Which cutting board is best for the kitchen? Which cutting board to choose for the kitchen High-quality cutting boards
Any kitchen. Housewives use it every day for slicing, chopping and preparing various dishes. And if you are planning to buy a new one, you should know which cutting board is better, what factors should be taken into account when choosing a cutting board.
The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing is what the cutting board is made of. A lot of materials are used to make kitchen boards. various materials: wood, plastic, glass and even stone.
Wooden boards
Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers also used wooden cutting boards. And nowadays, wooden boards are preferred not only by ordinary housewives, but also by professional chefs.
Quality wooden board directly depends on the type of wood from which it is made. Hevea boards are considered the best. They are durable, can withstand heavy loads, and do not swell from moisture.
Another good thing about wooden boards is that small scratches and cuts can be repaired. Wood has bactericidal properties, which is important for kitchen hygiene. When using a wooden board kitchen knives don't be stupid.
But often in stores you can find boards made of soft wood, which crumble easily and absorb water and odors. These boards are best used for slicing bread.
Bamboo boards
Bamboo boards cannot be classified as wooden, because bamboo is herbaceous plant. But, despite this, they are superior in quality to some wooden ones, they are durable, and absorb little moisture and odors.
But in the production of bamboo boards, glue is used, which may contain formaldehyde. Therefore, when purchasing a bamboo board, it is important to make sure that safe glue is used.
Plastic (plastic) boards 
Plastic boards are good because they are produced various sizes, colors and shapes. If you buy quality board, you can expect it to be beautiful, durable, water-resistant and hygienic. But more often in stores you find boards made of low-quality plastic, which, at best, quickly lose presentation and become unusable, and at worst, can cause harm to health due to the harmful impurities that make up the plastic.
Glass boards 
Recently, glass cutting boards. This board has many advantages - durability, hygiene, resistance to moisture and high temperatures. Plus they are amazingly beautiful. But in the kitchen of many housewives they have taken root only as decoration or a hot stand. The fact is that many people cannot stand the sound a knife makes when cutting on such a board. And one more significant drawback– knives become dull very quickly.
Silicone cutting boards 
These products are conventionally called boards; rather, they are cutting mats. They are practical, hygienic, have different design. When stored, they take up virtually no space, as you can even roll them into a tube. But it is somewhat inconvenient to use such mats if you need to bring chopped products to the pan on the board itself. A small thing, but still...
Stone boards 
They are made from marble or granite. Such boards are certainly beautiful and hygienic. But they are very heavy, they are afraid high temperatures and acids require additional care. Due to the hardness of the material, knives quickly become dull.
Nowadays, with increased competition, manufacturers have begun to improve even such simple things as cutting boards. 
There is a board combined with scales. I cut the product and immediately weighed it. 
The sieve board allows you to wash food directly on the cutting board. 
The boards can be equipped with an additional drawer or containers for husks or peelings. 
Cutting boards can be folded for easy storage or for carrying food. 
Boards installed on the sink are very practical. 
There are special bread boards in which the crumbs are collected in a special compartment.
- Any thing, if properly cared for, will last a long time. There are several rules for cutting boards.
- Wooden boards should only be washed by hand and should not be left in water for a long time. After washing, wipe and let dry. Drying out is also harmful for them, because... cracks may appear.
- Plastic boards can be washed in the dishwasher.
- Do not place hot objects on stone boards and do not use acidic products for cleaning.
- If you need to get rid of ingrained odor, then the boards (except stone) can be wiped lemon juice or acetic acid, and then rinse with water and detergent.
Now feel free to go to the store for something new for yours. Do you know which cutting board is better, all the disadvantages and advantages of each kitchen board.
And be sure to watch the video. It tells you how to properly care for your end cutting board. Educational.
Good day, glad to see you on the blog pages))
Since I am a big fan of various household little things that my family often make fun of, then accordingly, I have an inexhaustible interest in these little things, and of course I have quite a few of them at home))
But even among these little things there are irreplaceable “representatives” without whom, even if it is possible to do, it will be very inconvenient to do so. Today we’re talking about just such items – cutting boards for the kitchen.
If you ask the question “how many cutting boards should there be in the kitchen,” then, in principle, you can get by with only two boards:
– for products that need to be cooked before eating;
– and one more for foods that can be eaten raw.
But this is the bare minimum, nothing less. Because chicken meat, for example, is not only not recommended to be cut on the same board with other products, it even needs to be stored far from the rest and even tightly packed.
And if you want to get more than minimum set from two boards - it will be the right decision because it is advisable to have a separate board for cutting fish, fish usually has a strong specific smell that is difficult to wash and ventilate; a small board for bread, and for vegetables and herbs, on the contrary, a larger one, otherwise it will be inconvenient to cut them.
In my opinion, it is optimal to have 4-5 boards of different “styles” and made from different materials because there is no material that will definitely be the best, each has its own pros and cons.
You can only decide which cutting board is best for the kitchen by trying to work with them, and I will share with you my opinion based on repeated testing and replacing boards, maybe you will find something useful for yourself.
Two main competitors for first place in the ranking "best cutting board" They share boards made of wood and plastic.
Wood cutting boards
They have undeniable advantages: comfortable, pleasant to the touch and to use.
They have bactericidal properties and look quite decent for a long time, since they are capable of self-repairing - scratches on them are smoothed out as if “healing”.
Wooden boards are durable in use.
Wooden boards do not dull knives, food does not slip on them, plus such boards are not very expensive. But all this is provided that high-quality material from hard trees was used for production - oak, beech, ash, yew, cherry, acacia, and the hardest are considered to be boards made of coconut, ebony and guaiac wood.
If the board quickly takes on an unimportant appearance, the wood begins to crumble, then immediately transfer it to the category of boards for slicing bread and laying out hot baked goods (it will smell nice on a wooden board)).
Disadvantages of wooden boards:
Such boards strongly absorb odors.
They are more difficult to keep properly clean.
If the wood is of poor quality or the board is made of soft wood (aspen, birch, spruce, pine, poplar, alder, willow), slivers will soon begin to break off when cutting, which can get into the food.
Wooden boards do not like water too much, so soak them and wash them in dishwashers not recommended.
A wooden board should not be used when cutting raw products, since after using and washing the board it is very advisable to additionally spray it hot water, and not every wooden board can withstand such “washing”.
Now I don’t have a wooden board in my collection, I’ve been using one for quite a long time, the wood wasn’t the best, but I won’t refuse to buy a wooden board again, especially from hardwood.
Bamboo boards
These are not exactly wooden boards, or rather not made of wood at all)) but they are very similar to them. Bamboo is a grassy material and the technology for making kitchen aids from it is more complicated than that of wooden ones. They are made from bamboo stems cut into thin strips, glued together and pressed.
Its advantages: the board is beautiful, reliable in use, easy to clean, practically does not absorb odors and moisture.
The main thing when buying a bamboo board is to choose a reputable manufacturer so that formaldehyde glue is not used in its manufacture. This is perhaps the most important drawback.
I don’t use wooden and bamboo boards for slicing raw meat and fish; I cut ready-made foods, fruits and vegetables on it.
I have been using a bamboo board for a long time and with pleasure, my mother gave it to me about...eleven years ago, but its appearance has not been greatly affected by the duration of use, perhaps because there is far more than one board in the kitchen.
Plastic cutting boards
They are very affordable: inexpensive, easy to care for, resistant to temperatures, and practically do not absorb odors.
They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, in lately they are made with convenient additions. The last one I bought (on at the moment the most favorite), has a recess into which it is convenient to move already cut products.
Cons: the plastic may be of poor quality and then the board will quickly become original appearance, and plastic fibers will again be “cut off” along with the cut product and can get into the food.
If you had to decide which cutting boards are better, wooden or plastic, then I would divide the prize into two, they are equally good, but each in its own way, so both deserve to live in your kitchen.
But if you don’t have a single board and only need to buy one, buy a plastic one first, it’s more versatile.
Flexible cutting boards, review
Such boards include silicone mats and boards made of thin plastic. Silicone is a wonderful material that is easy to clean, convenient to use, can easily withstand any temperature, and is convenient to store - you can simply roll it into a tube.
I don’t have such a board in my kitchen yet, but I plan to buy it, of course)) The supposed disadvantage is that it’s not very convenient to move it from place to place with already chopped products, they will roll towards the center. I’ll tell you how much of a disadvantage this really is after purchasing and using it.
In the meantime, about similar boards, they are made of plastic, not quite similar to silicone, but still very close in characteristics - about flexible plastic boards.
I ordered a set of four cutting boards on AliExpress designed for cutting meat, chicken, fish and vegetables. I gave two of them as a gift, I use the rest with pleasure.
For me, their main advantage is great work surface At the same time, they are lightweight and take up little space.
Very easy to clean.
Transfer products to this plan flexible boards not difficult because they are not as soft as silicone.
Best suited for cutting bulky products.
They are resistant to use, retain a decent appearance for a long time, the main thing is to cut on the side that is intended for this, since paint is applied to the reverse side, which is erased from the knife. In order for us not to get confused, the manufacturer signed the correct side))
Cons: I don't know. Well, unless they last as long as wooden or marble ones.
My impressions: a good, inexpensive board, I would buy it again.
Glass cutting boards, my review
The main advantage of glass boards is that they are a joy for the visual, beauty of course. If I make a repeat purchase, it will be for this reason only))
Since, in my opinion, these boards have only two advantages: the already mentioned beauty and high hygiene - they are easy to maintain in a state of absolute cleanliness. Well, also moisture resistance, perhaps.
And the rest, alas, are cons:
The main one is the unpleasant sound of metal on glass. I’m cutting and trying to practically not touch the board, what kind of cutting is this...((
Again, I try to control the pressure because there is glass under the knife and I’m subconsciously scared - suddenly I hit it hard and the board breaks.
Dulls the knives. I haven’t tested it, since I rarely use such a board, but since it’s written everywhere, I believe it)
Well, again, I read that during operation, tiny pieces of glass can break off from these boards.
Another disadvantage was that since the surface is slippery, the knife can slide and food can slide out. I don’t know how it is with other boards, I don’t have this problem, since the board is corrugated.
Therefore, if you are going to buy a glass tablet, pay attention that the surface is not smooth.
These are all the boards that currently “live” in my home, but in addition to the listed options, there are boards made from other materials: marble, steel, stone...
Boards with the addition of various “tricks”: folding, combined with scales, sieve boards in which you can immediately wash food... there are a lot of options.
And just interesting boards that lift your spirits.
I will definitely tell you about those that you will like or, on the contrary, will not impress.
Convenient and useful household little things for you :)
Every day, when preparing food, we cut food and do it with the help of special device. Today manufacturers offer us different types cutting boards - they differ in size, shape and materials from which they are made. Let's figure out which is better to choose and why one cutting board in the kitchen - this is wrong.
Types of cutting boards
Many people use wooden boards out of habit, without thinking about their advantages. Some people find plastic ones more convenient, while others prefer bamboo. The kitchen board can be glass, silicone and even stone.
In our review, we decided to look at the pros and cons of the materials used to make cutting boards for the kitchen.
Wooden board - a tribute to traditions
Not so long ago, wooden boards had no competitors, but even today, despite many options, they remain the most popular.
Even professional chefs willingly use them, but prefer those made from the most quality materials- Hevea and oak. Such cutting boards are more stable, withstand various mechanical impacts, they are not in danger of delamination, they almost do not accumulate moisture and practically do not absorb odors.
The cutting board can be made from beech, oak, acacia, birch and pine. It is useful to know that birch and pine are the most short-lived, as they are soft wood species. Scratches on the surface cannot be avoided, and these items are resistant to moisture. kitchen utensils may swell and crack.
It turns out that it is better if the board for the kitchen is glued from several layers, and not from a single piece of wood - such a thing is much heavier and is not very convenient to use.
The cutting board should not be too wide, otherwise moisture may warp it.
In terms of hygiene, wood is inferior to other materials; it is by nature a good absorbent, and therefore absorbs moisture and odors very actively.
This cutting board requires washing with hot water after use, then it should be wiped dry and stored hanging.
Bamboo is a great choice
Today, kitchen cutting boards made of bamboo are quite in demand. This is not a tree, as some people think, but a herbaceous plant, a grass. And at the same time, it has excellent qualities - a bamboo cutting board is durable, does not delaminate, and practically does not absorb odor or moisture.
In addition, this material is environmentally friendly, scratches from the blade are almost invisible on it, it is suitable for any type of knives and is easy to clean.
But - it is important to purchase products good quality, verified brands, because you can end up with a cheap fake, in the manufacture of which glue containing formaldehyde was used. And this is far from safe.
Plastic cutting boards
What are the benefits of a plastic cutting board? First of all, it is light, washes well and, unlike its wooden counterparts, does not contribute to the growth of microbes. That is, from a hygiene point of view, such material is preferable.
Plastic does not absorb odor and is quite durable. But only high-quality ones that are safe to use. Budget option does not guarantee this; small particles of such material may end up in food when cutting food, which is not at all desirable.
A good quality plastic cutting board is suitable for all types of knives, including ceramic ones.
The appearance of such products is quite attractive and varied. You can choose a board of any color and design.
Glass cutting board
Such a board is considered hygienic, easy to clean, and is not affected by odors or moisture. But, perhaps, these qualities do not cover the disadvantages of such a material - few people are not annoyed by the grinding noise during cutting, a glass kitchen board is heavy but fragile, and knives quickly become dull when cutting on such a surface.
Best use glass product - decorative. Such a board will cope perfectly with the task of interior decoration - you can choose nice option to suit your kitchen design.
Kitchen boards are also made from stone, ceramics, and metal. They are also best used for decorative purposes and for table setting - serving different dishes.
Silicone kitchen boards
Fans of new products may be interested in silicone kitchen boards. This is, rather, not quite a cutting board, but something like a rug that can be rolled into a tube and stored in such a compact form.
What is the advantage of such a piece of kitchen utensils - a silicone board is lightweight, easy to clean, food does not slip on it, and knives do not become dull. In general, a practical thing.
How many cutting boards should you have?
They have been in operation since Soviet times sanitary standards, according to which there should be 12 cutting boards and each one should have its own marking. For example: “X” - bread, “G” - gastronomy, “SR” - raw fish. But these requirements apply to catering establishments; they are unlikely to apply to home cooking.
Are you willing to have as many as 12 kitchen boards in your home, often in a rather cramped space? It’s unlikely, there’s nowhere to store them, and you can get by with much less. Of course, if you follow basic hygiene standards.
There should be a separate cutting board for raw meat and poultry, another one for raw fish. It is advisable to have a board on which you will cut vegetables and fruits; slice bread is also done on a special board. Cheese, sausages and cooked foods have their own board.
It turns out that 5 pieces are needed on the farm, well, at least 4. True, some experts claim that with modern detergents You can get by with less.
Decide for yourself what is more convenient for you. Still, from a sanitation point of view, the option seems more preferable when raw and cooked foods are not cut on the same surface, even if it is thoroughly washed.
Cutting board shape and design
The cutting board can be round, oval, or have a more original shape, for example, a fish or a pear. But still, the most convenient one is a rectangular kitchen attribute. It is often equipped with a comfortable handle.
More large size suitable for cutting meat and fish; It is quite convenient to cut bread, cheese, sausage, lemon for tea drinking on smaller boards.
A DIY cutting board is a great gift if it is decorated with patterns, carvings, and burning. True, it is better not to use it in everyday life, especially painted ones, in order to avoid paint getting in. Let such a thing serve as a decoration for your kitchen.
Today, thanks to the efforts of inventive manufacturers, a cutting board can become a real kitchen gadget. For example, if it is combined with scales. And what is very convenient - they cut the product and immediately weighed it.
There is a version of the board that has a removable lattice surface - bread crumbs fall into a special compartment. But thanks to the sieve board, it is very convenient to wash food.
Flexible and foldable cutting accessories are also very practical; they help to pour the cut into a pan or other container so that not a single piece misses the target.
How to choose a cutting board - watch this video:
Take it for yourself and tell your friends!
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Wooden cutting board is an ideal choice for the kitchen
A kitchen board is an indispensable attribute of any kitchen, without which no self-respecting cook can do. Modern manufacturers offer wide choice cutting boards made of various materials and having different configurations. The boards can even be built-in and move along the edge of the sink. Every effort is made to ensure that the cooking process evokes only positive emotions. Despite the huge number of different materials, wooden cutting boards remain the most popular, safe and convenient.
Why is wood the best material?
Wood has always been considered the best natural material for the production of kitchen utensils. What is the reason for such popularity? First of all, wood products are distinguished by a special living warmth that gives positive energy and has a beneficial effect on human health.
Products from natural materials environmentally friendly and do not emit harmful substances, which is very important for preparing quality food. Some tree varieties have an antibacterial effect. Bacteria and fungi do not grow on cutting boards made from such wood.
Wooden cutting boards serve as an excellent decoration for the kitchen interior and create a cozy atmosphere. Decorative look such products are given a painting or new look decorations - decoupage. You can buy beautiful decorative wooden boards for gifts.
What wood is used to make kitchen boards?
There are more than a thousand tree species growing on the planet. People use the wood of many of them for personal purposes. Each tree has its own properties and is used for specific purposes. What species are used to produce cutting boards?
Pine
- inexpensive, but enough soft material, which has a healing effect. Phytoncides released by pine wood kill microbes and have a beneficial effect on human organs. Selection useful substances does not stop even after processing the pine. The disadvantage of this lumber is its fragility.Larch
- a valuable and durable material, resistant to dampness and the proliferation of various putrefactive fungi. Beautiful color and good structure makes larch one of the best materials for making wooden cutting boards.Beech
- hard wood, different pink and an unusual design. However, beech also has a drawback - it absorbs moisture well. That is why beech products are varnished. Cutting boards made from this lumber are used only for cutting dry products.Oak
- the most durable and durable material. Oak kitchen boards are not afraid of dampness and will serve for a long time. During operation, the wood does not emit harmful substances, does not lose its attractive appearance and does not crack or dry out.Nut
- moderately hard material, which is easy to process and has a smooth and coarse texture. Kitchen boards made of walnut are not afraid of moisture and are highly wear-resistant.Ash
- a material that is not inferior in strength to oak, but has its own characteristics: expressive texture, moisture resistance, resistance to deformation.Cherry
- beautiful material, possessing high density, which in its own way decorative qualities surpasses all lumber used for the production of kitchen boards.
Regardless of the type of wood, all absorb odors perfectly, so it is recommended to have several boards: for meat, fish, bread and vegetables. It is recommended to purchase a set of cutting boards and use each element strictly for its intended purpose.
A few secrets for choosing a wooden cutting board
There are several secrets that will help you do right choice. First of all, when purchasing such a kitchen attribute, you need to carefully look at its appearance. This will allow us to draw some conclusions. So, cutting boards from natural massif trees have a solid wood grain.
Kitchen boards made from narrow strips - plots - have become widely popular. Such products will last much longer in the kitchen than solid wood boards if properly cared for. They should not be left in a humid environment for a long time, which can lead to delamination and wood particles getting into food.
Professional chefs in most cases use so-called end cutting boards, in which the fibers are not parallel to the cutting surface, but perpendicular to it. This surface is more durable and strong. Knives using an end board require sharpening less often, which is very important for chefs who prepare dishes all day long.
Olive oil is the best material for impregnating kitchen boards
To increase their service life, you should impregnate cutting boards with vegetable oils. Olive oil - best option for impregnation, the use of which will achieve the following goals:
- the appearance of the kitchen board does not deteriorate;
- no harm to health;
- the service life of the product increases.
At proper care Wooden cutting boards will serve their owners for many years and will make the cooking process enjoyable.
A properly selected cutting board makes working in the kitchen much easier. Today, the range of these products is wide and varied, including in terms of material. Among the boards, the predominant ones are made of wood and plastic. But besides them, there are also bamboo, steel, marble, glass fixtures. What are their properties, which cutting boards are the most durable and suitable for the kitchen?
Answers:
Modern range of boards
Wooden boards
Wood has antibacterial properties - this is its main advantage. In addition, scratches that appear during the cutting process are to some extent capable of “healing” themselves. The disadvantage of wooden boards is the absorption of odors, difficulty in keeping clean and low resistance to high temperatures.
It is recommended to choose boards from good quality hardwood: oak, ash, pear, acacia, cherry. The wood of beech, hornbeam, and yew is even harder. There are no equals to black and guaiac trees and coconut. You should not choose products from soft tree species, for example, aspen, spruce, cedar, willow, poplar, alder, birch, pine. Medium hard wood (walnut, black pine, elm, linden) is better than them, but not as good as hard wood.
Plastic boards
The second most popular are plastic boards (usually made of polyethylene). Their advantages are ease of maintenance, resistance to temperature changes and absorption of odors. The disadvantages of plastic boards include the lack of antibacterial properties and the ability to self-heal cracks and scratches.
You should buy several plastic cutting boards at once and use them for various groups products, i.e., some for meat, others for vegetables and fruits, etc.
Glass boards
A glass cutting board is inexpensive and easy to keep clean. However, when cutting vegetables and hard foods, tiny particles of glass can form as a result of intense contact of the knife tip with the surface. In addition, a sharp blade sliding along a glass board is not the most convenient and safe option. Such products do not have antibacterial properties and are not capable of regeneration.
Marble boards
Marble boards have the same disadvantages and advantages as glass boards. They are not intended for cutting hard products and are not able to self-repair. But a marble cutting board is very good for serving dishes (for example, table setting). When purchasing such an item, you should immediately buy ceramic knife- this will help somewhat compensate for the shortcomings of the material.
Stainless steel board
It is very easy to keep clean and does not create any problems during operation. However, it quickly gets scratched. The device does not have antibacterial properties and the ability to self-heal.
Bamboo board
Bamboo cutting boards give the appearance of being made of wood. But this is absolutely not true: they are made from grass compressed under great pressure. Bamboo is as hard as hardwoods. The transverse arrangement of the fibers means that liquids resulting from cutting are not absorbed into the material. These products are inexpensive, which compensates for their relatively rapid destruction. Bamboo dries faster than wood and has all its advantages, but none of its disadvantages.
Which cutting boards are best?
Summarizing the above, we can conclude that boards made from hardwood and bamboo are best suited for the kitchen. They can be used for slicing different types products. They do a good job as a hot pad. kitchen utensils and protect furniture from damage.
Traditional wooden planks are now being produced various forms and types. They have holes, handles, and grooves in them to make cooking easier. Some products have additional legs.
In order for a wooden or bamboo item to serve as long as possible, you need to provide it with a kind of “maintenance”.
How to care for wood and bamboo boards
Before first use, it is advisable to rub vegetable oil into the board. This must be done at least twice, waiting until the substance is well absorbed after the first treatment (after about 12-24 hours). This board can be used on the second day. This preserves it for longer use.
You can soak the board with vegetable oil once every one to two months. Good choice — coconut oil, which has antibacterial properties. But it should be mixed with a more liquid one.
The disadvantage of a wooden board is that if left in water or generously soaked, it loses its antibacterial properties. In addition, boards made of wood or bamboo should not be soaked, as they quickly absorb water and can easily burst when dry. Therefore, it is necessary to clean them immediately after use, place them vertically after washing so that the water drains, and then preferably wipe them dry.
After each use, rinse the board well with lemon, vinegar or soda - this will keep it in good condition. greater purity. It is better not to use detergents for washing, for example, for dishes.
When cutting fruits and vegetables that produce a lot of juice, the excess should be wiped off with a paper towel so that a minimum of it is absorbed into the board.
These kitchen appliances should be kept away from heat sources (stoves, radiators).
Wooden boards quickly absorb odors, but this effect can be avoided by periodically sprinkling the surface with baking soda.
To get rid of odors and stains, you can sprinkle the washed board with coarse salt and leave it overnight. Salt perfectly disinfects, eliminates “odors” and dirt, slightly lightening the wood and at the same time drying its insides. The next day, the salt must be washed off and the board dried. For “difficult” stains, you can soak it overnight in water and vinegar. After drying in both cases, the product is impregnated again.
And so, to summarize:- Wipe the boards with vegetable oil once a month, and always before the first use and after treatment (with salt, for example).
- After use, wash with lemon, vinegar or soda, without detergents, and wipe dry.
- Do not keep near heat sources, place vertically.
- To get rid of odors, periodically sprinkle the surface with baking soda.
- Coarse salt eliminates both odors and stains. Even more effective is to soak it in water and vinegar.
