Customer Reviews

Catskill Craftsmen 17-Inch End Grain Chopping Block with Feet

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I purchased this very same block at a local Home Depot over a year ago. (For the exact same price that its available for here on Amazon). I did some research before buying and easily found some most valuable information. I feel I made a very well informed purchase, and in my opinion this end grain block is as fine as they come without spending a fortune.

For starters, this is what they refer too as an end grain butcher block. (wood rail end pieces fused together). Its far more of a common block than the edge grain, (wood rails that run the entire length of the board), and for good reason. The work surface on an end grain not only makes it a more handsome piece, but also is much easier on knives, and offers better resistance to nicks and gouges. During cutting or chopping, the end grain wood fibers absorb the impact of the knife blade better. This helps keep knives sharper longer and helps maintain the integrity of the butcher block surface. End grain butcher block construction is also the strongest and most durable, which is why end grain butcher blocks are far more well known and popular. At 14 by 18, this medium sized end grain block is I feel the perfect size for just about any kitchen without taking over the whole counter. At a full 2" thick, it is also not so high and heavy as to have it lay at an awkward height for cutting. (I have seen some 3" or more blocks that when set upon a 35" counter, is a little too high for comfortable use by many). This is a very nice looking, exceptionally well crafted block that has carrying handles on the side, as well as four wooden feet with rubber booties on them for solid gripping without moving around. My own opinion is that I have never had much use for either reversible, or any kind of chopping block that come without feet. Unless you have a dead level surface the block will almost always wobble. And even if you are fortunate enough to have it lie perfectly flat, be prepared to chase the thing around the whole counter top while your doing your chopping. I have had to either drill, or glue on rubber feet on other chopping blocks that came without them. This one comes with solid feet already installed and ready for business.

In conclusion, one could of course spend a lot more money on a chopping block of supposedly superior quality. But unless you are either a professional chef, or someone that relentlessly uses your chopping block and is as hard as they come on them, I highly recommend you pick up this fine quality block that is doing very well indeed standing up to my treatment of it. Which I can promise you is considerable. I work from home and love to cook. One last thing about this or any block you buy. Make sure to "season" it before you get down to business, and occasionally thereafter. Seasoning is a fancy word that cooks use that refers to coating your board with an oil, such as mineral oil. Mineral oil soaks into the wood fibers and helps prevent staining and absorption of food odors and bacteria. Proper surface treatment is important to guard against germs and/or mold growth on both new and older boards. Make sure to coat your board with several coats of oil when you first get it, and every three months or so after that, depending on use. And don't be taken in by those "special" mineral oils that are especially designed for cutting boards, and of course cost a lot more. Even if they are a little better than your local drug store brand of mineral oil, the extra cost will far outweigh the benefits. (You can get more information on this, and the procedure easily on many online sites).

Use regular store bought mineral oil religiously and this board will last you a lifetime. Its rugged, of superb quality throughout, and looks beautiful in your kitchen. I love mine and highly recommend it.. Bon Appetit!

Purchased this chopping block as a replacement to a Boos Block we've had for nearly a decade. To our dismay within 1 week of receiving it, despite closely adhering to the instructions concerning care, the block bowed in the center and separated in two places along the right side.

I would not recommend this product for anyone unless you are looking for an over-sized paperweight.

Anyone looking for an end grain cutting board is likely to be a serious cook looking for a quality product.
Be forewarned on this one - it is NOT for you.

Within several months my board warped and developed cracks along the edges where the glue was failing. YES, I had been keeping the board properly oiled and protected from water. In a call to the manufacturer I received a bewildered reaction from the technician along with a suggestion that "perhaps you can fill the cracks with soft bees wax."

So I have been following that suggestions and meticulously attending to oiling and drying down the board after every use.
Sorry - the glue joints are now cracked EVERYWHERE, large food catching cracks through out the board.
I am convince this was not an issue of poor handling but of poor construction.

This board is headed for the trash. Too bad I could have bought a disposable cutting board for under $10.

And my experience is not unique. Wish I had read the reviews before buying but you can read lots of them on Amazon for yourself.
http://www.amazon.com/Catskill-Craftsmen-Wood-Grain-Cutting/product-reviews/B00004RIXP/ref=sr_cr_hist_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar

Length:: 0:23 Mins

The board is gorgeous! It is very gentle on knives being an end-grain board, but one thing that you need to be careful of is refraining from putting water on it at all costs unless you make sure to oil it to death and then apply a layer of beeswax on top of that before you use it at all (this advice is NOT included with the board, but on various butcher block care websites). In my opinion, this is something that should have been done at the factory, or detailed instructions on how to do so should have been included with the board. We made sure not to submerge in water or put into the dishwasher, and even oiled it a couple of times before the first use (apparently not nearly enough). We did clean with a wet sponge trying to get out a stain that appeared on the surface (see video). After the second use, there was a giant bow in the board and a crack that went all the way trough.

We looked in the FAQ on the Catskill website on how to correct a warped cutting board by applying dispersed pressure onto one side under a damp cloth (we removed the feet and used books on top of a glass cutting board on top of a damp cloth) and although it flattened out the board, even more cracks appeared! We now have 1/8-1/4"" cracks on three sides that go all the way through the cutting board (see video to see how it looks). To try to prevent more cracks, I put mineral oil on the board and the board soaked up the ENTIRE BOTTLE (8 oz.). I'm now left more confused on how to take care of this fickle cutting board...I sent in for an exchange of this board and will try again, knowing what I know from suggestions in reviews here and on other Catskill blocks on Amazon. I don't mind taking the extra time to care for the product, I just wish it was more clear from the start!!

This chopping block is beautiful! Very heavy and I love the feet on the bottom. It stays put when you're chopping!

This chopping block was purchased as a gift for someone who is a skilled cook. He was soooooo delighted with my gift!