Epicurean Review: The Most Useful Sanitary Cutting Board
By Bobby B. | September 30, 2020 | Knife Accessories
Cutting boards all look the same and most home chefs just buy the cheapest one they can find. But there are a few of us that are a bit more concerned about things like… the best cutting board material, the most sanitary cutting board, and fitting for BladeAdvisor, the cutting board that is best for our knives!
Well after years of trying all sorts of different products from plastic to glass, wood to bamboo, our current favorite is the Epicurean cutting board, and we’ve decided to share our thoughts and write a bit of a review about them and how they’re different from the rest of the “me too” cutting boards available.
Epicurean: The Boards
When most consumers take a look at Epicurean’s cutting boards, they just assume they’re made of wood, but that’s not completely true. Epicurean boards are actually made using Richlite. It’s a wood-fiber composite material that has tons of properties that make it a great fit for our kitchens. It’s technically many layers of paper that are all bonded with a food-safe resin that makes it very durable. The final product can be layered and/or colored to match anyone’s style.
In addition to the features described below, Epicurean cutting boards come in lots of different shapes, sizes, and colors. There is some combination of board that will fit your needs, I can almost assure you of that. You can find reviews on each of our favorite Epicurean cutting boards below.
Dishwasher Safe
Being dishwasher safe is perhaps one of the most important features in cutting boards sold today. We’re all so busy going here and there, taking care of kids, or whatever hobbies you have. It seems no one has time to stop and hand wash their dishes these days. Not to mention, most dishwashers have a sanitize setting that assists in preventing the spread of germs and bacteria.
Non-Porous / Sanitary / Resists Stains
Speaking of bacteria, or the lack thereof, Richlite is a non-porous material. This means that it’s impervious to water and other liquids. Like glass and plastics, this is one of the reasons Epicurean makes some of the most sanitary cutting boards. For the same reason, Richlite is also stain-resistant, keeping your cutting boards looking great for years to come.
Heat Resistant
Epicurean cutting boards have been reviewed to be heat resistant up to 350 degrees Farenheit. This means you can save your expensive counter tops by using your boards as a trivet, or wooden pot holder. They won’t melt like plastic cutting boards. It’s just one less thing you have to think about with their products. They even make pizza peels out of Richlite!
Knife Friendly & Made in the USA
Kitchen knives will stay sharp longer when using Epicurean cutting boards. While they are harder than wood cutting boards, knives score the surface more easily, meaning it won’t dull the knives like traditional boards, especially those made of glass and other very hard materials.
What’s more is that all Epicurean products are MADE IN THE USA! This is a huge plus to those of us living in the United States. I know we get tons of requests specifically about the top American made kitchen knives we’ve reviewed.
Sustainable Product
Epicurean cutting boards are no only durable, but they’re also made with environmental safety in mind. Epicurean has a company-wide eco initiative commitment. They use sustainable manufacturing practices that minimize and recycle waste. The product is non-toxic, and uses materials that have a low carbon footprint. All Richlite products are Greenguard and FSC certified and are made from 100% recycled products to waste-to-energy technology.
NSF Tested & Approved
According to the Epicurean, their boards and kitchen tools will not harbor bacteria. This is another reason we believe this is the most useful sanitary cutting board around. The NSF (National Science Foundation) is responsible for testing products to ensure they meat public health and safety standards. Most Epicurean boards have been both tested and approved by NSF! Being nonporous means you can easily wash the board and clear any contaminants. And being dishwasher safe, it’s never been easier to do just that.
Epicurean Cutting Board Reviews
As mentioned at the outset, Epicurean manufactures cutting boards in all sorts of different shapes, sizes, and colors. There really is something for everyone. We mention this because while we chose our favorite cutting boards to review below, each one typically comes in additional sizes and colors than those shown in the review. To see all the options and to see more information, click on the “check price” button (an affiliate link) to be taken to the Amazon product page that shows all the size and color options, along with any customer reviews for additional insight into the product.
Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board Review
The Kitchen Series cutting board by Epicurean is their signature product. It’s thin, lightweight, durable, and maintenance free. Like all of their cutting boards, the Kitchen Series boards are NSF certified so they can be used at home or in a commercial kitchen. These boards come in 3 colors and 4 sizes. Yes, they’re dishwasher safe! They also carry a lifetime warranty and are also one of the best cutting boards for your knives.
We love the fact that this cutting board is eco-friendly and safe for your family (won’t harbor bacteria or absorb odors) at the same time. It’s size and weight make it easy to store and handle in the kitchen, and the price isn’t outrageous either. We find that the Richlite cutting boards to be an asset to any kitchen. It’s also pretty cool that it’s dual-sided.
Epicurean Gourmet Series Cutting Board Review
While Epicurean’s Gourmet Series cutting boards are not generally as popular as the aforementioned Kitchen Series, we actually prefer it. The likely reason it’s not sold as often is due to the cost. At the time of this review, the cost of the Gourmet cutting board is nearly twice that of the Kitchen Series board. What’s the difference? Well, you see the black trough around the edge in the picture above? It’s made to collect the juices while you’re cutting so you don’t make a huge mess on your counter tops. Epicurean calls it a “juice groove.”
Meats have juices that spill out when you cut into them and this grove ensures it stays in a safe place, especially if you’re cutting raw meat, chicken, fish, etc. In this case, it helps keep things sanitary in your kitchen. Fruits, especially melons (think about a watermelon), have tons of juice that comes out of them when you slice them up. This groove really earns its keep when slicing melons!
The Gourmet Series cutting boards come in 3 colors and 4 different sizes, and the sizes are larger than that of the Kitchen Series boards shown above. These boards really get the job done and will be the last cutting board you should ever need, but because of its functionality and because it has a lifetime warranty.
Other Epicurean Cutting Board Options
Other Epicurean Kitchen Products
Epicurean is certainly best known for the amazing Richlite cutting boards you saw and read about above, but that’s not all they make. They make all sorts of different kitchen products with this same durable material, including pizza peels and cutters, serving boards, and cooking utensils. Of course they have all the great properties and features discussed above. They’re sanitary, heat resistant, made in American…you get the point. Since this is an Epicurean cutting board review, we aren’t going to go into all the other product specifics, but they’re really cool and worth checking out, so here’s a link.
Epicurean: The Brand & Culture
Epicurean’s history is an odd one. Believe it or not, prior to making cutting boards, they produced custom skate parts using the same material they use in the cutting boards, Richlite. Of course the ramps of a public skate part take a beating between all the skaters and the weather. This is yet another testament to the durability of this great material!
As a company, they’ve always tried to be as eco-friendly as possible. When the looked for a way to use the scrap materials from the skate parks, they found that the Richlite was perfect for making cutting boards as gifts for friends and family. Not only was it durable, but also food safe and could be placed in the dishwasher, unlike bamboo cutting boards. Everyone loved their “scrap” cutting boards and demand soared! Fast forward a bit and now they’re making cutting boards and other kitchen utensils, and pretty good at it.
They are still an eco-friendly brand. Not only are their products made from a sustainable, responsible material, but they even minimize and recycle waste as much as they can in their manufacturing processes.