Lazy me--I'm being converted to bamboo spoons that can go in the dishwasher.

I'm wondering about that--- sometimes my wooden spoons get left out overnight (and end up caked with dried food) or I use them to make meatloaf (covered with meat germs) and then I just wish I could stick them in the dishwasher. Is there any exception to the no-dishwasher rule?

And where can I get some bamboo spoons?

I think I found my first ones at Sur La Table, though now I look and none of them say that they're dishwasher-safe. I just found three more at, of all places, Price Chopper. They clearly say "dishwasher-safe" on the label.

Why can't you put them in the dishwasher? I have been for years without incident. Am I doing something wrong?

I don't know. I think my mother said they would warp, but I can't swear to that, and obviously it's not happening to yours.

I too have been dishwashering my wooden spoons for years... though I can see how it might not be ideal for really good quality wood (i.e., anything you care about), it seems to be okay for the cheapee spoons I buy.

Perhaps there's a concern that the wood absorbs a lot of water in the dishwasher and then becomes a germ magnet?

I found bamboo spoons in Chicago's Chinatown. They're made by Joyce Chen Cookware [Joyce Chen was one of the pioneers of public television cooking shows] and can be found online.

Sara, the problem with running wooden spoons through the dishwasher is not that they absorb germs, but that they absorb the harsh chemicals in the dishwasher detergent.

I got a silicone spoon from a dollar store a few years ago and that has been far the most useful for me than any wooden spoon. Unlike a wooden spoon, this one can bend to align with whatever surface I'm cooking with. Its also a lot easier to clean.

Jonathan's Spoons! Gorgeous wooden utensils with wiggly, organic shapes. Jonathan says, "I do not recommend using a dishwasher for any wood. The drying cycle dehydrates wood too rapidly which can cause it to crack, and cleaning agents may age the surface of the wood. Other than that, people say my spoons survive their dishwashers just fine."

I bought a spoon a couple of years ago that has become my favorite because of its flat end - it's a cooking spoon and spatula all in one. It's the Mario Batali brand, here's a picture of it at amazon.com.