Welcome, Mr. Stephens!
:ntmy:
Will the heavy end grain boards prove to be cumbersome every time I move them from the counter?
You don't move them around the kitchen. Basically instead of your board being a scooping tool that you cut on, it is more like a counter that you cut on. It doesn't move around, because it doesn't need to. Some folks use a thin plastic "cutting board" to transfer food from board to pot, but it's annoying to me to clean it every time and keep up with them. I just use my hands, I'm only feeding my family. Either that or I grab the CCK1303. It's worth losing the habit of running around the kitchen with it and sacrificing counter space for the improvement a good end-grain board provides, for your knives, your safety, and your eyes.
Are the end grain boards that much better then the lighter (thinner) edge grain boards?
Not all of them. End-Grain bamboo has a ton of glue in it that is hard on edges, and lesser-quality end grain boards are disposable goods, warping and cracking over time. But end-grain means that the knife will dig into the board(saving the edge, and stopping the knife from slipping), but the cut will heal(preventing nasty gouges). Also, contaminants have been found to sink into the board, and the grain traps it in a dark vacuum and disinfects itself, to some degree. They are quieter to cut on, and look way nicer.
I do light cooking for myself for the most part. Should I be looking at a smaller size?
If you want to save money more than have the space to work with. I always say get the biggest board your counter can fit. I got out a ruler, and asked my wife what is the most space she is ok with losing on the counter forever, and got a board that big. Whether you are feeding 1 or 100, you only cut up one onion at a time, it's just up to you if you want to have to deal with crowding on the board.
Advantages/disadvantages of the Boardsmith board vs the Boos Block?
I don't know if Boos makes different lines, or if they just changed over time, but the Bed Bath & Beyond variety are known to warp, crack, split, etc over about a decade(my folks have a butcher block...an actual table...from Boos and it's 4 decades old--not sure if quality has gone down or what). That's just sitting on the counter, even if you oil it. It is because the wood has residual moisture in it, different amounts of moisture, poor construction, etc etc. The difference between a run-of-the-mill cutting board(no pun intended) and a Boardsmith Board is night and day. It's a permanent purchase, and will outlive you. If you have any problems with it(which you won't), Mr. Smith is fantastic in his dealings with customers.
Unless you are looking for something to throw away in the future, just buy the Boardsmith. You will not regret it, they are fantastic. I've not seen a single board that comes close to it. There may not be a "best knife", but IMO there is a "best board".