Kitchn Love Letters

The $20 Amazon Find That Solves the Most Annoying Thing About Cutting Boards

published Aug 31, 2021
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Credit: Photo: Ghazalle Badiozamani; Food Styling: Cyd McDowell

I own (and use!) a lot of cutting boards. And I love them all, for different reasons. Most weeknights, though, I reach for a lightweight cutting board that gets the job done and is a breeze to wash in the sink or throw in the dishwasher afterwards. No wrangling a heavy, wooden chopping board on a Wednesday for me, please!

The issue with these featherlight boards (and a lot of other cutting boards — even wooden ones) is that they’re not super stable. And without a little help they’ll slide around as you chop, mince, dice, and slice. Which is not only annoying, but also dangerous … because knives are, well, sharp.

There are a few different ways to prevent your cutting board from slipping, with one of the most popular options being a damp paper towel. But I don’t always have paper towels on hand, and I prefer the idea of something that’s reusable. Which is exactly why I bought this nonslip cutting board mat.

Now, I’m not exaggerating when I say I think every home cook should own one of these. The mat’s textured surface means a cutting board doesn’t move … not even one bit. And at about 18 inches long and 13 inches wide, it accommodates a large variety of boards and it works with all of my plastic and wooden cutting boards.

Credit: Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm

The mat is also totally non-absorbent, so it’s easy to wipe off its surface — whether it’s a splash of lemon juice or larger spill that happens because, well, kitchen accidents happen. It’s also dishwasher-safe, making it easy to clean. In fact, I think I might order a second mat so that I’ll always have one on hand, if the other is in the dishwasher.

And while you could roll it up for storage, it’s also pretty thin, so it easily stacks between your cutting boards. My point is simple: Get one. It’s not too expensive and truly worth it — especially as far as Finger Safety is concerned!

Do you have a favorite cutting board mat? Tell us about it in the comments!