291 replies to this topic

[CRUZMISL]

Boos only has those small round ones...unless I missed it. Any other ideas?

Joe

[Toliver]

Here's one place that makes custom cutting boards. Not sure if they do end-grain's...
And here's another web site selling end grain cutting boards.

Here is the Google search page I used. You may want to look at some of the others on the page. The one company that had a lot of end grain boards on their site was based in the UK.
I hope this helps.

[slkinsey]

IKEA.

[Sandra Levine]

You missed it.

[Dave the Cook]

How 'bout this one, from Ikea?

[denise_jer]

We have the Ikea one - it is really good for the price.

[tirgoddess]

I saw those at Ikea last weekend. The price can't be beat.

[Richard Kilgore]

I am also looking for one to use as a table top for dining as well as prep...about 36X60. (I have a base with a smaller top that is okay for prep, but too small and crowded for dining. Any sources for something this large? I am guessing that end-grain would not be important (or maybe even possible) for something this large. Suggestions?

[Dave the Cook]

I am also looking for one to use as a table top for dining as well as prep...about 36X60. (I have a base with a smaller top that is okay for prep, but too small and crowded for dining. Any sources for something this large? I am guessing that end-grain would not be important (or maybe even possible) for something this large. Suggestions?

I wandered around in the link that Sandra provided, and found this.

Are those something like what you're after?

[slkinsey]

I am also looking for one to use as a table top for dining as well as prep...about 36X60. (I have a base with a smaller top that is okay for prep, but too small and crowded for dining. Any sources for something this large? I am guessing that end-grain would not be important (or maybe even possible) for something this large. Suggestions?

I wandered around in the link that Sandra provided, and found this.

Are those something like what you're after?

It's not end grain, though.

If you poke around the John Boos web site, you will see that they sell big chunks of end grain butcher block for use in countertops (look on this page for "End Grain Island Tops"). You could join together two 36" x 32" pieces for a total of 36" x 64". This is not cheap stuff, though. One 36" x 32" piece will set you back 653 bucks.

[Richard Kilgore]

slk -- Yikes!

[budrichard]

Just replaced my countertops with the afore mentioned John Boos end grain Maple. If you are really serious, this is the way too go. Otherwise I do have a left over piece in the garage! -Dick

[CRUZMISL]

I wanted an end grain Boos cutting board but the sizes were limited. They only had these little round ones which wouldn't really work well since I like to scrape my remains into the sink. Also they were small and I now work with a board that is 15x20. I noticed that Boos had a chinese chopping block sized 18x18 which is just perfect but it is 4 inches thick. 4 inches doesn't sound like a lot but it's much higher than what I'm used to.

IS this too much for a counter application or is it how it's supposed to be? Seems big but maybe this is normal and I'm not used to it. I'd rather exchange it before I cut on it. If I cut on it I'm sure it's mine to keep. Any advice.

[fifi]

That looks a little high to me. But then, I am a really short person. It might be just what the doctor ordered for a tall person. Picking the damn thing up to scrape stuff off and just to wash it would bother me as well. Suggestion... Take one of your boards and sit it up on an upended pan or something to simulate the height. Then do a bunch of knife work on it and see if the height bothers you. I agree that if you start chopping on it it is probably yours.

[Marlene]

I first read this title as "I was a little overzelous in choosing my coffin" I couldn't figure out what that had to do with food, Hannibal excepted.

However, the cutting board does look a little big!

[Comfort Me]

mmmm...two dishwashers....that's livin' large! I want to be you when I grow up.

Though I might look for a smaller cutting board. In this instance, size doesn't matter

[Chad]

Okay, repeat after me, "I will not clean the kitchen just to take photos for eGullet." It makes the rest of us look bad.

The cutting board is beautiful, but it does look pretty damn thick. I was down at my local restaurant supply place the other day and they had some Boos boards (not end grain that I recall) that were a good 15x20". But they weren't 4" thick, either. More like 1-1/2". 'Bout $50. If you're not sold on end grain, try a resaurant supply house nearby.

Personal thought: my counters are the average 36" height. I'm not tall -- 5'10" on a good day. Thirty six inches is a little high for long term chopping, dicing, slicing, et al., for me. I wouldn't want to add four inches to that. I'd get a kink in my shoulders that would last for days. If you're 6' or above, that might not be a problem. As has been suggested, put one of your regular boards at that height and try it for a couple of days to see how it feels.

Just a couple of random, port-driven thoughts.

Chad

[Dave the Cook]

I gotta echo Chad. I'm a hair under six feet, and just looking at that picture makes my back hurt.

(Also echoing on the "I will not clean the kitchen" thing.)

[jhlurie]

I don't know... when I saw that picture my first thought was that it was a cutting board...

...for cutting with a chain saw!

[SG-]

Too much of a board! what will you be hacking up whole lifestock carcasses?!?!!

[Megaroo]

Mmm... that looks like too much board for me Sometimes bigger isn't always better... I'm 5'2" and I think that thing would probably do me in!

[Squeat Mungry]

Wow. I don't know, maybe the voice of dissent, here, but if you don't want it... sell it to me (though I couldn't afford it, really)! I wouldn't use it on a surface quite that high, but I'd love to bring down my cleaver on that! A sturdy stand a few inches lower and I'd be more than happy to have it around. (I certainly don't think it would be comfortable to use where it is positioned in the photo.) I have boards up to 3 inches thick, but often wish for something a little more hefty, especially when hacking through bone.

Your kitchen seems to have some cash behind it (and makes me extremely envious), would you consider a custom table/stand for it?

[CRUZMISL]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have to agree, as much as it pains me, I'm going to have to send it back. It' is a work of art but it's just too much. The thing weighs 40lbs and isn't that easy to lug around the kitchen. I could make a stand for it but I don't really want to add anything else to the space.

I may shed a tear boxing it back up.......

Joe

[marie-louise]

From a wonderful book, Kitchens for Cooks by Deborah Krasner:

"The ideal countertop height can be determined by measuring the distance between your bent elbow and the floor... In general, 3 inches below this bent-elbow distance is the best height for most of your countertops... some tasks, such as kneading or rolling out dough, demand even lower countertop areas. These tasks...are best done on counters that are 3 to 4 inches below a 'normal' counter height, or 6 to 7 inches below bent-elbow level." Unfortunately, no discussion of ideal heights for chopping.

I'm 5-7, and my bent elbow measurement is 39. So the standard 36-inch high counter is the correct height for me. We have a 3x5 chopping block/worktable in our kitchen that is 34-inches high, which I find perfect for chopping & general food prep. My husband, who is 6-4, finds working on it unconfortable. His bent elbow measurement is 45, so the correct height for a counter for him is 6 inches higher than me! His ideal kitchen would have 42-inch high counters in general & 39-inches for kneading.

Okay, to finally answer your question: He bought a similar John Boos cutting block-his is 3-inches thick and has little legs, for a total height of 6-inches. He LOVES IT. He says it really helps his back not hurt when he is chopping for long periods of time. He loves it so much we are going to replace the worktable w/ a custom island (topped w/ John Boos end grain of course), part of it at 34-inch high for me & part of it at 40-inch high for him.

So the answer is, what is your bent elbow measurement & what is the height of this board when it is on your countertop?

[bilrus]

I like it myself.

I have a round one that is about that high not quite that big - maybe 24 inches across but I have a small kitchen - but I am 6'5. I love it. If I had more counter space I would get one twice as big (and square, just like this one).

I don't really bother with having to lift it up - I slide it next to the sink, wash it while it is flat on the counter and use a board scraper to get teh scraps into the sink.

And you may shed a tear when you find out how much it will cost to ship it back. We once bought a pot rack via a catalog. It didn't fit where we wanted it but it was almost as much to ship it back as we would ahve gotten back for the return. It's still sitting in my garage.

[=Mark]

This may sound complicated, but I would suggest buying a wooden cutting board that is 15 by 20 inches, and 1 1/2 inches thick.

[Toliver]

It's too bad you don't know anyone with a decent woodshop. You could slice the board horizontally and create two less-thick cutting boards from the one big honkin' board.

[Niall]

If you know anyone with a decent woodshop you could just get them to make a board to your specs...

[megaira]

Keep the cutting board.

Give me your kitchen.

[CRUZMISL]

Well, I'm going to send it back tomorrow. I ordered a new board from Ozark West. The owner said the quality of his boards is unmatched because Boos has an assembly line approach due to the sheer volume that company has to produce. My new one is custom made 16x20" and will be half as thick at 2 inches. The center will be maple with a black walnut surround. Here is a picture of one. I Was thinking of going cherry surround instead of walnut so there wouldn't be so much contrast but I'm still undecided. The board pictured is cherry/walnut surround.

PS thanks for the compliments on my kitchen. Very kind.

Edited by CRUZMISL, 19 November 2003 - 08:56 PM.