News — boards

If you cook most days in a UK kitchen and want a long lasting wooden board, maple is usually the better choice than oak for a chopping board because it is less porous, gentler on knives and easier to keep hygienic over 5 to 10 years of use. Oak can work, but its open grain and tannins mean it needs more care and is less forgiving for everyday home cooking. Oak vs maple chopping boards in the UK: quick answer For most home cooks in the UK, a maple cutting board is the safer, more practical option. Hard maple sits...

If you want the most practical everyday cutting board for a busy kitchen, hard maple usually beats oak because its tighter grain absorbs less liquid and is gentler on knife edges, often lasting 5 to 10 years with monthly oiling. Oak can work, but its open pores stain more quickly and need more care, which is why many cooks now choose alternatives like bamboo or acacia boards in the 38x28cm to 45x35cm range for daily use. Oak vs maple chopping boards in real kitchens On paper, both oak and maple sound ideal for chopping boards. They are hardwoods, they feel...

If you want the best end grain style chopping board for knives in the UK, look for a board that is at least 38x28cm, made from a medium hardwood or bamboo, weighs around 1.5 to 2.5kg for stability, and is pre oiled. In the Deer & Oak range, the Large Acacia Board 45x35cm (DNO-ACB-LG) and the Carbonised Bamboo Board 45x35cm (DNO-CBB-LG) are the top choices for keeping knives sharper for longer while giving you a generous cutting surface. What makes the best end grain chopping board for knives in the UK? End grain chopping boards are designed so the wood...

If you care about your knives, the short answer is no: you shouldn’t use glass chopping boards for regular cutting. Tests show that hard surfaces like glass can dull a sharp kitchen knife edge in as little as 50 to 100 cuts, while a wooden board can keep the same knife usable for months of daily cooking. Why glass chopping boards damage your knives Glass chopping boards look clean and modern, and they’re often sold as hygienic. The problem is hardness. A good kitchen knife is hardened to about 55 to 60 HRC on the Rockwell scale. Tempered glass is...