Salads are an integral part of family BBQs, dinner with friends, and light lunches. To make all these glorious salads, we’re here to tell you about the best salad bowl ideas and picks.
We’re going to talk about what to look for in a potential salad bowl as well as what materials make the best salad bowl for you. We’ll also give you our top 8 picks for the best salad bowls you can buy online. Ready to get started? You’ll be a salad bowl expert in no time.
What to Look For In a Salad Bowl
It pays to be picky when you’re picking out new additions for your kitchen, and salad bowls are no exception. There are many important factors to consider, such as, do you want to feature your salad bowl in food photography? How many people are you typically trying to feed when you make a salad? We’ll go over everything you need to know below.
Size
Here are some important questions to go through when you’re deciding what size salad bowl would be the best choice for you:
- How many people do you typically make a salad for?
- How much storage space do you have in your kitchen?
- Do you regularly eat salads?
- How much money do you have to spend on a salad bowl?
If you’re making salads for 5+ people and you have a decent budget for a new bowl, we say to go with a big bowl. If you typically cook for yourself and maybe 1 other person, you probably don’t need a bowl that’s as large as a mixing bowl.
Design
Salad bowls come in a plethora of different designs. If you’re thinking of using your salad bowl for food photography, you may want a bowl with an uncommon or intricate design, such as carved wood.
If you’re unsure about what design would best compliment your other dishes, run through this quick list of questions:
- Do I want the design of my salad bowl to complement the design of other dishes I have?
- What kind of designs do I have on other bowls and dishware?
- Do I want a simple and inexpensive design, or do I want to invest in an intricately designed bowl?
Shape
Most salad bowls are circular or oval-shaped, but there are different shaped bowls you can buy. Some bowls have frilled edges or dipping curves. Some salad bowls are rectangles or squares. When considering the shape of the bowl you want, ask yourself:
- What shape salad bowl would complement the other shapes I have on the table?
- Do I want to splurge on an uncommonly shaped salad bowl?
Price
We would be remiss not to mention the price. The good thing about salad bowls is they come in a huge range of different prices. Smaller plastic bowls are going to be much less expensive than large acacia wood bowls. There are trusted salad bowl brands used by the best of the best that will be pricy, but there are also inexpensive ceramic bowls for the casual salad maker.
The price of your salad bowl does not necessarily determine its shelf life. Sometimes, an intricate design or accessory will make a salad bowl expensive.
Quality of Material
Some materials make better salad bowls than others. Some materials that are known for being long-lasting and will hold up in your kitchen for a long time include:
- Hardwoods
- Bamboo
- Plastic
Ceramic has the potential to be a long-lasting material, too, unless you drop it. One large benefit to choosing a hardwood, bamboo, or plastic bowl is that they won’t break if your fingers slip. A ceramic bowl, while beautiful, will shatter if it takes a tumble.
Ease of Use
Salad bowls are one item in your kitchen that should be easy to use. They should be one of the easiest items to use. To make sure your bowl won’t give you any hiccups when you’re trying to make a Caesar salad just right, check that:
- The lid fits on the bowl correctly if it comes with a lid
- The serving utensils pop into their slots correctly if it comes with utensils
- The bottom of the bowl doesn’t wobble around on a flat surface
- The bowl is curved in a way to prevent spills
Materials to Consider
We’d like to take a closer look at some of the most common materials for salad bowls. Any of these material types would make an excellent choice for your next salad bowl depending on what you want, but each has its own benefits and drawbacks. We’ll explain.
Plastic
Plastic salad bowls get a lot of points for:
- Durability
- Wide range of colors
- Wide range of shapes
- Easy to clean
The only area where plastic salad bowls don’t hold up is in their stylistic appeal. While plastic salad bowls can be bought in many colors and shapes, they lack the rustic or natural, earthy feel that wooden salad bowls have. They typically aren’t painted, either, but ceramic bowls can be.
Ceramic
Ceramic bowls are great for their:
- Weightiness
- Wide range of colors
- Painted designs
- Clean-looking aesthetic
- Ease of cleaning
Ceramic salad bowls are typically either solid white or painted with florals and other designs. Ceramic bowls are sturdy and won’t wobble around when you set them down. They are typically dishwasher-safe, which makes cleaning a breeze. The only low mark we’ll give ceramic salad bowls is their durability. If dropped, that’s the end of your ceramic bowl.
Wood
Many, if not most, salad bowls are made from wood. Due to their popularity, here is a more fleshed-out chart to help you decide if a wooden salad bowl is right for you.
Pros
| Cons
|
The Best Salad Bowl Ideas
After meticulously searching the internet for the very best salad bowls money can buy, we’re proud to show off these 8. Each of these salad bowls would make a fabulous addition to your kitchen with its style and functionality. If you want ideas to get you inspired, or you want to buy a salad bowl right now, keep reading!
PAK Wooden Salad Bowl Set
Best for: Complete set with accessories
About
Every piece in this salad bowl serving set is made from acacia wood, which is an ideal hardwood to have around the kitchen. The natural, earthy tone of the wood makes for gorgeous food displays. In addition to a salad bowl, in this set, you’ll receive a serving spoon, a serving fork, and a pair of tongs.
- Material: Acacia wood
- Warranty: Please contact the seller directly
- Best Feature: 4 wooden serving utensils
Care
Never put a wooden salad bowl in the dishwasher. Instead, handwash this salad bowl using warm water and gentle dish soap. Be careful not to fully submerge the wood into the water as you wash it, or it could grow mold.
Pros
- 3 wooden accessories
- Quality wood for accessories and bowl
- Visually appealing
Cons
- This salad bowl doesn’t come with a lid
Yedio Salad Bowls Set
Best for: Low price
About
You’ll receive 2 white porcelain bowls in this set, which is the least expensive salad bowl set on the list. These bowls offer a minimalist style, which would look great if you have a running theme with white cookware and dishware. They are very easy to keep clean, and you can put them in the microwave, oven, and freezer.
- Material: Porcelain
- Warranty: Please contact the seller directly
- Best Feature: Quality bowl for a low price
Care
Taking care of these salad bowls is easy since you can put them in the dishwasher. Simply rinse the bowls out before loading them into the dishwasher and then, voila! All clean.
Pros
- Low price
- Minimalist design
- Easy to keep clean
Cons
- Porcelain will shatter if dropped
LOVYANXUE Bamboo Fiber Salad Bowl with Servers Set Large
Best for: Chic style
About
This salad bowl, its lid, and the two serving utensils it comes with are made from bamboo. It may be hard to guess the product’s material at first because the bowl and utensils are dyed blacks. The serving utensils pop into place on the lid, so you can keep your salad bowl set organized. The lid can be used as a cutting board.
- Material: Bamboo
- Warranty: Please contact the seller directly
- Best Feature: Chic black bamboo fiber
Care
Never put bamboo in the dishwasher. Instead, use warm water and soap to handwash this salad bowl. Let the bowl stand on its side to air dry completely before you use it again.
Pros
- Bamboo is a very durable material
- Chic style
- Comes with a lid/cutting board and serving utensils
Cons
- Must be hand washed
Wooden Salad Bowl Serving Set
Best for: Quality
About
This is a gorgeous, large salad bowl that comes with a matching wooden serving spoon and serving fork. The hardwood material is glossy from being treated, making it resistant to bacteria and mold. This bowl will stay in great shape for years if properly taken care of.
- Material: Hardwood
- Warranty: Please contact the seller directly
- Best Feature: Quality hardwood
Care
In addition to handwashing this wooden salad bowl, make sure to seal it with oil regularly. When the bowl begins to lose its shine, spread mineral oil or beeswax all over the bowl. Rub the oil in with a paper towel. Let the oil sit on the bowl for 15 minutes and then wipe off any excess oil again. Let the bowl sit for 2 days before using it again after sealing.
Pros
- Beautiful glossy finish
- High-quality hardwood
- Large serving spoon and fork
Cons
- No lid
Nambe Braid Salad Bowl with Servers
Best for: Design
About
If you want your new salad bowl to be fancy, this is the one you want. While this is the priciest bowl on the list, it is designed in a unique oval shape that is different from all the other bowls we’ve mentioned. It features silver serving handles and silver handles on the matching wooden serving utensils it comes with.
- Material: Acacia wood
- Warranty: Please contact the seller directly
- Best Feature: Silver accents
Care
Never put this salad bowl or the serving utensils in the dishwasher. Always thoroughly handwash this bowl with warm water and gentle dish soap. To dry, stand the bowl against a wall on its side and let it air dry.
Pros
- Beautiful design and unique shape
- Silver accents
- Serving utensils
Cons
- Expensive
Clean Dezign Large Salad and Serving Bowl with Bamboo Wood Lid and Servers Set
Best for: Lid and utensils
About
This salad bowl is made from bamboo and comes with a lid and serving utensils. Bamboo won’t break if you drop it, and it’s a long-lasting material. The lid can be used as a small cutting board, which gives this salad bowl even better functionality.
- Material: Bamboo
- Warranty: Please contact the seller directly
- Best Feature: Bamboo lid with snap-in serving utensils
Care
Always hand wash this salad bowl with warm water and gentle dish soap. To dry, set the bowl against a wall on its side. Bamboo should be regularly sealed with mineral oil or beeswax.
Pros
- Stylish
- Serving utensils
- Cutting board lid
Cons
- Serving utensils don’t snap into place on the lid
FAQs
Answer: Our top recommendations for what materials make the best salad bowls are hardwoods and bamboo. Even though hardwoods and bamboo have to be sealed with mineral oil or beeswax regularly, they are beautiful and long-lasting. The extra maintenance is worth the visual appeal and decades of use you’ll get out of them.
Answer: Salad bowls come in all different sizes! You can buy small, medium, and large salad bowls. Typically, salad bowls are the approximate size of a mixing bowl.
Answer: Wooden bowls make excellent salad bowls! If you’re choosing a type of wood, we recommend choosing hardwoods over softwoods. Hardwoods like acacia, walnut, cherry, and hardwood maple along with bamboo all make for exceptional salad bowls.
In the End
We’d likely to officially hand you your diploma in salad bowl-ology. You’re an expert when it comes to what makes a great salad bowl and the benefits of each material commonly used for this type of bowl. We also walked you through 8 amazing salad bowl ideas that are sure to compliment your kitchen.
To me, the Nambe Braid Salad Bowl with Servers seems to be the best choice for its size and design.
Do you have any questions about salad bowls, or do you have your thoughts on salad bowls you’ve tried? Let us know in the comments below! For even more great ideas for your kitchen, check out our guide to the best cereal containers!