Looking to Ditch Plastic in the Kitchen? These Are the 6 Best Wood Cutting Boards You Can Buy.

"End-grain: Wood is cut end up and assembled into a unique checkerboard style. Edge-grain: Crafted with wide strips that are glued side by side with horizontal wood grain. Is end- or edge-grain wood better? Building an end-grain cutting board is a more laborious task than an gluing an edge-grain one together. Therefore, end-grain cutting boards tend to be expensive, but they also tend to be of higher quality because the construction maintains the integrity of the wood pieces."

"End-grain doesn't show cuts or stains nearly at all, and I find they don't dry out as quickly as edge-grain boards. I prefer the cubist aesthetics of end-grain to the quite plain-looking edge-grain as well. Which type of wood is best for a cutting board? Maple is the most common and generally affordable type of cutting-board wood. We like it as the default choice."

"Cherry and walnut can look nicer but are softer and tend to be more expensive. In recent years, acacia wood has also become a popular choice. Why choose wood over non-wood? There is a concerted effort-based on years of research -against using plastic utensils or cutting boards in food prep due to concerns about microplastics in our food. That is currently the biggest reason to choose wood cutting boards over plastic ones."

"Before microplastics were on our radar as a culture, though, chefs still preferred wood cutting boards, as they are more gentle on knives and, when properly cared for, last much longer. How do I care for my wood cutting board? Different wood cutting boards (depending on the type of wood and grain) will require different levels of care. At bare minimum you need to get yourself some food-grade mineral oil. I have this one from Amazon. About once a week I lather my boards up and let them soak for at least 24 hours before using them again."

End-grain cutting boards are made by cutting wood end up and assembling it into a checkerboard pattern. Edge-grain cutting boards use wide strips glued side by side with horizontal grain. End-grain construction is more labor intensive, making these boards more expensive, but it preserves the integrity of the wood pieces and resists showing cuts or stains. End-grain boards also tend to dry out more slowly. Maple is the most common and generally affordable wood for cutting boards, while cherry and walnut can look nicer but are softer and cost more. Acacia has become popular in recent years. Wood cutting boards are favored over plastic due to microplastics concerns, and wood is gentler on knives and can last longer with proper care. Care typically involves food-grade mineral oil applied about weekly with soaking for at least 24 hours, with optional board cream or wax afterward.

Read at Esquire