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Aloharama.mama
October 31, 2025
LOVED everything about this bamboo onigiri mold, even their box with their inspiring tips!
This is a review of a bamboo onigiri mold & bamboo rice paddle set. (The bamboo cutting board / workspace is not included - that is mine).Onigiri novice here, so after trial & error (3 attempts - with the errors being just as delicious) I think I’m in a pretty good spot for never having made onigiri before until I got this amazing bamboo onigiri mold & paddle. I grew up on this but never had to make it & now I want it all the time but can’t get it.This mold comes with molds in 2 sizes. Two bigger on the outside and a smaller one in the middle, which is perfect for our family. I want to use this mold to make onigiri for my little one to take in her lunch bag so the smaller mold in the middle is perfect, while us adults can eat the bigger ones.I messed up by overfilling the rice, prob overfilled my tuna-mayo-furikake concoction, & even messed up the nori wrap a few times. We enjoyed eating my overstuffed & overly wonky-looking onigiri.I found these things out after 3 attempts of making deliciousness: the bamboo paddle has an angle on one side that fits quite well into the corners of the molds to pat down the rice. I used a container of water to dip the paddle in to make it easier to work with, as well as used the water to dip my fingers in (to keep the rice from sticking) to also pat the rice down with my fingertips to make it look neater. Using a small stainless steel spoon helped me pack the rice in better, easier, esp in the corners of the mold. Using a bamboo cutting board as my workspace was just perfect - I found that wiping it down with water helped to keep the rice from sticking. I flipped the mold over completely to the “flat side” of the rice and was easily able to push the onigiri out each time with my thumbs. I Googled tips on how to wrap the nori better - plenty tips out there. I discovered that the snack size nori squares do not want to stick well (maybe bec they are usually coated in an oil?).I love that this onigiri mold & rice paddle are made of bamboo. The box is beautiful and so great that it has yummy suggestions on the back - it really inspired me. Also wonderful that their Amazon write up includes recipes and photo instructions that I missed until after the fact. They show you that onigiri is such a versatile snack or meal!
✔ Verified Purchase
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Nikonographer
December 10, 2025
A genuinely satisfying, traditional tool that finally makes real onigiri possible at home
After coming back from a trip to Japan, I promised myself I was finally going to learn how to make proper onigiri. That turned out to be harder than expected—not because of technique, but because nearly every mold I could find was a tiny, plastic, novelty-style item that didn’t resemble the onigiri I fell in love with at all. They were flimsy, impractical, and clearly not meant for serious use. This bamboo mold completely changed that.Right away, it feels solid and substantial. The bamboo construction gives it a traditional, durable feel, and it’s clearly built to last rather than being a disposable kitchen gadget. It washes easily, dries quickly, and comes with a matching bamboo rice paddle, which makes packing and shaping the rice much easier and more authentic. The mold produces properly sized onigiri—real, satisfying portions, not tiny finger-bite versions.One thing to be aware of is that some product photos can be a bit misleading. You receive one mold unless you intentionally order more than one. The mold makes three onigiri at a time: two of the same larger size and one slightly smaller one in the center. They are not all identical, but that’s easy to work around and doesn’t detract from usability.For anyone interested in making onigiri as snacks, meal substitutes, or for bento boxes, this is an outstanding tool and far more valuable than it appears at first glance. It finally feels like using something meant for real onigiri, not a novelty shortcut. I’ve been genuinely impressed, and it’s easily one of the most satisfying kitchen tools I’ve purchased for Japanese home cooking.
✔ Verified Purchase
Practical Mold for Onigiri Making
My kids have been obsessed with onigiri since coming back from out trip to Japan over spring break. We've been making onigiri using various molds we brought home, but they're all plastic. I've been trying to stay away from plastic so I'm glad that I found a bamboo mold. It's great for making multiple onigiris all at once, albeit different sizes. I making it on top of a cutting board (since it's bottomless) and found that it works best if you wet the mold between each set of onigiri you make and make sure your paddle is also wet otherwise it will stick. It's easy put a variety of fillings in, but you do have to 'overfill' the mold with rice and press down with a moderate pressure to keep its shape. A little trial and error will have you making great onigiri with this mold.
✔ Verified Purchase
Beautiful but would be better with a top
We love making onigiri, they’re a great breakfast option to have around. I was excited to find this gorgeous bamboo onigiri mold.It’s very solid and durable, pretty, and works pretty well. It’s easy enough to clean with a quick wash in the sink after use. (I would not put it in the dishwasher.) I also like that there are two sizes of mold.The thing is… because there’s no top or bottom, it can be a little difficult to get the right amount of rice in, achieve a consistent shape, and get them out without falling apart. I always wet the mold in between onigiri, as I do with all molds, but a little more consistent pressure from a mold with a press or full closure just makes it easier.I’m a little sad that I actually prefer the end product of my plastic molds to this one, because this one is so pretty, it feels like heresy to use the little plastic ones. (Plus microplastics etc etc.) But, after a few months of trying it out in comparison to my plastic onigir molds, I’m only pulling this one out of the drawer when the others are dirty.
✔ Verified Purchase
