How to Find the Ideal Over the Sink Cutting Board for Your Kitchen
If your kitchen is a little short on space or you simply want to increase efficiency during meal preparation, a sink cutting board is the easiest way. These handy inventions are able to sit over the top of your sink so that you can chop and cut vegetables and meats, while having handy access to running water and a garbage disposal.
When done right, over the sink cutting boards can save you hours of work in the kitchen over your lifetime. These handy accessories will save you walking to and from the sink to wash vegetables or prepare meals. As they sit snugly over your sink, there’s no need to worry about taking up space on your benchtop as you cook.
For an added advantage, selecting a quality cutting board that can also double as a serving platter once your preparation is done will improve your efficiency even more. Simply cut up your fruits, cheese, or cooked meats on the board and then carry over to your guests for an impressive wow factor.
What Makes a Great Over Sink Cutting Board
There are a few important things to consider when purchasing a kitchen sink cutting board. The most important is the quality of the product, which is why it makes sense to select one of the hardwood varieties rather than plastic or steel.
Wood has been proven to be more hygienic than plastic cutting boards, making them ideal for an over the sink accessory. Provided you keep your board clean after each use, these high-quality materials will construct a board that will stay in your kitchen for many years. You’re also ensuring your knives are well protected with hardwood, as these materials won’t blunt or damage the blades.
With wood, you’re able to pick up the cutting board with ease, unlike a stone board which can be heavy. Wood is one of the only high quality and durable materials that is still light to carry. This means your cutting board can double as a gorgeous serving platter once you’re done preparing the meal, so it has more than just one great use.
The dimensions are important when selecting a board, so opt for something around 16 x 12 inches to fit most standard sized sinks. You’ll want it to be close to 2 inches thick so that it’s durable enough to work with, but not too much thicker otherwise it can become impractical to carry and serve food on.
Finally, your cutting board should have grooves down the side to allow for juices to run down. Whether you’re preparing meat, vegetables or other ingredients, this will help to keep the juices off your benchtop or table.
The Ideal Over the Sink Cutting Board Wood
There’s no denying that wood is the best option for a cutting board, especially for an over the sink cutting board. Wood is naturally durable, elegant, and is proven to keep your knives free from damage, so it’s the smartest choice for this accessory.
Hardwood options can sometimes be expensive for sink cutting boards, but there is an ideal wood available that has all of the best qualities of the most expensive species at just a fraction of the price.
Acacia wood makes the ideal choice for a cutting board, with their rich grains and proven durability. This wood features shimmering hues which make for an absolutely stunning surface design to proudly show off in your kitchen.
Grouped with the other strong hardwoods such as teak and maple, acacia wood offers all of the best features of these types but at a considerably cheaper cost. The durability of acacia means it won’t scratch as much as other types too, so there’ll be less maintenance required from you.
From Preparation to Presentation
Over the sink cutting boards aren’t just for preparing food either, as they can also double as an elegant serving plate. If you’re cutting up cheeses or presenting a roast fresh from the oven, simply use your wooden cutting board to serve your guests straight from your preparation space over the sink.
Many modern restaurants now also favour this approach to serving food, as a gorgeous, thick wooden cutting board makes the ideal way to present a meal. These boards let you get creative with how you display your food too, and they provide an elegant yet natural base for serving a whole range of foods.
How to Best Utilise Your Sink Cutting Board
Whether you’re preparing food or serving it, there are many great uses for a wooden sink cutting board. All of these ideas can be achieved with the one board, making it a worthwhile investment for your home.
- Used as an over the sink cutting board when preparing vegetables for a salad or roast, as you’re able to peel and chop the ingredients with access to running water and your garbage disposal.
- Ideal for preparing raw meat for cooking, so that you can keep juices and other bacteria close to the sink and away from bench tops and tables.
- Serve a cheese platter at your next party or dinner and let the rustic charm of acacia wood accentuate the look and taste of your delicious selection.
- Use your sink cutting board to carve a roast fresh out of the oven, ensuring no juices run onto the benchtops. Bring the roast straight to the table served on your wooden cutting board and let guests choose their cuts straight from the board.
However you choose to use your wooden sink cutting board, there’s no denying their charm, appeal and effectiveness in helping to utilise your kitchen space best. This is one of the most versatile kitchen items that can truly be used from preparation to presentation.