Progressive International Reversible Flexible Chopping Mat, Set of 3

I have a large old butcher block in the center of my kitchen. I like using the flexible cutting mats so I can just remove those and wash them, rather than having to wash the block itself in between a variety of ingredients. I recently bought a pack of some at Bed Bath and Beyond and they were basically useless. My knives are good quality and they'd cut right through the plastic. So, I went on a quest for some high quality ones and these so far are amazing. Very sturdy, but still bendable enough to easily move chopped things and dump them into a pan.

My mom turned me on to this style of cutting board years ago and I've never used anything else. But these are both sturdier than most and certainly more artfully colored...and if something makes you smile when cutting an onion, more power to ya.

The difference in using these as opposed to a glass or wood board is that after you chop your veggies or whatever you may use them for, you simply pick up the entire cutting board and bend it over the pot (these are flexible so it creates a curved "tube" they slide down without spillage when bent) so that all the pieces fall easily into the pot without you ever needing to touch them or have them fall onto the counter away from the pot.

Too, unlike a glass or hard cutting board, this will not dull your knives when chopping...and unlike a wood board, these will never harbor any bacteria and take up no room in the dishwasher after use as they are so thin. They also take up no room in a cabinet.

They also work great for rolling out dough...just sprinkle with flour. No stick!

Some use the color coding to cut different things...meat on the red one, veggies on green etc...I just use them all for whatever and sanitize in the dishwasher later.

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Although the washing instructions state that the cutting boards are dishwasher safe, don't believe it. These flimsy cutting boards curled and bowed, rendering them completely useless. A total waste of money.

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I bought these because earlier ones I had purchased ended up warping badly when I ran them through the dishwasher. These have held up well and so far, they still lie flat for use. They're a little on the stiff side for folding and pouring chopped items, that's the trade-off for them not warping in the dishwasher.

UPDATE! Within a few weeks of getting these mats, they started curling up on me when I ran them through the dishwasher. It's now January of 2013 so they LAST well, but the boogers are constantly wanting to curl up and that makes stuff you chop roll off, or roll to the center of the mat, according to which side you have up. I would NOT recommend them to a friend.

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When it comes to cutting mats, I am hard to please. In the last four years I have tried the SiliconeZone 11-by-15-Inch Non-Skid Flexible Cutting Boards, as well as These and even This. These would have been the best choice if they arrived flat, but alas, they have a permanent curve to them.

Enter these reversible mats. These are a bit thicker than other ones I have tried. The color coding is nice, but not essential, since I change mats when switching between raw protein and other items. I also sanitize my mats between uses. They arrived flat and mostly stay flat during use. Like most plastic mats they curl when hot things are placed on them. They are also are slightly curled out of the dishwasher (no heated dry cycle, please) but the flatten out as they cool when stored flat.

Like all plastic mats, they are slippery and slide around the counter. Best to get some of this grippy shelf liner to put under the mat. A damp towel also works (a tip from a chef friend).

Since they are thicker than other mats I have tried, they aren't as flexible, but this is not an issue for me. They show some knife marks, but no signs of cutting through.

The Verdict: After using these mats daily for the past four months, I am happy with them and would purchase them again. Longevity has yet to be determined, so stay tuned for updates.

Update June 15, 2013

These mats are still in daily use and holding up well. While they show some knife marks, none have come close to cutting through. I am still happy with them and would purchase them again.