I have a gorgeous one but don't remember who I got it from.
It was handmade via internet order.
I'll see if i can locate the web address...
LOVE wood for cutting on and it is actually more bacteria resistant than many other cutting surfaces.

I have a wood cutting board we'd purchased yrs ago at a local craft fair. I found the guy who makes them online because I needed to order new feet for ours a couple of yrs ago (the board is still totally fine). The guy's name is David Levy.

I think we have the P2.

Here is a link that might be useful: David Levy Creations

Boos block. I've had my large thick one for about 18 years. It lives on my counter where I use it every day for everything but raw meat. Perfect.

I bought an Epicurean at a kitchen store last year, and I love it. It has little rubber corners that come off so you can run it through the dishwasher. The sales guy at the kitchen store told me it was made of paper...??? But it's great, super easy to clean, and won't dull knives.

I have an end-grain 18'' x 24'' x 1.75'' board as my main prep zone. Stick-on rubber feet lift it off the counter, so a plate edge can be tucked under the board. I treat it with mineral oil every few months. This will cost you $70-90 at a restaurant supply store. If it says ''John Boos'', double that price, for end-grain. But a Boos edge-grain of that size is around $80, and should do for most prep, if a name brand is important.

Etsy has a few sellers with handmade cutting boards.

I got one from IKEA the other day, it is large and reversible, will fit over the edge of countertop. Very cheap at $9.99 but I really like it!

Red

Here is a link that might be useful: ikea cutting board

thanks to all for your help - catmom, the David Levy boards are beautiful and breezy, so are Boos.... donnakay - I looked up Epicurean and they do have an Eco Paper line....now I am not sure about that or the gorgoeus wood ones, I have a lot of wood in this house....

johnliu, if you could, what is "end grain" and why is it important? I looked up Boos boards on Amazon and the D Levy board site and did not notice that term.

I have one heavy thick nice-looking walnut board that is always out in the same place (it fits over the sink), and then I have a couple of thinner lighter wood boards that are good for chopping on and then lifting the cutting board to empty the contents into a bowl, etc.

OK, so my favorites aren't high end name brands, and not wood either. They are plain white Kitchenaid cutting boards that fit into my dishwasher easily and were about $10 or so each. I have 5 or 6 of them, so that some can be in the dishwasher and others are still available for use. I like that I can run them through the dishwasher. I know studies have shown that wood is not likely to develop bacterial problems. And a thick wooden board is decorative on the counter. Even so, I'm more comfortable being able to put them in the DW and know that they're really clean. Just my $.02.
Cj

Allison and maid - thanks for the etsy and ikea ideas - no ikea anywhere near me, and they don't do internet on boards.

Cj - I used a white board at one point and heard they are not sanitary, even though you can put them in the dishwasher???? It still seems weird to me.

The Epicurean ones are really odd, made of paper or wood of some kind and dishwasher safe....like I said, weird. donnakay - does it really go through the dishwasher? It seems like in all that wood or paper there has got to be a good dose of plastic....

End grain means the grain (fibers) of the wood runs vertically. The board's cutting surface is many squares of wood, glued together, sort of like a checkerboard. If you make a heavy cut that penetrates into the wood, the knife blade wedges between the ends of the fibers. When the blade is pulled out, the fibers come back together - the surface ''heals''.

Edge grain means the the grain runs horizontally. The surface is thin strips of wood, glued, like a miniature hardwood floor. That heavy cut will cut some fibers, which stay cut - the surface doesn't heal.

End grain is the best but more expensive.

It doesn't matter unless you are making those heavy cuts - chopping up a chicken carcass, let's say. For slicing and dicing, there is no real difference.

There is also face grain or plank, which is simply a sheet of wood. These are the least suitable for cutting boards.

I don't like plastic boards because they slide around on the counter. You can put a tea towel or rubber non-stick sheet underneath, which is extra work. They are also too ugly to sit out, so you have to store and retrieve them, more work. Plastic gets cut up - it doesn't heal - so eventually you have to throw it away, and I don't like throwing things away. True, they can go in the dishwasher.

You can keep a spray bottle of dilute bleach, to disinfect a wood board (or plastic board) after goopy chicken duty. Soap and water works too, but don't soak a wood board. I wipe off the goop, scrub with a soapy sponge/towel, repeat with a wet sponge/towel, and then wipe the bulk of the water off. Treat with food safe mineral oil every now and then.

I hAve the epicurean boards too - at the house and our cabin. My sister in law got hers at a fancy kitchen shop, I got mine at TJ Maxx! They look great and do go in the DW. In fact the girl at TJM said "these look really expensive". I don't have the counter space for a fab wood block, and these fit the ticket. Get lots of complements on them and they are perfectly functional for my chopping needs--mainly veggies and cooked meat.

I should have said my Boos is edge grain. I haven't oiled it in at least 16 years and it's still fine. It does get lots of oiled food sat on it though. Like John, I don't like cutting on plastic. I only do it for raw meat. I'm thinking of breaking down and getting a new end grain Boos for the new kitchen. And making it bigger.

I'm lost when I go to other people's kitchens to cook and they hand me a napkin sized flimsy "board" to chop on.

I have the Epicurean, too. My daughter got me a set for Christmas and I like them a lot. They're lightweight and easy to handle, and they're not supposed to dull knives. I don't put mine through the dishwasher--mostly because I like them so much that I want to take good care of them. I also have some nice quality plastic cutting boards, but these are so much lighter in weight.

wow - really appreciate all the information on this topic! I went to Amazon to read reviews of Epicurean boards, lots of people love them, but the negative (one star) reviews really concerned me. Apparently there are questions about the content of the binders in the boards and about flecks of the board getting into food. I like the idea of lighter weight boards for heaving into the sink, but I think I will probably order an "end grain" wood board (thanks john for the explanantion and breezy et al for the recommendations)and keep using those free weights to build up my upper arms :)

Any opinion on bamboo cutting boards? I've seen them for sale lately and they look good (thin, therefore easily stored). Anyone here use them?

another online producer:

Here is a link that might be useful: boardsmith

I have Epicurean. I love them! They are durable and light! I have several. They go right in the dishwasher and have for some time. I have had them for several years and they are holding up nicely! I will never have any other kind of board again. My only wish is that they came in more than just black and the gold color they have.

I have an Epicurean board (a gripper) as well and I am a big fan. The Boards are Richlite. A lot of technical data is available. We all have different standards but I am satisfied that the boards are safe and inert. Not terribly paranoid or prone to conspiracy theories so maybe I'm not a good guage. I have included a link to the technical data. Lee Valley carries some models - not sure how their pricing compares with other places.

Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ's pn Technical info on Richlite

I have several bamboo boards in different sizes, from tiny to huge. I got most of mine at C&B or Williams -Sonoma, but most kitchen stores carry them now. They are light, inexpensive and attractive. Sometimes I have a small task, like chopping a single clove of garlic, or wedging a singe lemon, and that way I don't have to clean a huge board for a small task, plus I can just bring the lemon wedges to the table on the board itself. I serve cheese on the cutting board as well.

As far as maintenance, soap and water and a good scrub does the job. I have separate, "raw meat" boards, used only for that purpose, that I labelled as such with a Sharpie. I do spritz those with a bleach solution after washing and then do a final rinse.

I think the issue with plastic or other non-wood boards is that if you scratch them, even the DW can't get rid of the bacteria in the scratches. Whereas wood has natural disinfectant properties AND bleach will penetrate in small surface scratches from everyday chopping.

I do have a beautiful end grain , large chopping block (no-name) that a friend gave me as a gift. I use it only rarely, as I find my bamboo ones easier to wash and store.

I found - i think the brand is Loved Things, some gorgeous models. I think they are made of very strong wood.
I bought one and it seems very solid. Wood texture looks great.