chop away with this solid board
Written: Aug 09 '04
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Pros: top quality wood, good size and thickness
Cons: may be too heavy for some, plain appearance
The Bottom Line: Great wood board for home cooks. Should last forever.
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| icevic's Full Review: John Boos Cutting Board With Grips |
I recently upgraded my kitchen knives and decided to take a hard look at my chopping boards as well. If I was going to have high end knives, I might as well have boards to match. One board was warped (left in a pool of water in the sink overnight) and was tossed. This gave me an excuse to buy a new cutting board.
First I purchased a beautiful handmade cutting board featuring three different types of exotic hardwoods. Unfortunately it started to split after the first washing and I returned it. The next time I was more careful and did some research. One of the first names that came up regarding top quality cutting boards was John Boos. I purchased the R02 model, 18x12" reversible with hand grips.
First, about cutting board materials. As you can see from my story above, wood boards can warp or split. So why did I go back to wood? There are many other materials, such as glass, marble, corian, bamboo and polymer. So why wood?
Knife edges are quickly dulled by cutting on a hard surface. Glass, marble, corian, and other similar materials will dull your knife in minutes. These boards are fine for presenting food, or for a cheese board, but worse than useless as a cutting board. If your knife cannot cut slightly into the board, it isn't suitable.
Bamboo is very trendy and attractive. In theory, it shouldn't warp because it won't absorb water. However the boards I saw seemed very hard and I worried about premature dulling of the knife. They were also fairly expensive.
Polymer doesn't have the natural look and feel that I like. Cheap polymer boards get quickly chewed up by chopping. More expensive polymer boards are good cutting surfaces and probably the best alternative to wood.
There is some debate whether wood or polymer are safer for inhibiting the growth of dangerous food bacteria. The only advantage of polymer is that it can be put in a dishwasher. The high heat and abrasive soap of the dishwasher kills all bacteria. Dishwashers will eventually destroy even the highest quality wood board so this is not an option.
Wood has a natural ability to kill bacteria. This ability is limited, but still is an advantage over polymer. Wood also swells to close up deep cuts and repair itself. This means there are less places for bacteria to hide on a wood board. Polymer boards become deeply scored over time and difficult to keep bacteria-free.
In summary, I would say that if you use a dishwasher, polymer boards are safer, otherwise wood is better.
For me, wood always wins because I love the feel and look of it. You can't beat natural materials for warmth.
Now, my John Boos board. This board is very thick, which makes it stable on the countertop and also will keep it from ever warping. I don't like thin boards that slide around. It is not too heavy that I cannot lift it easily off the counter with one hand to move chopped food into the pot.
The size is big enough (18"x12") that I can use my 10" chef's knife without feeling constrained. I have a much bigger board that I rarely use because it is so heavy, and also doesn't really fit in our sink so it is difficult to clean. This board is about as big as can easily fit in our sink. Overall, I would say it is the perfect size for light daily use. It is nice to have a bigger surface for major chopping work, but for smaller jobs not worth the inconvenience of dealing with a big heavy board. There are other ways to clean boards that don't involve putting them in the sink, but with food safety such a concern I like to get them in there for a good scrubbing.
These boards are advertised as helping to keep knives sharper longer, but I haven't noticed any difference yet. I have noticed that cut marks do not show up as much. Maple is supposed to be the best wood for boards and John Boos chooses their maple very carefully, so I expect it to last forever.
Finish of the board is good. The surface is smooth and even, and the corners are consistently rounded. The wood looks natural and untreated.
One thing I have observed is that this board smells great. I suppose it will go away over time but for now I get that fresh wood smell when I use it sometimes. None of my other wood boards have ever had a smell.
The board is reversible, which will add to it's longevity. I am being careful with this one never to leave it in puddles of water because that is what warped my previous board. It has hand grips carved into the sides which help when lifting it off the counter.
Overall, I am very happy with this board and would recommend it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 25
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Epinions.com ID:
icevic
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Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 1 member
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