Counter Board vs. Sinkboard

Counter Boards

• Wood, plastic, marble, ceramic and glass are the most common materials for counter boards to use when working on a counter-top surface. Wood boards have been around the longest, and many chefs swear by them. Wood can pose food safety issues, however, because blood from meat can seep through the wood grain and become hard to remove. To avoid those issues, plastic is a good option. Juices cannot penetrate plastic, and plastic is simple to clean. It is also less likely to stain and less expensive to replace than wood. Marble, ceramic and glass look good and add style to kitchen decor, but they can dull knives faster than wood or plastic.

Sink-Boards

• Many cooks consider a sink-board an indispensable culinary accessory. Sink-boards make cutting, slicing and dicing simple and cleanup simple. They leave just enough of an opening over a sink so you can neatly slide scraps into the sink. Some models even have a removable basket to catch the scraps that then can be dumped into the trash. Recognizing the popularity of sink-boards drove some manufacturers to make custom-fitted sink-boards for their newer sink models.

Similarities

• In addition to making food preparation safe and neat, counter boards and sink-boards help to protect kitchen surfaces. They reduce the risk of cutting the finished surface of kitchen and table counter tops, such as laminates and wood, and reduce the risk of scratching sink surfaces such as porcelain, enamel and stainless steel. Counter boards and sink-boards are made in colors and materials that blend in with the colors and materials of appliances, dinnerware and other kitchen tools and utensils.

Differences

• Some counter boards are sized so that you can use them over a counter top. Certain styles are marketed specifically for use on sinks as well as counter tops. They often have an oval or circular hole on an edge so that food scraps can be slid through the hole when the boards are used over a sink.

  Sink-boards, on the other hand, don’t have that versatility. Their edges have holders made to conform to sink edges. As a result, they are not flat and would be awkward to use on a flat counter top surface or tabletop.

  A well-equipped kitchen has both a flat counter board and a sink-board, or at least a flat counter board with a hole that allows the board to double as a cutting board for over on a sink.