It’s getting easier than ever to rid your household of single-use plastics, and we’ve reviewed many of the reusable products out there: silicone storage bags, food storage containers, grocery bags, and Swedish dishcloths, which are stand-ins for paper towels (and a Serious Eats staff-favorite).
To add to that growing list, I took a gander at another popular reusable household item: beeswax wraps. These wraps are typically made of cotton cloth that’s coated with wax, resin, and oil, which helps them cling to various bits and bobs. But how well do they really stick?
To find out, I tested 10 options by using them to wrap and store an avocado, seal a stainless steel mixing bowl holding some grapes, and more, to find the very best. To get the full breadth of wraps out there, I also evaluated silicone and vegan sets, which use plant-based wax instead of beeswax.
The Winners, at a Glance
This set comes with seven wraps: two small, three medium, and two large. The smallest size was perfect for covering citrus halves or avocados, while the larger ones comfortably fit on bowls and around larger produce. The wraps stayed adhesive throughout testing, too, even after multiple washes.
Though slightly stiffer than the Trifecta, once warmed up with my hands this wrap crimped securely onto bowls and easily wrapped around pieces of food. It also kept avocado halves nearly blemish-free.
This set breaks down to $1.67 per wrap (at the time of writing), the most affordable of all the options I tested. All the wraps easily stuck onto bowls and kept browning minimal on the halved avocado.
This roll gives you the option to customize your wrap size—which is great if you have oddball-shaped ingredients (parmesan rinds, baguette butts, etc) or find pre-cut wraps too big or too small; this way, you can make it JUST right. This wrap did have a slight patchouli-like smell (likely from the resin in the coating), but it faded after use and washing.
This was another great roll option, with fun patterns and sticky (if a little stiff) material that clung easily to cans, halved fruit, and cheese.
Instead of beeswax, this wrap is coated in coconut oil and plant-based wax—and it worked just as well as the non-vegan offering from the same brand. It also had a faint patchouli-esque smell.
The Tests
- Bowl Test: I filled a small metal mixing bowl with a handful of green grapes and covered it with each wrap. I then shook the covered bowl 10 times to see if the wrap stayed secure.
- Avocado Test: I halved ripe avocados and wrapped each half in the reusable wraps; I also wrapped one in plastic wrap and one in aluminum foil as controls. I stored the avocado halves in the crisper drawer of my refrigerator and, after three days, checked the avocados for blemishes. I also noted if the wrap was still malleable after being in the fridge and if it was easy to clean.
- Stain Test: I smeared one tablespoon of marinara sauce on each wrap, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then cleaned it using cool water, mild soap, and a sponge. After drying, I noted if any stains or odors remained.
- Fit Test: Throughout testing, I used each wrap to cover various foods, including halved citrus and fruit, bread, and open cans.
What We Learned
What You Can (and Can’t) Store in Beeswax Wraps
While it might be tempting to go wild and wrap everything in beeswax wraps, there are some no-nos. The number one is not to wrap raw meat or fish. Since the wraps are cleaned with cool water, if they gets soaked with meat juice, the wrap will basically become a bacteria-infested contamination rag—yuck. You might want to also avoid wrapping sticky, gooey items like pizza dough since it’ll adhere to the wrap and could strip it of its waxy layer (not to mention it’d be a pain to unwrap). While some brands advise avoiding wrapping acidic foods, I had no issues when I covered citrus.
Wash Wraps With Care
Nearly all of the wraps I tested recommend washing with cool water and dish soap—and for good reason. Since the clingy nature of these reusable wraps comes from a coating of oils and wax, if you scrub them with hot water and harsh cleansers, you’ll strip away that coating and end up with slightly oily cotton cloths that won’t stick to anything. Wash your reusable wraps like delicate laundry—with cool water and a delicate touch.
Beeswax Wraps Kept Foods Fresh
Keeping a halved avocado beautifully creamy, pale green, and blemish-free is a Herculean task. But most of the reusable wraps did a good job at maintaining a fresh appearance. The Abeego and Bee’s Wax were Allstars in this arena; the exposed avocado only had a pale brown tint, with no dark splotches, and the texture was still creamy and firm. Other wraps, like the Public Goods, were stiff and difficult to wrap tightly around the avocado, which let more oxidation occur. That said, even the worst beeswax wraps did better than the plastic wrap, which resulted in a slowly rotting avocado replete with splotches and a gooey texture near the peel. (Want to know the best way to store an avocado? Aluminum foil. It did a great job of keeping the halved fruit fresh and blemish-free).
Wraps Break in With Time and Use
Some of the wraps were downright rigid when I first used them, especially offerings from Meli and Bee’s Wrap; I had to warm them up quite a bit with my hands before they became supple. That said, after a few uses and washes, stiffer wraps tended to break in and soften up, making them easier to use. The exception was the Public Goods wrap, which remained stiff and became papery after washing.
Soft and Sticky Was Better
The above statement is something I agree with when it comes to dessert consistencies, too. But back to the point: sticky, soft wraps were easier to fit around, well, everything. In my bowl test, malleable wraps, like the Trifecta and Akeeko, were easy to mold and crimp and fit securely around the bowl’s edges; even when I shook the bowls (and turned them upside down), they stayed put. They were also easy to mold around oddball-shaped foods like a random half a starfruit, and a slippery, wonkily cut honeydew melon. The only downside to soft and sticky wraps was that sometimes they clung to the food item in question a little too greedily; the Bee Carefree wrap stripped off the surface of the avocado when I removed it.
The Criteria: What to Look for in Reusable Beeswax Wraps
First off, they should be made of some kind of cloth coated in wax—the one silicone wrap I tested was truly terrible and didn’t stick to anything. I evaluated reusable wraps that came in pre-cut sizes, as well as rolls that let you cut what you need—both are good options, but consider your needs when choosing between them. The wrap should be easy to mold onto a variety of objects, and it should stick nicely; it should also retain its stickiness after washing and regular use for a good amount of time.
Our Favorite Reusable Beeswax Wraps
What we liked: This versatile set comes in three sizes: two small, three medium, and two large. Each wrap was malleable and crimped nicely onto fruit, cheese, bowls, and more. The wraps were also easy to clean, retained their stickiness after washing, and didn’t stain too much even when lightly painted with tomato sauce.
What we didn’t like: The three sizes are versatile, but not quite as much as cutting a piece of wrap to fit.
Key Specs
- Materials: Cotton, organic jojoba oil, beeswax, tree resin
- Dimensions: Two small-sized (7 x 8 inches), three medium-sized (10 x 11 inches), and two large-sized (13 x 14 inches)
- Stated lifespan: NA
- Disposal: Can be used as a cloth once it loses its stickiness
- Cleaning and care: Wash with mild soap and cool water; air dry
What we liked: While slightly stiff, once warmed up with my hands the wraps were easy to crimp onto the edges of a bowl and wrap around an avocado. While they did stain after being brushed with tomato sauce, it was very faint. This wrap kept a halved avocado nearly blemish-free, with minimal browning on the cut surface.
What we didn’t like: The set only comes with three wraps, and they are a little stiffer than the others I tested. They’re also one of the pricier options, clocking in at around $6 apiece at the time of publish.
Key Specs
- Materials: Cotton-blend fabric, hemp fabric, beeswax, tree resin, jojoba oil
- Dimensions: One small square (7 x 7 inches), one medium square (10 x 10 inches), and one large square (13 x 13 inches)
- Stated lifespan: NA
- Disposal: Compostable
- Cleaning and care: Hand-wash with cool water and mild soap
What we liked: This was another wrap that kept the halved avocado in good shape, with only light browning and no dark spots. Each piece was very malleable and easily molded to a stainless steel bowl’s rim, staying secure when the grape-filled bowl was shaken. This set of nine wraps was also one of the cheapest, at around $1.67 per piece.
What we didn’t like: There wasn’t much I didn’t like about these wraps, though they did stain after the tomato sauce test. Also, there’s only one large-sized wrap.
Key Specs
- Materials: Cotton, organic jojoba oil, beeswax, tree resin
- Dimensions: Five small wraps (7 x 8 inches), three medium wraps (10 x 11 inches), and one large wrap (13 x 14 inches)
- Stated lifespan: NA
- Disposal: NA
- Cleaning and care: Hand-wash with cold water and alcohol-free soap and air dry
What we liked: This roll of beeswax wrap is great because you can cut out the exact shape needed, reducing waste even further. While the wrap was a little stiff at first, it broke in after use and easily molded to a myriad of foods. It also kept the sliced avocado in decent shape, with only a few brown spots.
What we didn’t like: This wrap did have a patchouli-esque aroma, but after washing, the scent faded.
Key Specs
- Materials: Cotton, beeswax, plant oil, and tree resin
- Dimensions: 14 x 52 inches (a little over four feet)
- Stated lifespan: 1 year
- Disposal: Compostable; can also be used as a fire starter
- Cleaning and care: Hand-wash in cool water with mild dish soap, and air dry; avoid exposure to heat and hot water
What we liked: This wrap comes in a variety of fun patterns and was super sticky, if a little stiff; but, over time, it became more malleable. It also did a good job keeping the avocado fresh, and had no noticeable staining after the tomato sauce test (though the wrap I used had a bright papaya pattern that might’ve hidden any blemishes).
What we didn’t like: It was a little stiff at first and took more effort to tightly wrap the halved avocado.
Key Specs
- Materials: Cotton, Hawaiian beeswax, tree resin, plant oils
- Dimensions: 13.5 x 42 inches (around four feet long)
- Stated lifespan: 1 to 2 years (about 150 washes)
- Disposal: NA
- Cleaning and care: Hand-wash with mild soap and cool water, and air dry
What we liked: If you’re vegan and/or avoid bee products, this is a great option that performed well. Like the non-vegan Bee’s Wrap, this was a little stiff at first but broke in quickly; once this happened, it was easier to tightly wrap around items like open cans and halved citrus.
What we didn’t like: Since it was stiffer at first, it was more difficult to tightly wrap around the avocado, which led to some dark splotches. It also has a faint patchouli scent, though this faded with use and washing.
Key Specs
- Materials: Cotton, plant-based wax, organic plant oil (coconut oil and soy), tree resin
- Dimensions: 14 x 52 inches (a little over 4 feet)
- Stated lifespan: 1 year
- Disposal: Compostable; can also be used as a fire starter
- Cleaning and care: Hand-wash in cool water with mild dish soap, and air dry; avoid exposure to heat and hot water
The Competition
- Bee Carefree Reusable Beeswax Food Wrap: While I loved the patterns on this malleable wrap, they lost stickiness after washing. The avocado also got a little more browned than it did with other wraps.
- Public Goods Reusable Food Storage Wraps: This set of wraps was stiff and hard to wrap around various items and got heavily creased after use. It also lost much of its stickiness after washing.
- W&P Reusable Silicone Stretch Wrap: This set was the only one I tested that wasn’t made of beeswax. But the silicone wraps didn’t stick to anything (other than themselves), resulting in grapes flying everywhere during the bowl test, and the avocado getting dark brown and slimy.
- Lilybee Wraps: While I liked these wraps, they were a little too sticky (they were hard to unfold) and they took weeks to arrive since they are shipped from New Zealand.
FAQs
Does beeswax wrap keep food fresh?
We found beeswax wraps did a good job of keeping cut fruits and vegetables fresh; while not perfect, they led to less browning than produce wrapped in silicone wraps or plastic wrap.
What is the best material for beeswax wraps?
Most of the wraps we tested were made of cotton and/or hemp cloth and worked well; the only wraps that weren’t made of these fabrics were the silicone ones, and they didn’t stick to anything.
How many times can you reuse beeswax wraps?
While it varies, generally, beeswax wraps can be reused for around one year. That said, if you’re washing the wraps in hot water and stripping them of their wax, they won’t last very long at all.
What are the disadvantages of beeswax wraps?
They aren’t quite as clingy as plastic wrap and become stiff when in the refrigerator for a while. However, in our tests, beeswax wraps kept sliced produce fresher than plastic wrap. They can also be pricey, though their reusability and longevity make them a good deal.
How do you dispose of beeswax wraps?
While beeswax wraps can last a long time (some brands claim their wraps are good up to 150 washes), they will eventually lose their stick. Many of the brands we tested suggest using the leftover cloth as a fire starter or cleaning rag, and some are even compostable.
Why We’re the Experts
- Grace Kelly is a commerce editor for Serious Eats, where she’s been testing gear for almost two years.
- She has a background in journalism and has also done stints as a bartender and cook.
- She has written dozens of reviews and articles, including knife rolls, butter dishes, mandolines, and more.
- For this review, Grace tested 10 sets of reusable wraps (most of which were cloth coated with wax, resin, and oil; one set was made of silicone). She used each wrap to cover a bowl filled with a handful of grapes and to wrap halved avocados and other ingredients. She also painted each wrap with one tablespoon of tomato sauce to see if they stained.