7 Butcher Block Islands That Suit Every Type of Kitchen

Erin Lichy is a multihyphenate, from flipping homes as an interior designer to starring in The Real Housewives of New York City. Her love for all things design can be attributed to her real estate career (she received her real estate license at just 19 years old) and love for fashion. After earning a sustainable real estate development masters degree from NYU, she opened Homegirl, a full-service design studio based in Manhattan, New York City. She currently has 10 New York projects on her roster, all of which boast the creative's signature design look: clean, elegant, and glossy.

The benefits are aplenty, but Lichy has one obvious one that trumps the rest: "The price point," she admits. "You can significantly minimize the cost of your counters if you incorporate a large butcher block section. And if your island is a complete butcher block the savings are even greater. Additionally, they're super easy to clean and add a lot of a character to a kitchen." She's not wrong. Incorporating a well-to-do butcher block island cuts costs in ways you may not realize. For one, butcher blocks are extremely durable, so they last pretty much forever. After all, they're designed to be cut on multiple times a day, so they're pretty tough. This means you won't have to go out and buy new cutting boards or free-standing islands every few yeas. Another key benefit is that you don't really need to prep much before working on it. Just make sure it's clean, grab your veggies, fruits, or meats, and start chopping. They basically improve your productivity in the kitchen in a myriad of ways, starting with simplified processes!

"Butcher blocks made with end grain are better than edge grain," Lichy explains. "The difference is that edge grain runs along the outside and end grains are where the wood fibers are exposed at the end. End grains are way more resistant to cuts and scarring so they simply last longer." She also recommends buying a piece that feels more durable than a standard island. She adds, "If you're buying a freestanding butcher block, you want to make sure it has some weight to it so it's not moving around. It will also look more luxurious if it's sturdier."

Here are several other considerations to keep in mind:

Material: Remember, butcher block islands are designed to double as food prep space (for chopping veggies, rolling dough, or pounding meat), so opting for a material that is extremely durable and scratch-resistant is key. All chopping blocks are crafted from wood, but which type is best? Our expert says go with maple, cherry wood, and walnut.

Size: The size you choose depends on the space you can spare in your kitchen. If you have a large space in which you spend a lot of time whipping up complicated delicacies, you may want to go with a large butcher block island. Otherwise, feel free to go with a smaller square shape (think 20 by 20 inches). Any smaller won't give you much space to actually prep.

Storage: This is more of a personal preference than it is a necessity, but if you're working in a small space, opting for a kitchen chop block with clever storage is nice. For instance, some come with drawers and shelves while others come with compact knife holders. Some, however, are too small to fit any storage.

When considering a butcher block island for your kitchen, cleaning it is probably top of mind since it's not as easy as popping cutting boards into the dishwasher. Giving it a good scrub is paramount, especially if you have raw meat on its surface, which, if not properly cleaned, can result in bacteria forming and cross-contamination around the home. Here are our suggestions for a streamlined cleanup:

Step 1: Use a soft sponge or microfiber towel to get rid of any visible food scraps. Any material too hard may strip or scratch the wood surface, so use caution when selecting your tool of choice.

Step 2: Fill a bowl with warm water and a splash of dish soap. Mix to combine with your hands then soak a sponge in the mixture, wringing out the excess. Now scrub the counter.

Step 3: Dry it with a microfiber cloth, which is gentler and more absorbent than your typical paper towel. It's also less wasteful!

Step 4: Repeat step two to ensure your island is extra clean. This step is optional, but we highly suggest doing it if you used raw meat on your butcher block.

When it comes to picking out the best (and affordable) pieces for any space, Associate Shopping Editor Jessica Cherner has been reviewing furniture, appliances, and kitchen must-haves for nearly eight years, having access to more than a few stylish samples, and working with countless interior designers on what makes a product worthy in the home. Not to mention, she's been on a never-ending quest to decorate her own New York City apartment with a budget and size constraint in mind, so you can trust that she has done her homework to find the best and most beloved pieces on the market.

For this story, Cherner spent hours combing through reviews and ratings on the best butcher block islands while enlisting an interior designer's expert advice on purchasing the right ones. Cherner also used her own design eye to pick out the most stylish ones on the market for House Beautiful readers.