Are Home Depot Butcher Block Countertops Worth Buying? Here's What Buyers Say

Picking out materials for counters isn't easy. There are many options, and all have their own pros and cons to using them, including care, cost, and staining. Butcher block is one popular choice thanks to its timelessness, natural beauty, and affordability. Another benefit is that butcher block countertops last a long time before they need to be replaced – sometimes 20 years or more. Because of this, it pays to get high-quality materials when making your island or countertop. 

There's a lot to know before you buy butcher block countertops, including the fact that there is quite a bit of variety on the market. Home Depot, for example, carries a few brands in store — offering plenty of choices for customers and allowing them to find the perfect fit. Hardwood Reflections and Hampton Bay are the two big brands at Home Depot that make butcher block counters.

House Digest did a deep dive into some of the products and the reviews of people who have bought them over the years to find which are the best and whether or not they're worth buying. Star ratings are useful and can offer you an idea of which products are good at a quick glance, but if you want to really see what makes a product highly rated or the flaws that they have, more research is needed. The top four butcher block products are covered below, providing you with example reviews and details so you know exactly whether or not you'd find them worth buying.

Hardwood Reflections is one of the highest-rated butcher blocks at Home Depot, with thousands of reviews. Their Eased Edge Butcher Block comes in several different types of wood, so you can choose based on your color preference and sturdiness. Some of the options include alder, oak, sapele, and teak. There are also several thicknesses to choose from, based on the various countertop types.

The butcher block with eased edges by Hardwood Reflections is highly rated on Home Depot's website. It has a 4.4 out of 5 stars, and is recommended by 83% of purchasers. If you don't like the eased edge, Hardwood Reflections also has a square edge option with similar reviews. One customer left a glowing comment about the butcher block she bought: "Our Hardwood Reflections unfinished birch solid wood butcher block island top came masterfully and impressively packaged and in perfect condition... It looks gorgeous."

Though many people like this product, most of the lower-star reviews focused on the inconsistencies in the wood. Sometimes, the pieces arrive broken, cracked, warped, or open. Another review on Home Depot said: "I really wanted to give this 5 stars, but one flaw knocks it down to 2 for me. Right on the edge of the countertop is a flaw that was filled in with wood putty. It was unnoticeable until the second I put mineral oil on it, at which point it stood out like a flashing light."

The other popular butcher block option from Home Depot is made by Hampton Bay. Though they have several different wood types, the Unfinished Acacia Butcher Block Countertop is one of the highest rated on the website. It has a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and 63% of users recommend it. These Hampton Bay butcher blocks come unfinished and are 1.5 inches thick — a beautiful and sturdy piece of wood.

Like the other products on this list, these aren't perfect. You have to carefully select pieces that don't appear broken or damaged. If possible, try to pick up directly from the store, or have pieces delivered to your nearby center. That way, if the product ends up being poor quality, you don't have to deal with the hassle of trying to return it.

Looking at the reviews, you may feel too intimidated to buy any of the wood. While there are a lot of negative reviews at a glance, the product still has an overwhelming number of positives based on the overall score. You just have to pay attention to the wood you receive, and be willing to sand and plane the butcher block to get it level without imperfections. For example, one customer left a five-star review: "This countertop is stunning. Had one small scratch on one side, easily sanded out. We used it for a custom cabinet setup and I was terrified to cut it, but it was simple. Sealed with a food-safe oil."

While Hardwood Reflections and Hamilton Bay are the more common brands you'll see when you search through Home Depot's collections, there are other brands as well, such as MSI. The Finished Hevea Butcher Block by MSI doesn't have as many reviews, but the ones it has are mostly positive, with 4 out of 5 stars. Additionally, 79% of people recommend this product.

One customer's review on Home Depot does a great job summarizing both the pros and cons of this MSI butcher block: "Spent a long time looking for solid wood butcher block, that was already stained for a good price. Caught this at the right moment. Very good quality and it turned out so good! Just one complaint, the packaging wasn't very good, one corner was damaged, thankfully we had to trim down the length anyway so could still use it."

Complaints about the shipping process damaging edges and corners are common. It might not be worth buying unless you're already planning to trim down the sides a little or you go in person instead. Another potential issue is that it is not finished as claimed. Though it is stained, the instructions say it is still necessary to seal it, and some comments mention that sanding is also required on occasion.  Otherwise, it is a high-quality product, often compared to Hardwood Reflections products. Though some reviews are negative, if you are aware and prepared for a product that could end up damaged and may need to be sanded and finished, then you can get a pretty good butcher block for a cheaper price than competing brands.

If you don't want a standard butcher block, the Live Edge Butcher Block by Hardwood Reflections is another option. The unfinished solid wood butcher block countertop with live edge is the highest rated. This particular option comes in either birch or saman and a ton of different sizes to help you get the best size for your needs without excess weight. It has 4.6 out of 5 stars, and 79% of users recommend it. Each piece is unique, and the live edges give your kitchen a rustic look that you might not be able to recreate with a standard piece of butcher block.

Like the other Hardwood Reflection products, some inconsistencies and cracks being filled with wood glue are reported in the reviews. There are also times where the individual pieces making up the board don't seal together as well as they should, leading to cracks down the line. However, if you pay attention to the wood you buy and get a high-quality piece, you will get a beautiful butcher block you're proud to display. One satisfied customer reviewed her purchase on Home Depot, saying, "These island countertops are absolutely stunning! They are hands-down, the star of the show in my newly remodeled kitchen...The color of the grain is stunning. I highly recommend these countertops!"

The wood comes unfinished, so you can stain and seal it as you want. It's advised that you do this within 48 hours of unwrapping the wood. Thankfully, it's easy to seal butcher block countertops with natural ingredients and only takes a small amount of time and effort.