Totally Bamboo 11.5x14.5 Hawaiian Collection Kauai Bamboo Cutting Board  Product Reviews

"The Totally Bamboo Kauai cutting board has been a staple in my home for 2 years. Yes, when you first get it, you have some "splinter" fuzz on it but with use it has completely gone away and hasn't come back. I haven't had any instances of actually giving myself a splinter because it is not sharp or rough but just a light fuzz that was easily brushed off. Also, bamboo is not going to harm you and the board was made with food-safe glue. I'd rather accidentally eat a little bamboo than plastic from a plastic cutting board. Also, by nature, the bamboo board became very smooth over time, especially when well-cared for. Wood boards need a little extra care. Occasionally I lightly wipe the board with a paper towel with mineral oil to help keep the wood from drying out. This is standard care for any wood board. In terms of strength of the board when cutting, I have been very happy with it. The board is well-made, doesn't warp, bend, etc. You will have some slice marks as with any wood board, but some of that gets smoothed out if you take care of your board by oiling it as I mention above. If you find that you are gouging the board you should really look to your knife quality and cutting technique. If you don't have a very sharp knife and are chopping down really hard rather than slicing through the food, then you can damage the board more easily or worse yet, cut yourself! You really shouldn't require a lot of force to slice and chop things with a sharp knife. I've cut raw butternut squash on the board and while that definitely leaves a mark, it does not damage the board significantly. The board is sturdy, beautiful, and environmentally friendly. I think it is worth the trouble of caring for it. After 2 years of heavy use, I feel the board will last another 10 years, which is a pretty good deal for under $30."

"The very first cut I made on this cutting board left a huge gouge in the surface. Subsequent cuts also left deep marks. For something that's advertised as being harder than maple, I found this to be very surprising. Maybe it's the way it's put together? All I know is that this cutting board is on pace to be the shortest lived ever in my kitchen. Pretty much the only thing that I like about it is that bamboo is a renewable resource. Good thing because at the current rate, I anticipate needing a new one very soon."

"Because I'd like to try using a bamboo cutting board, I am keeping this one...but I'd suggest to others to consider buying from a different manufacturer (not Totally Bamboo). When I got this cutting board, it had many tiny splinters, and I had to sand it with fine sandpaper. It still has a few splinters, though, and I am worried that new ones will surface each time I wash it. The cutting board is nice looking (as you can tell from the pictures), and I think it will be durable, but the splinter issue definitely concerns me, as I don't want the splinters to contaminate the food I cut on the board or get lodged in my skin (thus far this hasn't happened, but I have only had the board for a day)."