I use an acrylic cutting board because I can pop it into the dishwasher to sanatize it easily. I have several and they store in the cabinets with my regular dishes. Granite will ruin your knives if you cut on it.

I have a big thick butcher block cutting board sitting next to my sink all the time. I have a separate one I use for meat. I don't have a prep sink so this is where I do all the chopping.

I really like kitchens that have a cutting block inset into the stone counter (I'm assuming they lift out for washing). Another cool look that seems very practical is having an entire butcher block on legs attached next to the island, but a few inches lower than the counter top.

Nicole

I have some little plastic mats I use for smelly stuff (my old pull out cutting boards took on way too much old onion smell when they were new and never really could fix that) and transport, and we have two butcher block counter tops, one on either side of the range. I stole that idea from a friend of mine and really like being able to chop right there. They don't lift out for cleaning, I just clean them!

It's an old, old idea but a good one. My grandmother's kitchen had pull outs the entire length of her cabinet run!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pull out cutting boards

We have several acrylic cutting boards. I store them under my sink, at easy reach & put-away.

As an fyi, our "old" 1977 kitchen had the pull outs - and yes, while they were convenient, I don't think they are nearly as sanitary (my cabinet guy said he could have done it, he just asked me to reconsider a new flow -- which I did & am glad I did so).

I do almost all of my cutting at the island. I have way too many cutting boards in different sizes and materials, but I do seem to use them all. I keep my most frequently used ones next to my undercounter MW (see pic), and I keep the others in a tray cab that's at the other end of the island, right next to the prep sink. Seems to work well so far.

I have two c. 1930s pull out cutting boards that are in excellent condition. One is on each side of the sink and each cabinet also has a metal bread drawer. I LOVE the convenience. I use them for slicing bread. Often, I put an acrylic cutting board on the wood board because it is a bit lower than the counter top. There will be a pull out on my cooking center for last minute food prep.

The boards pull out completely for brushing off crumbs and cleaning. BTW, why would the pull out have to be all wood? An acrylic board could be recessed in a wood slider and pop out for cleaning.

We use acrylic cutting boards for most things... store them in a upper cabinet (above the broom closet). We also have some wood boards we use occasionally.

I never, never cut directly on my granite. I also got rid of all of our glass boards. Both are too hard on nice knives.

We have a cutting board rack in the pullout underneath our prep sink in the island, with color coded plastic boards: red for raw meat, yellow for poultry, brown for cooked meats, green for veggies & fruits. We also have a couple of smaller boards for breads & cheeses.

I found the rack & boards at a restaurant supply store.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cutting board rack

I THOUGHT we would do our cutting on the counter between the fridge and prep sink. Makes sense, right? It turns out I really like to cut on the peninsula next to the range. I'd rather be facing into the room rather than facing a wall (even though the "wall" is a big window.) I like wooden boards. I generally keep one large board on the counter (the only place I have to store such a large board is in the divided cabinet above our fridge.) I keep smaller boards leaning against the backsplash on the counter next to the main sink, where I wash them off (right across from the peninsula work area.) Now I just have to migrate the sharp knives from the drawer next to the fridge to the peninsula work area (it's only taken 32 months to figure out I'm not going to be using the intended area.)

Nothing stays on the counter. I have several small round (or roundish) wood cutting boards - some in a drawer under the cooktop (across from the island with prep sink) and some in a drawer between the fridge and cleanup sink (also used for some prep at times). I have an acrylic that I use for raw chicken only - I trim and cut chicken prior to freezing it so it's stored unless I've been meat shopping. I also have a thick butcher block (also stored) for the occasional use - usually cutting meat that's not chicken.

We do most cutting next to the prep sink and store the cutting boards in a tray cabinet that we put on the side of the island for just that purpose. I thought that I would keep the most used one in the cabinet under the prep sink, but it turns out that our other prep tools take up the space there.

We also keep a small cutting board on the counter near our main sink because that is where we keep the non-refrigerated fruit, bread, peanut butter and jam so people tend to use that one for making a sandwich or when cutting up a single piece of fruit for a snack.

Since my kitchen isn't done yet, I can only tell you where I plan to do my cutting...probably b/w the prep sink and refrigerator OR b/w the prep sink and range. Either way, I will probably store my cutting board under my prep sink so it's accessible from either place.

I'm considering installing one of these under the prep sink...

Here is a link that might be useful: Rev-A-Shelf 15'' Door Mount Cutting Board

We have butcher block on our freestanding island. I LOVE IT!! I cut everything but meat on it. It is acquiring a wonderful patina. It actually looks like I cook in there
:-) I recommend a butcher block section of counter if you can fit it in. It's great.

I have wood (and only wood) cutting boards scattered around the kitchen. My main food prep cutting is done next to the sink on the counter over the pull out trash cabinet. It's easy to slide the waste right into the trash can.

I like the plastic cutting boards because you can put them in the dishwasher. I haven't done it yet, but I am planning to get the Rev-A-Shelf door mount that buehl links to. I will just put plastic cutting boards in it. I'll even be able to fit two because the plastic ones are thinner.

Pre-remodel: I cut on an acrylic cutting board that I use next to the (only) sink. I can pop it in the dishwasher and also bleach it in the sink.

Post-remodel: I'll have a prep sink in the island with about 32" of counter space to the left. The sink end of the island will be dropped to a finished height of about 33". I plan to use the lowered prep space for two purposes: 1) pastry work and 2) prep work for produce. I'll have a freestanding butcherblock cutting board covering the whole prep space (DH will make it to fit about 32" x 24") that can be removed (if I can lift it!) when I want to do pastry work. I'll still keep an acrylic cutting board for meat, fish, and poultry.

Funny,

I got rid of the old plastic dish drainer off my counter, and now I keep the butcher block cutting board out all the time. Not sure why, we put it away before in the old kitchen (had to cuz there wasn't that much free space). Maybe, if I was having company, I might put it away (but where?), nah, I'll need it anyways, so it'll just get left out!

Thanks for all the good info. I guess i will have to have a place near the prep sink for a cutting board, or plan to keep it out. Does anyone have one that is the same size as their sink that fits on top? This might be a pain--not sure.

I have seen the butcher block piece that is part of the island top. That is interesting.

One friend of mine had a whole cut in the top of the island right over the trash. It has a little piece of wood covering it. She can just swipe stuff right in there. Kind of a neat idea.

I wouldn't put a cutting board over the sink. The sink is where I'd want to sweep the trimmings from the produce I'm prepping. My prep sink will have a garbage disposal which I'll use for the items I'm not saving to throw into the forest next to our house. I don't compost, so I save edible trimmings and throw them into the forest for the critters down there.

I have a cutting board cabinet next to the peninsula where I do all my prep. I keep one cutting board on the peninsula all the time for convenience. My mom had one of those pull out boards. Convenient, but messy. Stuff was always falling off the sides onto the floor.

Kellog, I have an acrylic cutting board with detachable handles (to fit over sink when you need) and its a favorite. Anything messy drips right into sink instead of on counters.

Great for cutting/trimming meat before cooking or freezing, cutting large quantity of fruits or veggies for party or freezer. Cut, rinse and drop waste into disposal. Then pops into DW. Couldn't be easier. Sandy

Little spaces are great places for cutting boards. (there's a song there somewhere). We have a couple of them...one under the stainless counter, where most food prep will take place and one on the island. Each pulls out and has a spot for a cutting board to be stowed. It's a great way to use 3" of space :)

My over-sink acrylic board has a built in colander. Very handy! I leave over my sink most of the time.
Never use a clear counter saver for cutting; you will ruin your knives or possibly hurt yourself.
A cutting board recessed in a counter sounds stylish, but would be messy if you were cutting anything juicy.

I have one length of counter that is maple butcher block, 7 or 8 feet long. We cut on it all the time and having that much space to spread out has become a necessity, I can't imagine kitchen life without it. We finished the kitchen a couple years ago and I can report that it's eased kitchen chores in other little ways I didn't anticipate. Tonight, for example, I made homemade pasta spreading the flattened pieces out on the floured board as always & I'm reminded of how nice it is to quickly cut noodles or ravioli on the board without thinking about scratching the surface below or ruining a knife. The same is true of any number of other doughs I cur on other days.

It's nice to have something separate for fish etc to throw in the dishwasher but honestly I no longer "need" a cutting board now that I have a cutting counter.

My counter wasn't that expensive, BTW. I've seen some beautiful custom butcher block but mine is pretty standard and a workhorse.

Note:
In my pre-renovation kitchen life I never met a cutting board I felt was big enough. This is what drove me to the full counter BB. If you have a hard time confining yourself to a large cutting board as I did, consider the full counter cutting surface.

No comments on BB running up against sinks -- that worried me so I have a tiled in sink for wet prep in my vintage-y kitchen.

I have a tempered glass cutting board next to the sink on the side where the cooktop is. If I'm cutting chicken, I immediately run the glass under hot soapy water - and it also goes in the dishwasher.

ci lantro, thanks for the link to the custom cutting board site! I'd like to follow up on getting a new pull-out to replace the battered one that's in my 22 year old kitchen. I have been using an acrylic cutting board for the last couple of years because I don't think the wooden one can clean up when it's so jagged and tattered.