Material Kitchen Dropped a Non-Toxic Cutting Board

I was ecstatic when Material Kitchen offered to send me a sample of its recently launched non-toxic and microplastic-free cutting board. Why? Because according to the brand, this “revolutionary” new product feels like plastic, cleans like plastic, and looks like plastic, but it’s crafted from “100% plant-based ingredients.”

Material Kitchen The MK Free Board

Of course, such claims should always be approached with a healthy dose of skepticism, especially since I’m not an expert on what materials are and are not considered “non-toxic.” Recognizing my limitations, I outsourced the question of toxicity to Priyanka Shahane, who earned her Masters in Public Health Nutrition from George Washington University, where she studied environmental risk factors and their adverse effects on diet-related disease. With the caveat that she didn’t have access to all of the manufacturing information, Shahane was nonetheless able to parse through the marketing speak, examine the brand’s claims, and translate it into layman’s terms for me.

“The biggest thing is that they’re not using any synthetic resins or chemicals in the biocomposite,” said Shahane. While a plastic board sloughs microplastics, nanoplastics, and the chemicals that constitute both into our food, this board has only plant-based compounds to shed. Essentially, this means that even though nicks might appear on the surface over time (as would happen with any cutting board), the microscopic particles aren’t as risky to ingest.

What’s more, the brand has woven in clay minerals to reduce how porous the surface is, making it safe to use with raw proteins and strong enough to put in the dishwasher. While before Shahane would go against her own advice and cut raw meat on a plastic cutting board because it’s “one of the only materials that can be sanitized in the dishwasher,” this model is similarly easy to clean.

After using the MK Free Cutting Board for over a month, I can confidently report that its remarkability lies in its reliability. I can cut raw proteins and pop it in the dishwasher, dice onions without fearing it will smell like the pungent allium forever, chop garlic without worrying about scratching its surface too badly, slice a steak without getting juice everywhere, and lift it with ease, even when full. In short, it does exactly what a cutting board should — and then some. The only safety advice I’ll offer is that it can slide around while you chop, so always place a wet towel or a grippy fabric underneath to keep it anchored to your countertop. (But, really, you should be doing this anyway.)

Combining the ease of plastic with the non-toxic, microplastic-free construction of, say, a wooden cutting board, Material Kitchen has seemingly developed a “revolutionary” product that’s worth the cabinet space. After testing dozens of kitchen tools over the last year, I can say with absolute certainty that this isn’t always the case.

Shop More Material Kitchen Products

The Table Knives

The Salt Sphere

The Good Shears

The Dream Scoop

The Goun Set

The Coated Pan

At the time of publishing, the price was $45.