Have you been struggling to cut your pastries with the “normal” flat-edged knives? There are specialty bread knives that are serrated to easily cut through the crust into the bread’s soft parts without leaving too many breadcrumbs.
There is a wide range of bread knives on the market at different price points. Bread knives vary in size, blade and handle materials, serration pattern, and shape. This article contains the necessary information to help you choose the right bread knife for your needs.
The Best Bread Knives on the Market
Below is a review of our pick for the 8 best bread knives on Amazon. You will find options for budget and high-end bread knives, curved and straight handled, and different blade serration patterns. Take a look.
1. Best Overall Choice: Mercer Culinary Millennia Bread Knife
This Mercer Culinary bread knife is designed for ergonomic handling and easy cutting. It has a 10-inch wavy blade that is made of high-quality Japanese steel. Japanese steel is stain-proof, rust-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. It is also easy to sharpen.
The knife’s handle is made of Santoprene for comfortable and easy handling. It is also designed with textured finger points that offer a firm grip and provide finger protection. Both Japanese steel and Santoprene materials are highly durable and easy to clean.
The Mercer Culinary Millennia bread knife requires proper care. It is not dishwasher friendly as the intense heat and dishwasher detergents may damage the handle.
It is easy to clean with water, soap, and a piece of cloth. It should not be soaked in water for a long time or cleaned with chlorine bleach as these will cause the blade to discolor.
Once cleaned, the knife should be stored in a cutlery sheath or block to preserve the sharpness of the cutting edge while preventing injuries.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to clean
- Easy to sharpen
- Firm, non-slip grip
- Durable
Cons
- The knife wears out fast if not properly maintained.
2. Best Budget Option: Orblue Serrated Bread Knife
The Orblue serrated bread knife is particularly designed to effortlessly cut through large, thick breads and bagels. It can also be used to cut crusty bread, cakes, and other pastries.
The entire knife is 12.9inch long with an 8-inch blade. It is made of high-quality stainless steel, which is durable and strong enough to cut through the toughest bread. The cutting edge is ultra-sharp with hook-like serrations that grip and smoothly slice the bread.
The knife’s handle is a continuation of the blade. It is made of stainless steel for a long-lasting build. The handle is sleek and ergonomically built for a firm yet comfortable grip.
Pros
- Cuts with ease
- Designed for the toughest, thickest breads
- One-piece design
- Made of high-quality steel
- Affordable
- Can be used on a wide range of breads and pastries
Cons
- A bit heavy
3. Best Premium Choice: Victorinox Swiss Army Serrated Bread Knife
The Victorinox Swiss Army Serrated knife is designed as a multipurpose knife for cutting breads, sandwiches, and squishy fruits and vegetables such as watermelons and tomatoes. It can also be used as a spatula for icing cakes and cutting soft and semi-soft cheeses.
It has a 10.25-inch stainless steel wavy cutting edge that easily slices pastries and fruits without squishing them. Its blade is curved to offer a smooth cut while offering adequate knuckle clearance.
It has a Fibrox handle that offers an ergonomic and non-slip grip for a smooth rocking motion when cutting. It is rather light to prevent wrist injuries. It is suitable whether you are right or left-handed.
This knife is easy to clean and maintain. It is dishwasher safe and can also be hand washed. For optimal performance over a long time, the manufacturer recommends honing it after every few uses.
It is made in Switzerland and has been on the market since 1884. The manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty on the knife against material and workmanship defects. It is also available in 7-inch and s8-inch blade lengths.
Pros
- Offers smooth cut for a wide range of pastries and fruits
- Swiss manufacturing standards
- Non-slip ergonomic handle
- Lightweight
- Dishwasher safe
- Comes with a lifetime warranty
Cons
- Quite Pricey
4. Cuisinart C77TR-8BD Triple Rivet Collection 8’’ Bread Knife
This Cuisinart bread knife is designed for ergonomic handling and easy cutting. It has an 8-inch serrated blade that cuts with high precision. The blade is made of superior quality high-carbon stainless steel.
It assumes a forged construction build whereby a plastic handle is triple-riveted on the stainless-steel tail of the blade. The riveted handle offers comfortable and stable handling. The knife comes with a blade guard. The manufacture offers a lifetime warranty on the knife.
Pros
- Quite affordable
- Cuts with ease
- Comes with a blade guard
- Manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty
Cons
- Does work well with extremely crusty breads
5. Tojiro Bread Slicer
The Tojiro Bread Slicer is a high-end, high-quality bread knife designed to cut through all types of breads and pastries. It is super light as it weighs 100g, which would be ideal for people with arthritis. The 9.25-inches blade is made of stainless steel, while its handle is wooden.
The wooden handle is triple-riveted on the tail of the blade. It is not dishwasher safe and should be hand-washed with water and mild detergents. The knife should be properly dried before being store in a cool and dry place to prevent rusting.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Cuts easily and precisely
- Super sharp
- Easy to clean
- Can be used with a wide range of breads and pastries
Cons
- Some people find its lightweight build flimsy
- A bit pricey
6. HUMBEE Chef Full Tang Serrated Bread Knife
HUMBEE Chef Full Tang Serrated Bread Knife is designed for both personal and professional use. The serrated blade is made of stainless steel.
It is razor-sharp and slices the bread in quick, clean cuts. Its ergonomically built handle is triple-riveted on the tail of the blade. It is not dishwasher safe. The knife is available in various blade sizes, including 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch.
Pros
- Affordable
- Cuts easily
- Ideal for both personal and professional use
- Easy to clean and maintain
Cons
- A bit heavy
- Some people find the cutting blade too thick
7. UOCO Serrated Bread Knife
UOCO Serrated Bread Knife is built to provide a smooth and clean-cut for even extremely crusty bread. Its blade is made of stainless steel. Its cutting edge is ultra-sharp to easily cut through the toughest bread.
The tip of the blade is exceptionally sharp to provide the first incision through crusty pastries. As a precautionary measure, the manufacturer provides a rubber guard for the knife’s tip and blade. I
Its steel handle is ergonomically designed for a comfortable and firm grip. The knife has a one-piece design that prevents the handle from falling off, which is common in riveted handles. This knife can be used on a wide range of pastries.
Pros
- One-piece design
- Ultra-sharp
- Has a sharp tip
- Comes with a rubber safety guard
- Can be used on tough, crusty breads and pastries
Cons
- Some people find the blade to be too short
8. Dexter-Russell 5-inch Scalloped Offset Slicer
The Dexter-Russell 5-inch Scalloped Offset Slicer is a multipurpose serrated knife that seamlessly cuts through bread as well as it does a rack of ribs.
It is made of high-carbon steel, which is stain and rust-resistant. The cutting edge is super sharp with a unique serration geometry that keeps the knife performing optimally.
Its handle is made of textured polypropylene, which is slip-resistant and easy to clean. Its handle design also incorporates a protective finger guard that ensures your fingers don’t accidentally slide towards the ultra-sharp serrated cutting edge. This knife meets NSF kitchen sanitary requirements. Both the blade and handle are easy to clean.
Pros
- Multipurpose
- NSF kitchen sanitary requirements certified
- Slip-resistant handle
- Handle has a finger protective guard
- Curved blade for adequate knuckle clearance
Cons
- None so far
Bread Knife Buying Guide
In this section of the article, we discuss important features to consider in a bread knife. We also offer cleaning, storage, sharpening, and maintenance tips for a bread knife.
Things to Consider When Buying a Bread Knife
Here is a look at the various key features of a bread knife and how they differ from one knife to another.
Types of Serration
Different bread knives have different types and patterns of serration. While some have a gentle serration with rounded tips that can be described as wavy, others have sharp, hook-like serrations. While the shaper edges require less force when cutting, they tend to create lots of crumbs.
When it comes to serration pattern, some knives have tightly packed tooth lines while others are spaced out. The fewer the number of teeth per inch, the rougher the cut.
Why a serrated edge?
Serrated knives are designed to cut through foods with a hard exterior and a soft interior, such as pastries, cakes, bagels, and bread. The saw-like teeth cut through the hard-exterior surface and then smoothly slide through the softer parts as they slice.
Serrated knives can also be used on foods that are slippery and squishy such as fruits. This is because the serrated parts can piece through as the spaces between the serrations reduce friction and offer grip. These spaces, usually known as gullets, allow for a faster cut without drag.
Price
Generally, serrated bread knives are quite affordable, with most ranging between $10-$20 dollars. However, there are a few high-end ones that cost up to $80. When choosing the right bread knife for you, consider the key features you want in one, and find the best option within your budget.
Blade Shape
While most bread knives are designed with a straight blade and handle, others have a curved tip, a curved blade, while for others, the handle is curved upwards.
The curved handle is great to have, especially if you have large hands. It gives better knuckle clearance when making the last strokes while cutting.
As for a curved blade, it makes it easier to cut through the hard crust by allowing you to exert some force without squishing the bread. It also offers better slicing control reducing the chances of slicing mishaps.
Blade Length
The standard blade length for bread knives is 8 to 11 inches. A longer knife ensures fewer back and forth movements to make a cut. Longer knives are also ideal for bigger breads, such as artisan loaves and baguettes.
Material
Both the blade and handle of a bread knife can be made from a wide range of materials. The most common blade materials include stainless steel, high-carbon steel, carbon steel, ceramic, titanium, and Japanese steel. Common handle materials include wood, laminate, synthetics, stainless steel.
All types of steel tend to be sturdy and durable. However, stainless steel has higher rust, corrosion, and stain resistance than the other types, but it tends to be heavier and blunt faster. Carbon steel blades are easier to sharpen, but they stain quickly.
On the other hand, ceramic is rust-resistant, sturdy, easy to sharpen, and light, but it is more brittle than steel. Titanium is sturdy like steel but more flexible. It does not react with the chemicals in food, but titanium knives are costly.
While wood offers a classic look and soft feel of the handle, it is susceptible to rotting, bacteria, and mold manifestation. Laminated handles are made with wood that is laminated with plastic resin. They are easy to clean; however, they are not suitable if you are keen on a natural wood handle.
The most common kitchen knife synthetic handle materials include plastic, fibrox, Santoprene, and polypropylene. They offer a good grip and are easy to maintain. However, they are less durable and are sensitive to extreme temperatures.
Finally, steel offers a sleek look, it is durable, and it is easy to clean. But knives with steel handles tend to be heavier than the ones with other types of handles.
Sharpening Serrated Blades
The word around is that serrated knives are difficult to sharpen. While there may be a level of truth to this, it is still possible and practical to sharpen a bread knife.
In most cases, you are likely to never need to sharpen a bread knife. Nevertheless, if you ever need to sharpen, you can do so with a cone-shaped sharpener.
Find the part of the sharpener that fits your knife’s gullet. Then pull back and forth until the edge is adequately sharpened. Move to the next gullet and the next until the entire knife is sharpened. While this process takes up time, it is effective.
How to Clean a Bread Knife
Most serrated knives are not dishwasher safe. It is best to clean them with room-temperature or warm water, mild detergent, and a soft cloth or brush. Avoid using strong detergents or chlorine bleach as they may destroy the blade and handle.
How to Store a Bread Knife
There are various ways of storing a bread knife including in a drawer with a blade guard on, on a slotted drawer, on a magnetic strip, or a knife block.
Final Thoughts
With $10-$20, you will find a good-quality, clean-cutting serrated bread knife. Our recommendation for the best bread knife is the Mercer Culinary bread knife. It is designed for ergonomic handling. Furthermore, it is affordable and can be used on a wide range of pastries and breads.
Leave a Reply