The 5 Best Cutting Boards for Meat, According to Our Tests

Our Top Pick

OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board

$33 at Amazon $37 at Walmart $19 at Sur La Table

As our top pick, OXO's Good Grips Carving & Cutting Board stood out from the others because of its outstanding performance and ample space for large cuts of meat. The cutting board is made with two grippy edges that double as handles and non-slip feet to keep the board in place. The smooth cutting surface withstands odors and has just enough texture for wet or raw foods. According to the company, the non-porous surface won't dull knife blades.

The cutting board's reversible design has one side with a drip well that can hold up to 2 ounces of liquid, while the other side works well for chopping produce. That said, we still recommend having two boards so you can use them both at the same time. Although it's dishwasher safe, the cutting board might not fit in certain dishwashers, but it is easy to hand wash with soap and water.

If you can only have one cutting board in your kitchen, this OXO board is a solid all-purpose option for cutting up raw or cooked meat, chopping veggies, and even rolling out pastry dough. Lisa Lynn was also a big fan of the OXO. "I love this cutting board so much! It fits so nicely on the island, and I keep it there most of the time for all types of slicing, dicing, chopping," she says.

The Details: Plastic; 21.11 x 14.34 inches; 3.4 pounds; dishwasher safe

Best Budget

Joseph Joseph Cut & Carve Cutting Board

$40 at Amazon $30 at Wayfair View on Josephjoseph.com

Joseph Joseph is known for its clever designs, and this handy cutting board for meat is no exception. The board has an angled surface that allows juices to roll down and collect against the high rim. Unlike some juice wells that easily overflow, this design can hold more than 10 ounces of liquid. "The slicing of the eye of round roast beef was perfect and it collected the meat juice just as expected," says Lisa Lynn. "I couldn’t wait to use the carving side of the Joseph & Joseph, and it didn’t disappoint."

This plastic cutting board features one smooth side and one textured side that has raised spikes to hold meat in place while slicing. The spiked side is helpful when food is too hot to hold in place, but it could pierce the flesh of more tender cuts. At 11.4 by 16.1 inches, the board is just the right size to cut up a chicken or slice a roast with a carving knife, but something bigger, like a turkey, would likely spill off the sides. Its smaller size fits nicely in dishwashers for an easy cleanup.

Our biggest qualms from testing were the visible knife marks on the board that appeared after just a few uses. Likewise, the sound of a knife chopping through hard foods is amplified because of the raised angle. But overall, this cutting meat has useful features, cleans easily, and is reasonably priced.

The Details: Plastic; 11.4 x 16.1 inches; 1.8 pounds; dishwasher safe

Best Wood

Lipper International Acacia Wood Cutting Board

$60 at Amazon $54 at Wayfair

Lipper International's Acacia Wood Carving Board is beautiful, functional, and durable. At 20 by 15 inches, this rectangular board is a functional size for carving turkey and large hams, and the beautifully grained wood looks lovely while serving.

The 7-pound board is heavy, but it's easy to lift and carry thanks to the deep recessed handles on its sides. The advantage of its weight is that it stays put when slicing meats. The juice well is wide and deep, holding as much as 6 ounces of liquid without spilling over. This feature was one of Allstar Kim Shupe's favorites. "The juice grooves proved useful in more than just keeping assorted liquids from spilling onto the counter, they also helped keep circular ingredients from rolling off the board too (think Brussels sprouts, onions, or key limes)," she says.

Even though the company doesn't explicitly tout that the carving board is reversible, we're confident you could use the other side despite the company's logo being etched in the middle.

The surface of the board had a satin-like, polished feel to it, and knife marks were imperceptible. The only drawbacks are that it needs to be hand washed (like all wooden boards) and it's trickier to store due to its weight and size.

"I think the Lipper board would be great for almost any home cook—as long as you have the room to store it," says Kim. "It's great for veggie prep, cooked meat carving, slicing bread—you name it. It was easy to clean, and isn't outrageously heavy, which makes it more accessible."

The Details: Acacia wood; 20 x 15 inches; 7 pounds; hand wash only

Best Design

Dexas Dexas Angled Acacia Wood Cutting Board with Well

$44 $36 at Amazon $36 at Macys

Dexas's Angled Acacia Wood Cutting Board features a simple, elegant design. With a 45-degree sloped edge, the board is equal parts visually interesting and functional, as the angle provides a comfortable handle for serving.

Like many other models, this one is reversible and can double as a beautiful serving piece or charcuterie board. Although it's a bit heavy, we found that the side with the juice well was easier to carry than the flat side, which was a little awkward to grip.

"The Dexas board was hands down the best looking—the wood grain was just insanely gorgeous and eye-catching," says Kim. "I also liked that the board had a decent-sized work surface, didn't move at all when in use, and was easy to wash."

The juice grooves are deep enough to hold nearly 2 ounces of fluid without overflowing. As with all wood cutting boards, hand washing is a must, but its sleek design makes cleanup fairly easy.

The Details: Acacia wood; 15 x 20 inches; 5.4 pounds; hand wash only

Best for Serving

Architec Acacia Carving Board

$50 $41 at Amazon $48 at Wayfair

Architec's cutting board is a great choice for serving, thanks to its beautiful blend of dark acacia wood and light beechwood. In addition to its appearance, it has a surface of 13 by 19 inches, a thickness of a little over an inch, and a unique concave surface perfect for carving juicy meats.

The cutting board's concave dip is almost imperceptible, but it's just deep enough to capture the juices and contain them to the middle of the board. Best of all, the board holds a whopping 8 ounces of liquid in the center.

With its superior stability, this board weighs more than 5 pounds and has rubbery pads underneath that keeps it steady on both wet and dry countertops. The grippy pads, however, do prevent this board from being used on both sides. Although it doesn't have handles, the board is easy to lift since the gripper pads elevate it just enough to get a fingertip grip. Our only complaint is that the board showed knife marks after just the first use.

The Details: Acacia wood and beechwood; 13 x 19 inches; 5.3 pounds; hand wash only