Are wooden blocks better than plastic or magnetic tiles?

Specialist parenting threads we read are split. r/Montessori and r/ScienceBasedParenting contributors favor wooden blocks for spatial reasoning, balance, and open-ended play because they don't snap together, while r/beyondthebump commenters note that cheap wooden toys can splinter and that plastic tiles last longer. Many families end up owning both, using wooden unit blocks for foundational play and magnetic tiles for vertical builds.