Gadget name: Island Bamboo Over the Sink Cutting Board with Colander
Price: $39.99
It looks like: A bamboo cutting board with a colorful silicone colander sunk into one side (which is, coincidentally, exactly what it is).
How it’s supposed to work: It spans the length of a sink and has a removable, collapsible colander embedded in the board on one side. The board claimed to facilitate washing and chopping ingredients, as well as holding prepped food as we worked.
How we tested it: We minced onions and stain-inducing chipotle chiles, whacked through bone-in chicken thighs with a cleaver, cut crusty loaves of bread with a serrated knife, and sliced juicy watermelons on the board. We also washed the board repeatedly by hand. Finally, we shoved it off a kitchen counter to see how durable it was.
How it actually works: The board had a steady grip over the sink, and the colander never budged as we hacked through the chicken thighs. It was a convenient catchall for scraps, as well, and held up well through our push-off-the-kitchen-counter durability tests.
Drawbacks: Only the silicone colander is dishwasher-safe; the bamboo board should be washed by hand.
Good to know: Collapsible for storage, the large, footed colander can be used separately.
My favorite part: It’s a 2-in-1 product that actually works (which is pretty rare).
Best for: Kitchens where space is a high commodity.
Overall: This space-saving gadget is great for smaller kitchens.
About the Author: Lisa McManus
4 Comments
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A few reviews on Amazon mention that the plastic colander retains odors. Did you happen to notice that? (I don’t have a dishwasher, so I wouldn’t be able to send it through a dishwashing cycle, so the odor issue concerns me a little.)
@abruffner use a little baking soda and vinegar combo to clean and remove odors.
@ATK can you include more than one photo or a small video on your product reviews because more is better.
Hi ra6719, thanks for the feedback. We do have many equipment videos, but unfortunately not for every single product we review. You can watch videos from the latest test kitchen equipment reviews at these 3 links: http://www.americastestkitchen.com/video/index.php?document_activeCategoryName_2_10_0_mv=testing, http://www.cooksillustrated.com/video/list.asp?rfrom=browseby&browseByType=10&browseByCategory=843,844,845,846,847,848,849,850,851,852,853,854,855,856,857,858,859,860,861&cat=Reviews, http://www.cookscountry.com/videos/browse/?v=gl&video=testing
I wish this product had sink handles…then it would be perfect.
Ra6719: Since ATK isn’t the actual seller, you could look to the vendor website or the manufacturer for pictures and specs.
Abruffner: all plastic will pick up odors or color. The baking soda soak is a great suggestion…a little citric acid sponging works too.