Before you read: When you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I'd be happy to use in my own kitchen.

Which one should you buy?

A big, half-inch-thick plastic board with grippy corners, kept just for raw meat and poultry. Get it in red so nobody in the house mistakes it for the salad board.

Pick	Why	Price
My pick Winco 15 x 20 x ½-inch Cutting Board (CBN-1520RD)	Big, thick enough not to warp in the dishwasher, red rubber grip corners so it stays put, and a red hook for hanging. The board itself is white, so stains are easy to spot. Restaurant kit at a home price.	About $32 (October 2026) See it on Amazon
Lighter OXO Good Grips Carving & Cutting Board	Easier to lift and carry, with a trench round the edge to catch juices from raw meat or a resting roast.	About $38 Check the price
Step up San Jamar Saf-T-Grip	A sturdy commercial board with built-in grips, a good choice if your counters are slippery.	About $47 Check the price

I keep a separate board for raw chicken and meat, so nothing from it gets near the salad. It's one of the simplest food-safety habits there is, and one of the most important.

Plastic is perfect for that job. It's inexpensive, it goes straight in the dishwasher, and you can keep it for one purpose only. Wood is lovely for vegetables and bread, but for raw meat I want something I can blast clean without a second thought.

Why a separate board matters

Colour-coded cutting board chart: red, yellow, blue, green, white and purple

Raw meat, poultry and fish can carry bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter. Cooking kills them in the meat itself. The danger is what gets left behind: juices on the board, the knife and your hands. Slice a cucumber on that board afterwards and the bacteria go straight into a salad that's never going to be cooked.

That's called cross-contamination, and a dedicated board is the easiest way to stop it. One board for raw meat, another for everything that's ready to eat. Wash the knife and your hands in between.

A word on colours

Many professional kitchens colour-code their boards so nobody grabs the wrong one. The common scheme in the US is red for raw meat, yellow for raw poultry, blue for raw fish, green for fruit and vegetables, white for dairy and bread, and purple for allergen-free food. At home you don't need the full rainbow. Just pick one colour that always means "raw meat", and red is the obvious choice.

Purple boards are kept for allergen-free prep, so if anyone in your house has a food allergy, a purple board for their food is a brilliant idea. Just don't use the same one for raw chicken.

Winco 15 x 20 board at a glance

What	Detail
Size	15 x 20 inches
Thickness	½ inch, thick enough to resist warping
Grip	Rubber grip corners, one with a hanging hook
Colours	White board with red grips and hook (other grip colours sold too); red means raw meat
Cleaning	Hot soapy water, or the dishwasher if it fits

What to look for in a plastic board

Size. At least 15 x 20 inches gives you room to work, as long as it fits your sink and dishwasher.
Thickness. At least ½ inch. Thin boards warp in the dishwasher and then rock about under the knife.
Weight. Around 4 to 5 pounds is solid without being a pain to lift.
Grip. Rubber feet or corners stop it sliding. They can trap food, so clean round them.
A clear colour. One you'll always know means raw meat.

The Winco covers all of that for a sensible price. Before you buy, measure your dishwasher: a 20-inch board may need the cutlery basket out.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

Good for you if

You prepare raw chicken, meat or fish at home
You like the peace of mind of the dishwasher
You want a cheap, tough board that does one job well

Skip it if

You want one board for everything: get a wooden board for veg and bread, and keep this for raw meat
Your sink and dishwasher are small: choose a smaller board you can actually clean properly

How to get the best from it

Raw meat only

Make it a household rule. If it's on the red board, it's raw. Cooked meat goes on a clean board or plate.

Stop it sliding

The rubber corners help. A damp tea towel or a damp paper towel underneath makes it rock solid.

Work in order

If you only have one board, prep your vegetables first, then the raw meat, then wash the board thoroughly.

Cleaning and safety

Wash after every use in hot soapy water, or run it through the dishwasher.
To sanitise, mix 1 tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach into a gallon of water. Flood the board, leave it a few minutes, rinse and let it air dry.
Wash the knife and your hands after handling raw meat, before you touch anything else.
Replace it when it's covered in deep knife scars, warped or cracked. Those grooves are hard to get clean.

The one rule

Raw meat gets its own board. Nothing ready to eat goes near it until it's been washed.

Questions people ask

Plastic or wood for raw chicken?

Both can be cleaned properly, but plastic is the easy choice because it goes in the dishwasher. Keep one plastic board just for raw meat.

Can plastic cutting boards go in the dishwasher?

Yes, if they're at least ½ inch thick. Thinner boards often warp.

When should I replace a plastic cutting board?

When it's deeply grooved, warped or cracked. Bacteria hide in deep cuts where a sponge can't reach.

How do I sanitise a cutting board?

Wash it in hot soapy water first. Then, if you like, use 1 tablespoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water, leave a few minutes, rinse and air dry.

What colour cutting board for raw meat?

Red is the usual colour for raw meat, and yellow for raw poultry. Purple is kept for allergen-free food.

For everything else

I use a Wooden Cutting Board for vegetables, bread and herbs. And if you're new to chopping, my Knife Skills lesson is the place to start.

Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.