There’s no denying there is a huge range of cutting boards in the market, and we often like to focus our shopping efforts on knives, smokers, meat probes, and more enticing pieces of kit.
But, when it comes to the cookout itself, a lack of space to cut and prepare your food can be frustrating — not to mention the risk of accidentally contaminating your food.
While I will save the story of how I set an apartment on fire through a cheap $5 plastic cutting board for another day, I’ve tested out a fair few options in my time: the latest being the MEATER Cutting Board, available from the company (more widely known for its range of meat probes) for just under $130.
That’s not a small chunk of change, true, and so these are my thoughts on whether it is worth paying so much for a cutting board.
As you can see, it’s rather well-worn, as it should be after it’s been used for over a year. The dimensions come in at 19.6″ x 14.9″ x 1.2″, but it’s a beast in real terms.
Made from bamboo and reversible if you prefer a completely flat surface (perhaps to display your meat, for example), it’s an excellent option for safely slicing all manner of ingredients.
My favorite feature is the juice tray, which collects juices and gives you the time to either pour it away through the spout or collect it for other purposes. This alone has helped keep the kitchen clean during a BBQ session. Furthermore, the deep grooves on either side are useful for moving large meat joints, such as prime rib.
The downsides? It is heavy, and cleaning it is difficult if you only have a small sink.
Is it worth paying over $100 for a cutting board? When I relied on cheaper options (of which I still have many), I would have considered this price point going overboard. However, for cleaning purposes, the drippings catcher, and the sheer surface area on offer, I would say that it could be worth it, especially if you want a multi-functional board that you can also use to display your showpiece.