End grain vs Edge grain : Who wins?

A cutting board is a cutting board…right?   Well yes and no.  In function either board will accomplish the task of food preparation, but does one stand out as superior?  

First we need to understand the difference between edge and end grain boards.  An end grain board is glued together with the wood grain fibers oriented vertically.  Conversely an edge grain board’s fibers are horizontal.  Why does this matter? Well, the wood grains are like straws and those straws will absorb liquids primarily in one direction.

End grain boards with their grain vertically oriented, are much more prone to absorption of water and other liquids.  The key downside is that this leaves the board far more susceptible to cracking and warping. The end user must be far more aware of keeping the board dry at all times. So for longevity/durability, point goes to edge grain boards.

The next consideration is how the board will affect your knife. Conventional wisdom suggests that end grain boards are gentler on cutlery, however this may be a simple misconception.  Americas Test Kitchen has completed some very thorough testing of end and edge grain boards, they have multiple videos available that discuss end vs edge grain boards.  Through their rigorous robotic knife testing they’ve concluded that there is minimal to no difference between the dulling of knives when usinend vs edge grain boards.  If anything they found that harder boards actually damaged knives less than softer boards.  This is due to the fact that softer boards get damaged faster than harder boards. This damage to the wood is what causes the dulling of the knives.  Another point goes to harder edge grain boards. 

Aesthetics,  this is a difficult category, because ultimately beauty is in the eye of the beholder!  With that said, there are certainly some extremely beautiful and intricately designed end grain boards out there.  So if you’re looking for kitchen decor that will see minimal use, point may indeed go to end grain boards.

Ultimately, if you are looking for a functional tool that will last a lifetime and still dresses up your home decor, EDGE GRAIN is clearly superior and the way to go.  

Bon appetite!!!