The 7 Best Carving Boards, Tested and Reviewed

The functional design of top performers helped keep messes under control and kitchen knives sharper longer.

Summer is a freelance food and travel writer who began by writing about Swedish cheesemaking traditions in 2018.

Stacey Ballis is a novelist, cookbook author, and food writer with 20 years of experience. She has authored a cookbook called "Big Delicious Life," in addition to ghostwriting, recipe development, and recipe testing for chefs.

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Food & Wine / Taysha Murtaugh

What’s the difference between a carving board and a cutting board, you ask? They’re pretty similar — but with one key difference: Carving boards have a handy drain channel running around the board's perimeter. This groove collects all the drippings and juices that emerge while carving poultry, slicing steak, or, say, chopping a bunch of tomatoes. You can think of a carving board as a cutting board that helps keep messes at bay.

Thanks to its natural antimicrobial properties, wood is a popular choice for carving boards. Wood tends to be gentler on knives, too, which helps keep blades sharper for longer. Our experts put dozens of carving boards through extensive testing, including slicing baguettes and carving entire chickens. All seven boards on this list are worth a closer look.

Made In

A spacious carving board that stands up to frequent use.

It’s heavy, so cleaning can be tricky.

Made In’s Butcher Block is the real deal. Weighing in at eight pounds with a deep juice groove, this beechwood carving board is ultra-sturdy and ready to handle just about anything you’ll be tempted to slice atop its well-oiled surface.

One tester reported that the Made In board is “very durable and resistant to scratches,” providing “more than enough space” for a whole chicken. The tester also enjoyed this carving board for slicing bread, citing that “the size and weight of the board are great for cutting a baguette, and the grooves are helpful for catching crumbs.”

Of course, the weight-driven stability means the Made In carving boarding can be tricky to maneuver — especially when it comes to getting it over to the sink for cleaning purposes. This isn’t a board you’re likely to move from counter to table, but if you’re looking for an investment piece that’ll last for years to come, our testers agree that the Made In Butcher Block “looks and feels like a high-quality carving board,” appreciating the functional juice wells and handles on the outer edges for easier grip.

Time at price of publish: $129

Food & Wine / Lindsay Hale

Food & Wine / Lindsay Hale

Food & Wine / Lindsay Hale

Bed, Bath & Beyond

A lightweight, sturdy, easy-to-clean carving board.

It’s a bit small for carving large pieces of meat.

“This board is great for general prep work in addition to serving as a dependable carving board,” said one tester. Thanks to its durable rubber surface, the Joseph Joseph Cut and Carve Plus is dishwasher-safe and versatile for everything from vegetables to pork tenderloin.

Our testers did find the Cut and Carve Plus to be on the small side during the baguette test and noted that a whole chicken took up most of the board. So while this may not be the ideal carving board for your Thanksgiving turkey, if you’re looking for an affordable board that will run double-duty as a daily-use cutting surface, it’s a tough one to beat.

One tester even remarked, “I would buy this carving board for myself, and I’d even be willing to pay twice its current cost.”

Price at time of publish: $25

Food & Wine / John Somerall

Food & Wine / John Somerall

Food & Wine / John Somerall

Teakhaus

Reversible, large size makes this one of the most versatile carving boards available.

It’s hefty at 15 pounds.

This board is both gorgeous and functional thanks to its reversible surface. Just flip it over to make use of a flat cutting board, or flip it again to use the grooved side for carving.

“The heavy-duty construction and deep juice canal blew me away,” said one tester. “Even on an uneven surface, the juices pooled into the groove and never once overflowed onto my table.” Our testers reported having plenty of space on the board while carving a four-pound chicken and are “confident this carving board could accommodate a turkey of any size.”

The varied nature of teak woodgrain means knife marks are well-hidden, and, with proper care, our testers have no doubt this Teakhaus carving board will “last a lifetime.” It is heavy at 15 pounds, but given the size and solid wood construction, that’s to be expected.

Price at time of publish: $120

Food & Wine / Taysha Murtaugh

Food & Wine / Taysha Murtaugh

Food & Wine / Taylor Murray

Walmart

Ultra-grippy surface ensures food won’t slide around during carving.

Grid design may take some getting used to.

At first glance, this Lipper International carving board — with its grid-like center patch — looks more than a little unconventional. But our testers loved how efficiently this board held everything in place, from baguettes to chickens to fresh produce.

“Both the gripper grid in the middle and the two juice wells made carving a roast chicken easy peasy,” noted one of the testers. The sturdy acacia board ensured no mess was left on the countertop, and despite reservations that the grippy center might be tricky to clean, our testers were pleasantly surprised to find the opposite. “It was surprisingly easy to remove food scraps, and the board rinsed clean with no issue.”

Like other carving boards, this one is large and can make for awkward maneuvering in the sink, but our testers agreed it’s worth the purchase. “I would recommend this carving board due to its excellent functionality, appealing design, and reasonable price,” our tester confirmed.

Price at time of publish: $60

Food & Wine / Taylor Murray

Amazon

Lightweight and easy to clean.

Not as aesthetically pleasing as wooden carving boards.

In a lineup of head-turning wooden carving boards, OXO’s plastic contender may not look like much — but don’t discredit this one just yet. Despite its lightweight, slim profile, the OXO carving board comes through with non-slip feet to keep everything in place while slicing. “It didn’t move an inch while I cut my baguette, which is ideal when you’re using something like a serrated knife,” said one tester.

Testers acknowledge that the juice well is slender, but thanks to the board’s generous overall size, messes were kept to a minimum, with plenty of space for drippings to distribute. According to our tester, “A three-pound chicken fits nicely on this board. Even as I broke the bird down into pieces, I had enough room to continue carving.”

As with most products in the OXO Good Grips line, functionality comes first. Yes, you can pop it in the dishwasher; no, it doesn’t scratch easily. This is a great carving board for the budget-conscious or anyone working in a small space.

Price at time of publish: $33

Food & Wine / Taylor Murray

Food & Wine / Katie Akin

Food & Wine / Katie Akin

Food & Wine / Katie Akin

Amazon

Deep juice wells and plenty of space for chicken.

This is a meat-centric carving board.

Though this reversible carving board has juice wells on both sides, one side has an indentation designed to cradle your roast chicken — or other poultry — during the carving process.

“I never realized the center cavity and juice well could make things so easy,” said our tester, who confirmed that the roast chicken stayed put during carving. The cavity helped to capture some of the drippings and didn’t add any difficulty to the cleaning process afterward. The tester also noted that the J.K. Adams board did show knife marks right away, but “nothing beyond the normal wear and tear one should expect.”

This carving board could be just the thing you didn’t know you were missing in the kitchen — our tester said, “I never felt I was lacking these features before, but now having used a carving board with an indentation and juice well, I would absolutely purchase this board for its special features. It also helps that it’s good-looking.”

Price at time of publish: $110

Food & Wine / John Somerall

Food & Wine / Cameron Beall

Food & Wine / Cameron Beall

Food & Wine / Cameron Beall

Food & Wine / Cameron Beall

Williams Sonoma

Easy to carry thanks to raised handles and relatively lightweight build.

Juice well could be deeper.

Sometimes you’ll carve a roast and arrange the pieces on a nice platter; other times, you’ll prefer to take the carving board directly to the table. For those occasions, we like this carving board from Zwilling, which has the right mix of functionality and elegance.

Our tester noted that “slicing a baguette on this board was easy” since it’s “plenty big and heavy enough to stay in place.” They also had adequate room for carving a three-pound chicken, which was easily transferred to the table thanks to the carving board’s handles.

The only complaint our testers had about the Zwilling carving board was about the juice wells — they could be deeper. “If large birds and hams are your primary need, I would recommend looking for a carving board with a deeper well,” our tester said, adding “I would recommend this board for dishes such as steak, brisket, and large vegetables — or even as a serving board for a cheese and charcuterie spread.”

Price at time of publish: $140

Food & Wine / Taylor Murray

Food & Wine / Taysha Murtaugh

Food & Wine / Taysha Murtaugh

Food & Wine / Taysha Murtaugh

Overall, our testers favored The Butcher Block by Made In thanks to its just-right size, deep juice well, and timeless good looks. For larger carving needs, the Teakhaus Professional Carving Board is a great choice.

Using a serrated knife, testers sliced a baguette crosswise into ½-inch thick slices. Then, using a large chef’s knife or slicer, testers carved a roast chicken into eight pieces. After each test, testers thoroughly cleaned each carving board according to manufacturer instructions. With testing completed, testers then rated each carving board on design, size, durability, and value.

Carving boards are generally made of either wood, a wood composite, or plastic. While all will work fine, wood boards tend to be the most naturally skid-proof, which can be essential when carving a large, unwieldy bird or roast.

Carving boards tend to be larger than cutting boards. You should buy the one that will accommodate the largest item you believe you will need it for. Generally, this is a whole turkey, ham, or prime rib roast. If you are only going to own one and can accommodate it, err on the side of a larger board versus smaller. If you cook often and have the storage space, it can be useful to have a smaller board for chickens and steaks — and a large one for bigger items.

Since the main difference between a cutting board and a carving board is the channel for capturing juices, you will want to be sure that the channel is substantial enough for the dishes you cook. Some are shallow or narrow, and with a very juicy cut of meat or a lot of volume to carve, the channel can overflow. Some boards have a container that slides underneath to capture juices for use in pan sauces, which can be a terrific feature to have. If you will be using a carving board for very large cuts often, like whole turkeys and prime rib roasts, you may want to look for a board that has extra assistance with grip, such as metal spikes or carved wooden details in the surface to stabilize food. These will usually only be on wooden boards and are not features generally seen on composite or plastic carving boards.

Wooden boards are not dishwasher safe, and meat juices can seep into surface cuts on the board, which can make them harder to keep clean and sanitized. Many wood composite and plastic boards can be put through the dishwasher, which is helpful for ease of cleanup. Wood boards will often benefit from regular upkeep with either mineral oil or a beeswax board paste to keep the wood hydrated and prevent cracking or splitting.

According to Anthony Contrino, Emmy-awarded culinary producer and food stylist and the host of Saucy on NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock, cutting boards and carving boards share many of the same key features (mainly chopping and slicing) and can often be used interchangeably. However, carving boards have a ditch or a moat near its edge to catch any juices when slicing meat. Also, carving boards are often bigger to accommodate cutting large roasts and whole poultry, and sometimes more decorative or ornate, so you can use them as a serving board.

Contrino suggests that an everyday carving board be at least 12 x18 inches. If you host larger gatherings (think: Thanksgiving!), you may want to consider purchasing a 15 x 20 inch-sized board, or even one that is 24 x 36 inches.

For lighter messes, a gentle scrub with hot water and mild dish soap will work just fine, says Contrino. For heavier use, sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the board and use a lemon half, flesh-side-down, to scrub the board. (This will not only remove debris but neutralize any odors.) Then, rinse and gently scrub with hot water and mild dish soap. Always clean both sides of your board and let it dry, leaning on its edge to prevent warping. Be sure to allow the board to dry completely before storing, ensuring any lingering bacteria has been killed off.

This article was written by Summer Rylander. Rylander is a food and travel journalist who has written about food, beverage, and cooking products for Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, and The Kitchn. This article was written according to the results of Food & Wine expert reviewers who put each carving board through a series of real-world tests. Stacey Ballis, a freelance writer, recipe developer, and product reviewer, also contributed to this piece.