Finding the best cutting board means understanding how the different board materials affect your knife and ingredients. Why is a wood board better than a glass board, for example? But the best type of cutting board really depends on the job that you want it to do.
Hygienic chopping boards are very important because they constantly come into contact with raw food. This is why they should be easy to clean to avoid fungus and bacteria from growing on them.
Different Types of Cutting Boards & Ones You Should Avoid
There are a few different types that are each made from different materials. But which is the best cutting board material? A wooden board, for example, needs special attention. A wooden cutting board needs to be oiled from time to time to keep it in good shape.
We have recently covered the tips and tricks of using cutting boards, now let’s take a look at the different types of boards to understand why it is better to avoid certain types and which materials to use instead. Here we will try and help you to find what is the best cutting board for your needs.
Glass Type: Are These Good?
The glass type is not the best choice. However, this has more to do with how tempered glass affects your knife than with hygienic and maintenance reasons.
It is the easiest to clean because tempered glass is non-porous. And this means that they do not absorb any juices from raw food.
For hygiene, these are the best but, that is the only advantage of using them. The tempered glass makes knives dull and chip so it is not a safe option, as a dull knife is a dangerous knife. These are therefore not the best cutting boards that you can choose from.
Plastic Type: Are Plastic Boards Safe?
Plastic is perfectly safe to use in the kitchen. It is soft enough not to damage your knives and is more hygienic than a wood design.
Plastic is usually made of high-density polyethylene plastic or HDPE which is a high quality sturdy thick plastic. This material is dishwasher safe making it easier to keep the board clean.
Plastic are the best cutting boards for meat as you can put them in the dishwasher. Plastic must be cleaned thoroughly, preferably with baking soda and hot water, to prevent bacteria buildup.
Make sure to only use a high-quality plastic that is certified safe for preparing food. You do not want to ingest any chemicals or plastic shavings.
What Is the Best Wood?
Wood is very popular because of its functionality and stylish look. The type of wood used makes a lot of difference, though. The best wooden cutting board is maple, teak, and beech. These are all woods with a high hardness rating which makes them safe for your knife.
The best wood cutting board is probably an end-grain wood type that is also better for knives than edge-grain, which is why it is a popular design for butcher blocks. An end-grain design is also better as it is resistant to indentations.
Hardwoods are also less porous so they are the safer option for hygienic reasons. However, they are still porous and a wood design does require cleaning and maintenance to keep it food-grade safe.
Wooden cutting boards must be washed carefully, quickly dried and oiled to keep the wood healthy. Oiling also creates a protective layer against food juices.
Because of its porous nature, it is better to reserve wood types for prepping vegetables and fruit. Plastic is still the safest for dealing with meat. But remember they are not dishwasher safe.
Bamboo Type: Is Bamboo Good?
Bamboo is a good alternative to wood. They are more affordable, more environmentally friendly and not bad for your knives.
However, bamboo styles are not as strong as the wooden type. They can be prone to cuts and indentations from your knife so they do have a shorter life span. The treatment of bamboo is similar to wood and is also not dishwasher safe, so you will need to wash it thoroughly, dry it quickly and oil it with mineral oil.
Do not skip the oiling. Bamboo is more fragile than hardwoods so they oil not only creates a barrier for bacteria but it also prevents the bamboo from splintering. Just like wood, bamboo is not the best for preparing meat. Keep for use with vegetables, fruit, and bread.
It is best to have two types of boards in your kitchen and to keep their uses separate. This is more hygienic and prevents cross-contamination between them. Reserve plastic for meat and bamboo and wood for any other food preparations. There is no real standard cutting board size but we would definitely not recommend a decorative type as the can be random shapes, i.e lemon-shaped, and are both not safe or practical for use.
