OXO’s board is fairly large so you’ll need enough space to store it when it’s not in use, or you could opt for the compact size that’s 18.4 x 27.3cm. Key details – Material: BPA free plastic (dishwasher-safe) Colours: White/Sage green; Sizes: Compact, Medium

Glass: Fine as a worktop-saver; terrible as a chopping board. Glass blunts blades faster than almost any other surface – except marble. Cons: Bamboo is harder than any hardwood, and its grain doesn’t offer much “give”. As such, it will dull your knives faster than wood, plastic or silicone. Wash it and it will warp, so you’ll have to wipe it instead – and oil it to keep it looking ship-shape. But there are a couple of downsides to this beautiful looking board.. One, it will blunt your knives in time, as would any bamboo board. Two, although incredibly hard-wearing, water is its kryptonite. It isn’t dishwasher-safe, and will warp if you soak it; you can wipe it clean with a damp cloth. Oil it with a food-safe oil such as linseed for maximum durability.This is possibly one of the greatest considerations when purchasing a chopping board and there are a number of options. The material is not simply down to a style preference or what will match with your kitchen, but there are other things to also consider. Many wooden chopping boards need to be hand washed or wiped down rather than being immersed in water or placed in the dishwasher. So if you’re looking for something that is dishwasher safe, a plastic cutting board might be a better option. There are a number of different types of wooden boards also, from end grain chopping boards to beech, acacia bamboo cutting boards and more, for a variety of different styles and finishes. Each board also includes a feature designed especially for that ingredient. The meat board has a moat to stop juices spilling over the edge of the board; the fish board has grippers; the cooked food board is equipped with crumb catchers. All four have rubberised feet on both sides, so they’re fully reversible and won’t slip. Like a lot of plastic chopping boards, sharp knife marks do start to show after a while, but it’s still pretty durable for the price and you can throw it in the dishwasher when you have finished with it for a thorough, hygienic clean. If you get frustrated by fruit and vegetable peelings getting in the way while you chop, this compact board is an ideal solution, especially on a budget. Featuring two detachable trays that sit on each side of the chopping board, the Chop and Swipe lets you easily separate your peel and chopped food, leaving you with more space on the main board to continue prepping.

Pros: Silicone may one day end the wood/plastic debate by out-doing both materials. Pro chefs already love its knife-cushioning and non-slip properties, its lightweight versatility and ease of cleaning. Designers love silicone, too, because it’s flexible enough to morph into pourers, funnels and even bowls.However, since then scientists have found that wood can help resist harmful bacteria, turning food hygiene orthodoxy on its head. In 1994, Wisconsin University researchers infected plastic and wood boards with E.coli, salmonella and listeria, finding that the wooden boards retained 98-99% less bacteria than plastic. Plastic was said to become an even worse breeding ground for bacteria once it’s scarred with knife marks. The only niggle we had is that it marked easily when using heavy-duty knives. If you’re like us though, you’ll have a different chopping board for different tasks and this one is ideal for general everyday use. If you’re looking for a sturdy breadboard, this might not be the one for you, however. Each of the four polypropylene boards has a soft-grip tab on its edge that’s illustrated with a specific ingredient to reduce the risk of cross-contamination – the different colouring of each board helps in this regard, too – and they come stored in a sturdy, space-saving holder. Pros: Bamboo is a strong, lightweight, affordable alternative to end-grain hardwood. It grows fast and is cultivated without pesticides, so it’s more eco-friendly than wood or synthetic materials. And since it’s so light, a huge slab-style bamboo board will remain easy to lift. What’s more, the retention of bacteria isn’t really the problem. The biggest hygiene risk in any kitchen comes from cross-contamination between different types of food, such as raw meat, fish and dough. It hardly matters the material on which you prepare these foodstuffs, as long as you use different surfaces for each food type – and keep them clean. What are the pros and cons of other materials?