I don't remember where I picked it up, but I was always told that you needed at least two (if not three) cutting boards in your everyday kitchen. You need one for smelly foods like garlic, onions and meat, one for non-smelly foods like fruit and bread, and a wooden board for cheese. I had the requisite three (plus a few others that I kept for emergencies or bigger projects) but last year, when I was packing to go camping, I took my 'smelly' board (a smallish white plastic board) and donated it to my camping kitchen kit (hopefully another post on camp kitchens later...)
That meant I needed a new 'smelly' board, One day I was in Whole Foods, and feeling virtuous, I picked up a Preserve cutting board. They're made with 100% recycled plastic, are dishwasher safe, and come in really nice colors.
It took me awhile to admit it, but I really hate this cutting board. By looking at it, you would think it would be great - it's fairly big, has a decent surface, and again, it's a pretty color (I got the red one). But there are at least three big issues I have with it:
1. Often, when I'm chopping something, I bang my hand against the curved lip on one side. "Why don't you just turn the board around so that the curved part is on the opposite side" you ask? Truthfully, I never think about it until my knuckles are knocking against it. I keep my cutting boards in the space next to my toaster which is to the right of where I normally stand to cut things. I grab it with my right hand, put it on the counter, and begin cutting with my right hand. In many things I'm a lefty, but I use a knife with my right hand, so that's how it happens.
2. Also because of the curved lip, you can really only use one side of the board. I guess you could turn it so that he curve goes over the edge of the counter (or of the sink), but that just seems weird. I like to be able to use both sides of a cutting board.
3. And this is the biggest one. For some reason, it slips and slides all over my granite countertop more than any other cutting board I've ever had. Really, since it's only usable on one side, there should be little rubber feet on the other that keep it from slipping around. It's really a drag when you're chopping onions, and the board keeps slipping out from under you. I end up putting a kitchen towel under it, which keeps it from slipping, but, really, it just shouldn't slip!
One other thing is that it doesn't have a groove on the inside to catch liquid. This really isn't a fault of this particular board since some boards have them and some don't. I just know know that the next board I get will have one.
Overall Evaluation:
- Aesthetics - These boards are really nice colors, and look good, so I can't fault them on this metric. And the fact that it's made from recycled materials is good.
- Value - I don't remember how much I paid for this. Since I got it at Whole Foods, it was probably expensive.
- Reliability - Not very reliable! It slips around when I use it! It's practically dangerous!
- Task Completion - I always do end up completing whatever task I start with this, but I grumble a lot while I do it, and I always end the task by saying that I need to get a new cutting board.
- Discovery - Not a valid metric for this particular item
- Satisfaction - Unsatisfying. I can't wait to get a new board and put this in the cupboard where I'll maybe take it out and look at it occasionally then put it back.
Comments