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Contemporary touch to classic design: 11 greatest chopsticks of all time

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Chopsticks are a symbol of tradition, culture and an unique way of life that has evolved under its own special norms. Those who have tried it for the first time will vouch for the fact that using chopsticks to eat is no kids play and it requires skills  – though not as the ancient Chinese warriors who used them as weapons!

Modern world is full of various models of the traditional chopsticks, and after searching the breadth of the planet here are 11 greatest chopsticks of all time.

Chork

We start our journey into the incredible chopstick world with Chork; a hybrid of the chopstick and the fork. Chork is designed for those who cannot use chopsticks elegantly and for those who cannot bring food from bowl to mouth using the sticks. Designed by Slashfood, chork allows you to stuff a lot faster than the traditional chopstick and with far less handling skill. Made out of wood, there is no chance of getting injured with pointed steel edges too.

Three-Legged Chopsticks

Released by the MoMAstore, the three-legged chopsticks are created to ensure that the use of the eastern equipment merges well with the western culinary delights on your plate. Of course, the three pieces of sticks that are put together ensure that you need not hold them tight at the top and hence make you ungainly use them a lot more graceful. Available for $28, this is another design created to hide our fumbling fingers!

Collapsible Chopsticks

Designed by the wicked folks from ThinkGeek, the $ 24.99 Collapsible Chopsticks could be easily confused with the equipment of a top billiards star. The stylishly designed grips and business ends of these chopsticks unscrew for easy cleaning and packing, offering you comfort while on the move. If you love your noodles and sushi, then these are an absolute must for you!

TUKAANI

Crafted by Lincoln Kayiwa with a stroke of inspiration borrowed from the Toucan bird’s bill, TUKAANI imitates evolution to offer you the chopsticks with perfect grip. These curved silver chopsticks may not be to the liking of those who love wooden ones, but these TUKAANI looks like it has been designed for the aristocrats who do not know how to use chopsticks, yet would prefer to pretend that they know it all. For us though, it looks like a bent safety pin without its head!

Stix Glasses

This is one unique concept that requires you to be as resourceful as you can as the Stix Glasses designed Brad Gressel requires you to use the arms of your spectacles as chopsticks. Just like some people keep pens and pencils behind their ear; you can stick your chopsticks there. One problem with this though is that you better have damn clean ears or your sushi will taste pretty yucky. Yeah, you can wash them and use them when required, but this still looks like an idea limited to those who use spectacles all the time.

ECO POKE MAI

Masato Tokuno has probably crafted the most attractive, colorful and sleek chopsticks with the ECO PAKE MAI collection. From the name, shades and packaging, it seems quite obvious that this is aimed for kids and adults who are still young at heart (Much like us!) Available from YUEN’TO in 12 various colors, these look damn cute, stylish and come with their own transparent case. Tiny delights indeed!

Mater Angle Chopsticks

In case you are looking for James Bond- like sophistication, sleek ergonomic design and futuristic style, all clubbed in a single chopstick design, then look no beyond the Mater Angle chopsticks. These are so cool that they are complimented by their very own nesting block! Available for $35, these are perfect the next time you are having an official business lunch at a Chinese restaurant and trying to negotiate a big contract. Mater Angle chopsticks will surely tip the deal over in your favor.

Edible Chopsticks… along with bowls

Designer Nobuhiko Arikawa seems to have turned the whole concept for using chopsticks for eating upside down with his edible line of tableware for Orto Cafe in Japan. The edible chopsticks are made out of flour, water and salt along with matching bowls and once you have finished eating your favorite sushi in them, you can eat the chopsticks as well. This is one design that leaves no waste behind

Restless

That looks more like the title of a sound track to us, but these very craftily styled chopsticks by Mikiya Kobayashi follow a very special design that ensures that the tips of the chopstick never touch the table. Such is the balance and weight distribution that your chopstick tips always remain in air and sparkling clean. For those who are crazy about hygiene, this is a welcome sight. Available in Black, Mustard, Red, and Off-White, they are all about keeping your fingers restless.

Brunton Flip Sticks

These special foldable chopsticks by Brunton serve more than just one purpose. They are easy to carry, fold up without poking pointy edges and also save up on the use of bamboo and wood. While the half of the chopstick that is in contact with the food is wooden, the top handle is metal. Hence you can discard the wooden part after a dinner and use another one later, if you chose to do so. Priced at $33, they are not the most comfortable to hole, but are great for travel.

TrippStixx

The makers of TrippStixx claim that these chopsticks took 3000 years in the making and while we get the point of it, how come it took so many smart people 3000 years to get chopsticks right? Apart from that, the specially crafted sticks are customizable, sport precision attachments and with one handle and two interchangeable tips, this is all about taking the chopstick experience a couple of notches up. The separate Banquet Style and Sushi Style almost make you feel that eating is a rare art form!

So, if though that chopsticks were boring, dull and monotonous, then think again. There are so many exciting varieties out there that your fingers can never get enough. So next time you pick up noodles, sushi or anything Chinese how about think a bit out of the bowl?