When it comes to buying a quality product that will provide countless years of reliable service, it always pays to invest in an item made from high quality materials using traditional manufacturing techniques as opposed to a cheap imported product that has been mass-produced overseas. This is particularly true in the case of high quality cutting boards.

Although there are plenty of cheaper options out there for those in search of affordable cutting boards for chopping up meat and other types of food, anyone who is serious about good hygiene and the longevity of their kitchen knives would do exceptionally well to steer clear of the less expensive alternatives altogether.

For a start, mass-produced chopping boards are usually made from inferior wood, which is prone to warping and will often split or crack after just a few uses. Even worse are the cheaper plastic cutting boards, which are well known to harbour harmful bacteria once the chopping surface has been damaged by repeated cutting.

The reason for this is that cheap plastic boards are damaged quite rapidly and, once they have been used a few times, harmful bacteria will be left behind in the cuts and grooves. This makes the boards incredibly difficult to get clean effectively.

Of course, it is true to say that plastic cutting boards are safe to use in high temperature dishwashers with strong detergents whereas high quality cutting boards need to be treated with respect and looked after appropriately. However, cheap plastic boards are still a fertile breeding ground for E. coli and other dangerous germs when left unwashed for even the shortest amount of time.

Although you might be surprised at first, bacteria left behind on a more expensive wooden chopping board will typically die out naturally after a few minutes without the use of bleach or detergent and scientific tests in the laboratory have shown this to be the case. High-end wooden chopping boards that are handmade are also much kinder to the environment as well as being knife friendly.

Being the safest options in terms of preserving the sharpness of knives, quality wooden cutting boards also tend to scar less easily than their mass-produced counterparts and the actual fibres of the wood have the ability to heal themselves after use. Because of this, a good chopping board will truly stand the test of time with many lasting for several years without the need of constant replacement.

In addition to the several practical reasons for choosing a quality wooden cutting board, one could also say that a well-made chopping board is something much more than just a highly functional kitchen accessory – it is also a lovingly crafted example of elegance and beauty!