The 6 Best Cutting Boards

There’s only one piece of kitchen equipment that’s almost as important as your chef’s knife: A cutting board. It plays an important role in nearly every meal, whether you need a surface to chop ingredients, display garnishes, or serve bread, and that is why it’s crucial to invest in one that can withstand daily use. 

When shopping for a new cutting board, you’ll want to choose one suitable for the kinds of meals you prepare and the amount of effort you want to put into cleanup. To help narrow down the endless options on the market, we’ve rounded up our favorite picks, including two tested by our team. Keep scrolling to learn why we chose the John Boos Block Chop-N-Slice Maple Wood Cutting Board as our winner and the rest of the best cutting boards on our list.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: John Boos Block Chop-N-Slice Maple Wood Cutting Board
• Best Plastic: OXO Good Grips Plastic Carving & Cutting Board
• Best Value: Epicurean All-in-One Cutting Board
• Best for Carving: Teakhaus Professional Carving Board 
• Best Bamboo: Food 52 Five Two Bamboo Double-Sided Cutting Board
• Best Flexible: Dexas Heavy Duty Grippmat Flexible Cutting Board

Best Overall: John Boos Block Chop-N-Slice Maple Wood Cutting Board

Available at Amazon, Target

Not only is the John Boos maple wood cutting board our top pick, but it’s also loved by many celebrity chefs, including Ina Garten and Giada De Laurentiis. It’s a favorite among professional and home cooks because it’s thick, heavy, and durable, which means it’s built to last and withstand daily use. 

Maple boards are a particularly popular choice because they are solid enough to handle any task, gentle on knives, and offer versatility, allowing you to present charcuterie spreads on them. Additionally, this brand’s cutting boards are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation thanks to their ability to stop the growth of bacteria.

• Material: Maple
• Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 1.25 inches
• Weight: 10 pounds
• Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best Plastic: OXO Good Grips Plastic Carving & Cutting Board

Available at Amazon

Where many other plastic boards would melt or warp, this one can stand up to the size and heat of a large cooked protein thanks to its heat resistance. During our tests, we found that this board was suitable for a three-pound chicken, with one tester saying, “even as I broke the chicken down into pieces, I had enough room to continue carving.” 

The board features nonslip feet to keep the board in place while slicing. “It didn’t move an inch while I cut my baguette, which is ideal when you’re using something like a serrated knife,” one tester said. It has juice grooves around the edges to catch liquids from meat and vegetables, and its surface is odor-resistant, so you can rest assured that when you chop onions and garlic, they won’t leave a permanent smell. While it’s technically dishwasher-safe, you might need to handwash it because of its size.

• Material: Plastic
• Dimensions: 14.5 x 21.1 inches
• Weight: 3.42 pounds
• Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Best Value: Epicurean All-in-One Cutting Board

Available at Amazon

If you prefer the ease of a plastic board but want something eco-friendly, a composite board made of recycled paper compost, like this Epicurean cutting board, is a perfect choice. Composite material is often considered preferable to plastic for the longevity of your knives, too. The nonslip feet keep it steady while you cut, and it’s heat resistant to 350 degrees, so it can be used for carving as well. It comes in different sizes and colors, so you can choose one that fits your needs and style.

• Material: Composite
• Dimensions: 14.5 x 11.25 x 0.25 inches
• Weight: 6.8 pounds
• Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Best for Carving: Teakhaus Professional Carving Board

Available at Teakhaus

A carving board worth investing in is this one by Teakhaus that’s large, durable, and versatile. Our tester said, “I believe this carving board will last a lifetime,” adding that “it's very heavy duty — essentially a butcher block — and its grains hide the scratches that are inevitable when regularly standing up to knives.” 

This carving board is large enough for practically any cut of meat and comes pre-oiled with mineral oil and beeswax to get you started on its long-term care. The tester described it as “substantial, sturdy, and smart, with a deep canal for catching juices and handle grooves for easy carrying despite its weight” and appreciated its beauty, being “made of sustainably grown teakwood with a rich edge grain great for hiding scratches and stains.” They were also impressed with the amount of juice the grooves were able to hold and felt that overall, “based on its quality and smart design features, this carving board is well worth the $135 price tag.”

• Material: Teakwood
• Dimensions: 24 x 18 x 1.5 inches
• Weight: 15 pounds
• Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best Bamboo: Food52 Five Two Bamboo Double-Sided Cutting Board

Available at Food52

Not only does this bamboo board have all the great qualities the eco-friendly material offers (think antimicrobial and water-resistant), but it also has incredible features. When a juice groove alone isn’t enough to catch all the liquid from foods such as melons or juicy meats, you’ll love the extra-deep juice well on this board. Upon popular demand, the brand added a deep pocket in the corner, so as the juice collects on the edges, it flows into one easy-to-access spot. If you want to use the drippings for gravy or extra flavor, you can easily transfer them into a cup or a pan. 

On the other side of the board, instead of juice catchers, it has a slot to place your phone while you chop ingredients. This allows you to follow recipes, engage in video calls, or watch TV and cook at the same time. This double-sided board is available in three sizes, ranging from one that’s small enough to cut a lemon in half to one that’s large enough to slice a head of broccoli or cauliflower.

• Material: Bamboo
• Dimensions: 18 x 13 inches
• Weight: 5.5 pounds
• Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best Flexible: Dexas Heavy Duty Grippmat Flexible Cutting Board

Available at Amazon

If you already have a praise-worthy cutting board but need extra mats on hand, this flexible cutting board set is a no-brainer. It’s affordable, efficient, and easy to clean and store. While the mats err on the smaller side, they’re perfect for cutting up numerous ingredients for soups, casseroles, and other vegetable-heavy meals.

Each mat has a nonslip backing that keeps them in place but also means they aren’t reversible. However, with four mats in a pack, that shouldn’t be an issue. They might not be the highest quality cutting boards, but they are very useful when you want to cut up an apple or a wide variety of foods with a fuss-free cleanup.

• Material: Plastic
• Dimensions: 8 x 11 inches
• Weight: 12.7 ounces
• Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Our Favorite

We chose the John Boos Block Chop-N-Slice Maple Wood Cutting Board as our best overall pick because it’s made of sustainably sourced maple that wards against bacterial growth. Versatile and durable, it’s a great board for daily use yet also visually appealing to present a charcuterie spreads on.

Factors to Consider

Material

Cutting boards are most commonly made from wood or plastic, though recycled composite material is also available. Plastic and composite are ideal for people who want less maintenance, as they are easy to pop in the dishwasher and require no long-term care. Wood boards are better in overall quality and can last much longer, but they require maintenance such as oiling and handwashing. Wood cutting boards are the best option for the longevity of your knives.

Size

Because they come in a variety of sizes, you’ll want to know what you’ll most often use your cutting board for and where you’ll want to store it. If your daily needs are cutting a few small fruits and vegetables, a small board will do, whereas if you want to carve a chicken or a turkey, you’ll want to go with a bigger one.

Ease of Cleaning

In general, wood boards require more effort to clean and maintain than plastic boards. Plastic boards are usually dishwasher-safe, which is necessary in order to sanitize them at a high temperature. Wood cutting boards naturally trap bacteria and prevent it from growing, so they can be disinfected without a dishwasher via hot, soapy water and typically would be ruined with placement in one.

Features

The cutting board you choose should be right for your needs and the board itself. For example, a handle is only necessary for heavy boards and most likely could get in the way when using lightweight models. Nonslip feet aren’t needed for most wood boards since they don’t tend to shift around due to their weight, while they’re essential for light plastic materials. Juice grooves are useful if you ever deal with wet ingredients or want to use the board for carving meats.

Q&A

How do you clean a wooden cutting board?

You should clean a wooden cutting board with hot, soapy water — do not put it in the dishwasher. You’ll want to scrub it with something gentle, such as a sponge or bristled dish brush, and then once it’s clean, rinse it thoroughly in hot water and dry it completely with a towel. To prevent warping, wet both sides equally.

How do you oil a cutting board?

Begin by pouring oil over the cutting board. Without using enough to make a mess, err on the side of being able to coat the entire surface with oil versus using a scant amount that will leave areas uncovered. Rub the oil into the board with a dry cloth, then wipe away any extra. Be sure to oil all of the board, including the sides. Let it air dry before using it again.

Can you cut raw meat on a wood cutting board?

Contrary to popular belief, you can cut raw meat on a wood cutting board. Wood is a good choice for cutting raw meat because it can trap bacteria inside, therefore killing it, unlike plastic which allows bacteria to grow and spread. The key to cutting raw meat on wood is to thoroughly clean the board afterward.

Our Expertise

Contributor Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author who has owned more cutting boards than she could count and is a fan of heavy wood boards. For this article, she used her own expertise and insights from our in-house tests to determine the best cutting boards on the market.