Aldi Has a $20 Copycat of a $70 Pottery Barn Serving Bowl

And it has so many uses.

Aldi

With limited storage space in most kitchens, adding something new that takes up a bit of space means you’ll want it to be versatile. A pretty wood bowl checks that box, especially when made from acacia, a durable wood used for kitchenware and furniture.

You may already have acacia wood in your kitchen in the form of a cutting board or a wooden spoon. Serving pieces made from pretty acacia are trendy now but can get expensive. Pottery Barn currently sells a pretty 10×5-inch pedestal bowl made from the dependable material for $69.

If that’s too hefty for your wallet, but you’d like an acacia pedestal bowl on your table this season, look to Aldi, where you can get a 13×4-inch version in its Aldi Finds aisle this week for just $19.99.

Aldi’s Crofton Acacia Serving Bowl

Aldi often has copycat versions of glassware or other kitchen items from high-end home stores such as Pottery Barn or Williams-Sonoma. Those copycats look almost identical to the more expensive items. We wouldn’t say Aldi’s pedestal acacia serving bowl is a copycat. The bowl’s shape is different—it’s flat on the bottom with sides that angle up and a shorter pedestal. It’s made from many pieces of acacia, which are put together like hardwood floor planks.

Aldi/Allrecipes

We actually like the Aldi version better with its funkier shape and rustic look. Its appearance makes it perfect for everyday use and casual entertaining. It can be a fruit bowl on the table or countertop, a green salad for dinner, or pasta or potato salad for a barbecue. Its size makes it just the right vessel to hold popcorn for two when watching movies at home. In between culinary uses, it can be a decorative centerpiece bowl on the dining table.

Aldi’s acacia bowl hits Aldi’s shelves on May 8, and supplies will be limited. If you snag one and are unfamiliar with caring for acacia wood, keep reading.

How to Take Care of Your Acacia Bowl

Here are a few tips to keep an acacia bowl in top shape:

• Do not put it in the microwave.
• Like your wooden utensils, you should not put wooden bowls—acacia or other wood—in the dishwasher or a sink to soak in water. Prolonged exposure to water can cause the wood to crack or warp. To clean an acacia bowl, hand wash it with warm water and mild soap, then dry it thoroughly. 
• If you’re concerned that hand washing does not sanitize the bowl enough, wipe it down with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. Then wash with warm, soapy water and hand dry. If you’d like something more heavy-duty, there are also products on the market designed to clean wooden bowls, cutting boards, and utensils. 
• If the wood has become dull, periodically restore its shine by rubbing food-grade mineral oil into it and letting it sit overnight before washing.

If you properly care for your acacia wood products, you should get a long life out of them.

Read the original article on All Recipes.