Boos Cutting Boards Worth It?

WeberWho

Is a nice fancy Boos cutting board worth the money and hassle to be an everyday cutting board? What I gather is that Boos boards need to be washed with soap and water and quickly dried right after. They also recommend oiling it once a month. I'm coming from some ugly stained plastic cutting boards that I can toss in the sink and run through the dishwasher with little hassle. Do you guys use your Boos cutting boards for everyday use?

My knives are average at best but I can see how the wood would keep an edge longer. The weight of the board would also be nice. I hear that your not supposed to use a wooden cutting board with meat? Any truth to that? Do you use two separate cutting boards for fruit/veggies and meat?

Sorry for the questions.  My plastic cutting boards are looking pretty gross and was wondering if its worth the extra cash or just sticking with plastic cutting boards

Eggcelsior

I love mine. Yes, you can use meat on the board. If I plan on cutting meat, I do raw prep on a separate wood board. I don't use plastic due the their risk of harboring bacteria in the grooves.

nolaegghead

I love wood cutting boards.  They're easy on your knives.  The wood doesn't harbor bacteria like plastic (as Dylan said) and you can always clean them with some vinegar to help sterilize.  I cut meat on them.  Do not put in dishwasher. I just clean the portable ones with soapy water, rinse.  I just let them drip dry.  I have a large cutting board table.  I'll use a scraper on it now and then, but pretty much just hit it with some soap water or vinegar and wipe off.  

I have a bunch of cutting boards.  I'll go through 3 or 4 of them sometimes cooking a meal.  Cut chicken, throw in sink and grab another.  Etc.

U_tarded

I got a boos about 3 months ago and love it.  We leave it out because it looks great.  Mostly veggies and cooked meats I do raw meats on an older board.  It feels so much ether under your knife.  Check out tj max/homegoods.  I picked mine up for under a Franklin there.  

MeTed

Yes! I have had mine for many years. About once a month I wipe it down with warm mineral oil. Not mineral spirits!

DoubleEgger

I hope so as I am having a custom end grain walnut board being made now. 

TTC

Absolutely worth it as others have noted. I have had mine (a ProChef brand but made by Boos) for over 20 years and love it.

Gdhoosier

I was thinking about getting a Boos board but ended up getting another (larger with groove around the edge to catch raw meat juices when trimming) Epicurean Gourmet cutting board.  They are wood fiber and resin, non-pourous, don't have to be oiled, and can be put in dishwasher as well.  They seem to hold up very well, are easy to clean, and do not harbor bacteria.  I am surprised no one has mentioned them on this thread - maybe there is something negative about them that I am missing?

bgebrent

Love mine!  Had it about 5 years.

stlcharcoal

Here's a good article on Boos:

http://issuu.com/feaststl/docs/april_2014_issue

and the TV show which featured them:

https://youtu.be/ac-DLlmiC0U

Biggreenpharmacist

How much is a boos?

Doc_Eggerton

I've been thinking about getting a Boos herb bowl/board for a mezzaluna.  Would like to hear from anyone else that has one.

paqman

I have a large one that I use when chopping vegetables for spaghetti sauce or when I prep large pieces of meat.  For everyday, I use the plastic ones and they go in the dishwasher...

They need some love otherwise you will have problems like splitting. I had problem with one and exchanged it no questions asked at Costco.

biggreenrob

I only use end grain wood boards with my knives. I highly recommend checking out the boardsmith - http://theboardsmith.com - You can use mineral oil to keep the board from drying out.  By the way, I am a knife knut. 

Austin Egghead

I have two Boos, but this is my favorite and also the most beautiful piece of wood working. 
http://www.cuttingboardgallery.com/   Good people to work with. 

Lit

They are nice. I would get an end grain if I were you. I have bought 2 edge grain in the last 3 years the first one split and the 2nd is now splitting. It's not splitting on the edges either it's splitting in the middle in several places which means it's a quality issue and not due to care. Also not all wood is ok for meat all of the hardwoods are but I am ordering a new custom veggie board to replace that island I sold and I am going with spalted sycamore which is not ok for meat. I searched for months before I ordered my last board and this guys work was the nicest I found anywhere but he has like a 3 month wait. Here is my spalted red maple I ordered from him. https://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenRiverWoods?ref=s2-header-shopname

Lit

This is a spalted sycamore he did I want something like this but large.

RRP

I have a large BOOS and I love it. It was a gift so I probably would not have paid that much for one, but being large it is nice to have when I need it!

clintmiller

Another vote for the boardsmith. My wife and I bought an end grain maple board with a walnut boarder from him last January. We completely love using the board. I'd post a link, but it looks like his website is having problems right now.

Focker

Fidel helped me custom order a walnut board from Rick Odea, the link Austin Egghead posted above.   Went thicker than his standard boards, and chose to leave the edges to make a butcher block cart.  A culinary focal point, I couldn't have been more pleased with the purchase.  Worth every single penny.  

Upkeep is simple.  Twice a year I coat with mineral oil and put some velcro on 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper, trace and cut to match a mouse pad, then stick it on the mouse sander.  While the oil is soaking, I make a few passes running the long way, not overlapping.  Then wipe off the sawdust oil.  Brings it back to new.  

You can get mineral oil cheap at the local pharmacy.  Also use a beeswax/mineral combo every couple of months to keep it looking fresh and not dried out.  Molly is awesome, gave me a bunch of beeswax for this.  You could find a local beekeeper and get it cheap, or buy it already mixed from Rick's shop.

For cleaning, it's a little bit of soap and water on a blue Lysol scrub pad, followed with a paper towel to dry.  The more stuff you use to clean, the faster you dry out the board.  The wood will let you know when it needs a mineral oil soak.  It will look faded, chalky white.   

It is the sacrificial altar, so everything is fair game.  I try to start with the vegg and go into the protein, or section off the block.    Doesn't always work out this way, but I have yet to pick up a bug.