In almost every restaurant and every kitchen across the country, you’ll find strange little sticks of wood with pointed ends. An alien visiting Earth for the first time might wonder what these oddly primitive items are for, but the average human can right away tell you at least five uses for toothpicks.
Years ago, toothpicks were considered an essential after-meal tool for cleaning teeth. Today, dentists warn that this process might do more harm than good. It’s best to stick to flossing. But that doesn’t mean toothpicks aren’t useful.
You can use these wooden picks to clean small areas, check if a cake has finished baking, fill gaps in wooden furniture and serve finger food at a party. The possibilities are only bound by your creativity.
If you’re stocking a kitchen for the first time or never realized the usefulness of toothpicks until reading this article, consider purchasing one of the toothpicks listed below. We’ve scoured Amazon to find the best toothpicks you can order from the online retailer.
1. MontoPack Bamboo Wooden Toothpicks
The MontoPack Bamboo Wooden Toothpicks do just about everything you could expect from a standard toothpick. They are double sided and made from quality bamboo wood, which is naturally splinter free. This set comes with two packs of 500 toothpicks each, for 1,000 toothpicks total. Two plastic containers are included to keep your toothpicks nice and tidy wherever you choose to store them.
Pros: These all-purpose toothpicks come in easy-to-carry containers and a large quantity, so the average household won’t run out for years.
Cons: These toothpicks are double-sided, meaning they have a point on both ends. Because of this, they aren’t ideal for skewering food at cocktail parties and some DIY projects.
2. NatureCore Bamboo Wooden Toothpicks
Also available in the massive 1,000 count pack, the NatureCore Bamboo Wooden Toothpicks are slightly more decorative than our top pick. On one side of the toothpick, you’ll find a carved design rather than a second point. This makes these toothpicks ideal for serving food at dinner parties or offering to friends for teeth cleaning at more formal occasions. These toothpicks are made of quality bamboo and stored in a durable, plastic container.
Pros: The ornate end of these toothpicks make them more suitable for serving food and more formal occasions.
Cons: Because these toothpicks are decorative, they only have one pointed and therefore useful end.
3. PuTwo Cocktail Picks
For something with a little more jazz, look no further than the PuTwo Cocktail Picks. Each one of these toothpicks comes with a pair of red beads and a bit of red rope on one end. This lends a very festive cheer to these pieces of bamboo wood. Use them for finger food when serving to kids or add them to your dinner party decor. This pack of 100 toothpicks is ideal for a 20-person get together.
Pros: The red beads and red rope on the end of these toothpicks make them stand out from ordinary toothpicks.
Cons: The extra pieces of decor on these bamboo toothpicks cause them to be more expensive than other options with fewer applications.
4. Norpro Ornate Wood Toothpicks
Pretty and durable are two words we’d use to describe the Makerstep Wooden Toothpicks. These pieces are made from wood that won’t crack under pressure, and one end has been intricately carved in a spindle-like design. Because of their intricate but not over-the-top design, these toothpicks are some of the most versatile on our list. You can use them for serving finger foods at a party, cleaning your teeth or a DIY project. This pack comes with 360 pieces.
Pros: These toothpicks are made from a durable material that can stand up to the rigors of toothpick use and sport a beautifully carved design on one end.
Cons: Each pack of the Makerstep Wooden Toothpicks only contains 360 pieces, which is fewer than competing options.
5. Makerstep Wooden Toothpicks
We all know that toothpicks are useful for a range of different actions, from household chores to post-dinner mouth cleaning. If you often use one of these wooden picks, you should consider buying the Makerstep Wooden Toothpicks. These toothpicks come in a 1,000 piece pack and can be used for crafts, cleaning and dental hygiene. One end is pointed, while the other end is decoratively carved.
Pros: The large number of toothpicks in this pack means you can use them for everything from cleaning to DIY projects.
Cons: The included container is a bit flimsy to properly store the wooden picks, which may lead to deterioration over time.
6. Tea Tree Therapy Tea Tree & Menthol Toothpicks
The Tea Tree Therapy Tea Tree & Menthol Toothpicks do more than simply clean your teeth. The included tea tree oil can work to fight dental plaque and kill bad bacteria. Plus, the menthol provides the spicy peppermint flavor that freshens breath. The toothpicks themselves are made from birchwood and come in packs of 100.
Pros: The added menthol and tea tree oil make these toothpicks unique and beneficial for keeping your mouth clean. The flavor might also help people who are trying to quit smoking.
Cons: The mint flavor might not be for everyone, and the extra price for the flavoring doesn’t make sense if you intend to use toothpicks in DIY projects.