How to choose the best cutting board — and keep it in good condition for years

What makes a good cutting board good?

A good cutting board is the sum of its material, size and shape. The right one for you is out there — it's just a matter of weighing up the following before you buy:

• Material and knife-friendliness. A hard surface dulls a blade quickly. Wood and good-quality plastic let the edge sink slightly into the surface, which is much kinder to your knives.

• Size and thickness. A board that's too small forces you to work in a cramped space and ingredients tumble off the edges. A large board is a friend if you regularly chop herbs or big quantities of produce. A thick board stays flat and won't warp.

• Weight and stability. A light board shifts easily on the worktop, which makes chopping awkward. A heavy board stays put on its own.

• Maintenance. A dishwasher-safe board is easy to live with; a wooden cutting board needs a quick hand wash and regular oiling.

• Purpose. One board rarely covers everything. It's worth keeping a dedicated board for raw meat and fish.

Let's look at each material in turn.

Eiring's signature oak cutting board

Wooden cutting boards

Wood is a classic for good reason. Wooden cutting boards are the most knife-friendly surface you can use: the blade sinks gently into the grain as you cut. The difference shows in how often you need to sharpen your knives.

Wood also has a natural resistance to bacterial growth, provided the board is dried properly after each use. A wooden board is the most long-lived option and, with regular oiling and the occasional sand, can last for generations.

Looks matter too: a wooden board works just as well as a cheese board or bread board on the table, and is the most versatile option of the lot.

Bérard cutting boards in olive wood, round and rectangular

Oak or olive wood?

An oak cutting board is dense, hard and durable. Oak is a familiar and natural choice in a Nordic kitchen, and its colour and calm grain suit most tastes. The Eiring oak cutting board is a solid, no-nonsense option that handles daily use year after year.

Olive wood is an even harder species, recognisable by its beautiful, lively grain. Every olive wood board is different. Bérard's French olive wood cutting boards are a fine example, and there's also a grooved version. The Italian brand Arte in Olivo offers boards from a small 25 x 10 cm all the way up to large serving platters.

Thickness and size

A thick wooden cutting board is an investment that pays for itself. It won't bow in the moisture, it stays firmly on the worktop and after chopping vegetables you can simply wipe it down. A large wooden board also gives you room to work: chopped ingredients can be pushed to one side and you're not surrounded by bowls.

Browse the full range: wooden cutting boards.

Bérared black cutting boards in wood fibre

Wood fibre cutting boards

A wood fibre cutting board is an interesting middle ground between wood and plastic. The boards are made from compressed wood fibre, producing an extremely hard, dense material that's almost ceramic in feel.

The advantage of wood fibre is how easy it is to look after. It doesn't absorb moisture the way solid wood does, needs no oiling and goes in the dishwasher. At the same time, a wood fibre board looks considerably smarter than an ordinary plastic one.

Bérard's black wood fibre boards are among our most popular: the standard model in several sizes, and the grooved 34 x 24 cm, whose channel catches any liquid that runs off during chopping.

See all: wood fibre cutting boards.

Plastic cutting boards

Plastic cutting boards are the standard choice in professional kitchens, and for good reason. A polyethylene board handles the dishwasher's hottest cycles, is light to move and cheap to replace when the surface is worn.

Professional kitchens use colour-coding: a different colour for raw meat, fish and vegetables. The same idea works at home if you want to be particularly careful about hygiene. The Hendi cutting mat set includes six thin mats that can each be assigned to a specific purpose.

A large plastic cutting board comes into its own when you're handling big quantities at once: a whole fish, a large joint or an entire watermelon. The large cutting board 60 x 40 cm gives you plenty of room, and the grooved 32.5 x 26.5 cm is a handy standard size.

All models: plastic cutting boards.

Bérard cutting boards in olive wood, round and rectangular

Large, small or round?

Size is best chosen according to what you actually use the board for.

A large cutting board makes life easier, especially if there's a permanent spot for it where it can stay out on the worktop. With enough surface, you can push chopped ingredients to one side and keep going without losing your rhythm. A large board also reduces clearing up — nothing rolls off the edge.

A small cutting board is the everyday workhorse: for slicing a lemon, chopping garlic or cutting a bit of cheese for breakfast, you don't need to bring out the big board. A small board washes in seconds and tucks neatly into a drawer.

A round cutting board is a neat compromise between working tool and serving piece. Bérard's round olive wood cutting board works just as well as a chopping surface as it does a cheese board on the table.

In practice, a good combination is a large board for everyday cooking and a small one for quick jobs.

A cutting board for bread

Choosing a cutting board for the job

Bread board

Bread drops crumbs and a bread knife leaves its mark. A dedicated bread board is often a sensible addition. A bread board with a crumb tray is an affordable way to keep the crumb problem under control, and the Arte in Olivo bread board is handsome enough to leave out on the table.

Cutting board for meat and fish

The best cutting board for meat and fish is, above all, large enough to handle long fillets comfortably. Meat releases juices, and a channel around the edge keeps them on the board rather than letting them spread across the worktop. For meat, a groove is practically essential.

For hygiene, it's worth keeping a separate board for raw meat and fish that can go in the dishwasher. Wood fibre and plastic boards are the natural choice here, as both handle hot machine washing without complaint. A grooved cutting board is a good place to start.

Serving

Olive wood and oak look beautiful straight on the table. Cheese, charcuterie and small plates sit naturally on a wooden board, which doubles as a serving platter.

A cutting board with a channel

Caring for a wooden cutting board

A wooden cutting board lasts for decades with the right care. It comes down to four things:

1. Hand wash only — never soak. Warm water, washing-up liquid and a brush are all you need. Don't leave the board sitting in water and never put a wooden board in the dishwasher. Moisture swells the wood and heat dries it too fast, which causes cracking and warping.

2. Dry upright. Stand the board on its side so air can circulate on both faces. A board left to dry flat stays damp underneath and can warp.

3. Oil regularly. A new board should be oiled once in the first few weeks. After that, oil it whenever the surface starts to look dry and pale — in practice, roughly once a month if the board is washed daily.

4. Sand when needed. If the board is covered in knife marks and the surface looks tired, you can always sand it back. Use sandpaper or a sander, wash the board and re-oil. The result is as good as new.

Which oil should you use on a cutting board?

Cooking oils such as olive oil, rapeseed oil and sunflower oil can turn rancid inside the wood and leave the board tasting off. We recommend the following instead:

Food-grade mineral oil is the professional standard. It doesn't go rancid, is odourless and tasteless, and soaks evenly into the wood. It's the most widely recommended option for almost any wooden cutting board.

Linseed oil is a traditional approach. It hardens on the wood surface to form a protective layer, but requires a food-safe, boiled grade and considerably longer drying time between coats. Raw linseed oil should not be used due to the fire risk from oily rags.

Beeswax is an excellent alternative. Rather than soaking deep into the wood, it sits on the surface as a protective layer that repels moisture and gives the board a fine, understated sheen.

We recommend starting with Bérard beeswax for cutting boards. It's easy to apply, smells pleasant and suits both olive wood and oak. The Global cutting board oil is also available if you prefer a liquid product.

How to apply: spread a thin layer with a cloth or kitchen paper, leave to absorb for a few hours or overnight, then wipe away the excess.

Caring for wood fibre and plastic boards

Wood fibre and plastic boards are dishwasher-safe, which makes their upkeep straightforward. A few things are still worth keeping in mind.

Deep cuts collect food residue and won't clean properly even in the dishwasher. When a plastic board's surface is clearly scored, it's time for a new one. A wood fibre board usually lasts longer because the surface is harder.

Onion and garlic smells, and staining from beetroot or turmeric, usually come out by rubbing with lemon and coarse salt. A plastic board can also be left in white wine vinegar for a little while.

Five common mistakes

• Soaking or machine-washing a wooden board. The quickest way to ruin a good cutting board.

• Using cooking oil for maintenance. The board can develop a rancid taste.

• Storing the board flat while it's still damp. The underside doesn't dry and the board warps.

• Too thin and light a board. It slides on the worktop and is a safety hazard.

• One board for everything. Raw meat and fish deserve their own board.

A few extras that make a real difference

• A non-slip mat keeps a lighter board in place.

• The De Buyer board rack stores boards upright so they dry properly.

With these tips you'll find the right cutting board for your kitchen and keep it going for years. Explore the full cutting board range and find your favourite.