Do Napoleon’s built-in bowls and juice groove deliver on performance?
The Napoleon PRO Series Cutting Board and Bowl Set combines an attractive design with a novel approach to food preparation and serving.
The 18-inch x 13-inch x 2-inch thick bamboo cutting board includes two shallow stainless-steel bowls that slide into a pair of grooves on the underside for storage. Each bowl, with a capacity of 16 ounces, can slide outward to collect food such as chopped vegetables, food trimmings, and breadcrumbs.
The design also incorporates a trough that runs along the perimeter with an opening at one end meant to drain meat drippings and other liquids into one of the bowls.
Design and Build Quality
The board is solidly constructed from stacked and glued bamboo, a material noted for its hardness, sustainability, resistance to moisture absorption, and antimicrobial properties. The two included stainless-steel bowls fit into notches under the board that keep them out of the way when not in use. Compression and static friction keep them from sliding out on their own when the board is tilted or moved.
In testing, the cutting board performed well for general chopping, slicing, and carving tasks. The bowls also performed well. However, the trough that’s designed to capture juice is narrow and shallow. As a result, liquids tend to overflow from the trough before draining into the bowl.
For comparison, here are two photos of the trough on one of my other cutting boards next to the Napoleon PRO.
I did find the board’s size to be just right—large enough for carving a full roast, brisket or chicken yet compact enough to store easily. Like other wooden boards, it is not dishwasher safe and needs to be cleaned by hand. The included bowls, however, are dishwasher safe. The product did not include any instructions for care and maintenance. Napoleon said none are needed.
Conclusion
The Napoleon PRO Cutting Board and Bowl Set adds some convenience when preparing your food, by letting you easily separate your ingredients into convenient stainless-steel bowls. Its attempt to channel liquids into the bowls is less successful because of the undersized trough. Otherwise, this board and bowl set is well-made with quality construction. I give it our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Silver Medal.
We thank Napoleon for providing a PRO Series Cutting Board for this review.
