with holder
- Pots — granite non stick and stainless steel cookware sets