KotiChef

The first rule of cutting boards is transformative yet simple: get the largest one your kitchen can reasonably accommodate, and keep it out on your countertop at all times. When your cutting surface is always ready and spacious enough for any task, you remove a major friction point from cooking. No more retrieving a board from a cabinet, no more shuffling cut ingredients to make room for more cutting, and no more cramped workspaces that slow you down.

A large, permanently positioned board becomes your dedicated prep station—a reliable workshop ready whenever inspiration strikes. Many serious home cooks dedicate a section of countertop near the sink specifically for their main cutting board. This permanent installation might seem like a sacrifice of precious counter space, but the efficiency it brings to every meal preparation more than compensates.

Working on a small cutting board is like trying to write on a post-it note instead of a full sheet of paper. A generous cutting surface (at least 18×24 inches) allows you to cut multiple ingredients without stopping, create organized piles of prepped ingredients, handle large vegetables like cabbage without awkward maneuvering, and keep a dedicated corner for scraps and another for ingredients with strong flavors like garlic and onion. This organization prevents flavor transfer to delicate items like apples or melons, ensuring your morning fruit doesn't carry hints of last night's garlic sauce.

Your knives represent a significant investment, and nothing dulls them faster than cutting on the wrong surface. This is where wooden boards, particularly end grain construction, shine. The wood fibers accept the knife edge between them, allowing your blade to slice without substantial dulling. Contrast this with plastic and glass boards, which create microscopic damage to your knife edge with every cut.