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Plastic vs. Wood vs. Stone Cutting Boards.

The sheer variety of cutting boards available on the market today can be staggering. Which type is best? Which is safest? Which should you buy? Here is a guide to helping you choose.

PLASTIC CUTTING BOARDS

These are relatively inexpensive, lightweight and come in many different shapes and colors to match your kitchen decor. There are regular solid cutting boards, as well as flexible cutting mats. Cutting mats are especially handy for collecting what you've just chopped, and funneling it directly into your measuring cup or pan.

The downside is that plastic cutting boards can dull and possible damage your knives over time, and every good cook wants to take good care of his or her knives! Also, constant cutting can create scratches and grooves in the plastic, and unsightly, difficult (impossible!) to clean stains can develop in the grooves. Plastic cutting boards may need to be replaced frequently, as they often do not hold up well over time.

WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

Many people find wood cutting boards more attractive than plastic. A solid maple cutting board is truly a beautiful and long-lasting addition to your kitchen, although it can be heavy and awkward to handle.

Wood cutting boards are usually much gentler on your expensive cutlery than plastic, as the wood surface is softer and more giving than plastic. Also, the knife cuts on your board will generally "heal" themselves, and food stains may be easier to clean than plastic. For this reason, a wooden cutting board can remain beautiful for a longer time than plastic.

STONE CUTTING BOARDS

Stone cutting boards are generally not recommended. While the typical types of stone (marble, granite, slate) are generally resistant to harboring bacteria when washed carefully, the hard stone surface itself can cause great damage to your fine knives.

SAFETY

Controversy continues to rage on the Plastic vs. Wood safety debate. Conventional wisdom has long said that plastic has antimicrobial qualities, unlike wood, which is believed to harbor bacteria in its surface. Some studies have shown that wood is safer in some respects, but again and again, plastic is found to be safer.

Whichever type of cutting board you choose, safety should be first on your mind at all times. To protect yourself and your family, you should ideally have one board dedicated to raw meats, and another purely for vegetables. The juices from raw meats can carry dangerous or even deadly bacteria. While the meat itself will be cooked to a temperature that kills the bacteria, the juices left behind can contaminate your cold ingredients. For example, if you were to cut salad greens on the same board as raw chicken, your salad could be contaminated.

After every use, wash all your cutting boards thoroughly in hot soapy water, and scrub well with a brush to remove any bacteria that might linger in the scratches or grooves of the board. Occasionally rinsing your cutting board with white vinegar, followed by hot water, can be beneficial, also. Most plastic and some solid wood boards may also go into the dishwasher for an occasional thorough cleaning.

Learn more about this author, Christine Conte.
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