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John Boos R-Board Series Rectangular Wooden Maple Cutting Board 18”x12”

John Boos R-Board Series Rectangular Wooden Maple Cutting Board 18”x12”

By John · Cutting Boards · Kitchen & Cooking

  • 18 x 12 x 1.5 in board
  • 10 lb weight
  • Northern Hard Rock Maple (NSF certified)
  • Edge-grain construction
  • Reversible with recessed finger grips

Price not listed

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

A 10 lb slab of Northern Hard Rock Maple, edge-grain and reversible, that owners keep for decades when they oil it monthly. Check two things before buying: the weight is real, and neglected oiling is what cracks these boards.

Strengths

  • Forbes Vetted tested nine wooden boards and named this one its all-purpose favorite, citing durability and knife-friendliness after nearly two years of use.
  • Owners report Boos boards lasting decades; one has a 40-year-old edge-grain board still in service.
  • NSF-certified solid maple, reversible, 1½ in thick and made in the USA.
  • The 18 × 12 in face is a practical daily prep surface, and both faces can be used.
  • Deep scratches sand out, and the board is thick enough to resurface several times.
  • John Boos is the brand most often recommended in r/BuyItForLife cutting-board threads.

Weaknesses

  • At 10 lb it is heavy to lift, rinse and carry to the stove; several owners say so.
  • Skipping the monthly oiling is the most common cause of warping, cracking and split glue joints.
  • Edge grain takes knife marks more readily than end grain.
  • There is no juice groove, so juices from a large roast run onto the counter.
  • With no feet, the board can slide on a polished counter.
  • The one-year warranty excludes neglect, normal wear and damage from extreme humidity.

Verified specifications

ModelR01, the rectangular board in John Boos’s entry-level R-Board Series.
Dimensions18 × 12 × 1½ in (45.7 × 30.5 × 3.8 cm).
Wood and constructionsolid Northern Hard Rock Maple, edge grain, with two flat reversible faces, recessed finger grips on the short edges and no juice groove.
CertificationNSF certified.
Finishfood-safe oil finish; ships with Boos Block cream with beeswax.
Originmade in the USA with domestic and imported materials.
Carehand wash only, never soak or put in a dishwasher, and oil at least monthly.
Warrantyone year against manufacturing defects, valid only from John Boos or an authorized US seller.
In the boxthe board only; oil, cream and the applicator are sold separately.
Full research notes and sources

Oiling is the whole job

John Boos is explicit that the board needs food-grade mineral oil or Boos Mystery Oil at least monthly, and that cooking oils must not be used because they turn rancid. Oiling both faces and the edges, letting it soak in overnight and wiping off the excess is the routine. The board ships with a beeswax cream finish; re-oil when the wood looks dry and pale. Storing it on edge rather than flat helps prevent warping.

Owners who skip the routine report the same failures: warping, cracking and split glue joints. One owner was told by John Boos customer service that a board is not meant to go a month without oiling and that cracks from drying are not covered without proof of purchase. A BobIsTheOilGuy thread documents a board with split glue joints after maintenance lapsed; the owner repaired it with Titebond 3 and re-oiling.

Weight and handling

The manufacturer lists 10 lb for this size, and the number matters. Owners describe the board as heavy and awkward to move, wash and tip into a bowl, and the recessed grips help but do not make it light.

Repairs, parts and running costs

Repair is straightforward for a wood product: sanding along the grain with 200-grit paper removes light knife marks, and a split glue joint can be clamped and glued. The board is thick enough to be resurfaced several times.

The only recurring cost is oil. John Boos Mystery Oil, 16 fl oz, is $14.95 direct, and Board Cream, 5 oz, is $13.95 direct; the Care & Maintenance Pack with oil, cream and an applicator is $49.95. Buying one oil bottle a year would run $14.95, and one oil plus one cream $28.90, though those are budget assumptions rather than a measured consumption rate. There are no electronics, filters or subscriptions.

Is it worth it?

John Boos sells the 18 × 12 × 1½ in R01 direct for $94.95, and WebstaurantStore and Lowe’s list the exact board at the same $94.95; Sur La Table shows $94.95 plus a $10 handling fee. Third-party sellers are consistent: cuttingboard.com lists the R-Board series at $94.95, while cuttingboardcompany.com lists a six-pack at $577.95, about $96.33 each.

At around $100 or less this is a strong board for a cook willing to maintain it: NSF-certified Northern Hard Rock Maple, reversible, 1½ in thick and made in the USA. Above about $120 the thicker RA-Board or an end-grain board becomes available in the same range.

Which model this is

This page covers the R01, the rectangular 18 × 12 × 1½ in board in John Boos’s R-Board Series. It is edge grain, despite the manufacturer’s page title calling the R-Series end grain; the specifications, the R01-TREES and R01-DEER editions and the WebstaurantStore and Lowe’s listings all say edge grain. Don’t confuse it with the thicker RA-Board, the Chop-N-Slice MPL1812125G, or Sur La Table’s grooved 18 × 12 × 1½ in exclusive, which is not the R01.

The Amazon listing is ASIN B00063QBF4.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Parts and stores:

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