I have a pull-out cutting board that is built-in, underneath a little stretch of counter next to the range. It's always ready to go.

Sometimes, I pull out my favorite cutting board which is stashed right above the oven, and near my most used prep space. It's usually cleaned and put away after I use it, so I know where it is. Although my island is butcher block, I decided not to cut on it because it's too high for chopping. If I'm slicing or prepping, it's okay but for knife work I like a lower counter, which is an addition to the island. Because we eat often at the lower counter, I use the cutting board so I don't have to sit there and look at knife marks.

OK, you didn't ask, but my favorite cutting board is very thin, light, long and made of Richlite. It's the one I pull out of the cabinet and use most.

There's a small little leaf shaped board with carved thistle flowers I keep by my water pitcher, which is always out. I use it for cutting orange slices, so it's always on the counter, standing vertically to show off the design.
{{gwi:1513651}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Richlite cutting board

That seems to be a really good cutting board. I might end up buying it although I have enough cutting boards. Maybe I wouldn't mind keeping it on the counter because it's so thin. Perhaps it's okay to buy another one if it is better than the ones I already own. But will I be able to force myself to get rid of some of them?

About a year ago, I got rid of all my mismatched shapes & styles of cutting boards and bought a pack of 4 new ones for about $7. They are very thin...plastic-like material. They are smaller than a cookie sheet, but in that general size, and they are thin...about as thin as a placemat for a table. You can cut on them, and they are flexible to curl the sides up for carrying to the stovetop or dropping/easing food directly into your cooking bowls.

I store them on top of my refrigerator because they are easy access for me there, and they are so thin, that nobody knows they are there but me. Now I don't have to rummage thru my cabinets for cutting boards! Yay! Plus, they rinse off/wash off really easy and air dry before I'm done with the rest of my cooking.

I keep a;arge wooden cutting board out in the counter next to my stove/gas oven. I wash it at least once a day. It's good for any cutting (of course) and also as a giant hot plate for setting pots out. Very handy and looks okay.

I have 4 cutting boards. Two small wooden ones are in a top drawer with the sharp knives. The 2 larger boards are in the next drawer down, and are no trouble to pull out. One is wooden, and used for everything that is sanitary. The plastic one, which I love, is used for raw meat and chicken, and after rinsing, is put immediatly in the dishwasher so it won't be used until clean. At this point in my life, I can't stand visual clutter - so I never leave them out.

I use a thick large end grain maple one with short legs for my main chopping. It was a birthday gift, attractive and almost sculptural. Heavy too (armwork = good). That moves around, sometimes lives on the work island, sometimes on the range top to one side (especially if I am cleaning counters), sometimes tilted on end to drain in the sink after scrubbing. Looks nice everywhere. I use it lots every day.

There is a small round one hanging by the sink, mostly for fruit. Because the big one is so often involved with garlic or onions.

A third small wooden one sits on end slid next to coffee pot near the sink. I'll frequently (daily?) grab that for an extra thing, say bread cutting, if the other two are in play already.

And, in a base cabinet next to the sink is a large plastic one I'll use for major poutry chopping and the like. Don't use that one so often.

There were a couple more but I ditched then in my culling.

My wooden cutting board -- which had been my mothers and was over 50 years old -- finally bit the dust and I never replaced it. I have five plastic ones in a variety of sizes that I use. I like them because they can go in the dishwasher. They are stored in a cabinet next to the fridge and easy to access.

The Richlite looks like a good alternative to a wood and with all the benefits of my plastic ones. I noticed the product description says it doesn't dull knives. That got me to wondering if my plastic boards are bad on knives -- does anyone know?

Tina

{{!gwi}}

I too use the lightweight, thin, flexible plastic cutting boards, and never use the others (so why do I keep them?)

It is so handy to dump the chopped up whatever into a bowl, soup pot, etc.

Barbara

The only time I use the flexible cutting board is when I'm cutting up raw meat.

The cutting board I have on the counter is the largest one that is similar to Tina's. But I find myself reaching for smaller ones throughout the day and using the big one for meal preparation.

By writing that, I just realized that I don't really have to keep it on the counter since I'm not really needing to use it throughout the day and not even for all meals. I'm going to put it under the counter that I use for my meal prep and hopefully this will work for me.

I have the type Tina shows. One which is probably 10 x 13. I keep it in a cabinet with the dishes. I also have a smaller, round one of the same material. I mentally arrange to chop things so that the meat is the last thing which is on the board. Then I can just put it in the dishwasher. I don't think I could go back to using a wood board now. But I really don't use them daily. Even chopping onions, I still kind of slice and dice through them without needing a cutting board. I think it's because my mother didn't ever use one, that many things people tend to chop-I just learned to slice.

Gloria