In general wood and
bamboo chopsticks should not be washed in a dishwasher. The detergents
and severe cleansing will deteriorate their finish. So here's an article
all about dishwasher safe chopsticks.
There are certain materials
safe for dishwashers. Metal, stainless steel, plastic and melamine are
all generally machine washable chopsticks. There are also some special
models of wood chopsticks that have an extra durable finish that allows
their use in dishwashers as well.
Metal and Stainless Steel Chopsticks
Metal
chopsticks [link to internal article on metal chopsticks] and stainless
steel chopsticks are all safe for dishwashers. Like your regular
silverware, they will stand up to years of daily use. Some metal
chopsticks such as the flat Korean style chopsticks will drop through
most dishwasher silverware baskets however, so you will need to line the
basket or lay the chopsticks flat on the glass rack.
Plastic and Melamine Chopsticks
Most
plastic chopsticks can be machine washed but on the upper racks only.
You want to keep them away from the heating elements. All melamine
chopsticks can be washed as they can withstand dishwasher temperatures.
Like some metal chopsticks, plastic and melamine chopsticks may fall
through the silverware basket. Test before washing.
Special Dishwasher Safe Wood Chopsticks
There
are a small number of wood chopsticks with ultra durable coatings that
are temperature and moisture resistant enough to be dishwasher safe.
They have a yellow 'OK' sticker on their outer package denoting their
dishwasher safe coating. Unfortunately the supply of these chopsticks is
limited due to their higher prices so stock and selection vary.
You can find a
large selection of dishwasher safe chopsticks of all varieties on EverythingChopsticks.com.