While some people may find this a little time-consuming, how well you care for it will make it last the distance. A cutting board can be used for a variety of foods, while a carving board is mainly used to slice and serve meat. If youre a home chef who loves the environment as much as your endive, Materials The reBoard makes a compelling addition to your kitchen. Plus, it has convenient features such as the soft, carrying grip and a drip-catcher to avoid messy spills. When it comes to your mise en place, this board is extremely functional and well thought out. Williams Sonoma Antibacterial Synthetic Cutting and Carving Board, Best Lightweight: Bear in mind the size may be too big for smaller countertops at 21 inches long. Simply Recipes uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Our former senior editor, Cambria Bold, was such a fan that she's gifted them to every member of her family. Cleaning them isnt as simple as throwing them in the dishwasher, and youll have to prevent them from drying out. While many cutting boards are made with wooden materials like teakwood, they can also be made with natural materials like bamboo and dishwasher-safe materials like plastic. Measuring about 14.8x10.8x0.4 inches and weighing 1.9 pounds, this reversible board is neither huge nor hefty, but it offers sufficient slicing and chopping space. At least the board is reversible, although only one side has the handsome Shun logo branding in the upper-left corner. In fact, our tester found it more than adequate for cooking for her family of four: "The veggies could be chopped and spread in individual piles for prep work without any problem," she says. Not only is it ideal for everyday use, but it makes for an attractive feature to your kitchen. Here are the best cutting boards that not only do the job but also make it enjoyable. There are also three compartments on the other side to hold prep items like chopped herbs, onions, and garlicand that side can double as a cheese board, according to the manufacturer. Plus, she could see and feel the grains of the bamboo when she ran her hand on its surface, so she's hesitant to recommend this board for cutting raw meat, particularly because it's not dishwasher-safe. I'd use it for a combination of the three," she says. For over a month, she chopped all kinds of fruits and vegetables, as well as raw meat and fish, on the boards, looking at how stable each board felt on the counter and how easily her chef's knife was able to slide on its surface. In addition, cleaning is hand wash only and simple to do with soapy water, but may take some effort due to its size and weight. Instead, use a food-safe mineral oil once every three to four weeks to prevent a wooden cutting board from drying out. By Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. Only two things hold back the Lmplig. Its large surface area is also sufficient for large prep tasks or multiple jobs at a time, which is why its one of the best cutting boards right now. Read our, OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board at Amazon, Williams Sonoma Antibacterial Synthetic Cutting Board at Williams-Sonoma, Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board at Amazon, Stanton Trading Plastic Cutting Board at Amazon, Best Overall: Prerna Singh, Writer and Product Tester, Material: Polyethylene | Dimensions: 30 x 18 x 0.5 inches | Weight: 9.5 pounds | Dishwasher-Safe? Our tester sent her notes to us, along with ratings on the following attributes: Durability, Design, Size, and Overall Value. This also means it can withstand heat, which is handy if you want to carve your poultry while fresh out of the oven. This thoughtfully designed cutting board sports a couple of handy, uncommon features: a milled canal on one side for catching juices and a single raised edge that either anchors the board to the counter or acts as a mini-backsplash, depending on positioning. However, the soft material may not provide as much friction when cutting, slicing, or chopping. But Prerna found it a bit useless and that it decreased the space on the board to do actual chopping. But find your perfect match and you may just discover, as we did while testing, that TeakHauss cutting board can solve many of your cooking problems. While Prerna found this material easier on her knives compared with a traditional chopping board, she also discovered that it tends to get nicks and scratches with greater use. Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board, Best for Meat: We found it indeed had a faint scent, but we were interested to see how it handled everyday use. Doing multiple projects in a row? If you favor a lightweight cutting board over big and cumbersome, the Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting and Chopping Board is ideal. In fact, after over a month of use, she didn't observe any liquid being absorbed. The board has tapered soft edges for carrying the board from counter to stove, with a drip-catcher and easy-pour corners for keeping your work area neat. It does have a strong, solid surface and if you can overlook the clacking noise as you chop, you can quickly slice and dice small portions with ease. Williams Sonoma's Synthetic Cutting Board is the perfect in-between size at a great price. It gives a similar earthy vibe as wood, but for a fraction of the cost and less upkeep, since it doesnt need to be oiled. In our tests, the Lmplig proved highly capable whether mincing herbs, chopping up vegetables, or slicing pizza, with cuts mostly disappearing into the warm-toned bamboo surface. The convenient lipped design made it easy to use, and it remained stable throughout our chopping tests. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Lastly, she looked at how easy each was to clean thoroughly, and added them to a dishwasher cycle if it was safe to do so. At the very least, a flat kitchen towel or a damp paper towel underneath can function as a cutting board mat to prevent slippage. Best of all, it is super light to carry at 1.5 pounds, which is ideal if you dont want to struggle with a hefty cutting board. These cutting boards tend to be thick, heavy-duty, and nonporous. But at the same time, Prerna found that one side was easier to get nicks and scratches from use than the other. Since olive oil can become rancid, it should not be used to oil a cutting board. Youre more likely to use your cutting board for chopping fruits and vegetables, but resort to your carving board for carving meat. Cynthia Lawrence specialises in Homes ecommerce, covering all things homes and garden-related. (n.d.). Our testing bore this out, and the board excelled at all normal cutting tasks while also cleaning up stain-free, which is why its one of the best cutting boards. If you're a keen cook who often uses multiple cutting boards at once, the Joseph Joseph Folio cutting board set is a great buy. Carolyn Truett, Former Pastry Chef, Recipe Developer at Caramel and Cashews, Material: Richlite composite | Dimensions: 14.5 x 11.25 x 0.25 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Ease to clean: nonporous, dishwasher friendly, easy to clean, What We Love: Made with high-quality walnut wood, made in the USA, has non-skid pads and drip catcher, has built-in handles and compartments, What We Don't Love: Pricey, needs regular maintenance (like oiling). Another thoughtful touch: The rubber feet are removable, which means you can make the board completely flat if you want, or keep them on for slicing stability. Stanton Trading Plastic Cutting Board, What to Look for When Buying a Cutting Board. But do our picks stand up to those criteria? The four colour-coded boards are tiered in a stylish storage case, with an easy-to-grab, stainless steel handle to easily lift out. Whats more, the OXO Good Grips has a convenient drip-catcher to prevent any run-offs, so you can simply pour out any juices from the corner. Though bamboo doesnt instantly come to mind when I think of Sweden, Ikeas Lmplig Chopping Board may change that. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. But the weight made it slightly difficult to move around. Whether this board will prove beneficial to your knives or a solid long-term investment will depend on how (and how much) you cook. This gives it extra stability when chopping multiple prep tasks. It has a smooth surface and does not absorb much liquid if any at all. Dakota Kim is a freelance writer specializing in food, culture, travel, TV, parenting, and lifestyle. First consider the material and weight of your cutting board. NY 10036. Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. You also have the option of choosing from two sizes and a range of stylish colors to suit your tastes. This is why the Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board takes the cake for me. First, we looked at how easy it was to cut fruit, vegetables and raw chicken on each surface, and whether it had sufficient grip. While it may not have the wow factor in appearance, its quality, convenience and ease of use makes it our top pick. You may also want to check out what the 5 things I learned from testing cutting boards to help you decide. As a result, it performed well, allowing us to cut fruit, veggies and raw meat with ease. If you ever took a knife skills class, you know that your cutting board matters. The only thing missing from the Epicurean cutting board is the addition of non-slip feet or grips, which was disappointing. Prerna Singhtested our picks for the best cutting boards and updated this piece. Heim Concept Organic Bamboo Cutting Board (view to Amazon): Prerna also tested our former Best Bamboo pick. Similarly, while its dishwasher safe, it could be too big to fit in the lower-rack snugly. Our tester found the size of the board, which clocks in at over 7 pounds, both a pro and a con. With a good scrubbing, the board seems to be clean after washing with soap under tap water," Prerna says. The non-slip pads on the corners make each board extra sturdy on the countertop too. "I'd pick it for cutting meat and fish over other chopping boards because it seemed to not absorb much liquid and seemed easy to sanitize." Its more scratch-resistant than plastic, but if you do manage to cut through it, you can sand down the surface. After each test, there were no stains in sight while any residual juice sat on the surface. Another bonus to having colour-coded boards is you can assign different boards for veggies and raw meat. However, it was too small and awkward to cut raw meat portions, and did display a few knife nicks after testing. If you care about how its likely to fit in with your kitchen decor, the board comes in five eye-grabbing colors. The OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board is the best cutting board we tested. Its well constructed from a food-grade, hard plastic composite, making it solid yet lightweight. We experienced no trouble dicing onions or mincing jalapenos, and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce couldnt stain it. Whether youre a seasoned cook or amateur, a quality cutting board can make all the difference to your food prep, saving you time in the long-run. If your chopping board is dishwasher friendly, then it's best to run it through a dishwashing cycle after washing it under tap water to get rid of food stuck to the cutting board. When shes not testing cool products, shell be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain! "The chopping board is large enough to keep the fruits, vegetables, and other contents from spilling off the board while chopping, and yet it is very lightweight, which makes it easy to move around." The Simply Recipes A-Z Guide to Cooking Terms and Definitions, Bisphenol A (BPA): Use in food contact application, https://www.nsf.org/knowledge-library/what-is-nsf-certification. Prerna is the author of Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook. Then, we considered how durable the board was by testing for knife dents or nicks, as well as dropping each onto the floor to see if it would break easily. Yes, What We Love: Made with high-quality, NSF-certified material, durable, doesnt nick easily. Our tester eventually found herselfand even her childrenturning to the Epicurean for their everyday cutting board. Bamboo is a popular material for cutting boards since its natural, budget-friendly, and sustainable. This cutting board is easy to use, and thanks to its non-slip pad, it remains sturdy and secure during cutting. our process. Matthew Murray They should be exclusively washed by hand and oiled every three to four weeks. Prerna Singh, Writer and Product Tester, Material: Sustainable American black walnut | Dimensions: 17 x 13 x 1.5 inches | Weight: 7.5 pounds | Dishwasher-Safe? Heavy wood cutting boards also require oiling from time to time to keep the surface clean, filling the pores in order to prevent bacterial contamination, and keeping it from drying out and cracking. The use of nonporous materials also makes this board great for cutting raw meat and fish, and built-in thumb holes make it easier to hang or store the board. Next, we cut vegetables with strong pigmentation such as beets, red onion and carrots to see if the surface would stain. Some cutting boards are harder on your knives than others. Serrated knives do not go too well with this board. OXO designed this board with polypropylene, a food-grade hard plastic composite. This comes down to the hardness of the material. While its not as chunky as the best wooden chopping boards, dont be fooled. If you are after durability, the NoTrax Sani-Tuff Premium Rubber Cutting Board is the best choice for large prep tasks and is built to last. Carving boards also tend to have grooves to collect juices from the meat, though cutting boards can have this feature too. Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). However, one thing to ensure is that the grip is flat on the countertop to prevent the board from moving out of place, otherwise this could be a safety hazard. Please refresh the page and try again. Bottom line: Use a chopping board that is either wood or plastic, easier to clean and sanitize, and preferably dishwasher-friendly. OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board, Best Budget: ), and is easy to clean in the dishwasher or the sink. Sonder Alfred Cutting Board, Best Large: Even so, its dishwasher safe, with a hole in one corner that makes it easy to both store and carry. We liked the double-sided, textured surface for better grip, while it also ensured no knife marks after chopping. In addition, it has a juice groove to catch any oils or liquids that may run off, and the board is reversible too. If youre looking to create a permanent chopping space on top of your counter, this could be the perfect surface. We love the non-porous, translucent surface that doesnt trap odors or stains from pigmented foods. Although it does come in three sizes to suit your needs. After extensive testing, we found the best cutting board to be the OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board. If you can put up with that, though, you wont find too many more inconveniences with the excellent Lmplig. This scored highly across the majority of our tests, with a durable yet lightweight design. However, while the surface of the board is easy to clean, it was a little inconvenient to do so in a small kitchen sink, and it was too large to fit in her dishwasher. This means that it can withstand heat, so you can carve cooked meat, right off the pan, on this chopping board. Durable and easy to clean, OXO's Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board (view at Amazon) is a welcome addition to anyone's kitchen collection. Can I use olive oil to oil a cutting board? She's also passionate about finding and testing the best kitchen tools to make the delicious meals we all enjoy. Prerna found the size of the board to be just right for prep work. Thank you for signing up to Tom's Guide. productslearn more about The material of your cutting board will determine how you should clean it. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best Be it slicing and dicing onions or peppers to carving succulent meats, the best cutting boards are an essential kitchen tool. Truett recommends considering how you will use the cutting board and whether you want something that's easy to clean and maintain. You will receive a verification email shortly. Furthermore, the drip catcher is deep, designed to catch 3 ounces of liquid, which means that juicy rare steak wont drip onto your floor. and House Beautiful, amongst many. Its certainly soft on the blade, but you need to be prepared for some knife marks on the surface as a consequence. She swears by her OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board, which has seen her through an epic Thanksgiving, the Super Bowl, and the creation of countless cheese and charcuterie boards. The soft grip edges make it easier to lift and carry around, while both sides are usable, with one side being smoother than the other. Learn more about how we test products. The first is that the canal only sits on the top-side with the edge, which limits the reversibility. More importantly, it performed well in our staining tests, thanks to the non-porous surface. A nice compromise between plastic and wood is a rubber cutting board. Its made of hinoki, a Japanese cypress with natural antibacterial and antifungal properties well suited to the kitchen; Shun also touts the ability of the citrus-scented medium-soft wood to preserve the edges of your cutlery. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Food52, Civil Eats, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Vox, and Sunset. Constructed from 100% high density, anti-microbial rubber compound, its designed to be durable with a non-skid surface. This was the case after cutting juicy oranges and tomatoes. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. We even found that tough stains like chipotle chiles in adobo could be washed away with just hot, soapy water. The only downside is that bamboo is harder on your knives. Having said that, the board is very easy to clean and can also be placed in the dishwasher. However, they stain easily, as cutlery leaves behind permanent marks. This would help it hold firmly in place on the countertop as it tends to move from time to time. Food and Drug Administration. "The board is great for cutting raw meat. 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It's also a good idea to keep separate chopping boards for chopping vegetables and your meat products to prevent cross-contamination. Another sustainable option is Richlite composite, a material made from post-consumer recycled paper. "I tried to prep for big meals and also salad, most of the veggies stayed on the board and did not spill on the counter," she says. What kind of cutting board should I use for meat? When you picture a cutting board, you might imagine a thick slab of wood. When it comes to cutting meat (including fish and poultry), you want to use a chopping board that prevents bacterial growth and is easier to clean and sanitize. As its hand wash only, this makes it difficult to lift to the sink and clean properly.. You also need to frequently treat the board after use to protect the wood and prevent it from cracking over time. This board doesnt have that familiar chopping block feeling, but instead has a harder, more surprisingly clacking feel. Like plastic, rubber is non-porous, though it may not be dishwasher-safe. There was a problem. As one of the best cutting boards, its solidly-built in a natural, maple wood, and designed with a lipped edge to grip onto the countertop. Ranging from wood and rubber boards to non-porous plastic, there is one to suit every home and budget. In the meantime, weve selected the best cutting boards to suit every kitchen need, lifestyle and budget right now. The sizable surface area made food prep easy enough for her family of four. It's also slim and easy to store." We loved the strong, wood construction and wide lipped design to secure onto the edge of the countertop. Indented handles made lifting easy during her tests Prerna adds. Generally, we found the NoTrax cutting board easy to use, performing well in our staining tests, with hardly any absorption of pigment from the beets or carrots. Its constructed from RichLite paper composite, meaning its non-porous, heat-resistant and eliminates lingering odors and bacteria. We purchased and sent our product tester six of our top picks for the best cutting boards, and had her put them to the test in her home kitchen. But be sure not to place a hot skillet or pan over it, as it might leave a mark or burn the board. published 25 July 22, Here are the best cutting boards to make cooking prep a breeze, Tom's Guide's expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Prerna specializes in Indian cuisine and is a longtime recipe developer and contributor for Simply Recipes. Keep your knives sharp with this self-healing, end-grain wood cutting board. Since a rubber cutting board is not as hard on your knives, it will also last longer. We sent our top picks to writer and product tester Prerna Singh to put them to the test in her home kitchen.
best cutting boards 2022