A chopping board is a must have in any kitchen but with such a huge choice of the different types and styles of board on the market it’s hard to pick the one for us. Wooden, bamboo, glass or plastic they all have their positive and negative sides… so which one to choose?

A few months back when we were in the midst of KonMari-ing our kitchen and in that process we had gotten rid of all our chopping boards. However, it didn’t take us long to realised the mistake of our actions… so off to the garage we went to retrieve some from the charity pile. Since that day I have been looking for a suitably perfect chopping board, talking to friends, asking strangers (especially in the Facebook KonMari group as most people there would also have the same problem at some point) but it seemed the more I researched the subject, the more confused I became. There was no right and wrong answer. Different chopping boards will suit different people and different needs. I made a list of the pros and cons before hitting the shopping mall in search of my favourite board.

Butchers Block

Pro: can last a lifetime

Cons: price, weight

A good quality butcher’s block, when taken care of, can last a lifetime. They are pricy and heavy but they are a must have for some jobs in the kitchen. Their thickness and size means there is no movement when “playing” with large chunks of meat. Defiantly a must buy for any meat lover who shops at the local butcher more than at the supermarket.

Wooden Boards

Pro: long lasting, kind for knifes

Cons: care regime

The wooden board is just the thinner “brother” of a butcher block. They are much cheaper and lighter but their essential care regime is something off putting. You can’t just pop them into the dishwasher so they have to be cleaned by hand in a specific way in order to preserve their properties.

Bamboo Boards

Pro: hygienic, price

Cons: unkind for knifes

Bamboo boards present the most eco-friendly choice out there. They are lightweight and usually cheaper than wooden boards but… well there is always a “but”… bamboo is strong and lacks any grain so in the long run your knives will suffer.

Plastic Boards

Thick Ones

Pro: price

Cons: weight

Thick plastic boards could be perfect but due to their light weight they are kind of unstable, which can result in slipping which can potentially lead to injuries. Most of them lack any kind of anti-slipping properties or countermeasures. The good thing about them is that they can be washed in the dishwasher as often as your heart desires and will withstand the harsher chemicals during the cleaning process.

Thin so called chopping mats

Pro: price, weight, portable

Cons: very consumable

I personally like chopping mats but they require frequent replacement. Due to their thickness or should I say the lack of it, they are getting scratched (read chopped) quickly and thus lose their charm within days of use. Washing them in a dishwasher will most likely warp them due to the high heat levels so hand washing it is.

Glass Boards

Pro: easiest to clean, hygienic,

Cons: unkind for knifes

Glass chopping boards are the most hygienic option out there. They are super easy to clean, lightweight yet usually with anti-slip properties (most glass boards I have encountered have small rubber feet which help them stay in one spot), heat resistant and super durable but…. they will damage your knives in the long run, there is no question about it!

So here are all thoughts on the various styles of board and my pros and cons for them all. After my research session had finished we settled on: a butcher block, a set of thick plastic colour coordinated boards and one glass board. They are all bringing joy so they will stay in the kitchen 🙂

And now for a little surprise.

They’ll Love Gifts, a company which specialise in unique and personalised gifts, will provide a personalised glass chopping board to one of my Bark Time readers. You will be able to pick the design and customise it to your own requirements. To be in with a chance of winning one of these personalised glass chopping boards just follow the instructions on the Gleam app below.

Good Luck!
#win personalised glass chopping board

T&C:
1. Open to UK readers only.
2. This giveaway is sponsored by They’ll Love Gifts.
3. There will be 1 winner chosen at random from all valid entries. Winners will be chosen by Gleam.
4. The winner will receive 1 Personalised Glass Chopping Board from They’ll Love Gifts collection. The prize will only be fulfilled by They’ll Love Gifts.
5. The winner will have 7 working days to claim the prize, after this time, a new winner will be selected.
6. Closing date for the giveaway is Sunday 10/07/2016 at 23:59pm.

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