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See why.The Best Bar Boards
These petite, portable cutting boards are ideal for quick kitchen tasks, picnics, and even serving small portions of cheese or charcuterie.
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What You Need To Know
Bar boards are the littlest members of the cutting board family—the baby boards, if you will. As their name suggests, they were originally used in bars for cutting citrus and small fruit for garnishes. But they’re handy in the kitchen as well. Small and lightweight, they’re perfect for any tiny task you might have: cutting an apple, slicing some cheese, or mincing a few herbs to put...
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
- Ease of Use:: 3 stars out of 3.
- Stability:: 3 stars out of 3.
- Versatility:: 2 stars out of 3.
This reversible plastic bar board was the largest we tested, allowing us to cut all manner of small foods with room to spare. It sat securely on the counter, thanks to its rubbery grips and moderate weight. And it was easy to clean in the dishwasher. A juice groove on one side of the board was great for containing small volumes of liquid. It’s not the prettiest board, but in a pinch, it could still be used to serve cheese or snacks.
- Ease of Use:: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Stability:: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Versatility:: 3 stars out of 3.
Made of teak, this bar board is naturally slightly oily, so it required less maintenance than the other wood or bamboo boards we tested, and it stained somewhat less extensively. It was big enough to accommodate all the foods we cut on it though still highly portable. And it’s reversible, with a juice groove on one side that helped contain messes when we cut a lemon into wedges. It was the heaviest bar board we tested, so it stayed put on the counter pretty well, though rubbery grips would have provided some extra security. Finally, it’s quite handsome, making a beautiful small platter for serving cheese or charcuterie.
- Ease of Use:: 2 stars out of 3.
- Stability:: 3 stars out of 3.
- Versatility:: 3 stars out of 3.
We liked this paper composite board, which gave us plenty of space to work on. It’s reversible, and one side has a juice groove that collected the occasional spray of juice as we cut a lemon on it. Both sides have silicone feet that helped keep this otherwise relatively lightweight board stable on the countertop. Stains didn’t show up on its matte black surface, which was otherwise pretty enough to use as a serving board. Our only reservation? It made a harsh clacking sound when we cut on it.
Recommended
- Ease of Use:: 2 stars out of 3.
- Stability:: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Versatility:: 3 stars out of 3.
This simple reversible bamboo board was big enough to accommodate all the foods we cut on it, and it was attractive enough to use for serving items, too. It’s somewhat heavy for its size, so it sat fairly securely on the countertop, though it occasionally slid during more vigorous cutting. And while chipotle stained it slightly, those stains faded after a few washes. You’ll just need to oil it from time to time to keep it in good shape.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Stability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Versatility: 2 stars out of 3.
It’s a bit small, but this reversible plastic board still provided enough room to cut all the foods we tested. Rubbery grips on both sides of its four corners kept it supremely stable on the counter. This particular board is a restaurant standard for good reasons: It’s easy to clean and maintain, and it didn’t stain or warp. That said, its industrial look makes it a little less than ideal for serving food.
Recommended with reservations
- Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
- Stability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Versatility: 2 stars out of 3.
This plastic cutting board was superstable, thanks to dozens of tiny silicone-tipped feet on one side. It’s on the smaller end of our acceptable range, and while it can accommodate bars of cheese and salami reasonably well, you may run out of room to hold the cut food as you work. Still, it was durable and didn’t stain; in a pinch, it could be used to serve small amounts of food.
- Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
- Stability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Versatility: 2 stars out of 3.
This reversible plastic bar board worked fairly well. It’s big enough to hold most foods, though if you’re making lots of slices, you may run out of room to hold all the cut pieces. A silicone rim that ran around its entire perimeter kept it from budging on the countertop, though larger knives sometimes bit into it as we cut. If you’re feeding small children, it’s fine for serving foods; adults might find its whimsical shape and color less appropriate.
Not Recommended
- Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Stability: 1 stars out of 3.
- Versatility: 2 stars out of 3.
This no-frills reversible plastic bar board was a decent size, providing enough space to cut most foods, though once we’d done so, the cut sections occasionally spilled onto the counter for lack of room. But it just wouldn’t stay put while we used it. Thin, smooth, and lacking grips of any kind, it spun around on the counter, making it perilous to mince shallots or cut lemons into wedges. In a pinch, you could serve foods on it, though it’s otherwise a bit bright and utilitarian.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Stability: 1 stars out of 3.
- Versatility: 1 stars out of 3.
Made of pretty maple wood, this bar board was very cute and very, very tiny. Blocks of cheese and salami hung off its sides, and while we could technically get a lemon on top of it, there was no room to maneuver our knives once we did—and nowhere to put the lemon sections after we were done. It’d be hard to serve most snacks on it. The lightest board we tested and very thin, it slid around on the counter. And it stained extensively from the chipotle, though those stains did eventually fade with subsequent washes.
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them.
Miye Bromberg
Miye is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She covers booze, blades, and gadgets of questionable value.
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Start Free TrialAbsolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!
Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.
Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!
John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.