Folding Chopping Board - Is this something you'd be interested in?

[DVLPacheco]

Hi guys!

First time poster here and excited to be here. Full disclaimer: I checked if this was allowed with a mod first and she said it was ok as long as I didn't post any links (which is easy, I don't even have a website so having nothing to link to!)

Basically, I’m a student in my final year of my business degree and one of my units involves going through the process of creating a business from start to finish. Part of this involves thinking of a product idea, and then validating it to make sure it’s something people actually would want before moving to the next stage of actually building it.

The product idea I had is a folding chopping board. Similar to the Chop2Pot from Joseph and Joseph which some of you might be familiar with or even have (I've attached an image of it, no links). They make a bamboo version which I use all the time since I hate chopping vegetables and having them fall off the board when trying to put them in the pan.

There were a few problems with the plastic one - one, obviously it's plastic, it doesn't fold up properly or lay flat after a while, some people found the handle would snap off after a while. The bamboo version I own doesn't have a handle and doesn't fold up to store. And it's is a bit small (even the big version)

So I thought, improving on this would be a good idea since it's something I already have and love. The idea is a bamboo cutting board which folds up for easy storage, has a handle which doesn't snap off and is fairly sizable (since I always find mine is not big enough!). I found a supplier that makes something very similar to what I would want (I've attached pictures showing what it looks like, no links since I am not advertising).

So I wanted to ask you guys:

1. Is this something you'd be interested in?
2. If so is there something else you've always wanted from something like this that doesn't exist?
3. What would you pay for something like this?

The main purpose of this is to find out if it it's a dud because if it is, I won’t be wasting my time and can find something else to make for this. I should note that the unit doesn't recommend we make new revolutionary products (which would be impossible for the course timeframe) but rather look to make small improvements to what is already out there - just for the purposes of time. Really appreciate the help

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi and welcome to Discuss Cooking [emoji2]

I like the idea. I prefer wooden or bamboo cutting boards to plastic and having one that folds like that to guide the cut food into a pan would be useful. I would suggest putting a hole in the handle so it could be stored hanging on the wall. Lots of people have limited space to store things and giving them the option would be a good selling point.

I'd have to know what size the board is in order to give you a price, but if it was well made, I would buy it.

 

[DVLPacheco]

Hi and welcome to Discuss Cooking [emoji2]

I like the idea. I prefer wooden or bamboo cutting boards to plastic and having one that folds like that to guide the cut food into a pan would be useful. I would suggest putting a hole in the handle so it could be stored hanging on the wall. Lots of people have limited space to store things and giving them the option would be a good selling point.

I'd have to know what size the board is in order to give you a price, but if it was well made, I would buy it.

Thanks for the kind welcome

Agreed, wood beats plastic any day. That is a great idea on the holes - if it was like the above my initial thought would be putting a hole on each side of the handle (two total) when unfolded which would merge into one hole when folded for hanging but would have to look into in more detail.

The dimensions of the particular model above are 39.8 x 20.5 x 1cm (15.7 x 8 x 0.4 inches) and I'd probably stick around that same range.

 

[dragnlaw]

Hi there and Welcome to DC!

I agree with GG, sounds very interesting. Yes, depending on price I would certainly buy it. Although I'm a bit of a sucker for Cutting Boards.

Folding and hanging, yes, for sure interested. Keep in mind, not too heavy for hanging but not so thin as to crack with heavy use. Also being just a little bit on the heavier side would help it stay in place while chopping away at your vegies.

But the hinge would have to stand up to usage. Would be very upset if after a couple of weeks use the hinge(s) broke.

 

[skilletlicker]

G'day mate

Welcome to the forum. Hope you stick around for food and cooking-related conversations. Assuming you're looking for honest responses, I'll say of all the business school surveys I've seen in several decades of forum and bulletin board participation, this is the dumbest. I hope you don't take it as a personal insult; it isn't intended as such.

Good fortune and just rewards in all your future endeavors,

Skilletlicker

 

[dragnlaw]

don't agree skillet - think it is a very viable line of thought

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I too like the idea. However, to take it over the top, and give the best product, make a solid, end grain butcher block cutting board, the cut it in half to make the folding board in the size and shape desired, End grain boards are easier on knife edges, and are considered the best boards. Hard maple is usually the wood of choice.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[skilletlicker]

don't agree skillet - think it is a very viable line of thought

C'mon Darlin. Obviously, we disagree. You gave our young Pacheco's idea a thumbs up and thirty minutes later I gave it a thumbs down. Don't see any reason to fight over it.

 

[taxlady]

I quite like the idea. I would want it in wood, not bamboo. Bamboo has to be glued together from strips of bamboo and that glue can be hard on knives.

While there are some advantages to end grain, as Chief Longwind suggested, it would make this more expensive. It would probably put it outside my budget, especially for something I had never tried.

 

[skilletlicker]

Why I Don't Like the Idea of Hinged Cutting Boards

Didn't think this would be necessary but:

I just want to wipe the board clean and put it away.
Don't want to scrub betwixt the hinges.​

Others may have different ideas on the topic.
God bless the child who has his own.

 

[GinnyPNW]

I think the one pictured looks very nice, but I would probably not buy it. I like my acrylic cutting boards and I have a green one a red one and a white one. Each has its proper use, in my kitchen and I LOVE the fact that I can throw them in the dishwasher to properly sanitize. I have other larger boards that are rarely used. The 3 mentioned are used multiple times, each day. I do have a folding version in the RV. Rarely pull it out as I purchased another set of the green/red/white ones for the RV too. They nest together, and fit nicely in the slot next to the sink, designed to hand dish towels.

Now, that I think about it...maybe I would purchased your bamboo item, but not for chopping. I might use it for serving though. It could be tucked into a cabinet in the RV, won't rattle or break and I could bring it out to use as a cheese board or antipasto server. Could work.

 

[Andy M.]

I've never felt the need for this product. I use only plastic cutting boards that are dishwasher safe. I have seen products that offer the same functionality.


https://www.amazon.com/Dexas-Grippm...=bendable+cutting+board&qid=1631033772&sr=8-9

 

[GinnyPNW]

Andy, I use the link item in the bottom of one of my fridge drawers! Helps keeps jars in place a bit...those mats + a fridge bin keeps that drawer organized for me and keeps me from having to remove the whole drawer for cleaning...most of the time.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

...
God bless the child who has his own.

Didn't know you were a Blood, Sweat, And Tears fan. Way under rated, IMHO.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Ginny, I use one similar to the one in Andy's link on my wire pantry shelf. It provides a nice surface for small bottles that would have trouble staying upright when set on the wire shelf.


Pacheco, I actually have two of the Joseph cutting boards like your last image. Like Andy, I use plastic cutting boards that can go in the dishwasher. I've had them for several years and haven't experienced any of the issues you mentioned; they still stay flat, they fold fine when necessary. You might want to think of a product to improve that has more flaws...

 

[skilletlicker]

Didn't know you were a Blood, Sweat, And Tears fan. Way under rated, IMHO.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Blood Sweat and Tears self-titled 1968 was one of the first records I bought. Led me to: Billie Holiday.

 

[Bitser]

The bamboo board looks nice. The idea would appeal to quite a few cooks who are on the lookout for new stuff. What's the material of the hinge on the wood board and how is it attached to the wood pieces?

The plastic board might be a good product for outdoor/camp cooks and mobile kitchens. Take a look at the GoSun and BioLite websites as a potential customers.

 

[DVLPacheco]

Thanks for the responses everyone, some great stuff here!

I too like the idea. However, to take it over the top, and give the best product, make a solid, end grain butcher block cutting board, the cut it in half to make the folding board in the size and shape desired, End grain boards are easier on knife edges, and are considered the best boards. Hard maple is usually the wood of choice.

Interesting - I've never used an end grain butcher block before. Will look into this.

Welcome to the forum. Hope you stick around for food and cooking-related conversations. Assuming you're looking for honest responses, I'll say of all the business school surveys I've seen in several decades of forum and bulletin board participation, this is the dumbest. I hope you don't take it as a personal insult; it isn't intended as such.

Good fortune and just rewards in all your future endeavors,

Skilletlicker

___________
Didn't take this as an insult, this actually made me laugh. Curious what you find so dumb about it?

Now, that I think about it...maybe I would purchased your bamboo item, but not for chopping. I might use it for serving though. It could be tucked into a cabinet in the RV, won't rattle or break and I could bring it out to use as a cheese board or antipasto server. Could work.

Could be a nice new use case I could demonstrate, hmm...

Pacheco, I actually have two of the Joseph cutting boards like your last image. Like Andy, I use plastic cutting boards that can go in the dishwasher. I've had them for several years and haven't experienced any of the issues you mentioned; they still stay flat, they fold fine when necessary. You might want to think of a product to improve that has more flaws...

Very valuable insight, this is based on quite a few Amazon reviews - I don't have the plastic version myself (just the bamboo one) but maybe I might get my hands on it and use it to see for myself.

 

[DVLPacheco]

The bamboo board looks nice. The idea would appeal to quite a few cooks who are on the lookout for new stuff. What's the material of the hinge on the wood board and how is it attached to the wood pieces?

The plastic board might be a good product for outdoor/camp cooks and mobile kitchens. Take a look at the GoSun and BioLite websites as a potential customers.

I'm not sure what the material is but I do have a sample coming to have a play around with. GinnyPNW also mentioned a possible use based for the outdoors - definitely seems like a common line of thought to angle towards.

 

[skilletlicker]

Thanks for the responses everyone, some great stuff here!
...
Didn't take this as an insult, this actually made me laugh. Curious what you find so dumb about it?
...

The product has zero appeal for me. I can't get past the notion that it sacrifices functionality as a cutting board in order to save the minuscule inconvenience of using a bench knife or hands to move stuff from board to pot. Nothing I've read here has changed my mind about that but I was clearly incorrect to call it a dumb idea. I thought that virtually everybody would see it as I did and so there would not be meaningful consumer interest. Clearly most, maybe all the members who replied disagree. Not the first time; won't be the last.

Unchanged is my welcome to the forum and wish for good fortune in all your endeavors.