Prep even big-batch meals with ample space.
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Some kitchen products aren’t necessary, but every home cook should have an oversized cutting board. “It's just so nice to have all the room to do cooking that includes a lot of knifework,” says Ana Castro, executive chef at Lengua Madre and a Food & Wine Best New Chef of 2022. “When you’re making a large meal, like a big pot of gumbo in Louisiana winter, you’re going to want all that real estate to chop ingredients without needing to keep transferring them to a separate bowl to clear up space.” In addition to offering maximum space for slicing and chopping, an oversized cutting board can also be placed across your sink to extend your countertop prep space. With the input of chefs, we selected six favorites.
Soft and durable, functional and beautiful, this John Boos board is perfect for any and every cooking project.
It’s quite heavy, so you may need a second pair of hands to move it.
According to Castro, maple is one of the best woods for cutting boards thanks to the balance of softness and durability that won’t ruin high-quality knives. “I use a large John Boos Block board for all my cooked meat slicing and vegetable prep,” she says.
The gorgeous finish is a plus, especially because you likely won’t be moving this massive board very often — apart from flipping it over to use the second flat cutting surface if needed. While heavy, the recessed finger grips on both ends make this process easier. If you take good care of it, you’ll be carving your turkey on this cutting board for years and years, making it well worth the high price tag.
It’s durable enough to withstand daily use and heavy enough to stay in place while chopping.
Teak is slightly harder, and therefore quicker to dull knives, than the other wood boards we recommend.
This teak board is a surefire pick for a quality oversized cutting board that doesn’t break the bank. The sustainably sourced teak is gentle on knives (though not quite as soft as maple or Japanese cypress, hence the higher price tags for those), plus the multicolored edge grain is so pretty that it deserves a permanent spot on your countertop. That said, if you prefer to store it away somewhere, it’s light enough to easily slide in and out of cabinets. Another perk: With small hand grips on both ends of the board, it’s a cinch to carry your chopped veggies over to your pot without sliding one corner off the counter to get a good hold.
Inexpensive for its size and thickness, it’s a smart option to have on hand if you are preparing a lot of raw proteins.
Plastic is not as kind to knives as wood, and while technically dishwasher safe, this board is too big to actually fit.
If you cook with a lot of raw meat and fish and don’t have the budget for a hi-soft board, this BPA-free plastic cutting board will fit your needs. It’s thicker than a plastic cutting mat and has a very slight pebbled texture to keep it from sliding across the counter like a super smooth plastic might.
The biggest benefit of this cutting board is that it is a cinch to clean — once you’re done, a quick rinse and wipe down with a sponge is all you need to do. While the board is technically dishwasher safe, it’s too big to fit in a standard-size dishwasher.
Made from Hinoki, this board is naturally antimicrobial and gentle on expensive knives.
It requires quite a bit of maintenance to prevent stains.
“The industry standards in Japan are Hinoki and Aomori Hiba boards,” says Jordan Rubin, chef-owner of Mr. Tuna and Bar Futo and co-owner of Crispy Gai. “They are Japanese cypresses with a perfectly firm, long grain that are gentle on delicate knife edges but firm enough to resist excessive marring and discoloration.” That’s the exceptional quality you get from this oversized Hinoki board, which is also surprisingly light given its large size (the John Boos board is three times heavier).
“The wood is also rich in Hinokiotal, a natural antimicrobial oil which is great for us when preparing proteins and fish, as well as fighting mold over the long term — and they smell great!” he says. Handwashing and regular maintenance with mineral oil will keep it beautiful, smooth, and operational.
Perfect for use with raw meat and fish while being gentler on your knives than harder plastics.
Not as attractive as other picks, this is a board you’ll most likely want to tuck away.
“For raw protein handling, I opt for a Japanese Hayate Yoshihiro, which is made of polyvinyl acetate, a material that is gentle on a knife’s edge,” Castro says. “It’s the closest you will get to that wood feeling but much easier to sanitize after working with raw meat.” While technically a plastic, polyvinyl acetate is also used to make different types of glue, including wood glue, which is why it is such a soft surface when transformed into a cutting board. In cutting boards, it is referred to as hi-soft. Considering its material, it’s no surprise that this board is not the prettiest on our list, though it’s certainly functional and won’t warp or crack.
The showstopping design, rubber feet, and juice channel make it ideal for housing all sorts of appetizers.
The plastic is not as durable as some of the other boards, so this won’t be your go-to for prep work on a daily basis.
“For those fancy, showy cutting boards to arrange cheese or crudités when you want to flex, you cannot go wrong with a Fredericks & Mae,” Castro says. Indeed, this confetti cutting board is eye-catching enough to be the centerpiece of your party and large enough to hold snacks or charcuterie to feed hungry guests.
Tiny rubber feet in the corners keep the board from sliding across your counter or island, while the channel around the outside will prevent liquids from washed grapes or warm honey from dribbling off and onto your coffee table. What’s more, you can pop it in the dishwasher at the end of your party. But since it is plastic, you will likely want to use it more as a showpiece and less as your workhorse cutting board.
Soft, durable, and functional, the John Boos Block Maple Reversible Cutting Board is gentle on knives and provides ample space for cutting various ingredients — from cooked meats to fresh produce. Because of its substantial weight and beautiful design, it’s the perfect board to display on your countertop at all times.
While all the cutting boards on this list are large, some of them are extremely big. When choosing the size best for you, first consider what you will be using it for. “If you are preparing whole fish or large cuts of meat, a large board will keep everything contained, which means you won’t need to break down larger things just to fit a smaller board,” Rubin says. “Ultimately, if you want to work with the freshest fish and meat, an oversized cutting board will give you a lot more room to do so comfortably and successfully.” Also, take into account the size of your countertop and where you plan to store the board (which might be front and center on your counter). You don’t want to invest in a cutting board that won’t fit in your kitchen.
Think about the types of food you will prepare on the cutting board. While wood is versatile and will last longer (and is antimicrobial, in some cases), it can also be absorptive and transfer flavors from food to food, which hi-soft and plastic won’t do. Plastic is usually dishwasher-safe, while other materials are not.
In addition to whether or not you want to hand-wash your cutting board, consider how much maintenance you want to put in (or have time for). Wooden boards are easy to ruin without proper care. Regularly wiping your wooden cutting board with mineral oil or an oil/wax blend will extend its life and quality. This extra step isn’t necessary for plastic or hi-soft boards.
“I use mildly soapy water with a sponge or rag, then dry as best I can and store flat to reduce potential warping,” Rubin says. “For trickier cleaning jobs, I’ll use a bristle pad, like a Japanese palm wood brush (or tawashi brush), along with the soap and water.” It’s also smart to wipe it down with food-grade mineral oil every once in a while to maintain the surface.
When selecting a wood cutting board, you want a naturally soft one, as you don’t want to dull your knives. Castro prefers maple and walnut (like the John Boos board above), while Rubin goes for a Japanese cypress like Hinoki or Aomori Hiba (like the Kiso Hinoki board above).
To maintain the sharpness and quality of your knives, you want to avoid cutting boards made from super hard materials. “Never use bamboo, glass, or ceramic, as that’s one easy way to wreck your knives,” Castro says. Soft woods are ideal, but hi-soft (aka polyvinyl acetate) is also an excellent choice.
Alyssa Sybertz is an experienced food and cooking writer and recipe developer who covers anything and everything you may find in your kitchen for Food & Wine. For this article, she spoke with award-winning chefs and restaurateurs to help her provide expert-recommended oversized cutting boards for home cooks.
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