Cutting board suggestions?

[kitchengoddess8]

I've been using an OXO plastic cutting board and am thinking of getting a larger bamboo one. I love the look of bamboo but am wondering how hard it will be to clean and maintain. Looking forward to any suggestions!

[Claire]

I have a bamboo one but mostly use it for decorative purposes (i.e., putting out a cheese and fruit platter). I tend to like the plastic ones you describe simply because when I bleach my sink I toss them in and sanitize them (also stained coffee cups and similar).

[kitchengoddess8]

I figured the plastic ones might be easier to sanitize. I just love the way the bamboo ones look when I see chefs using them on cooking shows!

[Andy M.]

Bamboo boards are made using an epoxy to bind the pieces of bamboo together. While the bamboo is not particularly hard, the epoxy is and is harder on knives than wood or plastic.

[kitchengoddess8]

So do most people use plastic or wood? Is there much of a difference in performance?

[JoshuaNY]

Originally Posted by kitchengoddess8

So do most people use plastic or wood? Is there much of a difference in performance?

Well there is a difference between wood and bamboo. Bamboo is actually a grass and is pretty soft. It tends to be a slower surface then plastic or wood. I am not an expert on bamboo but if the epoxy used is hard on knives then I would skip it and invest in a a hardwood like rock maple or walnut.

I think wood and plastic have their places in a kitchen. I use plastic for raw meats and wood for vegetation and such. With proper are a wood board will last forever.

Wood cutting boards require a little more attention then plastic ones and should not be put in a dish washer. I oil mine with mineral oil about once a month or whenever it looks dry in order to keep it from cracking. Wood has natural disinfectant qualities and draws bacteria into the wood where it dies. I also rub it with kosher salt and lemon juice, which bacteria does not like.

Wood can be sanitized with a 1 tbsp bleach to gallon of water solution. After you wash it with warm soapy water spray on a thin layer and allow it to air dry.

Once a year I sand it down a little bit and rub in some more mineral oil. You can use walnut oil too but I have nut allergies.

Hope this helps

[Robo410]

end grain teak: easy on your knives, does not score, water does not bother it.

bacteria has been shown to grow more easily in the cuts on the plastic boards than on wood (which has some natural inhibitors) still I use plastic for raw meats and fish.

[MostlyWater]

We discuss this every so often with no clear results. Wood can crack, spliner, and harbor harmful bacteria. Plastic gets cut up easily and can also harbor said bacteria.

I end up replacing our cutting boards a few times a year.

[Andy M.]

Interesting. I have 8 or 9 plastic cutting boards that I have had for up to eight years or so. I wash them in the DW and periodically treat them with a bleach solution to sanitize and remove discolorations.

[kitchengoddess8]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Interesting. I have 8 or 9 plastic cutting boards that I have had for up to eight years or so. I wash them in the DW and periodically treat them with a bleach solution to sanitize and remove discolorations.

Which plastic cutting boards do you have?