Handmade vs. Store Bought Cutting Boards

Is there really a difference between that wooden cutting board at your local big box store and one handmade by a CustomMade artisan?  Is there a difference between the cheap plastic cutting board that “does the same job” and a handmade wooden cutting board?  In short, we think so.

Tigerwood End Grain Cutting Board by Carolina Wood Designs at CustomMade.com

Custom made cutting boards are an investment in your kitchen, and in the maintenance of your fine cutlery.   There is also a whole host of research (and opinions) on the matter of which is more sanitary for use as a cutting surface; wood, plastic, or glass.

Hardwood Cutting Boards by Doucette and Wolfe Furniture Makers at CustomMade.com

Since glass is almost universally shunned (given how hard it is on your knives), the debate typically reverts to wood vs. plastic.  Without boring you with too many details, the consensus opinion amongst those in the know is as follows;

(1) A cutting board made of any material can hold on to bacteria and transfer it to other foods if not cleaned properly.  So be sure to clean your cutting board properly, regardless of what it’s constructed of.

(2) Some folks say wood is a “safer” material as it relates to bacterial retention on the surfaces, because bacteria purportedly gets trapped in the nooks created by cutting into plastic cutting boards.  But the reality is, if you clean your cutting board with hot water and dish soap, and scrub it, the difference from a health perspective is minimal.  Scrubbing removes bacteria, and heat is the enemy of bacterial proliferation, regardless of material.

(3) The real reasons to buy a handmade wooden cutting board: it has character, it lasts longer, and it can be customized (like the example below of a cutting board in the shape of the state of Connecticut)!

State of Connecticut Cutting Board by Woodwright Innovations at CustomMade.com

Here some examples from our custom cutting boards gallery.

Easy Flip Zebrawood Cutting Board by Carolina Wood Designs at CustomMade.com

For your own custom cutting board, contact the artisans whose work is showcased here.  They are: Woodwright Innovations, Doucette and Wolfe Furniture Makers, Carolina Wood Designs, Go Figured Fine Furniture, and D.C. Woodcrafts.  You can also post your custom wood cutting board ideas on our CustomMade “Get it Made” job board and have artisans interested in your project contact you.

Harlequin Cutting Board by Go Figured Fine Furniture at CustomMade.com

You can also take a look at other custom kitchen accessories on CustomMade, or you can read about other stuff for the kitchen that can be custom made here.

Chaos Cutting Board by D.C. Woodcrafts at CustomMade.com