Combination eating utensils, also known as hybrid utensils, are utensils that have the qualities of other utensils combined into one. This can be done to make a more convenient, less wasteful, or more cost-efficient product. Many different types of combination utensils have been created, each designed to serve a different purpose.
The most known and commonly used combination utensil is the spork, a combination spoon and fork.
Spork
Sporks are a type of combination utensil that combine the functions of a spoon and fork. Sporks have been around for a long time, some utensils resembling sporks being found as far back as 1894. The word "spork" was first referenced in the Century Dictionary in 1909, calling it a portmanteau of spoon and fork, describing it as a long, slender spoon that possesses fork-like tines. The spork is easily one of the most identifiable and popularly used hybrid utensil in modern times, being used in prisons, schools, restaurants, and many other institutions. A trademark for sporks was first done in 1970 by the Van Brode Milling Company.
Other variations of the spork include the ice cream fork, which looks very similar in resemblance to the spork, and was actually invented before the spork during the Victorian Era. Even earlier versions and artifacts of combining a spoon and fork can be found from the Dutch, with some estimated to be from the 17th to 19th century. In Finnish, there's a word for spork, Lusikkahaarukka, literally meaning spoon-fork. It does the same job as the spork by combining the functions of a spoon and a fork together, although instead of combining them into single-part utensil, it is composed of two parts, a spoon and a fork, linked together by a joint. It is typically used by the Finnish military.
Ramen Spork
A ramen spork is a form of spork designed by Masami Takahashi to eliminate waste produced by disposable chopsticks. The design consists of a spoon with four prongs that extend directly from the front rim of the spoon, rather than a cup with incisions made to create tines as usually seen on the traditional spork design. It was originally designed for the popular Japanese ramen chain, Sugakiya, in 2007. It was made to easily eat ramen by being able to twirl the noodles with the prongs and then ladle the soup with the spoon part, as described by the Museum of Modern Art, which sells the utensil. It is also sold by the Japanese American National Museum store.
Splayd
Splayds are a type of combination utensil that combine the functions of the three main eating utensils: forks, spoons, and knives. It was first invented in the 1940s in Australia by William McArthur when he saw women having difficulties balancing all their utensils and their plate and glass. In other words, it was invented for convenience so people wouldn't have the need to have 3 different utensils to eat. By the 1990s, it had been sold in 52 countries, along with over 5 million pieces worldwide, a testament to how successful and popular it became.
Tritensil
A different design of combining the three main eating utensils of forks, spoons, and knives was created by Map Project Office, in collaboration with Fortnum and Mason, called the Tritensil. It was created by the studio in an attempt to improve the original design of the sporf/spork, to make a more elegant, useful, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly utensil. It was designed after many trials and designs and was designed to be able to be used with many different foods and food-related tasks, like eating salads or spreading jam. It was originally designed by Fortnum back in 1914 in their Christmas catalogue and was recently revived.
Another product by the same name was invented by a company also by the same name. It was designed to be environmentally friendly, convenient, and claims to be designed to be used by outdoorsmen, military personnel, firefighters, and more.
Spifork
Another design for combining the fork, spoon, and knife is the spifork. It was made by DMECH, Inc, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It's stated to be made to reduce plastic waste by making an eco-friendlier utensil, stating it could reduce an untold amount of waste. The utensil comes with a spork on one end, and a knife on the other, designed to be snapped in half to create two separate utensils, as featured by the Cincinnati Magazine. The creators hope to be able to replace the three-piece utensil set typically given out by shops and eateries.