Material selection problem can be interpreted as an intricate MCDM problem. The aim of this work is to provide a simple and comprehensive MCDM-based framework for solving this problem. First, we review basic characteristics of general material selection problem under MCDM paradigm. For doing so, we have studied over 60 papers11This study demonstrates that a very important number of articles in this field have been published in “Materials and Design” (published by Elsevier). published between 2010 and 2016 as a brief continuation of previous review 42 in this field. On the other hand, many researchers have emphasized in complicated decision problems more than one MCDM methods should be applied to obtain a more trustworthy and safer decision. Under the scrutiny of over 100 scientific articles, COPRAS and TOPSIS are chosen for tackling material selection problem in general. It is observed that the suggested approach by integrating these MCDM techniques is simple and effective. Also we examine the use of DEA as an MCDM tool in material selection problem. It is found that DEA can be employed to handle this problem by considering a classical remark, but MCDM cannot be generally replaced by DEA in this area. Display omitted •TOPSIS and COPRAS are chosen as the best multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques for ranking the alternative materials in general practice.•An excellent agreement between COPRAS and TOPSIS is observed.•DEA can be used in material selection problem as an auxiliary tool by considering a classic rough rule of thumb, which represents the relation between the number of alternatives and the number variables.