The Buyer's Guide to Chopping Boards
By Ellie Edwards
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May 30th, 2022
What are chopping boards?
A good chopping board is a kitchen essential for all manner of tasks, from finely slicing garlic to dicing onions to carving joints of beef. As well as using a chopping board to cut, slice and dice, you can use a wooden chopping board to serve cheese and charcuterie, just make sure it’s separate from the board you use for raw ingredients!
What are the different types of chopping boards?
- If your kitchen is compact or you don't like lifting things, choose smaller chopping boards,
- if you like pale wood, opt for a beech board, and
- if you’re after a lightweight option, pick the Paulownia chopping board - also a great choice for keeping knives sharp.
- And end-grain chopping board may also help to keep the board looking good for longer, and your knives in great condition
Which is the best chopping board to buy?
Best lightweight chopping board
The Paulownia chopping board is a favourite in Japan, and is so popular that very few are available for export. It is unusually lightweight and so is easy to maneuver, and the surface is the perfect combination of hard and soft for a fantastic cutting surface that keeps knives sharp as long as possible. No more worrying about lugging your heavy chopping board to the sink for a clean, you'll barely even notice that you're carrying this one when moving it about.
Best chopping board for everyday use
This beech wood chopping board is a great everyday kitchen staple. In elegant light wood, it will look like a classic in almost any kitchen. And the cut-away indents at either end give an easy handhold for moving it about. You can also buy a slightly larger 52cm board if you need more chopping surface.
Best chopping board for your knives
This Teakhaus end grain chopping board looks stunning and cutting into end-grain wood will keep your knives sharp. The boards are loved by America's Test Kitchen over in the US, and are one of our most popular new arrivals.
Best carving board for meat
Every carnivore needs a good sized carving board for serving large joints of meat. And you always want it to have a good sized indent around the edge to catch any juices. This ash board blends excellent German cookware quality with a great price.
Best chopping board for herbs
The Natural Elements acacia wood hachoir set makes it easy to finely chop fresh herbs, garlic, chillies and onions to release their full flavours and aromas - ideal for making fresh pesto and spice pastes. The hachoir, or mezzaluna, has two blades to quickly dice through ingredients.
Best chopping board for garlic
Getting garlic odours out of your chopping board can be difficult. With a dedicated garlic board, you can make sure that all your other ingredients stay free of unwanted hints of garlic! This handy compact chopping board is ideal for strong flavoured ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I care for my chopping board?
A wooden chopping board quickly becomes a kitchen essential, but often they can start to look a little tired and old before their time. Here are a couple of tips for caring for your best chopping boards, but click here to read our in depth guide to looking after your chopping board.
- Don’t leave your chopping board in water for too long, and ensure that it is completely dry before storing.
- Wash your chopping board gently with a cloth and a mild detergent for a perfect finish.
What is the best wood for a cutting board?
Wood is an ideal material for chopping boards as they are practical, durable and look great, too. When it comes to choosing the wood, a lot of it depends on the style you’re after. Beech wooden chopping boards have a slightly orange hue, while Paulownia wood is lighter, with grey undertones.
If you’re a more accident prone cook, Paulownia wooden chopping boards are a good choice as they have a great non-slip surface, so you can be safer and more efficient in the kitchen.
Shop all chopping boards here, and learn how to look after your chopping board here.
About the author
Ellie Edwards is a food writer for Sous Chef. Previously she worked at olive magazine, writing about exciting new ingredients, UK restaurants and travelling the world to find the best cinnamon buns. When she's not exploring the likes of Belize, Kerala and Zanzibar, Ellie loves rustling up a feast in her London kitchen, with a particular passion for porridge, sourdough and negronis.
