Lekue’s guided chopping board piqued my interest when it flashed on my computer screen while I was looking for new gadgets. The bright green board has a knife support in one corner and is slanted so that any extraneous liquid will roll into that corner, out of the way. It also has four nonslip feet to keep the board from moving.
I tried cutting vegetables with several knives and found a chef’s knife was the best with this cutting board. The instructions recommend 12-inch knives.
Once I got used to the knife support I appreciated the safety it offered and thought this would be great for kids just beginning to cook.
With the tip of the knife in the support, all I had to do was move the handle up and down while pushing the food under the knife, keeping my hand safely away from the blade.
My knife skills didn’t improve, but maybe with more use I have a chance of achieving evenly cut veggies. (Note: My uncle, whose knife skills are excellent, didn’t like this product. He gave it a grade D because, he said, “The knife support doesn’t hold the knife properly so the cuts are uneven.”)
>> How it works: Place the tip of a knife into the knife support and close the latch. Turn the support to the angle that is most comfortable for you. Slide the food under the knife, keeping that hand a good distance away from the blade. Use your other hand to move the knife and cut the item. A fork can be used to hold the item in place toward the end.
>> Does it work?: Yes.
>> Pros: Easy to use. Pretty (my aunt said she would use it to serve the cut items). Safe. The padded feet and knife support can be removed for washing. Best used for cucumbers, zucchini, carrots and other cylindrical items — although I did slice tomatoes.
>> Cons: Only works with certain knives. Can’t use the knife support to cut big items such as pumpkin, large eggplants or avocados.
>> Cost and availability: I bought mine on the lekue.com site when it was on sale for $12.50 (regularly $25) but it’s currently sold out. Bedbathandbeyond.com has a black-and-white version for $24.99 plus shipping and amazon.com has a red-and-white version for $7.21 plus $19.45 shipping.
>> Worth it?: I would buy it for a child who loves to cook.
Got a gadget that you love? Curious about one you’d like us to test? Email crave@staradvertiser.com or write Crave,Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813.
