These flexible cutting boards do exactly what I purchased them to do.
1. eliminate cross contamination by making it easier to keep the meat off the vegetable board.
2. keep me from scarring my counter or wooden board.
3. make it easy to transfer cut food directly into the pan without getting my dough blade dirty (I used to use this to move chopped items from the cutting board into the pan or bowl).
These boards are reasonably thin, which is why they are flexible. I have had two sets for approximately 5 months and will be replacing them soon because they are starting to show significant scarring which I am concerned is accumulating dirt. For those that aren't as obsessive compulsive the boards would probably last twice as long. My wear patterns are from extreme use. I cook everyday and usually for all meals for my family. Since we began concentrating on eating more fruits and vegetables, these boards have gotten a serious workout and have held up better than the other flexible boards that I have tried.
I use these so often that they never make it into the dishwasher. They are easy to wash by hand, and I like to soak them in a weak bleach solution (10%) every day just to be certain they are clean. I wasn't certain these would hold up to the daily bleaching, but they have.
My only complaint is that these slide around a little on the counter. I have found that if you place them on top of a wooden cutting board they do not move around so much. It also works if you place a silicone pastry mat (Silpat) or a couple of silicone potholders under the mat.
I highly recommend these to anyone that is concerned with cross contamination.
I thought these would be much more flexible than they are. We do use them regularly, but they are not nearly so pliable as just picking up and easily curling them to create a funnel for your food. They have a tendancy to snap back, and I wouldn't dare store them rubber-banded up as they would never go flat again. Indeed, our biggest complaint with these is that they just require too much effort to bend one way or another be it rolled up for moving items to the pan or flat on the counter for chopping.
And don't even think about putting them in the dishwasher, even on the gentle cycle, regardless of what the description says! They get even more brittle in the dishwasher and lose what little flexibility they have.
At the end of the day, I wouldn't buy them again.
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Though these claim to be dishwasher safe, i can say that they are not. After one trip to the dishwasher these have curled so badly that they have become useless. To use these right now i have to put weights in all four corners of the board, and if i try to pick them up, they snap to curl shape so fast whatever rememnants are on the board fly into the air. Avoid these.
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For the price these cannot be beat. I use these types of "cutting boards" to protect my nice wooden cutting board from bacteria when preparing meats. I have used several brands and they are all pretty similar, none of them last a long time. I wouldn't honestly recomend them for use on a countertop without something else underneath them.
All of this type of cutting board will curl with use, even more if you put them in the dishwasher. Some more than others though. If you buy the $10 version you might get better results, but when you consider you get 3 of these for $5, its hardly worth buying the more expensive version. Especially when you consider that even the best ones are only going to last a short while with regular use.
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I really like the color coding on these mats. They also store easily (do not roll them, just tuck them behind an appliance such as your toaster) and clean up easily. They will definately protect your countertops from nicks and scratches. I often take mine out to cut a bagel or a piece of fruit, then lift it to prevent crumbs or food particles from falling on the countertop/floors and easily rinse them off in the sink. If you cannot afford a good set of wood cutting boards this set will definately do the job. I do not use these too often for meats since I prefer wooden grooved cutting boards, but they will work for that (although juices may run onto your countertops) but these are used multiple times a day in my household for at least the last 6-9 months and are just now needing to be replaced due to a couple of cuts through the mat. They will get a bit stiffer/brittle when washed in the dishwasher so I would not recommend it, but it can be done. What a fantastic invention!
I recently began working in a Sushi Bar, where I was required to invest in my own knives. I purchased this Bunmei Usuba Knife and have found it exceeded my expectations. The blade is constantly exposed to moisture from fish, vegetables, fruit, and cleaning, and is rust free. It's easy to care for, and holds a great edge.
