Cutting boards-recommendations to get/avoid?

[RosieTR]

We have some pretty old cutting boards. Certainly all of them are at least 5 years, and some more than 15. The issue is not the age, but the fact that they have warped and are becoming increasingly difficult to use.

Browsing around on Amazon showed some bamboo ones, and also flexible cutting boards. I figured I'd ask here before spending the $$ to get to get some opinions from folks who are likely to do a lot of cooking at home! We use cutting boards in the following way:
-nearly every day
-for veggies, raw meat and cooked meat (separate uses and washed between!)
-wash in the dishwasher esp due to the raw meat use
-do not differentiate a single board just for raw meat and different one for veggies, just differentiate clean and dirty

This means that we sometimes need more than one board to be clean at a time, so we can cut veggies on a different board than the one that had raw meat, in the same meal. We also need boards that can be repeatedly washed in the dishwasher and handle brief bleaching (sprayed with bleach after raw meat use). At least one board needs to be able to collect liquid.

I'm inclined to get bamboo over flexible mats because it's easier to manage not having one you can't use for liquid-releasing items (anything from a raw chicken to tomatoes). Less inclined to buy plastic ones because that's what the warping ones are, and I have seen those results. However, if they are the best price per life expectancy given our intended use, I would consider it.

Any thoughts or experience?

[JLee]

I would go with thick plastic cutting boards for your use, as they're generally dishwasher safe (vs wooden/bamboo, which don't particularly like dishwashers). 

[GizmoTX]

I bought multiple NSF-certified plastic boards from a local restaurant supply store at a great price: red for raw meat, yellow for raw poultry, green for veggies, brown for cooked protein, white for everything else. As long as the family grabs the correct color, there's no problem with cross contamination. I keep them in a rack under our prep sink. They clean easily & are kind to our knives. We've used them for years without problems.

[Fresh Bread]

I have mainly wooden boards, some bamboo. The cheaper thin bamboo ones from ikea have splintered a bit so I wouldn't recommend them. The thicker ones (about an inch) have lasted well and bamboo is nice and light. Regular wooden boards from ikea have been fine.

If you put a wooden board through the dishwasher it would shorten its life and if you soak them they warp so they do require a bit more care. But on the plus side, I saw a scientific comparison of board types (wood, plastic, marble) and the wood board had the least bacteria present after washing (the worst was marble). Plus bamboo has natural antiseptic qualities. A scrub with dish liquid and brush is all we do to wash them but ideally you should scrub wooden boards with baking soda.

[Cornbread OMalley]

I like glass cutting boards because of the ease of cleaning them.

[alsoknownasDean]

I've got both bamboo and plastic, but I'll use only the plastic ones for raw meat.

Although I'll buy cheap ones.

Don't glass cutting boards wreck your knives?

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

[JLee]

I have mainly wooden boards, some bamboo. The cheaper thin bamboo ones from ikea have splintered a bit so I wouldn't recommend them. The thicker ones (about an inch) have lasted well and bamboo is nice and light. Regular wooden boards from ikea have been fine.

If you put a wooden board through the dishwasher it would shorten its life and if you soak them they warp so they do require a bit more care. But on the plus side, I saw a scientific comparison of board types (wood, plastic, marble) and the wood board had the least bacteria present after washing (the worst was marble). Plus bamboo has natural antiseptic qualities. A scrub with dish liquid and brush is all we do to wash them but ideally you should scrub wooden boards with baking soda.

Yep..I've also read that if you're handwashing, a wooden board will be safer.  Using a dishwasher removes that problem.

[FIRE me]

I second the plastic board suggestion.

I suggest you buy two. I have over a dozen years in food manufacturing experience, including extensive anti cross contamination training. Using the same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables is a very bad idea. Salmonella, e. Coli, and Listeria are all things you do not want in your fruit and vegetables.

[gggggg]

I would say cheap plastic. I have a very expensive teak board. It's heavy and thick...and I hardly use it because of this. I almost always reach for my cheap $5 board over the $200 teak board. The only time I use the teak board is when I'm cutting up a ton of stuff at one sitting.

[Cranky]

I differentiate - I keep a glass cutting board for meat, which I don't cut all that often, and then run it through the dishwasher. I don't worry about the knives because it's maybe once/week. My glass cutting boards are really old - they used to make them to go with corningware patterns. I had one that broke and when I found a thrift store replacement I snatched it up.

I also have a huge bamboo cutting board which I just leave on the counter by the sink. I bought it at aldi's and I think it was sold as a turkey carving board? It's really big.

We put butcher block next to the stove in our kitchen remodel, and I was interested to see that they recommend disinfecting it with vinegar.

[MsPeacock]

Thick plastic ones are what I prefer. I got a set at Costco that have rubber coated handles on the side which keeps the, from scooting around when I am using them. I like the size smalll enough to toss in the dishwasher after use - I have. 3 or 4 this size, which are in constant use. I have two larger ones that I only use for big jobs (and don't fit so well in the dishwasher).

[laka]

I've got a different recommendation - Epicurean cutting boards. They're made of a non-porous, food-safe wood composite.  Dishwasher-safe and come in a ton of sizes and styles. We have two that we've been using for at least 10 years, and they're in fantastic shape. They also won't melt or splinter.

The two we have a really large. It's on my list to get some smaller-sized ones to replace the plastic ones we have. When we originally bought these the price was a lot higher (so we bought less expensive smaller ones). The price is still more than plastic, but IMO, completely worth it. Our plastic ones (of varying thicknesses and costs) have all warped, melted, or just been shredded by so much use. When I do buy, I plan on getting the Kitchen Series ones. They're simple, with no non-slip feet or grooves in them. (I find a slightly damp kitchen towel underneath a cutting board stops any slipping and is easy to toss in the wash.)

http://www.epicureancs.com/

Also available on Amazon with prime shipping.

[Cornbread OMalley]

Don't glass cutting boards wreck your knives?

I like them especially for chopping veggies.  I use a curve-bladed knife to rock back and forth and cut.  Seems to not wear out the blade as fast.  I don't like plastic or wood because microbes get into the tiny surface scratches and live there.

[RosieTR]

Wow, thanks for the great advice! I think we need to decide if we want to handwash with bamboo or get plastic and accept the warping, because at least one needs to have the liquid collection. But maybe a couple of the epicurean ones will work for veggies only.

[Axecleaver]

Rather than run them through the dishwasher, keep a bottle of bleach solution in a spray bottle (1 tsp/quart). Hose it off under the sink after use, then spray with the bleach and leave it wet. This will kill all the nasties and the chlorine will dissipate within 12 hours. If you need it before then, just wash the board. Have been doing this for years.

I like bamboo for vegetables and plastic for meat.

[KCM5]

I second the Epicurean ones. We've had a couple for almost a decade - they're actually our only cutting boards, now that I think about it. We wash them in the dishwasher regularly. They work great, comfortable to cut on, easy on knives, and clean up easily. I've never had a cutting board with grooves, so I probably just don't know what I'm missing regarding that!

[Heroes821]

Personally I've heard of health issues tied to cutting meat on wood cutting boards even after they have been washed, so I've always avoided them. No clue if those were scientific studies or garbage word of mouth jabber.  That being said I use a Cutco plastic cutting board that has given me no issues over the past decade, but I use to sell cutco so I didn't have to spend a bunch of money on it.  Alternatively the Fiancée has a glass cutting board which I believe some others have mentioned and wow do I prefer that cutting board over any others in the house. it cleans easy, food slides off of it into pots without stopping and bouncing like ones that have a rough surface, and whatever tempered glass they use it has zero marks on it's surface after many rounds of cutting. I do not know how long she's had it but she uses it daily.

[RosieTR]

I second the Epicurean ones. We've had a couple for almost a decade - they're actually our only cutting boards, now that I think about it. We wash them in the dishwasher regularly. They work great, comfortable to cut on, easy on knives, and clean up easily. I've never had a cutting board with grooves, so I probably just don't know what I'm missing regarding that!

Not having blood all over the countertop? We buy meat as a local farm share, hence get only whole chickens, and some of the other cuts of beef or pork are large. But some people only buy small cuts (chicken breasts or ground beef) and others are vegetarian. So, I could see where not everyone would care about the groove. Still, a bunch of tomatoes will leak juice everywhere, too, so when the garden is fruitful and we are chopping tomatoes to freeze or peaches to can, yeah, the juice catch is super nice.

Went with a few super-cheap flexible ones for veggies, one plastic big one (that said dishwasher safe) with a catch for meat, and a bamboo one for bread or cheese. Now I can get rid of all the ancient, sad ones. The epicurean ones looked good, but the grooved one was super $$$! A single board for the price of all the others combined :-(

[Mmm_Donuts]

I've had the same heavy wooden cutting board for 20+ years. I'm sure I'll have it for another 20. It's low maintenance - I wash it with soap and water. I've never been poisoned by bacteria, either :)

[Frankies Girl]

I second the plastic board suggestion.

I suggest you buy two. I have over a dozen years in food manufacturing experience, including extensive anti cross contamination training. Using the same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables is a very bad idea. Salmonella, e. Coli, and Listeria are all things you do not want in your fruit and vegetables.

Yup.

I have two cutting boards stored in completely different areas. One is green for veggies and safe to eat stuff. One is red for raw meats and the like. I do wash them with hot water (and bleach in the case of the raw meat one) after each use, but I still will never cut raw on my "safe" cutting board. They go in the dishwasher if it's a messy cutting or I am getting ready to run a load anyway, but they're super easy to handwash so that's my normal MO.

And both my boards are thick plastic ones - well over 10 years old. Dishwasher safe and non-damaging to my knives.

[KCM5]

I second the Epicurean ones. We've had a couple for almost a decade - they're actually our only cutting boards, now that I think about it. We wash them in the dishwasher regularly. They work great, comfortable to cut on, easy on knives, and clean up easily. I've never had a cutting board with grooves, so I probably just don't know what I'm missing regarding that!

Not having blood all over the countertop?

I suppose you only miss that if you prepare meat - not a problem I have! ;)

[Fishindude]

I like wood, because they don't dull your knives as badly.
Just scrub them good and clean after each use and the threat of some sort of illness from cutting meat on them is non-existent.

[ooeei]

Wood is better for your knives, but I live in an apartment with a small kitchen and love the flexible plastic ones.  Wood ones are a pain to clean in a small sink, and take up too much space for me. They also generally should be hand washed, which I don't always care to do.

I've got a set of 4 plastic ones that I've had for years, and use them 98% of the time.  I have a large edge grain wood one I use for big things like brisket or pizza.  I can't find the ones I have online, but they're thin plastic and have a hole in the corner.  I bought a powerful magnetic hook at home depot, and keep them on the hook on the side of my fridge for easy access.  4 thin plastic boards take up less space than the 1 wooden board they replaced.  You'd think two boards would be plenty, but there are frequently times where I've used 3 in a row on something out of convenience.  Two would work, but extra never hurt.

I'm not sure how much more often I have to sharpen my knives because of the plastic, but I do it once every month or two and they're sharp enough for me.

edit:  Found them, my aunt got them for me years ago.  http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-2090173/Sur+La+Table+Non-Skid+Cutting+Mats+Set+of+4

edit2:  This is the hook.  http://www.homedepot.com/p/MASTER-MAGNETICS-65-lb-Magnetic-Pull-Hook-07580HD/202639939

[bryan995]

end grain maple.

Boos is a nice brand.
Plenty of ways to find it at a discount (~$80), and it should last a lifetime.