www.epicurious.com Open in urlscan Pro
151.101.0.239 Public Scan

Back to summary

URL:
https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-cutting-boards-article
Submission: On October 07 via api (October 7th 2023, 3:36:36 am UTC) from US — Scanned from DE

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

Open Navigation Menu
Menu
Story Saved

To revisit this recipe, visit My Account, then View saved recipes.

Close Alert

The Best Cutting Boards for Everyday Chopping, Slicing, and Dicing
* Recipes & Menus
* Expert Advice
* What to Buy
* Ingredients
* Holidays & Events
* My Saved Recipes

Story Saved

To revisit this recipe, visit My Account, then View saved recipes

Close Alert

SUBSCRIBE
Bon Appetit and Epicurious
Get a year of unlimited recipe access for just $5 $2.50/month—cancel anytime.
SUBSCRIBE

Search
Search
* Recipes & Menus
* Expert Advice
* What to Buy
* Ingredients
* Holidays & Events
* Video
* My Saved Recipes

* Cleaning Gear
* All Product Reviews
* Favorite Cookbooks
* Newsletter Sign Up

Product Reviews

THE BEST CUTTING BOARDS FOR EVERYDAY CHOPPING, SLICING, AND DICING

We took our knives to 19 models to find the very best.

By Wilder Davies and Megan Wahn

September 8, 2023
* Facebook
* X
* Email

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege
* Facebook
* X
* Email

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors.
However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an
affiliate commission.

Featured in this article

Best plastic cutting board: Material (grippy) reBoard
Best budget plastic cutting board: Oxo Good Grips Utility Cutting Board
Best wooden cutting board: John Boos Maple Edge-Grain Cutting Board
Best budget wooden cutting board: Ziruma Teak Cutting Board
Best rubber cutting board: Yoshihiro Hi-Soft Cutting Board

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The process of finding the best cutting board isn’t as simple as chopping a
bunch of carrots or deciding which one looks best as a cheese board. Along with
a handful of items like a chef’s knife or a whisk, a cutting board sits in that
group of kitchen tools that you will probably use every single day. It's a
make-or-break piece for simple meal prep and project cooking alike. Many factors
play into what makes for a good board—material (wood, plastic, rubber), size
(mini, enormous, or in between), thickness, weight, care requirements, and
particular features like juice grooves or nonslip bases. Owning multiple cutting
boards is also not just a luxury but a smart precaution for preventing
cross-contamination. So if you like what you see below you might want to pick a
couple of our top picks. We gathered 17 highly rated cutting boards considering
each of these variables—and yes, we also did a lot of slicing and dicing—to find
the best cutting boards on the market.

Jump to section

The best plastic cutting board
The best budget plastic cutting board
The best wooden cutting board
The best budget wooden cutting board
The best rubber cutting board
How we tested
What we looked for
Other cutting boards we tested
The takeaway

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE BEST PLASTIC CUTTING BOARD: MATERIAL (GRIPPY) REBOARD

The (grippy) reBoard

$40

Material

This board’s has a bunch of small, seemingly insignificant features that combine
to make a cutting board that feels like a dream and land it in our top pick for
plastic cutting board. The silicone-cornered sister to Material’s reBoard, it
(like the non-grippy version) is made from recycled plastic and renewable
sugarcane. The main difference between the two models lies in the name—one grips
in place thanks to silicone corners while the other doesn’t. The silicone
non-slip feet in each corner of the board—which Material says make the board
“100% budge-free”—look tiny, but keep the thin board anchored down throughout
intense onion dicing. Even when we pushed and tried to move it, it didn’t give
easily. Its dimensions, 14.75”x10.75”, are, in our opinion, the right balance
between big enough workspace and small enough storing size. A hole in the upper
left corner offers easy gripping when holding the board or pulling it out of a
cabinet, and doubles as a small space to slowly slide any chopped carrots or
minced ginger through and into a bowl or pan. As far as how the cutting surface
actually feels on a knife, the recycled plastic and sugarcane makes for a
textured surface that felt gentle on the blade and, surprisingly, seemed to
allow beet juice to rest on the surface as opposed to getting absorbed into the
board.

Material states the board’s dishwasher-safe, but hand-cleaning also proved an
easy task. We got the board in the bright bold lapis color (a blue), which
prevented or hid staining—though we’re not entirely confident you could say the
same for the softer taffy hue (grayish). We didn’t notice any heavy odors
persisting either.

What we didn’t like about the Material Grippy reBoard

A groove around the edge would have been nice, to catch a little excess liquid
or stray veggie. There’s also the matter of price. You’ll use a cutting board
every day, so the $40 (at the time of writing) price tag, is justifiable, but
it’s still on the high side for a plastic board.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE BEST BUDGET PLASTIC CUTTING BOARD: OXO GOOD GRIPS UTILITY CUTTING BOARD

OXO Good Grips Utility Cutting Board

$19

Amazon

This is a workhorse plastic cutting board that you can use and abuse and won’t
break the bank. At 14.5”x10.5" it offers plenty of space, but it isn’t so large
that cleaning or storing it is difficult. One side has a channel around the edge
to catch drips and runoff juices while the other is completely flat offering
more slicing and dicing space space, so you’ve got options. Primarily made of
polypropylene, the Oxo also features a strip of silicone on two sides of the
board to keep it from sliding around your countertop surface while you work.

What we didn’t like about the Oxo Good Grips Utility Cutting Board

Unlike with the Material reBoard, you probably won’t use this as a presentation
or charcuterie board anytime soon.It’s pretty utilitarian with a translucent
surface that doesn’t have much curb appeal. On top of that, while the board was
pretty easy on knives and didn’t trap odors, the translucent surface does seem
susceptible to staining over time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE BEST WOODEN CUTTING BOARD: JOHN BOOS MAPLE WOOD EDGE-GRAIN REVERSIBLE
CUTTING BOARD

John Boos Maple Wood Edge-Grain Reversible Cutting Board

$134

Amazon

In some circles the name Boos has become almost an eponymous way to refer to an
ultra-sturdy, gorgeous wood cutting block. There are other high-end wooden
cutting boards out there, but Boos is a reliable and accessible choice. Boos
Blocks come in many different sizes—we tried out the 24”x18” Boos Block, the
largest board we tested) in a previous round of testing. Ultimately we think
that is bigger and quite cumbersome, especially if you ever need to put it away.
However the 18”x12” size proved just right. It’s big enough that you have space
to chop away or carve a roast chicken comfortably, but not so big it feels
overwhelming. Made from hand-picked Northern Hard Rock maple wood, the board
feels smooth and soft—like a well-worn pair of jeans. It almost seemed to
embrace each slice of the knife when chopping carrots, dicing onions, slicing
beets, and mincing ginger, and never made us worry about its impact on the blade
or the wood.

WATCH

How A Master Knife Sharpener Saves Broken Knives

This may go without saying, but: Do not put your Boos Block in the dishwasher.
You should only ever hand-wash the board. Depending on the size of your sink,
this shouldn’t prove too difficult. The board didn’t trap scents in our
experience and any staining from the steamed beets disappeared after a wash (the
darker stained woods also help conceal any potential staining). The price makes
it an investment, but no doubt it will last if you care for it well (which
involves frequent application of Boos Board Cream) and you’ll feel the pay off
with every swipe of your knife blade.

What we didn’t like about the John Boos Maple Wood Edge-Grain Reversible Cutting
Board

The board is 2.25 inches thick and will significantly increase the height of
your counter and, though it features hand grips built into both sides, it can
sometimes prove challenging to hold when sliding onions into a pan or store
(especially if you live in a smaller space).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE BEST BUDGET WOODEN CUTTING BOARD: ZIRUMA HANDMADE TEAK WOOD BOARD

Ziruma Teak Wood Cutting Board

$83

Amazon

Teak boards like this one are durable and water-resistant; that’s why the wood
is frequently used on boats. While cutting boards made of other woods, like
maple, walnut, or acacia wood require frequent treatment with oil, teak requires
much less maintenance. If you’re looking for the benefits of a wooden board
(sturdiness, attractive appearance) without the extra effort, it’s a great
alternative to more expensive hardwoods.

The Ziruma teak board is 17”x11", which offers plenty of workspace without
taking up the whole counter. It’s tough but quite lightweight, so it’s easy to
carry to the stove to transfer ingredients to a skillet. The board held up to
all our cutting without showing any signs of wear, and we found that the dark
shades in the wood masked moderate stains in ways that lighter-colored boards
wouldn’t. It did slide around on a granite countertop, but a damp paper towel
placed under it solved that problem. And at around $80 it’s less than half the
cost of several similarly-sized wooden board.

Care-wise, Ziruma recommends a yearly rubdown with beeswax. Some woodworking
experts point out that because teak contains silica, the same mineral found in
glass, its durability might come at the cost of dulling knives. However, others
note that the amount of silica it contains is too small to have a negative
effect on your knives. If any of that makes you nervous about ruining the
sharpness of your knives, you might consider spending more on an end-grain
chopping board; these will be the most gentle wooden boards for your blades.

What we didn’t like about the Ziruma Teak Wood Cutting Board

Compared to an end grain board the Ziruma is not going to be as smooth. While a
board like the Boos feels like it absorbs knife strokes, the harder teak is more
jarring.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yoshihiro Hi-soft High Performance Professional Grade Cutting Board

$100

Amazon

THE BEST RUBBER CUTTING BOARD: YOSHIHIRO OR TENRYO HI-SOFT CUTTING BOARDS

Rubber cutting boards are popular among professional chefs for several reasons.
Synthetic and natural rubber are great board materials for preserving sharp
knives; the surface flexes to the knife edge rather than wearing it down. Rubber
is also nonporous and does not encourage the growth of microbes, which is why
you often see rubber cutting boards in professional kitchens or behind sushi
counters (wooden cutting boards actually violate restaurant health codes in
certain jurisdictions). We were happy with the performance of both these boards.
If you aren’t a great knife sharpener and rely on outside services, owning a
good cutting board made from rubber will pay for itself in the long run.

Tenryo Hi-Soft Cutting Board

$190

Korin

What we didn’t like about the Yoshihiro and Tenryo Hi-Soft Cutting Boards

Unfortunately, they are quite heavy duty, rubber cutting boards and must be
washed by hand. Rubber boards also tend to be pretty expensive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW WE TESTED

There's no better way to test cutting boards than to chop a lot of produce on
top of them. On each model, we chopped a pound of carrots, diced a large onion,
and minced a knob of ginger to assess durability and stability. We also sliced
steamed beets to check for staining. Then we washed each board according to the
directions given and did a round of maintenance as described by the brand if
applicable.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WHAT WE LOOKED FOR

How big is the cutting board? Is it easy to use and move around?

We looked for cutting boards that were big enough to offer plenty of workspace,
but not so big that cleaning, storing, or even moving them across the kitchen
would be difficult.

Is the board comfortable to cut on? How does the knife feel on it?

Some boards were very thick, which extended the height of the countertop and
made cutting on them feel a little awkward. Others were so thin that they felt
flimsy and slid all over the place without a wet paper towel underneath. We also
considered how the knife felt on the surface of each board.

Was it easy to move the chopped items into a pan or bowl?

Once you’ve sliced and diced, you have to get the pieces into a skillet, bowl,
or somewhere else—anywhere off the board. We took into account how easy the
cutting board was to lift and noted if there were any attributes that helped
with pouring and catching drips.

Was the board easy to clean? Did it stain and/or retain odors?

We paid close attention to how easy it was to wipe stains and odors off the
cutting boards as well as the ongoing maintenance required for each.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OTHER CUTTING BOARDS WE TESTED

We tested a wide variety of chopping boards—in an array of materials and
featuring a number of added selling points—to get a feel for the market as a
whole. Since prices vary significantly, we considered boards across the
spectrum, from a $6 set of plastic cutting mats to a $200+ butcher block you’d
likely end up passing on to your grandchildren. High ratings, expert
recommendations, and good reviews played a role in how we landed on this list.

Architec Gripper Board

Architec Gripper Polypropylene BPA Free Cutting Board

$17

Amazon

This board comes in a bunch of poppy colors, and at 14”x11", it is a good size
for vegetable prep but not something bigger like carving a chicken. The plastic
is a good thickness, and this cutting board is also dishwasher-safe. But the
major selling point for this model is also a slight downside: The “nonslip
gripper” base, which involves rows of small rubber feet on the underside that
keep your board from moving around your countertop, means you can only use the
one side for chopping.

Nicole Home Flexible Plastic Cutting Board Mats

These mats could be useful to keep around, though we wouldn’t use them
frequently since they didn’t protect our knives well. They’re flimsy and slid
around a lot during testing, even with a damp paper towel underneath. We could
see using them for small tasks like cutting lemons or limes, or putting them
over a wooden cutting board when working with raw meat.

Nicole Home Flexible 3 Colored Cutting Board Mats Set

Amazon

Farberware Nonslip Plastic Cutting Board

This Farberware Nonslip board did not live up to its name: It slipped around a
bunch, likely due to the fact that only the corners are covered in silicone.
However, it’s a good size (14”x10"), dishwasher-safe, and easy to clean—overall,
it's a straightforward, inexpensive plastic cutting board that can take a
beating.

Farberware Nonslip Plastic Cutting Board

$14

Amazon

Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board

We give the Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board a hard pass. It’s made from
nonporous composite wood fibers, so looks nicer than some plastic boards, it’s
dishwasher-safe and it doesn’t warp or splinter over time. But it was very
unpleasant to cut on: noisy and way too hard. The slightly more expensive
nonslip version fared better, but we still couldn’t get past the drawbacks.

Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board

$34

Amazon

Totally Bamboo Cutting Board

The Totally Bamboo board looks attractive, feels light, and doesn’t stain much,
making it easy to clean (the beets left a very slight discoloration since the
material is so light-colored), but the surface felt harder and had less give
than other boards. It also slid around quite a bit. Though the product
information says it will last an average of 10 years, it requires significant,
delicate care; the company sells a special mineral oil to treat the board with
every few days during the first month of use and then “as needed.”

Totally Bamboo Kauai Bamboo Serving & Cutting Board

$20

Amazon

Schoolhouse Five Two Bamboo Double Sided Cutting Board

Another bamboo option, you may recognize the Schoolhouse Five Two double sided
board for its nifty crevice designed to fit your phone. The board comes in three
different sizes—9”x11”, 11.24”x14.5”, and 18”x13”—that convert to small, medium,
and large. We tested the medium and, while it felt noticeably more cramped than
some other options we tested, we didn’t find the board too small (though you
might consider sizing up). At one-inch high, the board also the board could
maneuver more like an easy-to-move plastic cutting board. The biggest caveat
came when slicing beets. We’d noticed the lighter color of the board made it
more prone to staining, which showed most apparently when we washed the board
post beets. We found ourselves needing to scrub the surface a lot harder than
with other boards, and still some red stains remained.

Five Two Bamboo Double Sided Cutting Board, Medium

$45 $30

Schoolhouse

TeakHaus Edge-Grain Traditional Board

This teak board would make a great addition to your kitchen if you’re interested
in a large teak board. At 20”x15" it takes up significant space, but it’s
beautiful and you’d be proud to have it out as a showpiece. It has a convenient
drip tray, felt great to cut on, and was very easy to clean, though the ginger
smell lingered a bit. Its 1.5" height felt a little awkward, so if you’re on the
shorter side and have a standard countertop, that’s something to consider.

TeakHaus Edge-Grain Traditional Board

$130

TeakHaus

Material Angled Board

Unfortunately the wooden Material Angled Board didn’t meet the standard set by
its plastic sister, the grippy reBoard. The board is made of FSC-certified
walnut, but seems coated in some sort of smooth laminate that shows knife marks
easily. On top of that, the smoothness of that coating meant steamed beets would
slip around on the surface—posing a potential threat of entirely missing the
beet and slicing off your fingers.

The Angled Board

$115

Material

Made In Butcher Block

Size-wise, the Made In chopping block measured about the same as the Material
Angled board at 17.75x11.75” but thicker. Sadly it also had the same issues as
the Material Angled board and showed a lot of knife scratches—and with the light
color, you could see every single imperfection. While Made In doesn’t seal their
boards with any laminate and rubs them with oil prior to sending them out, the
surface feels coated in some sort of smoothing agent similar to the Material
Angled board had. And, while you could mostly hand wash the board off, we found
the juice from the steamed beets would seep into the scratches on the board,
making them even more apparent.

The Butcher Block

$129

Made In

MEATER Cutting Board

If you need a cutting board to carve into your turkey, then the MEATER’s
probably the product for you. At 14.9x19.6”, the MEATER isn’t the largest board
we’ve ever tested but it’s certainly a big one and seems best suited for large
meats as opposed to quick and small dicing jobs. With a groove surrounding the
board that ends in a pouring spout, the MEATER feels especially well-equipped to
catch and dispose of any stray meat juices. However, the light color left it
especially susceptible to staining from steamed beets, even after intense
scrubbing.

MEATER Cutting Board

$130

MEATER

JK Adams Pour Spout Cutting Board

We tested a few styles of board from JK Adams, and this carving board was nice
because it came with a pouring spout. Both sides of this 20x14" board have a
pouring well and spout, so you’ll never have to worry about chicken juices
running all over your counter. We did find that the juice grooves significantly
cut down on the surface area available for cutting, so it comes down to whether
you would use the pour spout often enough to make it a worthwhile trade-off. As
with other maple cutting boards, it cleaned easily, though the beets stained the
light-colored wood slightly. The manufacturer recommends treating the board
regularly with beeswax and mineral oil.

J.K. Adams 20-Inch-by-14-Inch Maple Wood Double-Sided Pour Spout Carving Board

$99

Amazon

JK Adams Kitchen Collection board

The Collection board offers a great option for people who want the benefits of a
solid wood board without the downside of adding a ton of height to their work
surface. At 17x14", it’s a great size for the average home cook, and it clocks
in at just ¾"—the shortest of any wood board we tested.

J.K. Adams 17-Inch-by-14-Inch Maple Wood Kitchen Basic Cutting Board

$32

Amazon

JK Adams Pro Classic Board

The last JK Adams board we tested, the Pro Classic, which measures 16x12", comes
with a “tech slot”—a notch for your cellphone to reference as you cook. It’s a
nice addition to a totally workable midsize board.

J.K. Adams 20-Inch-by-14-Inch Maple Wood Pro-Classic Cutting Board

$130

Amazon

Notrax

The one natural rubber board we tested was a high-density one from Notrax. It
performed as well with cutting tasks as the synthetic boards, but we ended up
preferring the Hi-Soft boards since they resisted stains more effectively and
didn’t have any noticeable rubber odor. The Notrax had a faint “tire” smell,
which didn’t transfer to foods, but was somewhat unpleasant to work around.

NoTrax Sani-Tuff T45 Natural Rubber Cutting Board

$113

Amazon

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE TAKEAWAY

If you want a plastic cutting board that feels like a dream, is easy to clean,
and will hold up for a while, get the Material grippy reBoard. If that feels a
bit too expensive though, opt for the Oxo Good Grips Utility Cutting Board. For
those loyal to wooden boards and willing to put in regular maintenance, you
can’t beat the John Boos Maple Wood Edge-Grain Reversible Cutting Board for
function, style, and longevity—though you should probably opt for the smaller
18x12” size. The Ziruma Handmade Teak Board makes a good wood alternative if you
want the look with a bit less effort and cost. Finally, if you care a lot about
keeping your knives sharp, be like the pros and get a Hi-Soft cutting board.

TagsProduct ReviewsShoppingVegetable
Read More
How to Clean Your Wooden Cutting Board
Is soap okay? What about air-drying? And what’s the deal with board oil? We
answer all your burning questions.

By Kendra Vaculin

The Case for A Gorgeous (and Lasting) Paring Knife
If your paring knife could use an upgrade—or if you're looking for a sharp
gift—consider investing a little more in one of these high-performing,
good-looking blades.

By Lauren Joseph

11 Essential Tools to Give Beginner Cooks
Your nephew with an Ikea futon does not need an espresso machine. He needs new
sheet pans.

By Kendra Vaculin

The Best Paring Knife for Careful Cuts and Precise Peeling
We tested 22 knives and found the best for hulling strawberries, peeling fruit,
and slicing cheese.

By Emily Johnson, Kendra Vaculin, and Megan Wahn

The Best Vacuum Cleaner for Your Kitchen and Beyond
We tested 16 popular models from Miele, Shark, Dyson, Tineco, and other top
brands to see which could pick up our worst messes.

By Emily Farris

Does Wax Paper Have a Purpose—Or Is It Just Taking Up Space?
That reliable roll of wax paper is finding some tough competition among a new
wave of reusable food-wrapping products.

By Wilder Davies

The Best Knife Sharpener for Retaining That Factory Edge—and Bringing Damaged
Blades Back From the Dead
We tested top-rated electric and manual knife sharpeners, to see which gave us
the cutting edge when tackling hard squash and squishy tomatoes.

By Wilder Davies

The Smart Way to Store Onions and Capture All Their Savory Potential
Follow these expert tips, and your onions will stay fresh for months.

By Grace Elkus

SUBSCRIBE
Get a year of unlimited recipe access for just $5 $2.50/month—cancel anytime.
SUBSCRIBE
Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook,
with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes.
* Facebook
* X
* Pinterest
* YouTube
* Instagram

www.epicurious.com Open in urlscan Pro 151.101.0.239 Public Scan

Form analysis 0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

www.epicurious.com Open in urlscan Pro
151.101.0.239 Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM