I have several....they're hard on knives. There is some guy who frequents craft shows in my area who makes cutting boards out of scrap corion. I have a huge one I use for rolling pastry or kneading dough, and several smaller oned for serving cheeses to an informal group. I put the smaller ones in the dish washer....the big one is too large to fit.

Linda C

I wouldn't let anyone use my good knives on one.

No, never ever will my revered knives come even close to a corian cutting board - not even in the same room!!!!! That should be punishable by banishment from the kitchen for up to one year!!!!!

Thanks for the replies. I believe you all have saved my knives from certain death by dullness. So, I'm going all wood. I have an old warped, cracked board that I've always liked the feel of anyway. I read somewhere on one of the forums here that wood is actually safer than some other surfaces for meats. So, at the moment, I'm planning on one for meats and one for everything else. Any suggestions as to brands that will stand the test of time? More importantly, can someone just define the differences and strengths/weaknesses of the different kinds of wooden cutting boards for me (i.e. edge grain, end grain, butcher block wood, etc.) Thanks.

I have a wood cutting board, and several of those plastic ones. Both are great as they preserve your knives, not to mention the terrible scratching sound that occurs when you try to cut on Corian or any other hard surface.

Also, the plastic ones go in the dishwasher. I have one plastic one for veggies and another for meats. I use the wooden one for bread and cheese.

L

Plastic here, as well.

I can't fit the one cutting board in the dishwasher, but it just fits in the sink. A good hard scrubbing and, after cut meat on it, a soaking in straight bleach, takes care of any little lingering buggies.

The following site will explain the different kinds of wood cutting boards. I have an edge grain board and a plastic one (NSF safe) that I use solely for meats. Nothing is more fun than using a good wood cutting board to make that pefect, well-prepared dish!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Wood Cutting Boards

Don't forget to oil your wooden board frequently. Use 10 parts mineral oil mixed with 1 part paraffin. Microwave, or heat in saucepan, until the paraffin melts. Apply with a clean soft rag. I do this at least once a week. It will extend the life of your wooden cutting board tremendously. Also, store the board on it's side, not flat, unless you have "feet" on it. And if you don't have feet, that can be solved by picking up rubber feet at a hardware store or HD (comes in a 4-pk) that you can screw right into the bottom of the board. The air will be able to circulate, which is important.

Thanks Barry5k for the link. Very informative. I thought that I remembered reading somewhere that oiling a board actually decreases its anti-bacterial properties. I could be wrong, though. Anyone else know if there's any truth to this statement?

The Corian board I was left w/ from my single-sink cut-out is VERY heavy--for that reason alone I wouldn't use it for much of anything. I use the Corian counter to roll out dough, and the lighter-weight plastic boards to cut on.

I believe you are Wright, RD....pun intended!...I do think I remember that oiling a wooden board decreases it's anti bacterial properties.
Linda C

Wood board here too. I purchased a couple of different sizes Chinese ironwood chopping boards from the link below. LOVE them! Due to its density and hardness, the wood is very safe to use for meat. Easy cleaning too!

warning: ironwood are heavy type of wood but it has a handle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chinese Ironwood chopping boards

I have one, it's about 20 years old. I keep it under the toaster oven now and mostly use it to butter toast and as a landing pad for the hot things coming out of the toaster oven. Mine is very big (a sink cut out, got it at a kitchen show) and too heavy to be useful.

For cutting, etc, I use wood cutting boards.

Corian cutting boards are fine...being a chef, I MUST use a nonporous surface to cut on, and for food preparation.

I have used all types of cutting boards (including glass which IS hard on knives). I can say without hesitation that Corian cutting boards (being acrylic) are no worse than any other type of board (Rock Maple, Bamboo, other hardwoods, etc.) concerning knife-sharpness.

In my opinion, it is far better to avoid the chance of foodborne illness, than to be concerned about possibly needing to re-sharpen a knife.

chefMsmith - actually wood boards are safer regarding foodborne illness, as well as being better for your knives. No one knows where the idea came from that acrylic boards are safer - there is no research that backs that up. On the contrary, University of Wisconsin researchers' findings are that wooden boards are safer.

"The [University of Wisconsin] researchers purposely contaminated wood and
plastic boards with bacteria and then tried to recover those
bacteria alive from the boards. They also tested boards made from
seven different species of trees and four types if plastic. They
incubated contaminated boards overnight at refrigerator and room
temperatures and at high and typical humidity levels. They tested
several bacteria, Q Salmonella, Listeria and enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli Q known to produce food poisoning. The results
consistently favored the wooden boards, often by a large margin
over plastic boards. The scientists found that three minutes after contaminating a board that 99.9 percent of the bacteria on wooden boards had died, while none of the bacteria died on plastic. Bacterial numbers actually increased on plastic cutting boards held overnight at
room temperature, but the scientists could not recover any
bacteria from wooden boards treated the same way. A major question is why wood is so inhospitable to bacteria. The researchers have tried unsuccessfully to recover the compound in wood that inhibits bacteria, and is continuing the research."

As a chef cooking for the public, you should use wooden cutting boards. given the findings of the University of Wisconsin. Furthermore, they researched any other scientists' findings to the contrary, and could find none. I repeat, there is no evidence anywhere that acrylic boards will help avoid foodborne illness.

you can bring a horse to water but you can't makem drink .like foreign cars it takes time to people to evolve.I have been selling corian boards for years at craft shows and 99 percent of the people in there own words love them,the ones who wrote in appears to follow under my moms saying of how do you know if you don,t like it if you don't try it !! that's the difference a consumer and an educated consumer.

Only one advice from me- dont use Corian DuPont for kitcen counter top-I have it and it cracked twice!!! And isnt it too soft for cutting board?

akchicago....I checked the Univ. of Wisc. website, and they did not mention testing Corian cutting boards....only wood and plastic.

Enzo, the 'Food safety' link you are suggesting is broken.
You can actually view the content through archive.org.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cutting Boards Review

Without getting into the plastic vs. wood controversy, it is worth noting that Corian is acrylic (polymethylmethacrylate) loaded with aluminum oxide (sapphire). Sapphire is 9 on the Moh's scale, significantly harder than knife steel. I love Corian as a product, particularly for bathroom surfaces, but I wouldn't cut against it with any important steel knife. Using it as a stropping surface might be a possibility, though.

kas

I think this is SPAM (this poster has posted on multiple threads with the same link.)

.

If not...

chicagotrek3453 - this thread is over 10 years old. I really doubt the OP is still around or, if s/he is, still needs help. Please don't bring up these old threads as they knock threads regarding current issues off the first page. (I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt...)