You probably won’t realise how much you need a chopping board set until your one and only chopping board has been used to slice up something else and is waiting to be washed up.
The best chopping boardsets are the ones that cater to your needs, have multiple boards and are in the best material suitable, so whether that’s wood, plastic, or eco-friendly bamboo there is something that will work for every household and kitchen size.
For keen cooks, we recommend a chopping board set that has at least three boards, for you to switch between when preparing a bevvy of vegetables, meat and fish. For those that are tight on countertop space, plastic chopping boards are ideal because you can pop them straight in the sink without worrying that they will warp like wood if you leave them in the water too long to soak.
Which Chopping Board Is Best: Wooden Or Plastic?
As with every product you need to consider what its function will be, as this will help you decide between wood or plastic (or both). Wood is ideal for carving meat, chunkier blocks tend to have a groove to collect juices and will make it easy on your sharp knives when cutting through.
Wooden chopping boards, however, do soak up stains easily, they warp when left in water and they shouldn’t be placed in a dishwasher. But if you care for them properly, like treating them with wood oil, they will likely stand the test of time in your kitchen.
Plastic chopping boards are lighter, easier to store and much more hygienic. However, they are not usually as presentable or stylish as a wooden board may be, but we’ve got a few contenders on our list that may change your mind.
Glass chopping boards are available but tend to be for display purposes on the kitchen counter. We wouldn’t recommend you use them for regularly slicing and dicing because they can blunt your knives and as they have no grip you could end up with a nasty injury.
How Do I Keep My Chopping Board Clean?
For wooden chopping boards, they should not be put in the dishwasher. Instead, they should be hand washed with a cloth using a mild detergent or lemon and left propped up on a drainer or counter to air dry.
Plastic chopping boards are suitable for the dishwasheras they will not warp in the heat, or handwash in water with your dishcloth and washing up liquid. For any tough stains, use a small dash of bleach and leave to soak. Don’t forget to remove and wash away before you use your chopping board again.
Best Chopping Board Set 2022
Best plastic chopping board set
Organise your prep station with these colour-coded plastic boards from OXO Good Grips to prevent any cross-contamination. The non-slip feet make chopping up tough vegetables easy with no worry of knife slippage, not to mention the grooves to catch juice. Slim and easy to store the green, red and blue plastic boards are durable and dishwasher safe.
Specifications
Size: H32.8 x W22.8 x D2.4cm
Material: BPA free polypropylene, TPE
Care: Dishwasher safe
Pros: Genuine non-slip, great size
Cons: Plastic, do not use on wet surfaces
Review: “This 3-pack of 32.7cm (12.89”) by 22.7 cm (8.93”) cutting boards is exactly what I was looking for. The boards are the perfect size for most of my needs, they do not slide about when I use them, and the plastic has just enough give to it that I don’t have to worry about damaging my blades. The juice-catching groove around the edge on the one side does a lovely job of keeping my cutting mess from spreading to the countertop. I love that I can throw them in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning when I’m done. I am happy to recommend them to others.”
Best wooden chopping board set
www.procook.co.uk
This bamboo chopping board set features fantastically-practical elements that make them stars in our eyes. Namely, they have large, cut-away handles and integral juice channels carved into the wood to avoid spillages. Renewable and high-quality, this set is environmentally-friendly and hard-wearing with clever, non-slip silicone edges for stability. For more wooden chopping boards find our top picks here.
Specifications
Size: 23 x 33 cm and 28 x 39.5 cm
Material: Bamboo
Care: Not dishwasher safe
Pros: Renewable bamboo, cut-away handles, non-slip silicone edges
Cons: Stains, wood is soft
Review: "Light to handle, very sturdy to use, beautiful to have around your kitchen! Easy to clean. Superb quality chopping boards at a great price too - would highly recommend."
Best chopping board set and serving platter
Specifications
Size: 30 cm, 35 cm and 45 cm
Material: Bamboo
Care: Wipe clean and dry, oil treat before first use
Pros: Stylish, perfect for presentation, great as a gift
Cons: Knife leaves marks, the hanging loops are not very strong
Tried and tested by A Modern Kitchen: “What better than a kitchen accessory that doubles up on its function? These Progress chopping boards are ideal for when you need to prepare cheese or fruit and you don’t have to worry about dirtying up any plates because you can present the food directly on the boards thanks to the stylish psddle board shape. They’re smart and perfect for a party or if you fancy a nibbly platter for your dinner, but be careful with knife pressure as they scratch easily.”
www.johnlewis.com
It can get pretty irritating when you're chopping up food and you have to make constant trips to the bin to get rid off waste. Well no more, the ANYDAY multi prep station has two slide out drawers at either side for when you're prepping to slide the waste into. It's compact design works well for all sorts of kitchen tasks and includes a bamboo board, two flexible chopping boards and a colander-style drawer for draining water from the food straight into the sink.
Specifications
Size: H7.1 x W27 x D34cm
Material: Bamboo, BPA free polypropylene
Care: Hand wash only
Pros: Drawer catches waste without having to go to the bin, colander drawer for draining
Cons: Could be bulky
Review: “Great idea having chopping boards stacked on top of drawers to put cuttings in ,nice and compact.”
Best chopping board set bamboo
These slimline bamboo wooden chopping boards won't take up much space in your kitchen and are easy to store. They are durable and built to last, but to make sure they last even longer don't forget to treat them with wood oil.
Specifications
Size: 21cm x 15cm, 28cm x 22cm, and 33cm x 22cm
Material: Bamboo
Care: Oil treat before first use, clean with mild soapy water
Pros: Good value, non-slip
Cons: Smaller than expected, some splitting
Review: “I love these boards. They are good-looking, practical and the ideal surface for chopping vegetables, fruit and nuts, as they don't blunt my knives. Tiny drawback is the size. They need to be a tiny bit bigger, hence the 4 stars overall, but in every other respect, including the price, they are brilliant!”
Best chopping board set with stand
Joseph Joseph has some incredibly well-designed pieces of kitchenware and this Folio™ 4-Piece Chopping Board Set stands out quite literally. The slimline stand houses four plastic boards with non-slip silicone feet and small metal handles to make it easy to slide out from the stand itself. The Folio comes in five different colourways and boards to match your kitchen. Just be aware that the knife-friendly surface of the boards is designed to mark slightly during use, so scratches will show but that doesn't dampen the strength of the product.
Specifications
Size: H22 x W31.8 x D7.5cm
Material: Polypropylene (BPA Free)
Care: Boards - dishwasher safe. Case - wipe clean with a soft, damp cloth
Pros: Smart display case, good grip, air circulates during storage so don't stay damp
Cons: Case is plastic, knife marks visible, plastic stains, expensive
Tried and tested by A Modern Kitchen: “Having multiple chopping boards has been a lifesaver in the kitchen. I much prefer plastic as it means if I do run out I can quickly watch it and not have to wait for it to dry like a wooden chopping board, so this Joseph Joseph set is perfect for my kitchen and how much I cook. The folio stand is slimline and fits on my countertop and I can still access the boards without having to move the stand, they slot back in easily and don’t slip when I'm slicing food. Can’t fault them apart from a few light scratches that are visible more on the darker coloured boards.”
Best budget chopping board set
www.lakeland.co.uk
If you cook a lot but need something sturdy and are more concerned about substance over style, this durable five-piece no-frills set from Lakeland will be your go-to in the kitchen. Made out of tough, lightweight and flexible plastic each board has a food symbol to help prevent cross-contamination, making it easier for you to transfer food to the pan. The mats even double up as shelf liners and colourful place mats, but as they are semi-disposable they will only last for a few months.
Specifications
Size: 31 x 38cm
Material: Plastic
Care: Dishwasher safe
Pros: Cheap, can be used as placemats or shelf liners, cut to size
Cons: Semi-disposable, no longevity, basic
Review: “I have a narrow ‘tray store’ to keep my chopping boards in, and more than 2 regular boards will not fit. With these, I can have an entire set of boards plus my breadboard in the one space. The colour coding makes it easy to grab the correct board and being bendy enables food to be slid neatly into the cooking pan. I use the "bread" one for rolling pastry which allows simple transfer to the dish without any tearing or stretching. This is my second set of boards - sharp knives will gradually cut into them. But I would buy them again.”
Best chopping board set with knives
Another Joseph Joseph addition to the list, this Folio features colour-coded knives including a 7inch Cook’s knife, 3.5inch Paring knife, 6.5inch All-purpose knife and a 5inch Fish knife that colour coordinate with each chopping board to prevent cross-contamination. As with the previous chopping board set, the surface is designed to mark when chopping so bear that in mind.
For more kitchen knife sets read our buyer's guide here.
Specifications
Size: 30cm x 20cm
Material: BPA free Plastic boards, stainless steel blades
Care: Dishwasher friendly
Pros: Stand and knife holder, easy to clean and organise
Cons: Small, need knife sharpener, expensive
Review: “The boards struggle to hold more than vegetables or meat for two people. even veg for two can be a bit of a push. However, if you're a couple starting out then this is very good. The boards only fit in their respective places and are marked up so you end up using the right board for the right product and avoid cross-contamination like raw chicken with vegetables. The knives are colour coordinated and match the board so, again, helpful if you're just getting to grips with cooking. The presentation of the knives and boards isn't too bad either. Lastly, the knife quality is good. You should really buy yourself a good knife sharpening steel AND ceramic sharpening steel.”
Best chopping board set granite effect
www.procook.co.uk
Match your chopping boards to your countertop surface if you have granite. Of course that isn't a condition of purchase for this granite effect chopping board set by ProCook, they look stylish and are stored in a matching slimline stand that will keep your kitchen smart and tidy.
Specifications
Size: L30 x W22cm x D0.7cm
Material: BPA free plastic
Care: Dishwasher safe
Pros: Heavy-duty and sturdy, one-year guarantee
Cons: Slips on wet surface
Review: “These are excellent. Light, non-slip, all with labels. Truly very good.”
OUR VERDICT: Which Chopping Board Set Is Best?
The best chopping board set is the John Lewis & Partners Chopping Boards Multi Prep Station. You have all bases covered here when it comes to the selection of chopping boards, one bamboo board, two flexible plastic boards as well as a solid drawer for food waste and a colander drawer for your chopped food.
Can Wooden Chopping Boards Go In The Dishwasher?
The simple answer is no. Wooden chopping boards should not go in the dishwasher because the heat can damage the wood. Any wooden utensils for that matter, should not be put in the dishwasher because the detergent from the dishwasher tab along with the heat of the water will strip the wood of its natural oils and the wood can then warp and crack.
How Do I Clean A Wooden Chopping Board?
To ensure that your wooden chopping boards last as long as possible, you must take extra steps to look after them. Though it seems like a hassle, it’ll be worth it.
When it comes to cleaning a wooden board, you need to stay away from any product that will stick to the board, because that could affect the taste of your food. So, natural products are best.
It goes without saying: do not put them into the dishwasher because it will damage the wood.
1. Scrub them with hot, soapy water. We recommend a natural, plant-based soap.
2. Some chefs recommend using lemon and salt. So, you could give that a go. But, just stay away from vinegar.
3. Next, airdry your wooden chopping boards. Don’t use tea towels, because you’ll be cross-contaminating your boards.
4. When dry, use a brush to apply some oil. Not cooking oil, mind. Apply mineral oil or beeswax to soak into the wood. Leave for a little while.
5. Lastly, give your board a wipe – with a disposable paper towel.
With this cleaning method, your wooden boards will last longer and look great.