There are many options available for types of cutting boards. Knowing which one is the best for you might not be obvious. This article is going to highlight the key features of 4 types of cutting boards that should help you choose which is best suited for your kitchen.
There are a few features that we can look at to help make the differences between the boards stand out. We can look at how they are cleaned and maintained in order to effectively ward off bacteria. Another important feature is how they affect your knives. We also want to look at if they’re environment friendly.
We will start by looking at the pros and cons of each type of cutting board followed by a brief summary of some of the details. Be sure to see our ranking of these boards from first to last at the end of the article!
At a Glance:
The PROS:
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We all know that there are tons of plastic cutting boards available. These are the preferred choice for restaurants because they can be put into a dishwashing machine without any damage to the board and can easily be replaced with little budget setbacks.
These boards are soft and will eventually become marked up with many scratches. Bacteria will end up getting into deep cracks that will render even a dishwasher ineffective against bacteria.
Plastic cutting boards must be replaced on a regular basis. And though the cost may be worth the amount of use you get out of it, you always run the risk of getting very small chips of plastic into your food. That doesn’t sound good no matter how you put it. Plus think of all the plastic cutting boards in the landfills!
At a Glance:
The PROS:
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Ceramic and glass cutting boards are a one up from plastic for durability and offer a better aesthetic for your kitchen. But there’s a big disadvantage to your knives, as they will be dulled almost instantly.
In all honesty this fault is an important one. You should really think twice about buying a glass cutting board if you have any interest in keeping a sharp knife.
Serrated knives will survive a bit longer than any other knife on this board.
At a Glance:
The PROS:
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Bamboo cutting boards are produced from a natural resource that is in abundance. For this reason, they are an excellent choice for environmentally friendly users. Bamboo boards are very hard and will last long if taken care of, but this comes with a downside. Bamboo can be a bit hard on your knives.
When choosing your bamboo board, you should try to find out if chemical glues were used in the fabrication process. These glues are highly toxic and should not be used for food purposes.
Another thing to note is that bamboo needs to be treated with oil—just like a hardwood board—to protect it from drying out. A dried-out board will lead to cracking, and bamboo is a bit more susceptible to cracking than its hardwood cousins like maple, cherry and walnut.
At a Glance:
The PROS:
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It is safe to say that these boards grow on trees! In most areas, including ours, the hardwood industry must abide by environmental protection laws that inhibit deforestation. And seeing that wood is organic and natural, they don’t end up polluting the earth in a landfill somewhere.
Hardwood cutting boards are naturally effective against bacteria. Studies have shown that bacteria die out when absorbed into the board—unlike the plastic board. But they will require special attention to details in how you clean and sanitize them. For a deeper look at this see our Care and Maintenance page. Long story short, you can’t put a wood cutting board into the dishwasher.
These boards are strong enough to resist small scratches over time from knife use. And even better is that a quick sanding will renew your board in minutes. Hard enough to be durable, yet soft enough on your knives.
And don’t forget that if you are planning on cutting ingredients that stain, try and go for the darker species like walnut or cherry.
#1 Hardwood Environmental Friendliness:
| #2 Bamboo Environmental Friendliness:
| #3 Plastic Environmental Friendliness: | #4 Glass or Ceramic Environmental Friendliness:
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We hope this helps you make a choice for what type of cutting board is best for you.
Come check out our quality hardwood cutting boards, also available in bulk!