After reading the cutting board review in Cooks Illustrated, I realized that it was the Epicurean cutting board causing my knives to be constantly dull. I choose this board because bamboo is supposed to be gentle with your knives and I liked its looks. The board arrived in a box as big as a Hummer with lots of padding. Considering this is somewhat unbreakable, there was a bit of waste involved in shipping, but I'm Prime, so I did not pay for it (the planet did, though).
About the board, it is really well made and beautiful. Unlike my Epicurean boards, it is really flat, meaning that it stays where you put it, not spinning around on the high point. It seems to be good on the blades, but time will tell. I really like the channel routed around the edge to control liquid. All-in-all, a great purchase.
I was looking for a very large board on a small budget. I wasn't planning on it but I ended up adding gripper feet to the bottom due to a high spot on my counter causing it to rock. If you do this I would put a couple in the middle to prevent bowing from occurring when placing something very heavy on the board, like what happened to the other reviewer who placed a turkey on it. Although I think it would take a hefty amount of weight for this to happen as the board is .75" thick exactly. It's thicker than other bamboo boards and this also helps raise my ingredients off my low counter and makes it more comfortable for me to cut (I'm pretty tall).
I was indifferent to the liquid channel all around since I'm a vegetarian but on first use it caught a lot of juice from a tomato. The board is 1/4" smaller in width and length than claimed when measuring the longest parts of it. Not that big of a deal, and yes I checked out of curiosity. It is in fact exactly .75" thick though. It was somewhat dry upon arrival and I used a layer of mineral oil on it. Looked even better afterwards. You can find mineral oil in the laxative section for less than 2 bucks.
I love the freedom of space a large board like this affords you. It's also just big enough to slice home made pizza on, and work with dough on as well. Since you will not be lifting this over the skillet to drop chopped veggies in I suggest a handy Stainless Steel Scraper for transporting ingredients to the skillet, or around the board, and taking remnants to the trash. Take care of it it by wiping down with a soapy sponge/water and avoid soaking it or it will warp. Oil when it starts to look dry to prevent cracking.
The channel routing is a little rough and the sides have that bamboo grit in some parts. Not to bad to the touch but if you are wiping it with a paper towel it will grab some of it. You could take a fine grit sand paper to it but I think it'll smooth out over time.
I wasn't sure about the pucker shape but in person it is a lot more subtle than in the pictures. Did I mention that it is a beautiful board? I find myself admiring it when ever I walk by or while doing dishes. This large chunk of bamboo sitting next to all of the stainless steel, cast iron, and glass enhances the feel of the temple we call the kitchen. Oh how I love cooking.
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The cutting board developed a five inch crack in the middle after only a couple of days of use. Apparently they use wood glue or adhesive to attach the bamboo strips together during assembly. This has resulted in one of the seams to partially separate.It is still useable, but food particles may become lodged in the crack over time. If I replace it. it will be with a different brand.
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This is a strong and light cutting board, perfect for those not willing to invest in a heavy maple board. The deep grooves around the edge make it great for carving roasts. Looks good as a serving platter.
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Love this board! It's very sturdy, doesn't have the funky smell that some bamboo boards have. The little "moat" is perfect for collecting juices from cooked meat and the size is perfect. I typically like thicker boards, but the size and shape of this is perfect for using it and storing it.
I bought this for my Mom for Christmas, after I got one and love it. She loves it, too! It cuts easily through the tomato skin and smoothly through. I bought it along with the Hold N Slice, which is also fantastic!
