We Tested the Best Cutting Boards for Any Kitchen Task (2023)

FAQs

We Tested the Best Cutting Boards for Any Kitchen Task? ›

Bamboo cutting boards are harder and less porous than hardwoods. Bamboo absorbs very little moisture and resists scarring from knives, so they are more resistant to bacteria than other woods. Clean bamboo cutting boards with hot soapy water; sanitize if desired.

Bamboo cutting boards are harder and less porous than hardwoods. Bamboo absorbs very little moisture and resists scarring from knives, so they are more resistant to bacteria than other woods. Clean bamboo cutting boards with hot soapy water; sanitize if desired.

Gently scrub your board with a sponge and hot, soapy water (we recommend using a mild unscented dish soap, such as Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dish Liquid). It's important to wash both sides of the board (even if you chopped on only one side) to prevent it from drying unevenly, which could cause the board to warp.

The best wood cutting board, according to Baraghani, is made of maple or walnut, because those are the softest and most beautiful.

Wood is far and away the best material for cutting boards. It's durable, yet easy on knives; smooth but not slippery; and firm while still managing to absorb shocks.

Hardwoods (like this maple cutting board from Boos) are better at resisting bacteria. “Hardwoods like maple are fine-grained, and the capillary action of those grains pulls down fluid, trapping the bacteria—which are killed off as the board dries after cleaning,” says Ben Chapman, a food safety researcher at NC State.

Rubber Cutting Boards

These cutting boards are NSF certified, nontoxic, and comply with FDA guidelines. Try these rubber cutting boards from NoTrax today and see the difference.

Cutting boards that are clean-in-place, should be cleaned and then sanitized after every use, with a solution of one to two teaspoons chlorine bleach per quart of water or a commercial approved sanitizer.

Clean cutting boards thoroughly with hot soapy water, followed by a hot water rinse and a final sanitising step (1 tablespoon bleach per litre of water) after using. Store cooked food and raw food separately.

How do you make a food safe cutting board? ›

To protect your cutting board, you have to apply oil to seal the surface of the hardwood. Squeeze a liberal amount of butcher block wood oil or food-grade mineral oil onto a cloth rag. Apply the oil to all sides of the wood by rubbing thoroughly. Reapply until the wood stops absorbing the oil.

Just follow these guidelines: Use two cutting boards: one strictly to cut raw meat, poultry and seafood; the other for ready-to-eat foods, like breads and vegetables. Don't confuse them. Consider buying different color cutting boards so it's easy to remember which is for raw meat and which is for ready-to-eat foods.

Wooden boards are best suited for cutting vegetables, fruits, loaves of bread, cheeses, and any other ready to eat foods. Wooden cutting boards can also be used for cutting raw meat or fish. It's just necessary to give it a thorough clean once you're done! Hardwoods like maple are best for wood cutting boards.

Soft woods like pine, fir or cedar aren't recommended for cutting boards because they tend to splinter or crack easily. These types of wood should generally be avoided.

Studies indicate that bacteria dislike wood. But in a professional kitchen plastic boards of different colors are often used to separate raw food, cooked food, fish, greens, and so on.

Material. Plastic: Plastic is generally considered the best option for raw meat because it's dishwasher safe and has a non-porous surface. Wood: Wood cutting boards (including bamboo) can be difficult to sanitize, as they can't go in the dishwasher.

If you have to choose one cutting board, wood is the way to go. Not only are they designed to endure the sharpest of knives, but they'll also last several years (so long as you care for your board properly).

Conclusion. Wooden cutting boards have natural antibacterial properties, whereas the others mentioned don't. This makes them the preferred choice for being the most hygienic cutting board. Moreover, they are gentler on the edges of kitchen knives, especially end grain wood cutting boards.

Hard plastic, glass, stone, and steel are all extremely hard surfaces that have been proven to dull your knife blade in as few as 10 strokes. Cutting with a dull knife requires more pressure, which can easily cause knife slips or other sudden movements that put you at risk of a severe injury.

How long can E. coli live on cutting board? ›

It survives for at least 12 hours on wooden cutting boards. Many factors affect how long E. coli can live outside the body including temperature, presence of water, availability of nutrients, pH and solar radiation.

However, when looking for a cutting board, chefs prefer cutting boards that are easy to clean, long-lasting, and won't damage their knives.

Because of its antimicrobial and non porous characteristic, bamboo cutting boards are more bacteria resistant than plastic ones. Because of its porous nature, plastic will host bacteria and germs more easily and contribute to contamination and food borne illnesses. It will also absorb more moisture.

But whether they are plastic or wooden, cutting boards should be on your annual replacement list. Although soap helps disinfect boards, sharp knives create deep grooves and gauges in the boards, which can harbor bacteria. (In order to keep boards longer, use separate plastic boards for raw meat and seafood.)

Wood is Proven to be Naturally Antibacterial

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin have found that 99.9% of bacteria placed on a wooden chopping board begin to die completely within minutes. After being left at room temperature overnight, there were no remaining living bacteria on the wooden boards the next day.

Cutting board materials fall under the FDA's "food contact substances" and "indirect food additives" regulations since any part of a cutting board could potentially touch our food (6).

HDPE cutting boards are USDA compliant, dishwasher safe, and resist moisture, stains, and mildew to create a convenient and food-safe environment. HDPE cutting boards also resist chipping and are less likely to contaminate food when compared to wood and other traditional materials.

Food-contact surfaces, including cutting boards and utensils, should be cleaned and sanitized between tasks or after four hours of continuous use. You should also clean your equipment anytime you think it might have become contaminated.

Washing your board with vinegar and hot water will remove germs and odors. For a deeper clean, sprinkle baking soda on the surface, spritz with watered-down vinegar and scrub with a brush. Remember to rinse well and stand the boards up to dry.

Glass and granite cutting boards are not recommended. Wood cutting boards should be made from hard, tight grained woods; rock maple, walnut, cherry, teak, bamboo, ash and birch. End grain checkerboard style wood boards are preferred.

What is the correct way to clean a cutting board quizlet? ›

Wash all of your cutting boards with hot soapy water, and rinse well immediately after each use. - use a dishwasher for glass, solid wood, or plastic cutting boards, but not for laminated wood boards made up of different pieces of wood.

Deep clean every few weeks to a month

Every time you use a cutting board, it needs to be washed, but this step only removes food particles and bacteria. You can do this with a kitchen sponge, dish soap, and hot water. It needs to be sanitized whenever you use it to cut raw animal products.

I recommend a grit of at least 220, but for a buttery-smooth finish on your board, hand-sand it with a 400-grit paper. Once you've sanded your board, wipe it free of dust with a damp sponge, let it air-dry, then oil it to get it ready for your next use.

doblé Cutting Board maintains strength that is 4 times that of existing PP cutting boards and it has a low wear rate and the surface itself has excellent restoration force so grooves do not easily form on the surface due to scratches even after cutting.

Because vinegar is acidic, it helps disinfect the board by killing bacteria and mold and preventing their further growth. It can also help deodorize your board. Spray the board with a solution of 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar and wipe it down with a washcloth or sponge.

If your cutting board has some lingering odors, spray in down with white vinegar. Keep a spray bottle filled with white vinegar and use it regularly on your wood board. The vinegar will neutralize odors while working as a natural disinfectant. Alternatively, you can also use a lemon to eliminate odors.

Use different cutting boards for different foods

Because bacteria can grow even after a board has been thoroughly washed, it's further recommended that cutting boards be replaced when they become worn through by knife scratches and cracks.

Even softer than wooden cutting boards, rubber cutting boards are most commonly used in restaurants. For all chopping tasks, including raw meat, these boards are Cupps's top pick. “They're durable, sturdy,” and easy on your knife, she says.

If you don't make food every day and want something easier to handle, you can go for plastic boards. If you want to make an investment in a board that lasts longer, wooden boards are best for you. However, what's more, important is to segregate your boards for cutting up raw meats and veggies, fruits or prepared food.

What are the healthiest type of cutting board to use? ›

Hardwoods (like this maple cutting board from Boos) are better at resisting bacteria. “Hardwoods like maple are fine-grained, and the capillary action of those grains pulls down fluid, trapping the bacteria—which are killed off as the board dries after cleaning,” says Ben Chapman, a food safety researcher at NC State.

End grain is by far the strongest and used for true chopping / butcher blocks but have a higher price tag due to the process it takes to make one. In the end, it is up to the customer. An end grain board generally prohibits the blade from sinking into the wood, producing a dulling effect.

The bottom line is that wood is the best material for cutting boards. Wood boards are durable, eco-friendly, and easy on knives. However, bamboo is also an excellent alternative if you want a durable and eco-friendly option. You can also invest in both boards if you want the best of both worlds.

Wood has antibacterial properties, and if bacteria is trapped in the grains, it cannot survive and replicate. Wooden cutting boards also don't dull your knife edge as much as a material like hard stone or glass. What types of wood are best for cutting boards? Look for maple, walnut, cherry, beech, or teak wood.

A more modern approach to cutting boards, stainless steel cutting boards are less common but are one of the most hygienic in this list! They are usually used in the kitchen for chopping meat. With its non-porous surface, they won't absorb unwanted juices or residue, so they'll be free from stains and odour!

You can argue that stone and glass make the most hygienic cutting board materials. For one, they're non-porous, so no concerns about bacteria absorption or warping. Plus, they're effortless to clean and maintain – neither glass nor stone needs oil.

Wooden cutting boards may take a little bit more maintenance and care than the tempered glass variety, but they're way more gentle on your knives. After all, every slice of a knife ends at the cutting board, so it follows that the more forgiving the surface, the less wear and tear on the edge of your knife blade.

Food safety experts used to warn against using wood cutting boards, saying they were more likely to harbor bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, like E. coli or salmonella, than plastic cutting boards.

When properly taken care of, the premium wooden cutting board can last between five and ten years. One of the main reasons why boards are replaced is because they become worn, warped, or miscolored. You can circumvent most of these with regular maintenance.

Thicker cutting boards offer more durability and are less likely to warp, while thinner cutting boards may be easier to clean but are less durable. Plastic cutting boards are often 1/4 inch thick, while wood cutting boards are generally 1 1/4 to 2 inches thick.

What is the strongest wood for a cutting board? ›

Both soft and hard maple make for excellent cutting surfaces. But hard maple (1,450 lbf on the Janka hardness scale) is the industry standard among cutting board makers: It's more scratch- and impact-resistant than beech, teak, or walnut but not so hard that it will dull your knives.

Wood or bamboo cutting boards and baking peels can develop mildew.

After cutting raw meat, poultry or seafood on your cutting board, clean thoroughly with hot soapy water, then disinfect with chlorine bleach or other sanitizing solution and rinse with clean water.