I grew up using a John Boos cutting board. At the time, it didn’t occur to me that not all cutting boards in life would be as satisfyingly thick and unwarpable, and the parade of dinky plastic boards that have followed in its wake have left me yearning to finally invest in a beefy Boos of my own. The maple, cherry, and walnut boards have been made by the (still Midwestern-based) John Boos & Co. company since 1887, and can easily cost a couple hundred dollars given the sustainably sourced wood and craftsmanship it takes to make them. (This 3-inch thick round walnut slab? A cute $632 for that end grain design). So when I discovered deals of up to 70 percent off Boos boards hiding in Wayfair’s big spring sale, I was pretty pleased.

When properly maintained and oiled, a quality wood cutting board should last you a lifetime. When I interviewed chefs about their most essential cooking tools, Boos cutting boards came up more than once, and were praised for their thick (minimum 1-inch) design, and pleasurable cutting experience. The use of maple, for example, is preferred due to its naturally antibacterial properties, moisture-resistant nature, and tight grain (you don’t want any splitting or splintering). Plus, they look great. You can also use them as a serving board for your charcuterie and movie night spreads.

Below, I’ve selected two star John Boos contenders from the Wayfair sale — so let’s walk through the specs.

---

You’re Ready for a Hefty Slab

John Boos Maple Wood Reversible Cutting Board (20” x 15”)

Prices taken at time of publishing.

What makes a Boos so beautiful? It’s thick. Like, dwarven-feast-hall levels of thick. If you have the space for it, I recommend going all out on a 20-inch-long, 1.25-inch-thick maple Boos board while it’s 29 percent off. Think of it as a cheaper way to replace your Landlord Special countertops with a professional kitchen-worthy chopping block.  

If You Have Limited Counter Space

John Boos Maple Wood Reversible Cutting Board (10” x 10”)

Prices taken at time of publishing.

In my experience, chopping mounds of parsley on a Boos feels secure and solid — these boards can weigh around 10 pounds — but the maple wood is also gentle on your knives and averse to slipping, making it easy to maneuver the blade. If you’re working in a smaller kitchen, this reversible, 1.4-inch-thick edge grain maple Boos board is a whopping 70 percent off, and sure would make for an excellent housewarming gift.