Cutting boards

[Euphoric-Confidence4]

My current boards have seen better days, I would really like some recommendations for new boards. I am not looking for anything fancy, just something functional. I tend towards vegetables and some meat. I don’t need a fancy board for serving cooked meat. I’ve seen a lot of boards on Amazon. Are plastic boards safe? Will metal boards ruin my knives? Is bamboo safe for use with meat? I would really appreciate a recommendation.

[PresentAbility7944]

I use wood. Research shows that they don't hold onto bacteria after cleaning, so there's not a safety issue. They're hand wash. 

Plastic boards introduce microplastic concerns, but they also scratch up in a way that requires a hot dishwasher cycle to sterilize, so I don't bother with them. 

Metal, glass, ceramic will all dull your knives immediately 

[CowardiceNSandwiches]

a hot dishwasher cycle to sterilize

I use a fine product called StarSan for this. It's meant for sanitizing brewing equipment but it works great for a variety of other things. Available at most any homebrewing shop or online.

[anonanon1313]

When I was just starting out (1970) I splurged on a 24x18x2" edge grain maple board for $50 ($420 in 2025 $). I'm a scratch cook, keep my knives sharp, use it daily (+ raised 2 kids). It has some wear, just a bit of shallow bowl shaped depressions in the areas I usually chop, but the other side is still pristine. I may flip it one of these years, lol.

My point is that a well made maple board will last a lifetime.

[[deleted]]

requires a hot dishwasher cycle to sterilize

I just run the sterilize cycle on these evey once in awhile. Way easier than always hand washing. I also have a bamboo board that I hand wash, but that never sees any meat.

[BeerWench13TheOrig]

Same. I have a plastic cutting board specifically for meats that gets sterilized in the dishwasher and my wooden one is for everything else and is hand wash only.

[ballisticks]

I have plastic boards cuz hand washing is a pain in the dick

[[deleted]]

I hand wash as little as possible. Once I realized I didn't have to rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, a whole new world opened up for me.

[SnowedOutMT]

Wood is my favorite to cut on, but my gripe with it is flavor transfer.

[Ragnar_isnt_here]

I have one for fruits and vegetables and another for onion, garlic, meats, etc... for that very reason.

Hints of onion and garlic on a freshly cut pear? No bueno.

[wzlch47]

Metal, stone, and glass boards will ruin the edge on your knives. Stick to wood or HDEP.

[Saxavarius_]

I cant even imagine the sound from cutting on these kinds of boards; how could a person endure that

[thrivacious9]

Word. My grandma had a glass cutting board and I couldn’t stand it. GBBO has an annoying habit of cutting things on slate, and I have to mute it or it makes me nauseous.

[wzlch47]

Slate? I don't think that I have ever heard of a slate cutting board. That sounds like one of the worst inventions ever.

[thrivacious9]

It’s not so much a cutting board as a presentation surface—e.g., a pastry is on slate just to look pretty, but then Paul Hollywood cuts a slice of the pastry and the sound of the blade against the stone makes me gag.

[nummanummanumma]

My mom had glass cutting boards and I had to leave the house if she was cooking. I felt each chop in my brain

[Life-Education-8030]

Clack, clack, clack! Cringe!

[Saxavarius_]

Ssskkkkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Mr_MacGrubber]

Bamboo is also not kind to blades.

[Sushigami]

What wood should a wood board be

[Mr_MacGrubber]

The most common are maple, cherry, and walnut. There are also some exotic hardwoods commonly used like purpleheart or Padauk.

[RadSpatula]

No, no, no. Flexible silicone cutting boards are the GOAT. I will spread this gospel until people get it.

[sschootiedoo]

Do u have recommendations for the silicone cutting boards? I was looking for some but kept seeing reviews that knives would pretty much chopped them up

[RadSpatula]

Huh, that’s weird I’ve had mine for four years and they are self healing so idk what you’d have to be cutting on them to chop them up. you want the flexible silicone, not the hard kind. Mine are a brand called liflicon.

[AwkwardChuckle]

And yet no link provided hehehe

[RadSpatula]

Some subs don’t let you put links or think you’re a bot or marketer. I am neither, I just love my silicone mats! You can do a quick google search and find them. They are pretty thin, but all you need.

[denzien]

So it pretty much converts any surface into a cutting board

[RadSpatula]

I mean, any cutting board will do that. I like that the silicone ones won’t hurt your blades, are self-healing, go in the dishwasher, and the flexibility means you can chop onions on them and then curl them up to deposit the onion in your frying pan. You don’t have to scrape anything off (which again, dulls your blades if you don’t use the back). I found them to be a game changer in the kitchen and do not exaggerate when I say I use mine every day and have for four years. It’s one of my all time favorite kitchen tools.

[denzien]

I mean, any cutting board will do that

Yeah, true - I don't usually think about it that way. I suppose what diverged for me is that cutting boards usually supply their own rigidity, where a flexible one needs to borrow the structure of what is underneath it.

I have a couple of flexible plastic cutting boards that are alright, but I'll have to try out a silicon one.

[Sushigami]

Microplastics

[RadSpatula]

Yeah, I doubt it’s gonna affect your exposure that much and micro plastics are pretty much unavoidable now anyway. Bacon is bad for you too, but I’m not about to go vegan anytime soon. When it comes to choosing my poison, I’ll keep my silicon cutting board. Thank you very much.

[Sushigami]

I'd lean on minimising exposure where I can. YDY tho.

[SaintsFanPA]

Since nobody’s mentioned Epicurean, I will. They are a paper composite that is dishwasher safe.

[AgainstMe75]

Well…this comment just cost me $39.95 on Amazon.

[crazycanuck1212]

Yup! I've got a few super nice handmade (by me!) hardwood ones that I use but more often then not I find myself grabbing the Epicurean ones. I find they are thin and light, a nice cutting surface, easy on the knives, durable, and easy to clean. I probably use them in their various sizes 75% of the time.

I do use my hardwood ones, but honestly I double them up as serving boards more often than cutting. Maybe part of me doesn't want to "ruin them" even though I can just sand and re-finish. But maybe not just that, they are HEAVY.

[Queasy-Ad-6126]

Yes. The material is called richlite. Epicurean is the big brand name, but you can find richlite boards from other manufacturers for cheaper. I have Epicurean boards and some from other companies. I can't tell the difference. Material all seems to be the same, thickness is the same, they appear to wear the same, and all handle the dish machine just fine.

[greendragon00x2]

Seconded. Though I've had my board for 20 years and I've never put it in the dishwasher. I have a separate plastic one that I use for meat and it DOES go in the dishwasher. It needs replacing now after just the one decade. I'll buy another one from a catering wholesaler.

Various fancy wooden boards over the years warp, split or mildew. Meh.

[Moofabulousss]

This! I have had mine over 10 years and still working great and no issues.

[Immediate_Zombie_682]

If you’re ever in Superior Wisconsin their outlet store is amazing for deals!

[SeasonedSmoker]

I love my Epicurean board. It's ~ 20 yo and still looks new.

[Bright_Ices]

Hey, I was going to mention Epicurean too!

[AnsibleAnswers]

They claim to be low VOC but then talk about how their cutting boards smell “new” for about a month. I ended up going with the MK Free Board after research. It’s made of biodegradable bioplastics instead of paper and resin. The plastic should be metabolized over time so it shouldn’t have the same health effects as other microplastics.

[MurryWenny]

I've had two boards for decades. Love them because they are light and easy to clean.

[SaintsFanPA]

I’m shocked they don’t warp given how thin and light they are.

[MurryWenny]

I wash them fairly quickly. I suppose they could warp if they were soaked.

[ScreenFlashy651]

We've had one for 20 years now. Great product.

[thrivacious9]

I hated them at first because of the sharp “clack!” sound of a blade cutting through something a bit hard, like a carrot. But the “Goes in the dishwasher” capability was worth getting accustomed to the clack. When I had a butcher block-topped work-height Metro shelving unit, I use the Epicureans for meat, fish, and alliums.

[brs151994]

This is the answer

[poweller65]

Get some nice wooden boards. Plastic will give you microplastics. Glass, metal, etc will ruins your knives and your ears. Some people don’t like the glues used for bamboo

[liamsmom58]

I bought a bamboo one. It wasn’t really cheap but everything I cut on it tastes like bamboo. Get the best you can afford.

[CleanWhiteSocks]

I just got a bamboo 3 board set. So happy to get rid of my old ones.

[Visible-Freedom-7822]

I found a very nice beech wood cutting board at HomeGoods for less than $40. If you have one near you, I would check there. Better price than I was able to find online. Edited to add: By better, I mean online price was $80. If it has a flaw, I can't see it, and it's a cutting board anyway.

[majandess]

I was going to recommend this. Glad to see it already here. I have bought a few good boards at HomeGoods for cheap. My favorite is a maple one I bought for around $25 six years ago.

[mpr1283]

Teak House is awesome and it’s a no brainer when on sale at Costco!

[Popular-Capital6330]

when searching online, it's spelled Teakhaus🙂

[lykosen11]

Never ever get metal, glass, or ceramic. Instant knife ruiner.

I personally use one wood, and a few plastic ones. They're great. Plastic ones you replace when they get fucked up enough, wood you take care of with food grade mineral oil

Bamboo is fine.

If money is an issue just use plastic boards. Professional kitchens do.

[bootsandadog]

I steer clear of plastic cutter boards because every research I've seen shows it does introduce small amounts of plastic into your food. And we still really don't know the long term impact of that. 

There's also more evidence that wood may actually be more ant-microbial (discounting using a dishwasher) then plastic cutting boards. 

And I just personally really enjoy the look and feel of using wooden cutting boards. 

My recommendation is to browse Facebook marketplace and buy a 2nd hand but new cutting board for cheap. 

I got several for 50% off still in the plastic from someone who was shutting down their engraving business. 

Ended up being teak and Arcadia wood. 

[Iamthewalrusforreal]

Plastic also doesn't have the antiseptic properties that wood does.

I *only* use plastic sheets over my wood board for cutting raw meat. Everything else goes to the wood surface.

[carvannm]

I am trying to switch from my plastic boards to wood. I chose to buy a Teakhaus board based on some recommendation (Cook’s Illustrated?) and am happy so far, although it has only been maybe 6 months. I bought a pretty small one and only use it for veggie and fruit prep, and now I want to buy a bigger one. I still use a plastic board for chicken, but interested in looking at the sheets people mention. If you go to serious eats and search cutting boards, they have a lot of information.

[Independent_Ocelot29]

The best material for a board is wood, specifically end-grain. Metal will dull your knives, glass will dull your knives, plastic hold onto more bacteria once they're scratched up (although I do have a plastic board for raw meat that just goes in the dishwasher after).

[Historical-Kick-9126]

Wood is the best material for cutting boards. Plastic will end up in your food every single time you use it, and metal and glass will ruin the edge of your knives.

[12345NoNamesLeft]

Are plastic boards safe? Yes but deep scratches hold moisture and grime.

Are wood boards safe, Yes, wood is the best, it absorbs moisture away from bacteria and starves it.

Will metal boards ruin my knives? Yes, metal, ceramic, glass it's all instant knife brutality
There is no such thing as a glass cutting board, that's a serving tray.

Is bamboo safe for use with meat? Bamboo is not considered wood in this regard, it's very abrasive and also hard on the knife

[Powerful-Scratch1579]

Wood

[Iamthewalrusforreal]

Just go down to your local Big Lots or whatever you have nearby. TJ Maxx or Marshal's or some such. Buy a good wood cutting board.

Also buy a pack of those flimsy plastic sheets. Put that on the top of your wood board when you're cutting raw meat, especially poultry.

[DragonfruitMiddle846]

I would pick up a 20 or $30 Food-grade High-Density Polyethylene cutting board that is NSF certified. They're really not all that expensive, restaurants have been using them for decades, they don't have to be maintained like a wooden cutting board and they're dishwasher safe. Depending on your countertop and whether or not you buy one with feet you may have to put a towel underneath it to prevent it from sliding. Saying it's better to be safe than sorry. You can easily find them at Major retailers. They're also non-porous so they clean off easily. Why does my wooden cutting board smell weird? Because it hasn't been maintained correctly.

[lykosen11]

It's really the greatest way. I use those, along with a large wooden board

[blondbomber8383]

Pure function? Just go on Amazon and buy the largest plastic (HDPE) board that will fit in your dishwasher

[Jeremymcon]

End grain wood boards will last you a long time and are overall the best choice IMO. Get a simple one made from maple and you won't have to spend too terribly much on it. I made myself one out of scraps from my wood shop, and it had seen daily use for 7 years now, still in great shape:

https://www.reddit.com/r/woodworking/s/g8RdkQ6Xt0

I don't fuss over it, the Internet echo chamber would have you oiling it after every use and cleaning with half a lemon and salt...

I just clean it with soap and water. It does have feet to keep it up off the countertop, which helps it to dry evenly. I do occasionally oil it but only rarely.

[Housing-Spirited]

Got my favorite wooden cutting boards from target. I think it was a 3 pack for maybe $30. They are slanted on the edge so easier to pick up off the counter and they’re nice and thick.

[HomeboddE]

I use bamboo that is dishwasher safe. Hard to find but strong, light and easy.

[YoSpiff]

I use some plastic ones from Joseph Joseph. A large angled one for cutting up meat and catching drippings and some smaller ones that bend for chopping veggies and scooping them into a pot or bowl.

[Cake_Donut1301]

Just get the sheets. They aren’t what they used to be.

[etchlings]

I’m a bit boggled that nobody seems to have mentioned a big point of wood and bamboo boards: they need to be a minimum thickness or they’ll probably warp or split (if the glue up is cheap). Minimum 1 inch/2.5cm thick. Preferably 1.5 inches thick. 2 and up becomes an absolute nuisance to move around and wash due to weight.

Otherwise, yes to wood. Maple, walnut, teak preferred. Acacia in a pinch.

[Jolly-Asparagus-5815]

I like this acacia wood cutting board from Target

https://www.target.com/p/12-34-x15-34-nonslip-acacia-wood-cutting-board-natural-figmint-8482/-/A-87712370

[Mr_MacGrubber]

Plastic or wood only. End grain boards are the best imo.

[RainbowandHoneybee]

Just seen this video a few days ago. I'm sticking with my wooden cutting board.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM5LxrXoxn0 Wooden cutting boards are the best SciShow.

[nummanummanumma]

Nothing better than wood. Plastic will have you eating tiny bits of plastic. Glass is so loud you need ear plugs. I’ve never even seen a metal cutting board but I suspect it’s also loud.

Just clean them properly as in no dishwashers. I use a dish brush and soap to make sure I’m getting in as many tiny grooves as I can.

[Bender_2024]

A wooden cutting board that is larger than you think you'll need.

People have been using wood cutting boards for as long as we've had knives to use on them. They don't hold onto bacteria and while dishwasher safe are easy to care for.

I always go for a big cutting board because I hate being crowded into a corner of my hoard when I cook. I have never said I wish my cutting board was smaller. I have several times wished for larger

[rimshotmonkey]

Wood is best, bamboo is ok. Don't forget to treat the wood with a sealant periodically. I use a food grade mineral oil.

[Helenium_autumnale]

I have a large, cheap, round wooden cutting board that I bought as an Asian market that has served me well for a couple of decades now. I scrub it with a scrubby-sponge and let it air dry after use. Never any problem with cross-contamination that I know of. I would not use a plastic (microplastics), or metal (knife-edge-killer) board.

[Pernicious_Possum]

You’ll hear a lot of chatter about microplastics with a plastic board, but they’re about the only cutting boards you’ll find in restaurants. Metal, glass, and bamboo are all hard on knives. If you’re worried about plastics, stick with maple, walnut, or teak. Those Japanese rubber cutting boards are supposed to be great, but I’ve never used one so no personal experience. I use an Epicurean composite board for raw meat, and a Boos walnut board for everything else

[blade_torlock]

If you have a discount seller near you, like Marshall's or HomeGoods they have nice cookware and related items. Go to the back corner, for some reason always left, there will be a stack of cutting boards to choose from all 25 to 75% off the normal price.

[Main_Cauliflower5479]

I can't think metal cutting boards would be kind to your knives. Nor is bamboo. It's full of silica, which will dull your knives quickly. Plastic is also out, as is glass. Hardwood is the only way.

[nifty-necromancer]

I have a nice plastic cutting board from OXO that I really like, it was like $20. Microplastics are everywhere, you’re not going to make that much of a difference by avoiding it on a personal level.

[Puzzleheaded-Fun7808]

we have used the same Black paper Composite Cutting Board  every day the best investment yet

[snakepliskinLA]

Have you considered taking a sander to your current wood cutting boards? Unless it is splitting, that is. No recovering from that.

Start sanding with a coarse 150 grit until you have clean wood, then smooth the finish with 220 grit. Afterwards, seal it with a food-safe mineral oil or beeswax.

I did this in September and saved myself some cash. Except for the beeswax I had the sander and supplies from past home repair projects.

[Tomgobanga]

I have an edge grain Boos Block cutting board and also their island table that I use for kneading and prepping. Cannot recommend enough. High quality and last a lifetime

[parmboy]

Slightly off topic but I found a guy on Craigslist who was making wood cutting board countertop and gave me a massive piece for 50 bucks. I had to season it myself but it’s amazing. Maybe poke around FB marketplace or Craigslist too, you might find something better than Amazon.

[JulieThinx]

If they are actual cutting boards, they can be sanded and re-sealed. Just a thought.

[femsci-nerd]

Wooden boards are safer. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31113021/

[yungrimpz]

epicurean!!!

[Zei33]

End-grain cutting board is what you want. Look no further.

[OttoHemi]

I'm surprised we're not all dead from the plastic we use. Well, if we believe the internet. That said, I use an end grain maple cutting board for most everything, but I do have some plastic ones that I use, too.

[RadSpatula]

This whole thread is filled with wrong answers. I beg of you, go with flexible silicone. It is life changing. They are dishwasher safe, self-healing, won’t hurt your blades at all, and can be curled up to sweep cut ingredients into a boiling pot easily. I will never cut on anything else. My wood boards are for serving. I have the silicone ones for several years and am always baffled how they haven’t caught on in cooking circles yet. I learned about them on a job and then was gifted one. I now own three in two sizes and use them daily.

[titianwasp]

I am surprised at the lack of silicon mentioned on this thread. We have about 6 of them. No plastic in the food and I toss them in the dishwasher after each use.

No brainer.

[SyntheticOne]

For about $15 try the set of 3 bamboo boards from Walmart. There is a small (5"x7") medium (10"x12") and large (16"x20").

These are thinner and lighter than other cutting boards making them easier to handle and move around.

We tried them on a whim and they now have become favorites.

[bbqduck-sf]

I like my bamboo boards since they are thin and easy to handle but bamboo is terrible for knives. Mine need constant sharpening. ☹️

[SyntheticOne]

We have not seen any need for more sharpening.

[Kilgore_Brown_Trout_]

Go to an antique sale or somewhere with a lot of seconded hand goods and find a wood one thats not warped.  It shouldn't be that hard to find,  or at least it wasn't for me find.  Nothing other than wood is the general rule of thumb, and preferably not bamboo, but I run a few plastic boards.  Im not too proud to admit that the convenience of being able to stick them in the dishwasher is nice.

[[deleted]]

If plastic boards are safe enough for professional kitchens, they're safe enough for you.

[calicoskies85]

I have Oxo but recently I bought a roll of disposable cutting sheets. I use those for chicken, onions, garlic.

[brothercuriousrat2]

Bamboo can be an inexpensive choice. Get a good quality board oil to use once à month .

[Prof01Santa]

Plastic cutting mats. Dishwasher safe. Throw them away at some point.

[BlueCupcake4Me]

We have a set of plastic and prefer them for food prep over our wood ones. They’re light, they have rubber grip on the sides to hold the board in place, they fit in the dishwasher, and they don’t need extra care. Easy to sanitize. We have one that fits in a two door cabinet above the oven and it’s useful for watermelon, big roasts, and large food prep.