4 Best Wooden Cutting Boards, According to Testing

John Boos Boos Block Chop-N-Slice Series: We were impressed with how well our knives gripped the surface of this cutting board, especially Western-style knives. During testing, beets left some stains that had to be scrubbed with the rough side of the sponge, though parsley didn't leave any stains. Like other boards we tested, there was a significant amount of scratching after cutting bread with a serrated knife. It's a good board for the price.

Teakhaus Carving Board: Carving roast chicken on this board was a breeze; the board felt very stable and the canal caught a lot of liquid (about 1 cup). The board didn't move when we cut vegetables either, though it slid a little bit when cutting herbs (likely because the chopping motion with herbs is much quicker). We liked that you can use both sides; one side has the canal and the other side is flat with a good amount of surface area for chopping. Like our Overall Pick, this Teakhaus board was also fairly resistant to staining.

Teakhaus Thin & Lightweight End Grain Cutting Board: While scratches didn't easily show on this lightweight version of the Teakhaus board — which features a striking end-grain pattern — it slid around more than its hefty counterparts. According to our tests, it was also more prone to staining.

We collected nine popular large cutting boards, both wood and plastic, and tested them side by side with ingredients people would likely use at home. Comparing wood vs. plastic helped us better understand the differences between the two materials.

✔️ Type of wood: Maple, walnut, oak, beech and cherry are durable yet soft and gentle on knives. They also tend to be the most expensive.

More affordable materials like bamboo, teak, and acacia tend to have higher amounts of a naturally occurring compound called silica, which can technically be harmful to cutting tools in large amounts. The trace amount of silica in these cutting board materials, however, is unlikely to have much of an effect. These woods are also harder than walnut and cherry, making them slightly more durable. Teak contains natural oils that make it very low-maintenance. Because it can withstand exposure to water better than other woods, it's less likely to warp.

Hinoki is the softest of the woods commonly used for cutting boards, making it ideal for hard, brittle Japanese knives which are more prone to dulling on a harder board.

✔️ Grain: Edge-grain boards have fibers that run horizontally, while end-grain boards or butcher blocks feature concentric rings. End-grain boards with concentric rings are slightly gentler on knives and less likely to scratch because the grain runs in the same direction as your knife slices (whereas horizontal fibers mean your knife slices perpendicular to the grain). The catch: End-grain boards tend to be more expensive.

✔️ Size: First things first: Measure the size of your countertop or wherever you plan on using your cutting board to determine your size limits. If you'd like to wash the cutting board in your sink (it's not necessary; you can also wash it right on the counter), measure your sink to gain another point of reference when thinking about size. Finally, consider thickness. Anything over two inches can make the board sit too high for shorter users, while anything too thin may lack sturdiness. Our favorite boards hover around 1 1/2 inches.

✔️ Weight: The boards we loved ranged from three pounds to 15 pounds. Consider which weight you're comfortable picking up, maneuvering and hand-washing before you buy.

✔️ Extra features: Not all cutting boards are plain blocks of wood. Here are some things to look out for:

• A juice groove along the perimeter will catch runoff from roasts, though it decreases your surface area for cutting.
• Non-slip feet help the board stay in place but will add inches that may make the board sit too high for some people. It also prevents the board from becoming reversible.
• Handles are always helpful, especially for heavy boards.

While the Epicurean cutting board is made from a composite material that is dishwasher-safe, other wooden cutting boards could warp or split in the dishwasher and ought to be hand-washed (a good rule of thumb: don’t put anything wooden in your dishwasher). Scrub your cutting board with hot, soapy water after each use and rinse with water until all the soap is gone; then dry it immediately and stand it up to dry completely. If your cutting board doesn’t fit in your sink, wipe it down on the countertop using a basin of hot, soapy water and a sponge. Once a month or so, oil your cutting board with the oil the manufacturer recommends or a food-safe mineral oil.

Wood is known to be naturally antimicrobial. It’s more resistant to bacteria in the first place. It can draw bacteria from its surface and trap it deep into the wood, where it dies off. Bamboo is harder and less porous than other hardwoods, so it’s resistant to bacteria in the first place.

All wooden cutting boards, however, can be sanitary as long as you keep them clean and allow them to fully dry after each use. When handling raw meat and poultry, it’s a good idea to use an alternate cutting board that can go in the dishwasher (like a plastic board with minimal scratches) to avoid cross-contamination. You can still use your wooden cutting board with raw meat as long as you clean it thoroughly.

It's not always necessary, but both wooden and plastic cutting boards can be sanitized with a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water, per the USDA.

Wooden cutting boards tend to last longer than plastic cutting boards but also come with a higher price tag. Plastic cutting boards are not known to be antimicrobial like wooden cutting boards, but they can go in the dishwasher, potentially making them easier to deep clean. Bacteria can build up in any deep scratches in plastic cutting boards, however, so it’s important to replace boards that are a little worse for wear.

Our recommendation? Invest in a good wooden cutting board that you’ll have for years, but keep a few inexpensive plastic cutting boards on hand for when you want something smaller and lighter that you can throw in the dishwasher. Just be sure to replace them as needed.

Wooden cutting boards can last for decades (one staffer has had hers for over 20 years) if you take care of them properly by washing them after each use, drying them completely and applying a food-safe mineral oil as needed to the board.

Tina Martinez is the Food Producer in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen. She has over 10 years of culinary experience, including recipe development and food styling for print, digital and television platforms. She researched, collected and tested nine wooden cutting boards for this story and recorded her findings in detail.

Samantha MacAvoy is the Assistant Food Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she has tested and reviewed hundreds of products across many kitchen and culinary categories such as single-serve coffee makers, olive oil and pizza peels. For this story, she used Tina's data and conducted supplementary research, and consulted Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou.