Bread is a somewhat tricky type of food to prepare, at least when it comes to cutting it down to a more bite-sized portion from the full loaf.
That baking process that gives it that distinct golden-brown rise (or whatever color your bread dough is) or that hearty texture and flavor, also usually gives it a pretty tough hide to piece, outside of simply ripping it up, leaving only messy chunks.
Now, could you use a traditional chef or cooking knife to get into a loaf? Well, probably. At least, if you are prepared to cut away for hours at a time.
Plus, using a smooth, fine edge against the tough crust of a fresh loaf sounds like the quickest way to dull and ruin your cooking tools.
Fortunately, there is a type of knife that is up to the task of cutting your bread into fine, manageable slices: The humble bread/serrated knife!
If you’re currently searching around for a new bread knife to fill this role in your pantry, we have just the guide for you to see!
Here, we go over some of our favorite bread knives that work like a charm, while also giving you the information to pick out your perfect serrated blade.
Best Bread Knife in 2023
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Shun Serrated 9-Inch Bread Knife
To start us off with perhaps one of the most reliable products from one of the most reliable luxury kitchenware manufacturers on the market, we have this exceptional product by Sun, perhaps one of the most prestigious manufacturers when it comes to luxury kitchenware.
This particular knife is a classic example of pretty much everything that you could want in a bread knife.
The stainless steel used to make this knife has a high carbon content, which makes the blade that much stronger and resistant to wear and tear.
You won’t find any chips, scratches, bending, or breakage in this product anytime soon.
Plus, it also comes with a pakkawood handle as standard. This gives a user tons of grip when holding it correctly, as well as great control when slicing with it. The fact that the spine of the blade is incorporated into the handle also helps with this aspect.
And, of course, the serrated edge is engineered to perfection, with next to no pressure too, which means that it does that job that it sets out to do with no issue.
In short, if money is no objection, this is one of the best bread knives that you can get for your kitchen!
PROS
- The serrated edge barely needs any pressure to start cutting bread.
- The Damascus classing gives this blade tons of durability and can be used for many years to come.
- The pakkawood handle is comfortable and easy to grip, making for easy maneuvering with this knife.
CONS
- Compared to some of the other products in this category, this is probably one of the more expensive that you can find
Shun Classic 9-Inch Bread Knife
What’s this? Another Shun bread knife so soon after the last bread knife we covered?
Well, the truth is that Shun’s line is all excellent. It just so happens that they do more than one bread knife product!
In any case, several features make this product noteworthy in its ways.
Like its counterpart, this Damascus steel knife is sure to stand up to repeated use and punishment, no matter what kind of bread you through at it, from sourdoughs to crispy baguettes.
However, combine that with the extra cobalt that is added into the alloy, and you have a blade that is extra durable for that much longer.
No amount of bread cutting is going to dull this blade’s edge anytime soon, that’s for sure!
And, of course, there’s the pakkawood that is used in the handle, offering plenty of comfort and control, while being water and wear-resistant too!
Plus, you even get a gorgeous case to carry and keep this knife in when you receive it, which makes for a great container to protect the sharp blade or even a great gift to give that bread lover in your life!
PROS
- Damascus steel and cobalt alloy make this bread knife incredibly tough.
- The serrated edge will keep its sharpness for ages!
- The pakkawood handle makes for a very comfortable and easy-to-use grip.
- The box this knife comes with looks great, and makes for a great gifting box.
CONS
- The distinct lettering on the side of the blade will fade over time. It’s almost purely cosmetic rather than functional, but we do the kanji insignia that this product has.
Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Bread Knife
Mercer Culinary is probably best known for being a very reputable manufacturer of kitchenware that also makes some excellent budget options if makes and names like Shun are a little above your pay grade.
Virtually every culinary school student will be familiar with this brand, as they are often the products that these establishments use for teaching.
That design philosophy of high-quality products at a low price point is best shown in their millennia 10-inch bread knife, which is made from good quality steel that can handle the rough saw-like motion needed to cut bread, while also avoiding chipping, bending, and snapping.
Bending can be a real issue for bread knives that have to be used in a much more intensive fashion than traditional blades, so having something that can survive that is great.
And there’s no arguing against the straight slices of bread that this blade produces either!
Add to that a comfortable grip that makes using this knife safe and easy, and it’s no wonder why this is such a popular product with amateurs and professionals alike.
Is it a little on the boring or unremarkable side? Maybe. But when you need a bread knife on a budget, this is THE product you should check out.
PROS
- Effectively cuts clean slices.
- The blade is tough enough to stand up to repeated uses with little to no issue.
- The grip is comfortable and assists in guiding the knife.
- A very affordable option.
CONS
- This is a functional knife, rather than a visually appealing one. It just doesn’t look very nice.
Cuisinart Triple 7-Inch Rivet
Of course, Mercer Culinary is not the only option that is available to people. Cuisinart is another make that also has plenty of excellent budget options for you to try, like with their triple rivet line of knives.
And wouldn’t you know it? They have a triple rivet serrated bread knife too!
The rivet name comes from the bolts that hold the handle onto the spine of the knife, which help give this handle superb comfort and maneuverability, marks from us.
It will be easy to get the desired cut from this knife, no doubts about it!
And, of course, the blade itself is pretty top-notch too.
The blade can cut through most types of bread with ease and is also sure to last a long time as well, with the full tang making sure that the blade is unlikely to bend or dull over time.
Plus, unlike the last budget option we covered, this classic bread knife design is pretty appealing in its way.
Overall, this is an easy recommendation from us for this one!
PROS
- High-quality steel and tang make this a long-lasting blade that won’t lose its sharpness.
- The rivet handles that surround the blade’s spine make adjusting and precision cuts easier, as well as its shorter size.
- A great affordable option that looks pretty presentable too. A very professional design.
CONS
- The somewhat short size of this knife means that larger and denser loaves of bread might be too tough for it to handle.
Dexter-Russell Basics 10-Inch Bread Knife
Of course, while we do love a bread knife that has an elegant quality to it, we also really like a bread knife that we know is built to take some serious punishment, even from the roughest and toughest loaves out there.
So, if reliability is the particular game that you’re aiming to play with your bread knife game, then Dexter-Russel’s 10-inch bread knife plays it well!
You only need one look at this knife to know that it is here for some serious business. With the long 10-inch blade and the scalloped tip, this thing looks and feels tanky, even by bread knife standard.
There isn’t a loaf out there that won’t quiver in fear (if they could quiver) from being easily sliced into by this bread knife!
Not only that, but the blade itself has been treated so that even rust and other corrosive effects won’t have a handle on this knife!
With such a large blade, making sure that it doesn’t slip from your hands is vital for your and everyone else’s safety.
Luckily, the grip of the handle is made from polypropylene, which makes slipping with the correct grip next to impossible!
PROS
- The large size and scalloped edge make slicing bread super easy!
- The handle has plenty of grip in it, making slippage very difficult.
- The blade will resist rusting and other similar effects.
CONS
- Great performance aside, this knife is still a little boring with the plastic grip.
- At a total of 15 inches from tip to handle bottom, the larger size might make it a little unwieldy for some people.
Mac Knife Superior Bread Knife, 10-1/2 Inch
If you’re looking for bread knives with big blades, then Mac knife might just have some of the biggest knives out there!
Coming in at 10 ½ inches, this might be the biggest blade that we’ve covered in this guide, which means that there won’t be a single loaf that is too big for this blade to tackle.
The treatment of this high-quality metal also means that it’s fully rust-resistant, and can keep its sharpened edge for a long time as well.
With such a large knife and high-quality material, you would be worried that this blade would be unwieldy for people to try and cut bread with.
And yet, thanks in part to the appropriately sized handle through which the spine of the blade runs, making it tang, it’s surprisingly balanced for such a big tool
So, if the size is an important feature of your knife cupboard, you know where you should be looking!
PROS
- The large blade can handle most slices of bread, no matter how big or small!
- The blade of the knife is rust-resistant and can hold its sharpness for longer.
- The tang handle is both comfortable to hold and keeps the knife easy to handle.
CONS
- Despite that large size, you may still struggle to cut through loaves with thick crusts easily.
Buyer’s Guide
So, there are no shortages of good bread knives. There are even more bread knives out there that we didn’t have the chance to cover that also perform very well, which may encourage you to keep searching.
If none of the items that we have covered are to your liking, then make sure that you keep the following factors in mind when making an informed purchase.
Blade Size
As we’ve shown you in this guide, there are bread knives in pretty much all sizes, from smaller 7-inch models up to 10 ½-inch ones, both extremes having their pros and cons.
Smaller blades, which can be around 7 ½ inches or shorter, are often much easier to handle, as well as being a lot lighter and more balanced to hold.
This comes at the cost of being unable to cut larger loaves as easily, unsurprisingly. The lighter metal is more likely to bend or warp as well unless properly treated.
Larger blades, 10 inches or above, have pretty much the opposite problem, where they are usually sturdy and heavy enough to tackle most types of bread and are less likely to warp or bend, thanks to the thicker metal that goes into making them.
However, unless they are built to accommodate that heavier weight in mind, they can also be quite unbalanced and tricky to accurately maneuver and cut, making them feel less safe.
Keep in mind that this is not a universal rule, Some larger blades are balanced very well, and smaller ones might be incredibly tough and bend-resistant
Grip
When looking for a bread knife with a good grip, try and keep your eyes peeled for models that are tang, meaning that the spine of the blade will run through the length of the handle.
This will make the blade more balanced, and mean that it won’t be so front-heavy and inclined to slip out of your hands.
Maneuverability
Like with grip, maneuverability is important for bread knives if you want to get a straight cut on your bread loaves.
Knives that are tang will be much easier to point and direct, as well as shorter blades.
Blade Retention
This is a particularly important feature that bread knives need, as they cannot be sharpened in the same way that cleaver or chef knives are.
Doing so would almost certainly compromise the overall effectiveness, so being able to keep that sharp edge is crucial.
Blades that are fully treated or made from stronger steel alloys will usually be able to hold that edge for longer, as well as when using them to cut appropriately sized loaves.
(In short, make sure that you aren’t cutting giant loaves with tiny knives!)
Pricing
Obviously, you’re going to want good value for money, as well as buying cheap, but very weak or otherwise unimpressive knives.
Fortunately, as we have shown in this guide, having a lower or higher budget won’t restrict when it comes to function.
So long as it takes the previous features that we have discussed into account, you can find many lower-priced bread knives that perform excellently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bread knives are easy to separate from other knives by their rough, jagged edge on the blade. This increased surface area makes it rough enough to cut through a tough loaf, without simply tearing the rest of the slice.
Generally speaking, a mark of a good bread knife is seeing just how well it can handle a tough loaf. So, what is the toughest type of bread that you’re likely to try and cut with a bread knife?
While there may be other rarer loaves that are tougher (not counting burnt loaves), sourdough is generally considered to be one of the toughest common types of bread that you’ll come across, with its thick crust and dense crumbs inside.
So, if your knife can cut through sourdough without too much trouble, you’re probably set!
Final Notes
So, whether you’re looking to buy yourself a low-budget bread knife for training, or want to get someone a luxurious $100+ blade for that special someone that loves baking, you’re ready to find the right bread knife!
