SOTO's UKU Spoon (SOD-5400) is a folding piece of cutlery that went on sale on Jul 17, 2026. It is my pick for people who do not want the tip dirtied even when set straight on a table, and the deciding points are a bump on the body that lifts the tip and a smooth-feeling titanium plate. It is JPY 1,485 incl. tax and 23g, and a fork and spork come at the same price.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
A bump partway along the handle acts as a pivot, so when you set it on the table the tip that goes in your mouth lifts clear. Hook the same bump on a cooker's rim and it will not fall into the pot. So I choose the UKU not as a light spoon but as a spoon with no trouble about where to put it down.
Key points
- The spoon is 23g, the fork 20g and the spork 23g, all JPY 1,485 incl. tax. About 16cm open, about 9cm folded
- Folded, the length is about 58% (93 ÷ 159). It is about 16g lighter than the spoon of the Uniflame fan Cutlery solo (about 18.5cm, about 39g)
- The tip is a 1.2mm titanium plate and the handle is stainless steel. The lock plate is resin, to lower the chance of splitting a fingernail
In this article (8 sections)
When did the SOTO UKU come out? How much is it?
SOTO's UKU Spoon (SOD-5400) went on sale on Jul 17, 2026. The price is JPY 1,485 incl. tax, the weight is 23g, and it is made in Japan.
The UKU Fork (SOD-5401, 20g) and UKU Spork (SOD-5402, 23g) came out the same day, all at JPY 1,485. The tip is a titanium plate 1.2mm thick, and the handle is stainless steel.
How I judged it
The first thing I looked at was the “lifting” design the name comes from. Thanks to the bump on the body, the tip that goes in your mouth does not touch the table when you set it down.
What I wavered on was the price of JPY 1,485 per piece. It costs more than a metal spoon at home, and a set of three is JPY 4,455. I still recommend it because outdoor tables hold sand and ash even after wiping, and just lifting the tip removes that worry. The titanium feel on the lips and a folded size of about 9cm were also deciding points.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
SOTO UKU Spoon SOD-5400
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 1,485 (as of 10/18). Prices vary by up to JPY 2,415 between shops. Prices change daily.
How the UKU spoon, fork and spork differ from the fan Cutlery solo
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | Open length | Folded length | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UKU Spoon SOD-5400 | 159mm | 93mm | 23g | JPY 1,485 |
| UKU Fork SOD-5401 | 157mm | 91mm | 20g | JPY 1,485 |
| UKU Spork SOD-5402 | 159mm | 93mm | 23g | JPY 1,485 |
| Uniflame fan Cutlery solo (spoon) | About 18.5cm | ― | About 39g | JPY 1,980 (3-piece set) |
Folded, the UKU Spoon is about 58% of its open length (93 ÷ 159). Against the fan Cutlery solo spoon at about 39g, it is about 16g lighter (39 − 23), or about 60% of the weight.
A spoon and fork together come to 43g (23 + 20) and JPY 2,970. The fan Cutlery solo, with chopsticks included, is about 94g and JPY 1,980, so choosing the UKU means paying for lightness and a folding shape. Per gram, the UKU Spoon is about JPY 64.6 (1,485 ÷ 23) and the fan Cutlery solo about JPY 21.1 (1,980 ÷ 94). The price difference pays for the titanium tip and the three features of lifting, folding and locking. I put the whole tableware set in how to choose camp tableware and cutlery.
How the UKU works: a bump lifts it, a resin plate locks it
There is a bump partway along the handle, and when you set the spoon down it becomes a pivot and the tip lifts. The same bump hooks on a cooker's rim, so after stirring a pot you can leave the spoon there without dropping it in.
The sliding lock plate that holds the fold is resin, which lowers the risk of injuries like split nails. The tip is a 1.2mm titanium plate, for a smooth feel on the lips.
When you spend more than half the year camping, you look for a place to set down the spoon at every meal. So I look at cutlery first by where it can be put down, before weight.
The weak points
Only the tip is titanium; the handle is stainless steel. If you are looking for all-titanium cutlery, this may bother you. Getting all 3 comes to JPY 4,455, an expensive purchase for cutlery.
Spoon, fork or spork: which to pick?
- If you mostly eat curry, soup and rice dishes, take the spoon.
- If you eat noodles, salad or spear meat, take the fork. It is the lightest at 20g.
- If you want one piece to do it all, take the spork. The length and weight are the same as the spoon's.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
SOTO UKU Spork SOD-5402
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 1,485 (as of 10/18). Prices vary by up to JPY 2,415 between shops. Prices change daily.
Who the UKU is for
It suits people who spend a long time eating at outdoor tables and worry whether the tip gets dirty each time they set the spoon down. It packs a lifting bump, a titanium feel on the lips and a 9cm folded size into JPY 1,485, a new product that removes a small worry at every meal.
If you want to equip your whole family cheaply, there is also a 3-piece cutlery set. If you are choosing along with a pot, read the cookware ranking too. I wrote about a cup for hot drinks in the Snow Peak Thermo Tumbler 360 review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Uniflame fan Cutlery solo
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 1,980 (as of 10/14). Prices vary by up to JPY 2,885 between shops. Prices change daily.
FAQ
When did the SOTO UKU come out?
It went on sale on Jul 17, 2026. The spoon, fork and spork are all JPY 1,485 incl. tax.
How is the UKU Spoon different from the Spork?
The length (159mm open, 93mm folded) and weight (23g) are the same. The spork's tip is split like a fork's, so one piece can both spear and scoop.
How much does the UKU weigh and what is it made of?
The spoon and spork are 23g and the fork is 20g. The tip is a 1.2mm titanium plate, the handle is stainless steel, and the lock plate is resin.
