If you care about your knives, you should also care about your cutting boards. The best cutting boards are true workhorses in any home kitchen, providing a smooth yet durable surface for all your chopping, slicing, and dicing. As a result, a well-stocked kitchen should include various cutting surfaces for the various items you’ll need to cut. While you can acquire a cutting board in various shapes, sizes, and materials, high-quality options allow you to securely and effectively cut everything from veggies and bread to raw meat, fish, and chicken.
The Teakhaus Edge-Grain Carving Board is a top selection for individuals who cook a lot of juicy meat due to its water-resistant characteristics and deep juice canal.
The first step in looking for a new cutting board is determining which material you want. View one of the best wooden cutting boards if you want something durable and classic, as wood is naturally antimicrobial and appealing. However, many other great blocks are made from rubber, plastic, and recyclable materials. Aside from that, the cutting board you use (as well as the size and additional features such as juice canals and hand grips) is a personal opinion. Tim Hollingsworth, chef and proprietor of Otium, CJ Boyd’s, and Free Play in Los Angeles enjoys collecting scrap wood from lumber yards and constructing his furniture. The durability of a cutting board is the most significant feature for him. “I’ve been using the same wood board for over 20 years,” he says. “Every once in a while, I sand it down and oil it.”
Here are some of your kitchen’s best, most premium boards, ranging from an antimicrobial rubber board to a magnificent maple wood block built to last for decades. Once you’ve decided on the best one, browse our reviews of the best sheet pans, nonstick cookware, and air fryers.
- Best Cutting Board Overall: OXO Good Grips Plastic Carving And Cutting Board
- Best Wooden Cutting Board: John Boos Maple Edge-Grain Reversible Cutting Board
- Best Cutting Board For Meat: Teakhaus Edge-Grain Carving Board
- Best Eco-Friendly Cutting Board: Material Kitchen The reBoard
- Best Rubber Cutting Board: Notrax Sani-Tuff Premium Rubber Cutting Board
- Best Bamboo Cutting Board: Traeger Magnetic Bamboo Cutting Board
- Best Soft Wood Cutting Board: Hinoki Cutting Board
- Best Stain-Resistant Cutting Board: Epicurean Natural Fiber Cutting Board
- Best Odor-Resistant Cutting Board: Epicurean Kitchen Series
Material: Polypropylene | Dimensions: 14.5 x 21 x inches | Care: Dishwasher safe
The trusted kitchen brand behind the best coffee grinders, storage containers, and vegetable peelers brings you a high-quality cutting board for all your chopping requirements. The OXO Good Grips Plastic Carving & Cutting Board is made of durable polypropylene and is extremely versatile due to its non-porous and double-sided structure. You don’t have to worry about the board absorbing stains or odors if you’re chopping beets or garlic. One side of the board has a juice canal to capture liquids before they touch your countertop for all your meat-carving needs, while non-slip feet keep the board from sliding while you slice. And once you’re done in the kitchen, disinfecting the board is as easy as placing it in the dishwasher.
2. John Boos Maple Edge-Grain Reversible Cutting Board
$119
Material: Maple | Dimensions: 15 x 20 x 1.5 inches | Care: Hand wash and dry
Forbes Vetted home and kitchen editor Amanda Arnold ranked this block the best option for most home cooks while assessing the best wooden cutting boards, citing its “premium construction, durability, and reasonable price.” “Made of hardwood, this handsome blond block strikes the perfect balance between function and beauty,” the review says. It is easy on knives but durable, and its classic appearance will complement any kitchen.” (The whole review can be found here.)
Like many professional chefs, Hollingsworth is a lifelong lover of John Boos’ wood-cutting boards. “I have been using this brand for many years, and I love its durability, look, and feel,” says Hollingworth.
3. TeakHaus Edge-Grain Carving Board
$100$110Save $10 (9%)
Material: Teak | Dimensions: 24 x 18 x 1.5 inches | Care: Hand wash and dry
If you’re looking for a cutting board to carve juicy roasts and birds, you’ll want one that’s large and, more importantly, has a juice canal. The TeakHaus Edge-Grain Carving Board, made from FSC-certified sustainable teak, checks both boxes and more. The juice groove is not just extremely deep (we know this since we tested the board), but the wood is inherently water- and mold-resistant. This board’s star power is enhanced because it is also remarkably beautiful and quite low-maintenance for a hardwood chopping block.
4. Material Kitchen The reBoard
$35
Material: Recycled plastic and renewable sugarcane | Dimensions: 15 x 11 x 1 inches | Care: Dishwasher safe
Material Kitchen’s The reBoard is one of the most sustainable plastic cutting boards, made of 75% post-consumer plastic waste acquired from kitchen tool production and 25% sugarcane (which returns petroleum as a structural polymer). The textured surface prevents the board from sliding when in use, and unlike other plastic boards and mats that cling to food crumbs, The reBoard is exceptionally easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher.
There’s also a mini version for slicing fruits, dicing herbs, or preparing a snack. “Rather than hauling out a full-sized board to cut up an apple or dice cherry tomatoes, I now turn to the (mini) reBoard, which is perfectly sized for snack prep,” says home & kitchen editor Sholeen Damarwala in a reBoard ode. “It can also function as a little serving tray.”
5. Notrax Sani-Tuff Premium Rubber Cutting Board
$123$146Save $23 (16%)
Material: High-density, all-natural rubber | Dimensions: 12 x 18 x 1 inches | Care: Hand wash only
Tiffani Faison, the Boston-based chef, and restaurateur behind Big Heart Hospitality, says the Notrax Sani-Tuff Premium Rubber Cutting Board is made from an antimicrobial blend that is easier on your knife and contains fewer bacteria than any other cutting board. “I haven’t seen them gain traction outside of professional kitchens, and I’ve always wondered why,” she says. “The board is great for cutting anything—vegetables, meat; you name it.” It cleans easily and can withstand bleaching. They don’t chip or break and last indefinitely.”
6. Traeger Magnetic Bamboo Cutting Board
$34
Material: Bamboo | Dimensions: 13.5 x 12 x 0.75 inches | Care: Hand wash only
“Traeger Grills makes a Magnetic Bamboo Cutting Board that is super handy when using your outdoor barbecue grill because it connects to the shelf next to your grill,” Hollingsworth says. Traeger is made of eco-friendly bamboo and will not slip when you slice meat or cut vegetables. It can be cleaned by hand using warm water and mild soap. It will also last longer if you rub it with mineral oil regularly.
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7. Shun Hinoki Cutting Board (Large)
$80
Material: Hinoki | Dimensions: 17.75 x 11.75 x .75 inches | Care: Hand wash and dry
Hinoki, or Japanese maple, is a gentle wood utilized in Japanese culture to build everything from bath homes to temples. Because it is a soft wood, it is easy on knife edges. The wood, which is high in phytoncide chemicals, has a genuine resistance to bacteria and fungi. They’re especially great for apartments or small places, says Andrew Iacono, chef at Prairie Fire in Brookline, Massachusetts. “Because they’re made from a single piece of wood, they typically come in smaller sizes than standard cutting boards, making them easy to store in drawers or cabinets,” he says.
8. Epicurean Natural Fiber Cutting Board (Large)
$230
Material: Wood fiber | Dimensions: 21 x 16 x 1 inches | Care: Dishwasher safe, hand wash recommended
When cutting products like beets, wood, and plastic rapidly stain, says Iacono. He appreciates how black prevents stains while yet looking great in any kitchen. This cutting board is made of non-porous wood fiber and has every feature you’d expect in a cutting board: It will not dull your knife, is heat resistant up to 350°F, does not harbor bacteria, and is dishwasher safe.
9. The Epicurean Kitchen Series
$15Save $1 (7%)
Material: Richlite paper composite material | Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 0.25 inches | Care: Dishwasher safe
“The Epicurean Kitchen Series is an excellent cutting board made of a paper composite material (a combination of recycled paper, plastic, and FSC-certified papers),” Hollingsworth says. “I love using this board to cut onions, garlic, or anything else that would perfume your board because, unlike wood, the scent washes right off.”Epicurean boards come in four sizes and are dishwasher-safe and temperature resistant to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, making them extremely useful as trivets.
What Type Of Cutting Board Is Best?
The best kitchen cutting board for chopping and dicing is large, strong, and easy to wash. If you can only have one cutting board, go with wood. They are built to withstand the sharpest of knives and will last for several years (as long as you properly care for your board). One disadvantage is that they are not dishwasher safe and must be hand washed properly and maintained regularly to prevent warping or breaking. Bamboo is another popular material since it is antimicrobial, but because the wood is so strong, it can wear on your knives.
Then there are plastic boards, which are more comfortable to clean and less expensive. While many people feel that plastic cutting boards are the most sanitary, cracks and knife scars in plastic cutting boards can retain and transmit bacteria if not cleaned properly. No matter what material you choose—and remember, different materials are appropriate for different things—always carefully clean your cutting board after use.
Which Type Of Cutting Board Is The Most Hygienic?
According to the FDA, both plastic and hardwood cutting boards are hygienic, as lengthy as they are cleaned often and replaced regularly. When it comes to 21 hygiene, both wood and plastic have advantages. Plastic may be readily cleaned in the dishwasher, but wood is naturally antimicrobial, so there’s less chance of missing those nooks and crannies where bacteria may gather.
Can You Put Raw Meat On A Wood Cutting Board?
While you may have heard that raw meat cannot be placed on a wood-cutting board, this is untrue. According to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, using a wood or any other non-porous cutting board is safe. To avoid cross-contamination, having one cutting board for meat and poultry and another for veggies is best.
