Wood, plastic or glass? What I have learnt about chopping boards

A large hardwood board is the surface I trust the most for everyday chopping. Wood is not disposable. A hardwood board is gentler on the edge of a knife and is more comfortable to use. Glass I avoid chopping on altogether, and plastic is only used for a short amount of time before it needs to be replaced. Wooden boards will need to be washed, but none of them is ‘self-cleaning.’

Initially, my interest in chopping boards was only in wood. I focused on choosing the wood and matching the grain. I began to think about what happens after the board leaves the shop.

How does the material on the chopping surface interact with food and affect our health? How does a board behave while cutting? How does the material hold up while in use for many years?

The more I looked into the answers to these questions, the more I found valid, compelling reasons for not just choosing a chopping board material based on looks.

What truly matters is how the board is used rather than the board material

Before assessing materials, I have to say something. No chopping board is hygienic simply because of the material it is made from.

Wooden boards are not miraculously self-cleaning surfaces. Plastic boards are not automatically safer than old wooden boards. Glass boards do not eliminate the risk of cross-contamination just because glass does not absorb moisture.

The biggest everyday concern is cross-contamination. If a board and knife have come into contact with raw chicken or meat, bacteria can easily get onto salad, bread and even cooked food unless both have been washed properly.

In my kitchen, I am not a big fan of extreme organisation. Having one chopping board for raw poultry and meat and another for everything else makes maintenance easier and will, for sure, have more positive effects than constantly saying that one material is always completely safe and another always dangerous.

Hygiene is most important when using chopping boards. Whatever the material of the board, it needs to be washed with hot water and washing-up liquid. It cannot simply be wiped with a damp cloth.

Wood vs plastic vs glass at a glance

Plastic chopping boards are usually cheaper and can be used in the dishwasher, but they do have their problems

There are several reasons why plastic chopping boards are the preferred choice for many people. Plastic boards are useful when you want a chopping board for raw meat that you can put in the dishwasher.

There are some problems, however. I have found that the most annoying problem is that there are always visible knife-cut marks left on the surface. These cut marks appear over time. What I have noticed is that, with frequent and prolonged use, deep grooves form in the surface.

I have seen plastic boards where the centre is basically just a grooved, etched surface. These grooves can begin to catch food and baked-on grease. At this point, the board is nearly impossible to clean and sanitise.

It is not true to say plastic boards are unhygienic. A board in good condition and free of grooves and etchings can be cleaned, but deeply etched boards should not be used forever just because they fit in the dishwasher. Grooved boards should not be used.

What about the bacteria in the grooves?

You will often hear people say that plastic is the more hygienic choice because it is non-porous. While I understand this argument, it is not totally correct once the board has been cut and scoured.

There’s a big difference between that new, smooth plastic surface and the scratched-up plastic surface. Moisture, bacteria and even food can get trapped in the plastic grooves and scratches.

This is why I think chopping boards should not be judged based on how they appear when they are new. They should be judged based on how they work after being used on a daily basis.

Plastic is very different from wood. Wood absorbs moisture while plastic does not. They also have totally different drying behaviours. Moisture can get trapped in the knife grooves when the board is not dried properly. This can happen because plastic boards are usually left flat after washing.

Plastic boards and microplastics

Microplastic wear has given me a new perspective on plastic boards. When a knife makes repeated cuts on plastic, microplastic shedding occurs. Some studies show that polyethylene and polypropylene chopping boards emit microplastic particles during food preparation.

We obviously can’t go overboard with this information. At this point in time, science can’t say for sure that plastic boards contribute to making someone sick. Research into microplastics and their impact on human health is still very much in its infancy.

That said, I can’t see how this adds anything good to food and, of course, there are better ways to go about this. I prefer to keep my food free of any extra plastic.

Glass chopping boards: easy to clean, hard on knives

Glass chopping boards are very convenient for wiping, and they don’t absorb juices or develop deep grooves like plastic boards.

However, they are very hard on knives. The thin edge of a kitchen knife loses its sharpness rather quickly when it constantly hits a hard surface.

Glass doesn’t give, and neither do stone or metal; poor-quality wooden or plastic boards can also be unforgiving.

Using a dull knife makes cooking unnecessarily frustrating. I have no problem with using glass for presenting food or for cheeseboards and things of that nature. However, for all other chopping-related tasks, I will not use glass.

Wood is weird

Wood is a cellular material that contains fibres and a microstructure that can absorb and release moisture, meaning it is a material that can change with its environment. There are compounds found naturally in wood that will be further explained.

Oak is a type of wood that I use a lot in my work. I believe many oak species are rich in tannins, which give them a good deal of longevity and character.

There are some studies that suggest, at least in a lab setting, certain woods create less favourable conditions for some bacteria as the surface dries.

Other studies say that microbes on a wood surface do not simply disappear.

However, it is possible for some microbes to be drawn below the surface with moisture. That does not mean all the bacteria on the wooden board are going to spontaneously combust, but it does provide some research-based evidence that wood behaves differently.

A wooden board will never be self-sterilising; it still has to be washed properly.

Even so, wood’s natural abilities sound pretty interesting.

Does wood have bactericidal properties?

This is the most frequent question I am asked online. Quite simply, I am unable to give a straightforward ‘yes or no’ to the question ‘does wood kill bacteria?’

Research has established that, as some wood dries, certain bacteria become difficult to culture after a period of time. Other studies have shown that wood and plastic can both be used hygienically when cleaned properly.

I would say this: when comparing a clean and well-maintained hardwood chopping board with a plastic chopping board, the wooden board is not inherently less hygienic. Overall, the structure of wood and its natural compounds offer an environment that is less favourable to some organisms. Wood should not be viewed as a substitute for washing, drying and sensible food separation.

Drying is as vital as washing

One of the most common mistakes I have seen regarding wooden boards is leaving them wet.

Boards should be towel-dried and then leaned against something to provide airflow to both sides. I wouldn’t suggest leaving a wooden board flat on a wet worktop. The bottom side can’t dry, and uneven moisture can cause movement, warping and cracking.

Boards should never be left to soak in a sink or placed in a dishwasher. The combination of prolonged water exposure, heat and rapid drying can cause wood to swell and shrink unevenly. Even a heavy board will succumb to this treatment.

A wooden board likes a simple routine: wash quickly, no soaking, dry thoroughly, lean against something, and oil the wood when the surface starts to look dry. More detail about the full routine can be found in our care guide.

Wood and particles from cutting

A wooden board and a plastic board both shed particles when used as cutting surfaces, but wooden boards shed particles from plant materials such as lignin and cellulose.

Plastic is plastic. Wood is much better than persistent plastic, and I believe it is better to prepare most foods on a solid hardwood board.

Each material has its own effect on your knives

The most noticeable difference between the three materials is what happens to your knives.

Glass is hard and unforgiving. It can dull a knife edge quickly and can chip a thin or hard blade. I would not recommend using glass for regular chopping, especially with good kitchen knives.

Plastic is better than glass, but not ideal. A flexible, soft plastic chopping board is something you can use, but hard plastic will still wear a knife edge. A scarred plastic board is difficult to use and to clean.

A well-finished hardwood board gives support while having a little give, helping a knife glide across it.

With an end-grain board, the knife glides between the wood fibres instead of cutting across the wood.

When a knife is pressed into a tight bundle of bristles, the fibres around the knife blade open slightly and then close. This is what happens to wood on an end-grain board as the board resists cutting marks.

I like to imagine pressing a knife into a tightly packed bundle of bristles. The fibres open slightly around the knife and then come together again. This helps the knife stay sharp and helps the board resist cutting marks.

Not every wooden board is the same

The different chopping boards available cover a significant range. This range is due to variation in:

• Species of wood used
• Grain orientation (edge or end grain)
• Moisture content of wood
• Glue
• Finish
• Thickness and construction

A wooden board that is thin, poorly dried and made from timber of poor quality cannot be compared to a thick hardwood board made from quality timber.

Some boards marketed as natural alternatives use strips of particularly strong and hard bamboo. Bamboo can be hard, but it tends to be harder and more abrasive than most other chopping-board timbers.

My preference would be for properly prepared and seasoned hardwoods such as maple, cherry, oak, walnut and beech.

Wood has a lot of advantages, and longevity is one of them

Plastic and glass are difficult to repair, so boards made of these materials are almost completely disposable. Solid wooden boards can be easily renewed. It’s worth pointing out how much I love that about wood.

To show what I mean about the renewability of wood, take the example of a wooden board that I sand to a new finish. All of the old marks are gone and, with food-safe oil and wax, the board is renewed. The grain of the wood is clearer, the colour is more prominent, the finish is smooth and the board is ready.

For all these reasons, but most of all for sustainability, I offer the Timbermere Board Refresh Service. Any maker’s board, not only ours, can be restored through this sustainability service.

Wooden boards are a long-term cooking accessory that should be treated as such. Wood is beautiful, and wooden boards are gentle on knives and renewable.

So fine, let’s say I’ve convinced you to go for wood. But which wooden chopping board do you go for?

Wood offers a more comfortable and gentle cutting surface, while a washable board is best for raw meat and raw poultry.

Glass and plastic are both practical, but they lack some benefits of wood, such as being gentle on knives. Wood requires slightly more care, but offers a surface that is comfortable to cut on, gentle on knives, renewable and naturally beautiful.

I do not think wood is magically sterile, but I do like wood for its function and durability.

A wooden chopping board feels solid. It can be sanded when it gets too worn and lasts much longer than plastic. It doesn’t shed plastic into your food either. With adequate washing, drying and oiling, it can even last a lifetime.

A nice wooden board is almost entirely free of plastic, which I appreciate. It feels good to use and maintain, and it can become a lifelong chopping board.

Ewald, Timbermere