This Affordable Cutting Board Will Make Your Kitchen Feel Larger
Whether your hunting for your first home, signing a new lease, or renovating to build your dream kitchen, everyone wants more counter space. Counter space means workspace, right? And workspace means you can comfortably whip up meals for your friends and family without bumping into corners or putting a raw chicken near your salad greens.
Related: The 6 Best Cutting Boards for Every Kitchen Task
For those of us without access to swaths of counter space, the next best thing is a larger cutting board, which helps take advantage of whatever space you do have. Enter the WinCo 18 by 24-inch plastic cutting board. For less than $30, this football field of a board will transform your cooking experience. Here’s why we love it, and use it every day in our test kitchens.
To buy: WinCo Cutting Board, $26 at amazon.com
It’s big
Which means you can chop more, and organize less. Ever started chopping an onion, only to find that your cutting board is full after half the onion is cut? Or slicing ingredients for a stir-fry, but find yourself spending half your time moving ingredients into smaller bowls you’ll only have to wash later? Never again with this board. With this much space, you’ll be able to push prepped vegetables aside to use later, and have space to continue chopping without ever feeling cramped.
Pro tip: to keep this (or any other cutting board) from slipping, dampen a paper or fabric towel and lay it underneath. Congrats, no slippage!
It’s affordable
Some kitchen tools are just that – kitchen tools. Wooden cutting boards may look beautiful, but they come with a high price, and are easy to ruin if you forget to take it out of the sink or a ‘helpful’ friend puts it in the dishwasher. A cutting board should be a functional item that gets the job done, day after day, without asking for anything in return. For just under $30, you don’t need to feel guilty about treating this board for what it is – a tool.
It’s easy to clean
Unlike wooden cutting boards, which require special cleaning materials and regular treatment with oil, this cutting board is dishwasher safe and low-maintenance. Leave it in the sink overnight? No problem – no warping or cracking here. Need to use it to slice raw chicken or beef? Give it a quick scrub with a little bleach and it’s as good as new. Even after heavy use, this board won’t absorb scents or juices from strong-smelling ingredients like raw garlic or onions.
It’s gentle on your knives
One reason wood is a popular choice for cutting boards (unlike, say, glass cutting boards, which we recommend steering clear of) is because of how gentle the surface is on knife blades (see: the best chef's knife). This board has a similar give, helping knives retain their blades, while still staying strong enough to endure even your most enthusiastic chopping sessions.
It can help you make the most of your kitchen.
Because this board is so large, it can turn previously unusable spots into helpful counter space. Have a small sink? Set this board over the opening and – ta-da! – you’ve just created extra counter space. You can also place it on your stove top – just be sure the stove is off and fully cooled!
To buy: WinCo Cutting Board, $26 at amazon.com
Related: 9 Essential Small Appliances for Tight Kitchen Space
