We Tested 8 Carving Boards—Here Are the Best Ones for Roasts, Turkeys, and More

Most cooks agree that a good wooden cutting board is essential in any kitchen. However, its cousin, the carving board, often gets overlooked. A carving board has design features that make it a better choice for cutting up roasts, like a prime rib or Thanksgiving turkey. Invariably, they feature a juice groove that runs around the perimeter. From there, add-ons vary widely: Some include spouts to pour off juices, while others have wells to cradle poultry.

We tested a range of carving boards to find out which ones were the best suited for any kind of purpose, be it holiday-related occasions or daily use with sporadic carving. Our three winners are well-designed, beautiful, and certainly deserve a spot in your kitchen.

The Tests

• Juice Well Tests: To determine how much liquid each carving board could hold, we poured 1/2 cup of water onto the center of the board and noted whether the water pooled there or traveled to the juice groove. We evaluated whether or not the groove was able to accommodate all of the liquid without any running over the sides. After that, we lifted the board and attempted to pour the water off of one corner into a bowl. For boards that passed this test, we repeated it with 3/4 cup of water.
• Resting and Carving Test: For each board, we roasted one, 4 1/2-pound whole chicken and let it rest for 30 minutes in the center of the board. We looked at how well the board held the chicken's juices, then cut the bird into eight pieces (noting if the board could hold it all and still have room to finish carving). We sliced one breast to observe how cleanly we were able to do so and if the board contributed to the quality of the slices. We then poured all the juice off and recorded the amount the board was able (or unable) to hold
• Baguette Test: To test the durability of the wood, we thinly sliced one baguette into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated bread knife. We looked to see if the knife gouged the wood, how deep the marks went, and if the grain of the wood visually obscured the marks at all.
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: Throughout testing, we evaluated how each board was to move, clean by hand, pick up, and pour juices off of.
  

What We Learned

Wood Was Best

Carving boards can come in plastic or wood, but we vastly prefer wooden models. It only took a few cuts on a plastic board to determine it was way too slick for carving.

As we discovered in our wooden cutting board review, hardwoods like maple and walnut are the superior choices for their durability. Other types are too soft or wreak havoc on the sharp edge of your knife. For this review, we won't go into edge- versus end-grain, as we have a comprehensive explanation of this that can be found here.

Size and Shape Were Key

A carving board should be big enough to set a turkey on, plus room to place the carved slices as you go. We found boards that were at least 22 inches long by 16 inches wide were the ideal size for most carving tasks.

As far as weight, 15 to 18 pounds (plus, in theory, the 10- to 12-pound turkey) was our upper limit for toting the board between the kitchen and dining table. While this was certainly heavy, weightier boards were less prone to slipping and sliding as we cut and carved. Boards that weighed less than nine pounds just moved around too much. 

Juice Wells Need Width, Not Depth

The juice wells that ran around the perimeter of each carving board had varying maximum capacities. While we were prepared to rate each board on how much juice it could hold, we were surprised to find that the shape of the well mattered.

Wide, flat juice wells were able to accommodate a large amount of liquid, while still being easy to clean. The juice wells that were narrow and deep held the same amount but proved much tougher to wash. Our winning boards had wells that were between five and 10 millimeters deep and at least 13 millimeters wide and could hold a minimum of 1/2 cup of liquid easily, though most could handle much, much more (upwards of two cups).

The Criteria: What to Look for In a Carving Board

Many of the things that make a good cutting board also make a good carving board. At its most basic, a carving board should be made of high-quality wood that can stand up to knife cuts and won’t damage your blades. Hardwoods like maple and walnut are best, and darker woods hide stains and knife marks well. In addition, any decent carving board should have a wide, shallow, large-capacity juice groove.

Size is a key factor in a carving board, and there should be enough room to carve something as big as a turkey, plus some space to put the pieces while you work. For us, that turned out to be at least 22 inches long and 16 inches wide, though we do have a pick for a smaller board. Thicker, heavier boards are less prone to slipping and sliding around on the counter but are more unwieldy when transporting and cleaning.

Our Favorite Carving Boards

The Best Carving Board

The Boardsmith Maple End-Grain Cutting Board

$360 at Amazon View on Theboardsmith.com

What we liked: There's a reason this board took the top spot in our wooden cutting board test: every part of this board displays true craftsmanship.

The Boardsmith cutting boards come in a range of customizable options, like size or the addition of feet and a juice groove. If you purchase the board without feet, it can be reversible and used for both carving and regular cutting, though this may make it a bit tougher to pick up and requires more care not to let moisture collect on the bottom.

It’s hard to imagine a turkey that would be too large or have too much juice for this board (during testing, its groove held almost two cups of liquid). We’ve stood by The Boardsmith boards for years and think they’re an excellent investment that performs well and will last an incredibly long time. 

What we didn't like: The only downside to a Boardsmith cutting board is the weight. Even though the feet will elevate the board off of the countertop so it’s easier to pick up, an 18-pound board plus a 12-pound turkey would be heavy for anyone.

Key Specs

• Weight: 18 pounds
• Dimensions: 16 x 22 x 2 inches
• Material: Maple
• Reversible: Yes, without feet added
• Care instructions: Hand-wash only

The Best Carving Board for Serving

Lipper International Acacia Cutting Board with Grid Grip

$56 at Amazon $82 $45 at Walmart $50 at Wayfair

What we liked: The raised pyramidal grid grip worked well for holding onto a roast chicken and directing the juices to the board's juice groove. Its smaller stature and lighter weight make it a good choice for those looking to carve meat table side. We found it easy to clean (water beaded off the oiled wood) and it has an accessible price point.

What we didn't like: The grid grip limits the direction and kinds of cuts you can make with a knife and the board is soft and easily marred. This board has a slick finish and we wouldn’t recommend using it for non-carving projects (like chopping vegetables).

Key Specs

• Weight: 4.75 pounds
• Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 1 inches
• Material: Acacia
  
• Reversible: No
• Care instructions: Hand-wash only

The Best Mid-Priced Carving Board

Virginia Boys Kitchens Walnut Wood Cutting Board

$225 $162 at Amazon View on Walmart View on Virginiaboyskitchens.com

What we liked: This reversible walnut carving board from Virginia Boys Kitchens has a juice groove on one side and a totally flat surface on the other. The size we tested (there are multiple options to choose from) is large enough to carve a whole turkey plus room to set the pieces to the side while you work.

The walnut wood is rich and dark and hides any stains or knife marks well. It also has somewhat of a rough finish, which actually helps hold onto roasts while you carve. 

What we didn't like: The wood will have to be conditioned further after purchase to ensure its longevity, as compared to some other boards that are fully oiled right out of the box.

Key Specs

• Weight: 9 pounds
  
• Dimensions: 24 x 18 x 1 inches
• Material: Walnut
  
• Reversible: Yes
• Care instructions: Hand-wash only
  

The Competition

• Teakhaus Edge Grain Carving Board: We think this is actually a great board for carving, but if you're planning on doing more than that with it our wooden cutting board tests found edge grain teak dulls knives very quickly.
• OXO Good Grips Carving Board and Cutting Board: This is a great cutting board, but not specifically great for carving. The plastic is easy to clean, but the roasts slid around and the juice groove was too shallow.
• Shun Hinoki Cutting and Carving Board with Well: The soft Hinoki wood soaked up chicken juices, stained even after extensive scrubbing, and became deeply scarred after we sliced a baguette on it.
• J.K. Adams Large Reversible Maple Carving Board (No Spout): This board was pretty good with its ultra-deep juice groove and reversible design, but we preferred shallower juice wells.
• Zwilling J.A. Henckels Birchwood Cutting and Carving Board with Handles: We liked this board's ultra-wide juice groove and easy-to-grab handles, but the light shade of wood was more prone to staining than some of the other models. As of October 2024, it appears to have been discontinued and replaced with a cherrywood model.

FAQs

How do you clean a wood carving board?

Clean a wood carving board as you wood a regular wood cutting board: With dish soap, a good sponge, and warm water. Rinse thoroughly, dry with a kitchen towel, and set it in a dish rack or on a cooling rack to dry completely. (Elevating it allows for proper airflow.) You'll want to regularly oil your board to keep it looking nice—here's an in-depth guide for that!

What’s the best carving board for turkey?

For a board that will fit any size turkey with ease, we recommend The Boardsmith Maple End Grain Cutting Board with Juice Groove.

What’s the difference between a cutting board and a carving board? 

The difference between a cutting board and a carving board is that a cutting board can refer to any surface designated for cutting, while a carving board has specific designs meant for carving meat and catching the resulting juices, such as a larger juice groove. 

Is it worth buying a carving board?

Yes—carving boards are a great addition to any kitchen. While they're designed for catching juices from roasted poultry and other meats in their juice wells, a good carving board can also be used as a daily cutting board. Whether you need to keep your kitchen counters clean during Thanksgiving or just need to chop some onions, a carving board is a good thing to have on hand.

Why We're the Experts

• Taylor Murray is a freelance writer and professional chef. She's been contributing to Serious Eats for several years and has penned our reviews of vacuum sealers, paella pans, and more.
• For this review, we tested eight carving boards.
• We evaluated the boards' capacity, stability, durability, ease of use, and more.