The Katori titanium cutting board

The Katori, in plain terms

It's a single laser-cut sheet of solid titanium with a cutout handle — no coating, no laminate, no core of anything else. Because the surface is non-porous, nothing soaks in: no stains, no lingering smells, no knife grooves for bacteria to settle into. It goes in the dishwasher and never needs oil.

What you give up is the feel. Titanium is firmer under the blade than wood, and the first few days of cutting sound different. It also costs more than plastic or bamboo. Skip it if you love the give of end-grain wood and don't mind oiling it, or if a board is a consumable to you — plastic replaced when it scars is cheaper.

It's sold directly by the maker; the buttons on this page open that store.

How the materials compare

Every material trades one advantage for another. Wood is kindest to knives and needs the most care. Glass never stains and ruins edges. Here's the trade in each case.

What the scores mean

Plastic degrades, it doesn't just wear

Knife grooves are where residue settles, and you can't scrub the bottom of a cut. That's why food safety guidance says to replace a board once the surface is deeply scarred.

Wood is the knife's favorite, at a price

End-grain fibers part and close instead of resisting, so edges last noticeably longer. In return it needs mineral oil, never sees a dishwasher, and warps if left wet.

Glass is the one to avoid

Harder than the steel of your blade, which means every cut is the edge losing.

Titanium trades feel for freedom

Non-porous, so nothing soaks in and no grooves form. Firmer under the blade than hardwood, which you notice for the first few days.

Pick against yourself

• You cut raw meat and want to truly sanitize the board. Titanium, or plastic you replace often.
• You sharpen your own knives and enjoy it. End-grain hardwood.
• You won't oil anything, ever. Titanium.
• You're on a tight budget. Plastic, replaced when it scars.
• You want it to outlive the kitchen. Titanium.