Customer Reviews

Snow River 7V03299 16-Inch by 18-Inch by 2-Inch Maple End Grain Block

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

 

 

I've waited a while before reviewing this item. When it first arrived it was shrink-wrapped in plastic and when I opened it, it had a very musty dry wood smell. It smelled like a lumber yard. It would be interesting to know the amount of time between manufacturing and when I bought it. I had been reading reviews of other cutting boards and this business about putting mineral oil on a board I thought was nonsense. I never did with the board I replaced. But with this board, I wanted to at least run some water over it before using it. When I did so, none of the water ran off! All of the water immediately absorbed into the board. I then realized that this board does indeed need oiling. I am not exaggerating, I put over a quart of mineral oil on it over the course of two days and it is obvious that it still could take a lot more. I put the oil on both top and bottom, mostly top. This can be sort of messy and I suggest that you prop up the board over the sink and just slowly pour the oil into the center of the board and spread it slowly toward the sides. After awhile, you will get the hang of it and you don't have to worry about the oil spilling over the sides because the board will soak in the oil very quickly.

Putting on the oil does cause the board to develop a very nice patina and bring out the grain in the wood. It looks very good after oiling---again, a lot of oiling! I would advise oiling both sides notwithstanding that this board has fixed legs on the bottom which prevent it from being used on both sides. I'm a vegetarian and this business about using different sides of the board for fish, fowl, etc, is not an issue to me but it may be for you because of the fixed legs on the bottom. Oiling both sides will make for a consistent patina.

Regarding the fixed legs, not shown in the picture on the website is that the four legs on the bottom are wood and appear to be very securely glued and maybe even screwed into the bottom with recessed screws. The legs are one-half inch high and recessed one inch from the corners. As result, when the board is on the counter top it has a "floating" appearance which is very attractive and stylish. I like the height of the legs because it keeps the board permanetly off the counter top and makes for easy cleaning and if water collects on the bottom it will not create mold or other gunk,

Thankfully, the board does NOT come with the hideous logo printed on the surface of the board as shown on the website. I thought that maybe I would have to bleach it off or over time it would wear off. No problem; there's no ugly logo.

I like this board. When I was shopping I was shopping primarily for size because I have a small counter top. This works very well for me.

I'm giving it four stars. Perhaps this is not fair but I believe that the manufacturer should have been more upfront on the amount of oil needed before use. I didn't mind the time and effort at all, but I do believe the consumer should be advised. I might have even given it lower stars had it had the hideous logo pictured on the website.

Finally, about cleaning. I've been reading reviews and other things about cleaning a cutting baord and I'm very surprised. They all seem to advise about using light soap of some sort. I always believed that a cutting board should be treated like a cast iron pan after seasoning, N0 SOAP AT ALL! Just scrap it clean and at most use vingar or scrub it with the rind of a piece of citrus. That's what I do.

Now, can someone explain to me how if the pieces of wood in a butcher block board are glued together and if you put oil onto the board, why doesn't the oil cause the various pieces of wood to expand into different sizes, albeit slightly, and cause the board to crack along the faults of the glued together pieces of wood?

My initial impressions of this board were good, it seemed solid. I've kept it oiled with board oil whenever it seemed dry and I've washed it with only a damp cloth. I awoke this morning to find my precious board bowed and cracked. I would not recommend that anyone buy this product. Next time I'm sticking with more reputable brands.

Purchased on 2 Dec, 2010 late afternoon...
By the morning of 4 Dec, 2010 the board had already
warped and split open... Apparently the wood has never
been cured (dried)... Very poor workmanship...
I hate writing bad reviews; but this one deserves it and more...
My guess is many more will be returned to the store...
Admittedly I purchased mine from Bed Bath and Beyond
but it is the identical board from Snow River...