5 Chef-Recommended Plastic-Free Mixing Bowls at Amazon

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and the busiest in the kitchen. If you plan on baking cookies, tossing salads, or adding any other tasty goodies to the hosting menu, you’ll want to make sure your guests get the best. Not only does that mean choosing good ingredients, but it also means finding ways to cut down on the amount of microplastics entering the food.

I already asked my chef friends for the best non-toxic cutting boards, so it was only a matter of time until I gathered more intel on healthier kitchen swaps they recommend. Turns out, your plastic mixing bowls are next on the chopping block. 

Like other plastic kitchen gear, plastic mixing bowls can leach microplastics into your food. Alternative materials, like stainless steel and glass, are not only free of toxic chemicals, but they that come highly recommended by the professional chefs I know. Keep reading for five chef-approved sets from brands like Cuisinart, OXO, and Viking that’ll surely come in handy during the holidays and beyond.

Best Chef-Recommended Non-Toxic Mixing Bowls

Cuisinart 3-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

There’s one thing many of the chefs I reached out to have in common: They love stainless steel mixing bowls. “They’re lightweight, durable, and easy to handle,” said Executive Chef Joseph L. Pairee III from Claremont Resort & Club in San Francisco Bay, California. Stainless steel has a non-porous surface that doesn’t react to acidic foods, so it’s naturally rust-resistant and prevents metal from transferring into your food. 

Chef Pairee also prefers tools with a silicone footing to keep them from sliding on your countertop, which is exactly what this 3-piece Cuisinart set provides. He added, “They won’t stain, absorb odors, or risk chemical leaching.” The dishwasher-safe bowls also feature a multicolor design that makes them a fun add-on to any kitchen. 

Viking 10-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

Another stainless steel option is this 10-piece mixing bowl set from Viking. Executive Research & Development Chef at meal delivery service Home Chef, Nigel Palmer, says that because stainless steel is “durable and non-reactive,” these bowls are perfect for hot ingredients, cold ingredients, and storage (since they’re stackable). This set includes 20-ounce, 1.5-quart, 3-quart, 5-quart, and 8-quart bowls, all paired with tight-fitting BPA-free lids that seal in foods and odors. Palmer particularly likes the non-slip bottoms that stabilize the bowls while cooking. There are even measurements engraved on the side, so there’s no need to dirty a separate measuring cup. 

Cook With Color 6-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

According to Joseph Cook, Executive Chef at Fig Restaurant in Santa Monica, California, these Cook With Color mixing bowls are your best bet for tossing a salad, using the double broiling method, and more. The bowls also “make cleanup easy,” though we recommend you hand-wash them to ensure they offer the “long-lasting reliability” Cook describes. The set includes 0.5-, 0.85-, 1.5-, 3-, 4-, and 5-quart bowls, each with a flat bottom for stability while mixing, whisking, and more. 

OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set

James Beard Foundation Semifinalist Chef Leo Davila turned to Amazon early in his career to find the best professional-grade cooking tools. “Choosing the right bowl for the right task is an essential part of mise en place,” he says. To make his job much more efficient, Chef Davila turns to OXO’s stainless steel set, which includes 1.5-, 3-, and 5-quart bowls. Each bowl offers non-skid bottoms that prevent slipping even when the bowls are tilted and stainless steel interiors that “help eliminate odors and unwanted stains.” Per the product description, there’s an additional white plastic exterior that protects your hands from extreme temperatures. (As far as non-toxic goes, the plastic is on the outside, so your food will avoid it). 

Anchor Hocking 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set

A new material made from natural minerals has entered the chat: glass mixing bowls. Cookbook author Jackie Alpers has reached for the 3-piece mixing bowl set from Anchor Hocking for “years,” and you can shop it in blue or green. They “are by far the best because of the variety of sizes that work for almost any job,” Alpers noted. The set consists of 1-, 1.5-, and 2.5-quart stackable mixing bowls that are dishwasher-, microwave-, and freezer-safe. Since they’re made from durable tempered glass, you can even place them in the oven up to 425°F. The outer ribbed design enhances your grip and is fade-, chip-, and peel-resistant. Use them for soups, salads, bread dough, and more.