Products · Kitchen tools & cleanup · John Boos & Co.
John Boos Maple Rustic-Edge Design Cutting Board, 17 x 12 x 1-3/4 in (MPL-RST1712175)
Reader ratings
A reversible board cut from one piece of maple: no glue joints, no coating, finished with a beeswax cream. A tester found no metals in a Boos maple board, though not this model. NSF reviews the factory. About $104.
Best for Cooks who want a solid wood board with no glue at all and will oil it every few weeks.
- Our rating
- Good (3.8 of 5)
- Price range
- Premium
- Size
- 17 x 12 x 1-3/4 in, 11 lb per Boos (Williams Sonoma lists 9 lb), reversible. Also sold as 13 x 12 in ($89.95) and 21 x 12 in ($116.95)
- Made in
- Made in the USA with domestic and imported materials, per the maker; John Boos & Co. is based in Effingham, Illinois
approx. $104 for the 17 x 12 in size
See it on John Boos & Co.’s site → (opens in a new tab)We are not affiliated with John Boos & Co.. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.
Also sold at Williams Sonoma ($104), Crate & Barrel ($104), Sur La Table ($104) .
Reader ratings & reviews
– out of 5
Loading ratings…
Rating breakdown
- 5 stars 0
- 4 stars 0
- 3 stars 0
- 2 stars 0
- 1 star 0
Have this product? Please rate it.
Check your email
We sent a sign-in link to . Click it and you’ll come straight back here, signed in. It expires in 15 minutes; check your spam folder if it doesn’t show up. Thank you for helping the community!
Your review
Reviews are personal experiences, not research, and they never change our quality ratings. Every review is read by our team before it appears.
How we evaluated it
How it scores Our rating, metric by metric
- Materials 45% of the rating 4 of 5
One piece of maple with no glue, and a beeswax-and-oil finish. The finish is named only as a food-grade oil, and the product page calls it an oil finish while the FAQ says cream.
- Independent testing 10% of the rating 3 of 5
Lead Safe Mama found no metals in a John Boos maple board (2020), and Mamavation ranks the one-piece Rustic-Edge boards among its best. Neither names this model, and NSF's review of the factory is a certification makers pay for.
- Durability 20% of the rating 4 of 5
A 1-3/4 in solid board that can be sanded and re-oiled for decades, from a maker founded in 1887. The warranty is one year for defects, valid only from Boos or authorized sellers.
- Trust 10% of the rating 4 of 5
Names the wood, the glue-free build, the factory town and its care products, and publishes its warranty. No Prop 65 notice or CPSC recall found. The oil in the finish is not named.
- Value 15% of the rating 3 of 5
About $104, roughly twice Teakhaus's end-grain board ($54) and more than three times a Bambu board. One solid piece of maple at this thickness costs more than glued boards.
The rating, 3.8 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank kitchen tools & cleanup and our standard.
Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw
- Williams Sonoma (opens in a new tab) approx. $104. Listed as the Boos Rustic Edge-Grain Cutting Board, Maple; the Small size is 17 x 12 x 1 3/4 in and cost $103.95 when opened 2026-11-03.
- Crate & Barrel (opens in a new tab) approx. $104. The 17 x 12 in board, SKU 633794, $103.95 when opened 2026-11-03. Online only; ships free from the vendor.
- Sur La Table (opens in a new tab) approx. $104. The 17 x 12 in board, $103.95 with free shipping from the vendor when opened 2026-11-03. The page says to allow 4 to 6 weeks to ship.
Prices as we saw them on November 3, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.
What it’s made of What touches your food, water, skin or air
- Northern hard rock maple, kiln dried, one solid piece with no glue joints
- Finish: Boos Block cream finish with beeswax and food-grade oil (the product page says oil finish; the oil is not named)
- Rustic edges left natural; the company logo is stamped on a corner
Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it
- Independent Lead Safe Mama (XRF screening by Tamara Rubin, who bought the board; the site earns affiliate income from its Amazon link) June 2020
A 2020 XRF test of a John Boos maple cutting board, tested several times for 120 seconds each: no metals detected. The post was updated in March 2026. The author does not name the model and uses the board as a metals-free background for her tests. Her Amazon link for it opens the listing for Boos Chop-N-Slice edge-grain boards, so it is not this Rustic-Edge board. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Who paid, and why it matters
- Independent The tester took no money from the maker for it: a consumer group, a journalist, a university or a regulator.
- Paid certification An outside lab or certifier tested or listed it, and the maker paid for that.
- Maker’s own test A lab report or certificate of analysis the maker commissioned and published.
A certification is a floor, not a verdict: it checks what its program checks and nothing else. We weigh tests by someone with no stake in the result most.
What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found
- Does the board contain glue?
- No. The product page (opens in a new tab) says kiln-dried, with rustic edges and no glue joints, and Mamavation's cutting board guide (opens in a new tab) puts the one-piece Rustic-Edge boards in its best group. Boos's glued reversible maple boards are a different matter: Mamavation puts them in its better group, and we do not list them because Boos does not name the glue.
- What is the finish, and is mineral oil a problem?
- Boos's FAQ (opens in a new tab) says its boards ship with a Boos Block cream finish with beeswax, and describes the cream as unbleached beeswax in a food-grade oil formula. Its Mystery Oil is a food-grade oil Boos says is NSF certified, and it allows food-grade mineral oil. Mamavation prefers oils that are not mineral oil but gives no evidence of harm. Boos does not name the oil, so we cannot say more.
- Is a wood board hygienic for raw meat?
- Lab studies on wood and plastic conflict. Our article on cutting boards says to wash with hot soapy water, dry fully and keep a separate board for raw meat. Plastic boards shed microplastics into food; wood does not shed plastic.
- Will a one-piece board warp or split?
- A single piece is more likely to warp or crack than a glued board if it gets wet or dry. Boos says never to put wood boards in the dishwasher, to store them on edge and to oil them at least once a month. A reviewer on its page found the board thick and got a splinter, and Boos says rustic boards carry knots and color variation.
- Is the NSF mark a safety test?
- No. Boos says NSF reviews its manufacturing process (opens in a new tab) for public-health standards. That is a certification makers pay for, not a test for lead or other contaminants in this board, and we did not look this model up in NSF's directory.
- Who is paid to recommend it?
- Boos runs a brand ambassador program (opens in a new tab) in which chefs and creators make content, demonstrations and appearances for the company, and its partnerships page (opens in a new tab) quotes chefs such as Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis. Neither page says what they are paid. Mamavation's cutting board guide (opens in a new tab) and Lead Safe Mama's post carry affiliate links, so both earn when you buy through them. We found no sign that Boos paid for either assessment. Our page takes no payment.
Why we chose it What put it on our list
- One piece of maple with no glue joints, per the maker, so there is no adhesive to name. Mamavation puts this build in its best group.
- A beeswax-and-oil finish and no coatings, lacquers or inlays. Lead Safe Mama's XRF screen of a Boos maple board found no metals.
- 1-3/4 in thick and 11 lb, so it can be sanded and re-oiled for decades.
- Made in the USA by an Illinois company that has made boards since 1887, and sold by large retailers.
Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy
- About $104, twice Teakhaus's board and more than three times a Bambu board.
- The finish oil is not named, and the product page and FAQ describe the finish differently.
- The metals test was of another Boos maple board, and Boos publishes no test report.
- It needs oiling at least once a month, cannot go in the dishwasher, and a one-piece board can warp.
- The warranty is one year and covers only purchases from Boos or its authorized sellers. The online seller list on Boos's site names restaurant-supply and cutting-board dealers, not Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel or Sur La Table, so ask Boos if you want to be sure.
What to know Details worth knowing first
Glue is the unknown in most wooden cutting boards. Strips of wood are joined with an adhesive the maker rarely names, which is why our cutting board guide tells you to look for a board that names its glue and finish. John Boos's Rustic-Edge boards avoid the question: each is cut from one piece of maple with no glue joints.
The finish is a beeswax cream over food-grade oil, applied at the factory, and the board has no coating, lacquer or inlay. A tester using an XRF analyzer found no metals in a Boos maple board. That was another Boos model, so we count it as a hint, not a result for this board, and Boos publishes no report of its own.
The price is the catch: about $104 for 17 x 12 in, and it needs a monthly oiling. If you want a cheaper board with a named glue, the Teakhaus is about half the price.
What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it
| What we checked | What we found |
|---|---|
| Named materials where food touches Maker’s claim | Northern hard rock maple in one piece, with a beeswax-and-food-grade-oil finish. The oil is not named. |
| Glue and finish stated Maker’s claim | No glue joints, per the product page. Finish described as an oil finish on the product page and as a Boos Block cream finish with beeswax in the FAQ. |
| Metals Verified | Lead Safe Mama's XRF screen of a John Boos maple board found no metals (2020). It is not this model. |
| No antimicrobial treatment Not verified | Not stated: the product page and care pages mention no antimicrobial additive, and do not rule one out. |
| Easy to clean or replace Maker’s claim | Hand wash, never the dishwasher; oil monthly with Boos Mystery Oil or Board Cream. One-year warranty. |
| Notices and recalls Verified | No California Prop 65 notice and no CPSC recall name John Boos (searched 2026-11-03). |
What the labels mean
- Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
- Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
- Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
Sources Where our facts come from
- John Boos: Maple Rustic-Edge Design Cutting Board 1-3/4 in thick. Maker’s page. Read 2026-11-03: $103.95 for 17 x 12 in (MPL-RST1712175), 11 lb, one piece, no glue joints, oil finish. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- John Boos: Frequently asked questions. Maker’s page. Care, finish and oil answers. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- John Boos: Warranty policy. Maker’s page. One year against manufacturing defects; authorized sellers only; updated 14 October 2026. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- John Boos: Certifications. Maker’s page. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Lead Safe Mama: John Boos maple wood cutting board, XRF results (2020). Test report. No metals detected in a Boos maple board of unnamed model. The site earns affiliate income. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Mamavation: Safest non-toxic cutting boards (September 2024). Test report. A materials review, not a lab test. Lists the one-piece Rustic-Edge boards among its best and glued Boos boards among its better. The site earns affiliate income. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Williams Sonoma: Boos Rustic Edge-Grain Cutting Board, Maple. Independent source. Opened 2026-11-03: $103.95 to $116.95; Small is 17 x 12 x 1 3/4 in, 9 lb. Says the company logo is stamped on a corner. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Crate & Barrel: John Boos 17 x 12 Rustic Edge Maple Cutting Board. Independent source. Opened 2026-11-03: $103.95, SKU 633794, ships free from the vendor. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Sur La Table: John Boos Maple Rustic Edge Cutting Boards, 1.75 in thick, 17 x 12. Independent source. Opened 2026-11-03: $103.95, ships free from the vendor in 4 to 6 weeks. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- John Boos: Find a seller. Maker’s page. Lists authorized online sellers, mostly restaurant-supply and cutting-board dealers. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- John Boos: Brand ambassador program. Maker’s page. Describes creators who collaborate with Boos on content, demonstrations and events. Pay is not stated. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- John Boos: Partnerships. Maker’s page. Chef endorsements quoted by Boos. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Amazon: John Boos Chop-N-Slice maple cutting board (the listing Lead Safe Mama links). Independent source. Opened 2026-11-03: an edge-grain Boos board, which shows the 2020 test was not of the Rustic-Edge board. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- California Attorney General: Prop 65 60-day notice search. Certifier or regulator listing. Searched by alleged violator on 2026-11-03; no notice named John Boos or Boos Blocks. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- CPSC recalls API. Certifier or regulator listing. Searched on 2026-11-03; the Boos hits were unrelated products. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Alternatives Other options to compare
- Teakhaus Butcher Block Cutting Board 317 A thick end-grain teak board with a named water-based glue and a mineral oil and beeswax finish, about $54.
- Bambu Classic Bamboo Cutting and Serving Board Bamboo rather than hardwood, with a stated but unnamed glue, about $31 to $44.