Uses of Montessori bead bars

Note that Cuisenaire rods can do everything the bead bars can do. Bead bars are better for counting, but Cuisenaire rods can be used for more activities. For example, bead bars can't sit flush end-to-end. Thus, bead bars can't be used for certain addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division activities. Bead bars are also terrible for learning about factors, LCM, and GCD, for this same reason.