Cutting boards are amongst the most important tools in our kitchen, even if we don’t consider them as such as first; Think about it, they not only help us to chop food before preparation but we also use them as protective bases to place hot things on to keep our counters looking their best. It's not difficult to choose the best wood cutting board.
There are plenty of materials used for cutting boards, with plastic, glass and wood being the most popular materials and each one of them having their advantages and disadvantages.
However, out of all the kinds of boards out there, wooden boards will give you the most variations, and you can take advantage of this in your kitchen.
How to choose the best wood cutting board?
Keep reading!
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What Are the Best Woods for Cutting Boards?
The material used to construct wood boards have a noticeable impact on their appearance, how easy it is to clean them, how long will they last and how well they work to preserve your knives’ integrity.
The best woods used for cutting boards are hard woods that produce edible nuts because these woods don’t contain any sort of toxins that can leach into your food.
The three most common kinds of wood are Maple, Cherry, and Teak, although Bamboo is being used more and more frequently nowadays.
Why are these materials so popular?
Let’s find out the best wood for cutting board!
Maple
This is the most popular wood when it comes to cutting boards, and it’s easy to see why.
This wood is not only abundant, but it’s also incredibly sanitary, to the point where some brands that use this particular material are actually certified by the NSF.
Using maple is a wonderful way of inhibiting bacterial formation in your food thanks to its capillary action, which absorbs all sorts of bacteria from your food; you’ll think the bacteria would simply live on the cutting board, but you’d be wrong. Studies suggest that bacteria are trapped in the wood cells and are quickly suffocated.
Another great attribute of maple is just how renewable this material is. Maple growth has caught up with the demand which not only makes Maple more affordable but also more sustainable, as it grows quickly and in large numbers, ensuring ample supply for an ever present demand.
Teak
Teak has long been known for its beauty, to the point where it’s frequently used in luxury items such as furniture and boats. The reason why it’s such a popular wood for boat construction is because it’s naturally resistant to water.
This attribute is wonderful for the kitchen because not only does it make teak cutting boards easy to clean but also resistant to staining and bacteria, making teak one of the best materials for long lived cutting boards.
Cherry
Cherry is one of the softer woods used to create wooden cutting boards which means it’s one of the best boards you can get if you’re concerned about extending the useful life of your knives.
The downside of such a soft wood is that it’s more likely to absorb humidity and while this has no impact on bacteria growth, as Cherry has the ability to keep that at bay, this kind of wooden boards doesn’t last as long as others, making them an option better suited for when you have more than one cutting board at your disposal.
When using this kind of wood, keep an eye out for warping, which happens when the wood absorbs too much moisture.
Bamboo
Though not wood properly, as bamboo is actually a kind of grass, this is a material that’s gaining traction in the wooden cutting board world.
The biggest selling point of bamboo is just how sustainable this material is, as it’s one of the fastest growing plants on the face of the earth as well as one of the easiest to grow and care for.
Another selling point of bamboo, besides the absolutely gorgeous and simple looks, is the fact that the wood is very low maintenance. Bamboo is a very dense material which means it doesn’t absorb water easily. This, in turn, leads to a longer life, as bamboo cutting boards tend to resist warping and cracking much better than most hardwoods.
The final selling point is how antibacterial this material is. Because of its density, knives tend not to leave any marks on these boards which mean moisture and food particles, the leading causes of bacteria, accumulates at a much slower rate if at all.
That said, this wood isn’t particularly gentle on your knives so you’ll want to keep them sharpened constantly.
Now that you know about the most popular materials and what to expect from them, let’s take a quick look at the best wood cutting boards in the market so you can make the right choice when getting yours.
Reviews of Top 4 Best Wood Cutting Board
Product Name | Quality | Price | Our Rating |
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This is a lightweight and solid bamboo cutting board perfect for those looking for a wooden cutting board that both looks and works great in any kitchen.
True to its nature, this bamboo cutting board is quite easy to hand wash and solid enough to resist even the sharpest knife, making it a good choice for those looking for an antibacterial cutting board.
It can be used on either side as both sides have juice grooves designed to catch all kinds of liquids. It is extra large at 15" x 11".
The best thing about this product is pretty obvious. it comes with 5 solid bamboo utensils that you can use for all your kitchen needs, making it an awesome housewarming gift for your friends and family or even for yourself.
Pros
- Made out or organic, renewable bamboo.
- Easy to hand wash
- Comes with utensils
- Durable and Resistant
Cons
- The protective coat smells somewhat chemical and needs a good scrubbing before using it.
- Because this is a wooden board, there’s a risk of finding splinters.
- Not dishwasher safe
- Consider this cutting board if you’re looking for wooden utensils for your kitchen or if you’re looking for a lightweight yet resistant wooden cutting board.
via Amazon
This is a very solid, very thick acacia wood cutting board that’s as resistant as it’s beautiful. It is made with an End Grain construction which has the added benefit of ‘gripping’ your food better than Edge Grain boards, which means there’s less slipping when you’re cutting.
While expensive, this acacia board needs some work so if you’re looking for something you can use straight out of the box you’re better off looking somewhere else. This wooden board needs to be conditioned/seasoned before using it and, in some cases, even sanded.
It comes with rubber feet that, unfortunately, come off rather easily but it works quite well regardless.
Because acacia isn’t as water resistant as other woods it is particularly sensitive to humidity and moisture, so you need to keep it away from water when you’re not washing it. Otherwise, it might warp, and you’ll have a hard time making it flat again.
Regardless, this is a truly gorgeous cutting board that’s bound to start at least a couple of conversations while also working wonders in your kitchen.
Pros
- Great looks
- Easy to hand wash
- Large and Solid
- End Grain Wood
Cons
- Warps quickly if let wet or soaking
- Requires regular seasoning
- Feet comes off very easily
- Very heavy, which can be a pro or a con, depending on what you’re looking.
- Consider this acacia cutting board if you’re looking for a thick end grain cutting board and if you don’t mind having to season it a couple of times.
via Amazon
If you’re looking for a large and solid maple wooden cutting board that you can use in just about any kitchen, then this is it.
This two faced reversible wooden board was made out of sustainable maple so you’ll be getting a great product and the peace of mind that you’re not harming the environment.
Despite the price, which sits in the high category, this cutting board isn’t treated so you’ll need to season it before using it and maybe even sand it, depending on the board you get.
While not the prettiest cutting board this is a very reliable utensil and, out of all the woods, one of the least likely to warp.
Keep in mind that this particular board is an edge grain wooden board which means it’s gentler with your knives as well as water resistant.
Pros
- Can be used on both sides
- Large, gives you plenty of room to work with
- FDA approved
Cons
- Heavy
- Expensive
- Very plain
- This may be the best wood cutting board if you can afford the price.
via Amazon
If you’re looking for a huge, and we mean huge, wooden board that will help you chop and cut anything you want while also protecting your counters this is it.
This stunning edge grain wooden cutting board is made out of teak, and this combination makes a tremendous difference when it comes to water resistant. While it still needs to be taken care of and shouldn’t be submerged (nor you’ll be able to, considering the size) this board is one of the least likely to warp with time, as it has been built to last.
The teak used to build this chopping board comes from sustainable plantations, making it a good investment if you’re concerned about your ecological footprint.
It’s two sided, which means it can be used on both sides and while it lacks steadying legs, this board is large enough that it will hold still no matter what you do.
We’re not kidding about the size. This chopping board is so huge it might as well be another countertop so keep that in mind because cleaning it can be a challenge.
Pros
- Can be used on both sides
- Plenty of space for cutting
- Long lasting
- Gorgeous
Cons
- Huge, like really really big.
- Difficult to clean
- Heavy
- Edge grain rather than End grain.
- Consider this wooden board if you’re looking for a heavy and solid cutting board that will give you plenty of space to work with.
Conclusion
Now you know what the best wood for cutting board and why. Likewise, you now have at your disposal a list of the best wood cutting boards in the market which can help you make an educated choice if you’re looking to buy a new one.
What did you think about this article? Did you like it? Is it missing something? Have you used any of these cutting boards before? Do you choose your the best wood cutting board?
Let us know in the comments!
Related Video: How To Clean Wood Cutting Board
If you don't know how to clean wood cutting board, follow this tutorial's instruction video to clean your cutting board with coarse sea salt and lemons.