Totally Bamboo: Sustainable Style for Your Kitchen & Home?
By Ben Carter
8.7
Consumers Best Verdict: Totally Bamboo Highlights
As a longtime bamboo specialist, Totally Bamboo offers a wide lineup—cutting boards, utensil sets, drawer organizers, even state-shaped serving boards. The pitch is simple: fast-growing Moso bamboo that’s lightweight yet sturdy, sealed with food-safe finishes, and designed to be gentle on knife edges. In our Consumer’s Best view for 2025, the brand still delivers strong value and handsome design. The trade-offs are the usual bamboo ones: hand-wash only, regular oiling, and it’s not ideal for heavy cleaver work. If that sounds fair, totally bamboo is a smart pick.
Look, Totally Bamboo nails the sweet spot for everyday cooks: attractive boards, sustainable materials, and solid performance—at prices that don’t make you wince. If you’re willing to hand-wash and oil now and then, you’ll get a knife-friendly, good-looking surface that doubles as a serving board. It’s not a butcher-block replacement, but for daily prep and hosting? It just works. If I were outfitting a first kitchen or upgrading from plastic, I’d grab a mid-size Totally Bamboo board and a small companion for fruit and cheese—easy win.
In-Depth Look: Totally Bamboo Features & Considerations
Core Features & Consumer Benefits
Totally Bamboo leans into renewable Moso bamboo, clean finishes, and everyday usability. Here’s what stands out for home cooks in 2025.
Sustainable material, everyday practicality
Moso bamboo grows fast, looks great, and helps cut down on plastic or slow-growth hardwood consumption.
Knife-friendly surface
Bamboo is gentler on edges than glass or ceramic boards, so your knives stay sharper longer—less sharpening, more cooking.
Lightweight but stable
Easy to move, rinse, and store. Larger boards feel sturdy on the counter (a damp towel underneath locks them in).
Design-forward options
From minimalist prep boards to state-shaped serving pieces, Totally Bamboo doubles as kitchen decor and gift-ready gear.
Good value across sizes
Priced fairly for first apartments, families, and gift givers—bundles often cost less than a single premium hardwood board.
Important Considerations & Potential Downsides
- Maintenance required
Hand-wash only—no dishwasher, no long soaks. A quick dry and regular mineral oiling keep warping and cracking at bay.
- Not for heavy butchering
If you pound with a cleaver or break down large cuts daily, an end-grain hardwood block will outlast bamboo.
- Moisture sensitivity
Like all laminated bamboo, seam lines can raise if water lingers. Dry promptly and re-oil if the surface feels rough.
- Can stain or hold odors
Beets, turmeric, garlic—yep, they linger. Lemon + salt or a light baking-soda scrub helps; consider separate boards for raw proteins.
Who Is the Totally Bamboo Best For?
Eco-minded home cooks
You want renewable materials and a board that looks good on the counter without costing a fortune.
Apartment and small-kitchen cooks
Lightweight boards that store easily and pull double duty for quick prep and serving.
Gift givers and hosts
Attractive grain, state-shaped and themed boards—easy, useful gifts that feel personal.
Knife-care on a budget
A kinder cutting surface than glass or stone, so your edges last longer between sharpenings.
Casual entertainers
Charcuterie, snacks, fruit—totally bamboo boards slide from prep to platter without fuss.
Who Might Want to Explore Other Options?
- Butchers and BBQ pros
Heavy cleaver work and bone contact favor thick, end-grain hardwood or professional butcher blocks.
- Dishwasher-only households
If you won’t hand-wash, choose dishwasher-safe plastic or composite boards instead.
- Raw protein purists
Prefer NSF-rated plastic for raw meats to simplify sanitizing and avoid lingering odors.
- Ultra-minimal packers and campers
Thin polyethylene mats or foldable boards pack flatter and handle grimey camp sinks better.
