If you’ve ever scraped a black fleck off a melted spatula into your pasta and wondered what exactly you just ate, congratulations: You’ve already arrived at the case for nontoxic utensils. Swapping out your plastic-handled, mystery-material kitchen tools is one of the easiest upgrades you can make.

Our top nontoxic utensil picks

The best nontoxic utensil set overall: GIR Ultimate Utensil Set

A beautiful wooden set: Jonathan's Spoons Essentials

A great full metal set: All-Clad Professional Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensil Set

More difficult is choosing a material to commit to. Walk through any kitchen store and you'll encounter wood, silicone, stainless steel, bamboo, and any number of hybrid constructions. Each has its advocates and its limitations.…