Pros and cons of cutting boards. Which cutting board is best: Buyer's guide

This article is based on information taken from cutting board manufacturers, articles on the topic, reviews, reasoning, and questions from people who are interested in it all. Consider the benefits, antibacterial, price, pros and cons of various cutting boards.

Let's start with the main "What are the cutting boards?" And they come in: plastic (thin and thick, antibacterial and ordinary), bamboo, glass and wood (ordinary, solid rock and end).

Plastic cutting boards.

These are boards made of various types of plastic.

Advantages: they are very light, dishwasher safe, take up little space, it is convenient to pour chopped food from them.

The antibacterial properties of plastic boards are a myth. Bacteria lived on them, live and will live. Even those that are positioned by manufacturers as antibacterial, they are only very conditional. Bacteria on them not earlier than in a day and provided that the board is absolutely dry. The substance that makes the boards antibacterial (the most common is triclosan) is quite harmful. If it regularly enters your body, then as it accumulates, it becomes a toxin.

The price is low only for boards made of ordinary plastic. Antibacterial ones cost from 500 rubles, and if you buy a board more than 3 cm thick, then it will cost quite a lot.

Now for the cons. In process of use, the covering of a board is broken, traces from a knife, microcracks appear. As a result, the smallest particles of plastic begin to fall into food. Nobody wants to eat plastic, and change boards once a month too. It is very difficult to wash off the detergent completely from such a board. Studies have shown that the detergent is difficult to wash off the dishes, and there is nothing to say about the board with scratches and microcracks. This also applies to washing in dishwashers.

Bamboo cutting boards.

They look like wood, but it's not a tree, it's grass. It was dried, finely cut and glued with epoxy glue. She looked like a tree.

Advantages: looks like a wooden board, can be washed in a dishwasher.

It does not have antibacterial properties.
The price is comparable to cheap plastic boards.
Cons: knives dull very quickly, as the surface of such a cutting board approaches glass in hardness. It is not known exactly what glue it is glued with and how its components behave when it enters our body, since cracks appear on it too.

Glass cutting boards.

Made of glass with color coating on one side.

Advantages: a huge variety of patterns and surface sizes, retain their appearance for quite a long time, easy to wash (can also be washed in a dishwasher), chemical detergents are easier to wash off the surface compared to plastic (wooden cutting boards are generally not recommended to be washed with chemicals).
Antibacterial - the same as on plastic boards (even higher, due to the smoothness of the surface).

The price is comparable to the prices of plastic boards.

Cons: knives dull very quickly, and ceramic knives generally break, if cracks appear, you should immediately throw them away. If glass enters the body, internal organs can be damaged.

These are cutting boards glued together from blocks of wood. The fibers in them are arranged horizontally. They can be made from both soft woods (eg pine, linden) and hard woods (eg oak, beech). The choice of colors, sizes and shapes is huge.

Advantages: made of natural wood, a wide variety of types and colors of wood used for their manufacture. Small particles of wood will not cause any harm if they enter your body. Renewable board coating - coated with oil.

Antibacterial activity is high. It has been proven that bacteria do not live on the surface of a wooden cutting board, they, together with food juice or water, get inside the wood fibers and die there. In addition, different types of wood have natural antibacterial properties to a greater or lesser extent.

The price ranges from 100 to several thousand rubles, depending on the size and type of wood.

Cons: heavier than plastic boards, can not be washed with chemicals. means. It is impossible to wash off chemicals from a wooden board. As a result, small particles that enter our body are saturated with dishwashing detergents, and this is already bad. Do not wash in the dishwasher and leave for a long time in water.

Wooden cutting boards from a single piece of wood.

We are not talking about the boards "I cut off the board myself, leveled it and use it." They are made from a single piece of hardwood. The fibers in such boards are arranged horizontally. The technology of their manufacture is quite complicated, not all types of wood are suitable for this. This is exclusively handmade.

Advantages: natural wood, handmade, no glue. Plus the benefits of a conventional wooden cutting board.

Antibacterial - the same as conventional wooden cutting boards.

The price is high.
Cons - the same as with a conventional wooden cutting board.

These are boards glued together from individual blocks of wood, the fibers of which are arranged vertically, i.e. perpendicular to the board surface.

Advantages: many original drawings of boards, each individual. Due to the vertical arrangement of the fibers, these boards dull the knife blade much less. They retain their appearance for a long time, plus they have all the advantages of a conventional wooden cutting board.

Antibacterial is higher than that of a conventional wooden cutting board due to the vertical arrangement of the fibers (juice and water get inside the fibers faster).

The price of an end cutting board is from 500 rubles and more, depending on the size and type of wood from which it is made.

Cons: the same as a regular wooden cutting board, and also, they need additional care (periodically need to be lubricated with mineral or linseed oil).

That's basically it. Everyone makes their own conclusion about the acquisition and use of a cutting board.

Cutting boards: pros and cons

Associated with the contact of raw and prepared food.

For catering establishments, there are sanitary and epidemiological markings on cutting boards (as well as on knives): “CM” - raw meat, “SR” - raw fish, “SO” - raw vegetables, “VM” - boiled meat, “VR” - boiled fish, "VO" - boiled vegetables, "MG" - meat gastronomy, "Greens", "KO" - pickled vegetables, "Herring", "X" - bread, "RG" - fish gastronomy. Accordingly, the same number of cutting boards is required.

For home cooking, buy at least five cutting boards:
- for cutting raw meat,
- for cutting raw fish,
- for ready meals (boiled meat, sausage, cheese, etc.),
- for making salads
- only for bread.
By the way, there should be at least five knives for the same types of products.

What kind of cutting boards to choose so that they meet the main requirements for boards - to be strong, durable and hygienic? Moreover, cutting board hygiene is a priority, since it is known that in the list of the dirtiest places in the house, the cutting board occupies one of the first places (it has 200 times more different microbes than a toilet seat).

Today on sale we see cutting boards made of different materials - wood, stone, plastic, glass.

Wooden cutting boards are perhaps the most common. Oak, acacia, hevea wood and bamboo are considered ideal materials for the manufacture of boards: they have high strength, are resistant to stress, do not absorb moisture and do not swell in water, wash well, do not dull knives and do not absorb odors. These boards are quite expensive, however, they are worth it and will serve you faithfully.

The main manufacturers of hevea boards are Thailand and China. The Chinese often violate the technology, taking advantage of the fact that boards are not subject to mandatory certification. The Thai hevea has a number of advantages over other types of wood: humidity 8-10%, the ability to survive in the cold, high strength and a high level of polishing.

Most often in stores you can find pine or beech boards. They absorb moisture, crumble and accumulate food residues in the slots. Therefore, pine and beech boards are best used for cutting bread and dry foods.

Care of wooden cutting boards:
- do not wash the wooden board in the dishwasher;
- wash it before all other dishes or after everything is washed. Do not put the board in a sink filled with water, always wash only under running water;
- use standard detergents; wash the board in hot water, rinse with cold;
- dry the boards in the air by placing them in a special stand or hanging them.
A few times a month for disinfection it is useful to wipe the boards with diluted vinegar - vinegar creates an acidic environment that is detrimental to germs (about 1/4 cup of 25% vinegar to 3/4 cup of water) - and leave to dry (this is a must after butchering the bird). The old "grandfather" way of cleaning wooden boards, as well as getting rid of the smell of onions and garlic: cover the board with "porridge" of wet salt, leave overnight. After the salt is removed, wipe the board with lemon, rinse.

Plastic boards are beautiful, reliable, come in a variety of shapes, cheaper than wooden ones. their main advantage is hygiene. Plastic absorbs practically nothing and is easy to clean with any dishwashing detergent. If the smell of onions or fish remains on the board, then you can get rid of it by washing it with a solution of vinegar or lemon juice. They have few drawbacks: they do not withstand high temperatures and slide heavily on the table. In addition, cheap plastic boards quickly scratch and lose their attractiveness.

Plastic boards, unlike wooden ones, can be washed in the dishwasher. But after machine washing, scrub the plastic board again with a scraper and rinse with hot water.
Plastic cutting boards, which are used for meat and fish, require special care. Boards should be washed well using dish detergent. Then rub the board with lemon (or vinegar solution). To achieve complete disinfection of a plastic cutting board, you need to put it in the microwave and be sure to put a glass of water in the same place (the microwave must work with some kind of product, in our case, with water). Turn on the microwave for a couple of minutes.
When buying a plastic board, avoid boards in bright "acid" colors - dyes can contain toxic cadmium.

Glass (and glass-ceramic) cutting boards are heat-resistant, scratch and dirt resistant, easy to clean, non-slip. Designers create literally masterpieces in the design of such boards.
Glass-ceramic boards can be washed in dishwashers.
The disadvantages of glass boards include their heavy weight and the specific sounds of knife strikes on glass.

There are also boards made of natural stone and ceramics. They, like glass boards, are best used for serving dishes on the table, but not for cutting food, since the cutting edge of the knife suffers greatly from these surfaces, the knife quickly becomes dull.
Stone boards - marble or granite - are very aesthetic. Marble also has bactericidal properties. A stone board is ideal for working with dough, it turns out even, thin and cool. Stone is a breathable, living material. Stone boards need to be constantly cleaned and polished. You can’t put hotter on a marble board, it doesn’t like acids either. Therefore, if you often work with dough, then you simply need a marble cutting board, but it’s better to cut salads on another board.

Innovation - ingeniously simple flexible cutting boards made of silicone. They are light, non-slip, wash well, do not absorb odors, do not stain from the juice of fruits and vegetables, do not dull knives. They are convenient to store - just rolled into a tube. They are not called boards, but cutting mats.
Silicone cutting mats are very convenient for preparing a wide variety of dishes; ideal for rolling and cutting dough.
Wash them with warm water and liquid detergent by hand with soft sponges; do not use abrasive detergents. All silicone products are dishwasher safe. They withstand temperatures from -40 to +230 degrees.

The choice of cutting board, like any choice, is based on compromises and personal preferences.

A cutting board is an indispensable tool in any kitchen. In any store there is a huge assortment of this kitchen assistant. And each buyer has repeatedly thought about which board is better to choose for the kitchen. Before making the final choice, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the detailed characteristics of each type of cutting board.

What are the best cutting boards?

It is difficult to unambiguously answer this question. After all, it all depends on what you will cut into them. The ideal option is to have several cutting boards in the house, made of different materials, having different shapes and sizes. One will be used for cutting vegetables, the second one is suitable for working with fish and meat, the next one is for cutting bakery products.

So you can protect yourself and your family members from germs and bacteria.

The smells and properties of the products during such work will not mix with each other. Many prefer models with grooves for draining juice from chopped products into them and a handle for convenient operation. Everyone decides for himself which board will be the best and most convenient.

What are the safest cutting boards?

That's a moot point. It is generally recommended to choose a cutting board made of plastic as the safest. But at the same time, during laboratory studies, it was found that microbes on plastic multiply much faster than on wood.

The reason for this is that when cutting, cracks form on the plastic, and pathogenic microbes multiply in them. And thanks to the capillary property of dry wood, bacteria do not linger in wooden products and the surface of the board remains safe. . Therefore, wooden cutting boards are the safest!

cutting board material

Basically, cutting boards are made from the following materials:

1. wood;
2. plastic;
3. glass.

Each of them has its own positive qualities and disadvantages.

Wooden boards

Cutting board from Oak. One of from The hardest and most durable tree species on earth is the oak. The board from it has the following properties:

• wear-resistant, cracks in it very rarely appear;
• retains its shape well and during operation, various deformations do not occur;
• has resistance to moisture;
• does not absorb foreign odors.

It is traditionally considered one of the best options for cutting boards. But it is bulky, heavy and the price is quite high.

Acacia cutting board. Abundantly does not absorb moisture. It is durable and incredibly durable. It's expensive for the average consumer.

Hevea cutting board . It is resistant to moisture, does not absorb the smell of products, has a very dense structure. Its prices are quite democratic.

Bamboo cutting board. Very practical to use, as it is extremely resistant to abrasion. Do not absorb foreign odors, is moisture resistant. When working, its surface is not scratched. But despite all the benefits, these boards can be a health hazard if formaldehyde-based adhesives were used in their manufacture.

Basically, these boards are used as decor in the kitchen, and not for everyday use in cooking.

"Hevea is nothing but the well-known rubber tree."

"Toxic substance. Once in the human body, it causes severe poisoning, dizziness and nausea.

plastic boards

They are incredibly lightweight and very comfortable. But when choosing, you should pay attention to the fact that it is made of a type of plastic such as propylene or polyethylene. This type of plastic is suitable for food purposes and will not harm human health.

Disadvantages of plastic kitchen boards:

• slippery;
• it is not recommended to use as a stand for hot dishes;
• it is impossible to cut hot dishes on them;
• after a while, cracks appear on them, where bacteria accumulate, which causes an unpleasant smell of the product;
• wear out quickly;
• knives blunt on them.

glass boards

They are expensive for a middle-income buyer. When working with it, knives become dull incredibly quickly; you should not put hot dishes on them either. It's also fairly easy to break. Therefore, you should not focus on choosing a cutting board made of this material, because such a purchase will not be practical.

How to care for a cutting board?

Regardless of what material the board is made of, it requires that it be carefully looked after during operation. After purchase, a board made of wood is recommended to be lubricated with oil, preferably linen, but if it is not available, then vegetable oil can also be used. Repeat this action several times throughout the day, rinse the board thoroughly and dry.

It is recommended to wipe it with vinegar solution once a week. After completion of work, it is necessary to rinse and dry the board. You can also rinse it with boiling water for maximum disinfection. It is necessary to dry in the air, and so that the boards are separated from each other.

A cracked cutting board needs to be replaced as bacteria and germs accumulate in the cracks and can be harmful to your health!

When purchasing kitchen utensils, all the nuances and moments should be taken into account so that cooking is safe, comfortable and pleasing to the eye. Today we will talk about cutting boards, their strengths and weaknesses.

Of course, such strict sanitary standards are followed mainly by public catering establishments, at home such a number is useless. Five boards will be enough for your home and your family to work with different products.

To work with raw meat;

To work with fish;

To work with finished products;

For working with vegetables;

For bread.

Perhaps someone will have a question - why are there so many boards in the kitchen, if you can get by with one or two? The fact is that when cutting meat, fish and vegetables on the same board, tastes and smells will be mixed - this will not affect the final taste of the dish very well.

Also, raw meat contains various kinds of bacteria that live and multiply in meat before heat treatment - it is favorable for the human body, they will not affect ... Accordingly, when working with fresh vegetables after cutting meat, infection with these bacteria and fresh vegetables, which after, we We will happily eat in a salad.

Of course, if you wash the board well after working with meat, fish, there will be no trace of bacteria. But this is not entirely true, the temperature must be very high to cope with them, just the smell, right away, will not go anywhere. By the way, this also applies to knives - therefore, it is not in vain that you should buy knives in the same way, at least five pieces, for a different product group.

Size and shape matter

The shape of the cutting board is chosen for a certain type of product, and also, convenience is not an unimportant aspect. Rectangular - is considered the most popular and convenient. In addition to rectangular, there are more other shapes - round, square, oval and various shapes of fruits, vegetables, etc.

If you are going to buy a board for cutting meat, fish, which involves working with bones, choose the appropriate thickness and size.

Types of cutting boards - pros and cons

To begin with, it is worth saying that there are boards made of plastic, glass, bamboo and wood - solid, end and ordinary species.

Wooden boards - regular- wood bars are also made, where the fibers are located horizontally. Material - linden, pine, beech, oak, hevea (soft and hard varieties).

Whole planks of wood- made from solid timber, only hardwood, the fibers are arranged horizontally.

The pros and cons of these boards are the same as those of ordinary boards, it is only worth adding that they are an order of magnitude more expensive, are made by hand and are distinguished by the complete absence of glue.

Wooden boards - end, are made, like ordinary beams, only the fibers are arranged vertically.

Advantages and disadvantages, as in the usual. It is worth adding the following - these boards retain their aesthetic appearance longer, knives blunt much less. Above and antibacterial properties. The disadvantages include the fact that they require additional care - by lubricating the board with oil.

Bamboo cutting board. The mistake is that they are attributed to a tree - this is not correct, because bamboo is a grass! In appearance, yes - it is indistinguishable from a tree.

A bamboo board is made as follows - the bamboo is dried, finely chopped and glued with epoxy glue.

plastic board

glass board and ceramic

Silicone mat

Board with handles - easy to move.

Don't forget about the hole in the board for wall mounting.

Boards with recesses, convenient in that the secreted juice from the products is collected there.

For storage and drying, a board stand is desirable.

Take proper care of cutting boards so that they serve faithfully for many years.

There is no way without a cutting board in the kitchen - in the process of preparing dishes, we now and then have to cut, chop, beat, butcher something. For the convenience of housewives, many options for cutting boards have been invented, including glass ones. We will talk about their advantages and disadvantages in this article.

Glass cutting board - pros and cons

The first and foremost advantage of a glass cutting board is its decorative effect. Designers and artists sometimes depict real masterpieces on them. Glass cutting boards with drawings of animals, birds, flowers, vegetables, fruits, landscapes are very unusual and will become an excellent bright accent in the interior.

Among all the variety, you can always choose the board that suits a particular one. A set of glass cutting boards, made in the same style, will become a real decoration of the interior. Any hostess will be delighted with such a gift. Such cutting boards can be used not only for cooking, but also for their beautiful presentation.

Other advantages of glass cutting boards for the kitchen lie in their functionality and convenience. It is very convenient to cut on them, scratches and other damages from a knife never remain on their surface. They do not absorb odors at all, they are easy to wash.

Thanks to rubber feet, glass boards do not slide on the table. And thanks to the heat-resistant glass used in the manufacture of the board, it can be used as a stand for hot dishes (up to 260ºС).

Among the shortcomings, their weight can be noted - it is larger in comparison with plastic and silicone counterparts. However, this is unlikely to be a significant obstacle to their purchase. They are also less durable, which, however, is not entirely relevant today, since they are made of durable glass-ceramic that is resistant to chips and cracks.

Some people don't like the grinding sound they get when cutting on a glass board. This minus can be considered very conditional. What is more significant is that the knives become dull on a glass board, so you have to sharpen them more often.