Blade length is also another important consideration to make when shopping for a bread knife, as longer, narrower blades will minimize the amount of cutting you'll need to do to create thin, even slices. However, the standard length of any bread knife is approximately 7 inches to 10 inches.
The best tool for cutting bread is a serrated knife, which means one with teeth or a sawtooth blade. The serrations poke and cut through crusty bread with ease, and can also tackle smooth-skinned fruits and vegetables with tender flesh inside like tomatoes and stone fruit.
Blade Length
The shorter the blade, the more you'll have to saw, but a long blade can also be unwieldy when maneuvering around bone. This is why carving knives tend to average around 8 inches, while slicers tend to be 11 inches or longer.
Pointed edge bread knives, which are often simply referred to as "serrated" knives, have sharp and aggressive teeth that are designed to pierce through the hard outer crust of breads using a saw-like motion.
The blade is generally 5 to 6 inches, which is shorter than the average bread knife, but the serrated utility knife is still a great choice for small loaves. The sharp teeth slice through baguettes and bagels—as well as tender fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, peaches and summer squash—without crushing them.
Tiny, pointy teeth within the larger serrations provide a lot of extra places that the blade can cut into food, so the knife is less likely to catch on bread crusts or watermelon rinds.
Quick Answer. Most professional chefs prefer an 8-inch chef's knife as their go-to tool, as it offers the perfect balance of versatility and control. While 6-inch knives work well for detailed tasks and 10-inch blades excel at larger cuts, the 8-inch length is the sweet spot for most kitchen tasks.
Carbon steel blades are also well-known for having high wear resistance, which enables them to keep their edges sharp for longer than stainless.
The best slicing knife is the Victorinox Fibrox Pro, which is sharp enough to get razor-thin slices from even the most tender cuts of meat.
Global Sai Bread Knife
The Global brand is known among home cooks and professional chefs for its high-end design made entirely from stainless steel, handle included. The Sai Bread Knife's grip is a benchmark for ergonomics and is comfortable to hold with its thumb rest, no matter your hand size.
The best serrated knife overall: Mac Professional Series 10½-inch Bread/Roast Slicer. If you regularly slice big, crusty boules, we don't think there's a better investment than the Mac Professional bread knife. This knife replaced our previous winner during the course of our most recent rounds of testing.
Sourdough is known for having a hard crust and soft interior. This can make it a bit tricky to cut. If it is extra difficult and you notice your bread sticking to your knife, you likely cut into it a little too soon. Make sure it cools completely before slicing.
There's no better tool than a razor-sharp serrated knife for slicing bread, sandwiches, or tomatoes. If you don't agree, just try cutting a fresh baguette without one.
serrated bread/cake knife
To be perfect for pastry it should be 10” or longer with smaller, more compact teeth that are great for cutting cake and soft bread. A bread knife with larger teeth that are more spread out is better for hard crust breads and might tear up a delicate cake.
Ceramic Knives
Their edge can hold for virtually an infinite amount of time — given proper treatment, never rusts and remains stain-resistant.
5. Frequently Asked Questions. What is the sharpest knife material? Knives with an Obsidian blade are considered the sharpest in the world, but this material is not fit for making kitchen knives as they're extremely coarse and brittle.
If you've ever read a Henckels knife review, you know the Henckels reputation is the epitome of world-class. From paring knives and shears to full chef's blocks, Henckels knives can be found in kitchens around the world. You might even have a few treasured pieces in your own cutlery collection.
While depending on the amount of scraping and planing, a larger knife is more difficult to control and might actually do more damage than intended.
This 7" Santoku knife is perfect for precision cutting, making it ideal for deboning fish and slicing and dicing meat and vegetables. This versatile Japanese style knife is shorter than a Chef's Knife, and offers easy maneuverability and handling.
Bread knives are just that—knives used for cutting bread. Their blades are long and serrated, which helps them slice cleanly through crusts without pressing down on a bread's delicate interior.
A bread knife with a curved blade will make cutting easier because the blade will curve away from the hand that is holding the handle. As you cut the bread, you won't knock your knuckles on the counter.