Whereas bread will be the first use that involves thoughts, there’s extra to an excellent serrated knife than simply slicing via sourdough. Whereas chef’s knives are nice for chopping and dicing, in the case of slicing, particularly with softer meals, a serrated knife has a definite benefit.
Its magic lies in its individually pointed tooth, which act like a noticed when utilized in a delicate back-and-forth movement, gliding via thick crusts and slippery tomato skins with ease. Due to the serration, bread knives are perfect for tender, spongy meals that may in any other case flatten underneath the stress of a chef’s knife (reminiscent of bread, tomatoes, and muffins), and in addition for reducing via thick-skinned veggies and fruits (reminiscent of watermelon and squash) with out requiring a lot pressure. Plus, with correct upkeep, a superb serrated knife ought to final you over a decade, and with minimal want for sharpening.
We requested a couple of seasoned cooks their prime picks for the perfect bread knives in the marketplace and ranked them in line with worth, versatility, craftsmanship, efficiency, and funds. Right here’s every part you should know earlier than investing in a brand new blade.
In relation to form, it’s all about private desire. Blade form can differ from curved to straight, and deal with shapes can differ as properly; some, for instance, are offset in order that your hand doesn’t knock into the reducing floor with every move of the blade. Curved blades permit for a rocking movement when reducing vegetables and fruit, whereas a pointed edge helps pierce via robust bread.
“The most typical size is 9 or 10 inches as a result of it permits the chef to chop every part from ripened tomatoes to a loaf of bread,” says Dimitri Viaud, Govt Chef at Mille Feuille Bakery in New York Metropolis. “The larger the bread, the longer the blade will must be,” he says, so a blade of at the very least 9 inches ought to work for many loaves.
Most knives are usually not dishwasher protected, bread knives included, so it’s at all times finest to hand-wash them to protect their sharpness. Chef Christos Bisiotis, former Govt Chef at Avra Madison and Estiatorio Milos in New York Metropolis, recommends drying them correctly, oiling them, and sustaining sharpening as typically as attainable. Because of the irregularity of the blade, it’s often finest to deliver your serrated knives to knowledgeable sharpener, who most likely has a machine that may make fast work of the job.
One other factor to contemplate is the kind of reducing board you’re utilizing. “A wood or plastic reducing board is nice and it’s what most cooks use,” says chef Anthony Caturano, proprietor of 4 Massachusetts eating places, together with The Blue Ox and Tonno Gloucester. Caturano warns that tough surfaces like stone or glass can harm the blade or trigger it to lose its edge extra rapidly.
Ask any chef about their favourite bread knife and the Japanese cutlery firm Shun is certain to return up. It’s an absolute favourite for chef Caturano: “I’ve had my Shun knife for 10 or 11 years, and it’s as sharp because the day I purchased it,” he says. “A serrated bread knife is fairly versatile. It’s my go-to knife for reducing tomatoes, particularly superb diced. I additionally use it to chop more durable issues, like butternut squash and pumpkin.”
That includes extensive, low-frequency serrations, the 9-inch blade of the Shun Sora bread knife gives a clean, exact minimize. For the reason that serrations are angled back and front, you possibly can simply slice via robust bread or veggies utilizing each ahead and backward strokes. It’s additionally light-weight and sturdy.
Chef Christos Bisiotis recommends the Victorinox Swiss Military due to the “good stability of the deal with and blade. Who can deny that gentle deal with?” At underneath $40, it’s additionally an excellent worth. That includes a curved blade with a serrated edge, the non-slip, ergonomic Fibrox deal with provides ample knuckle clearance whereas slicing via crusty breads and hard-skinned greens. Made in Switzerland, this 10.25-inch bread knife weighs solely 4 ounces, making it one of many lightest within the roundup, too.
Mercer Culinary’s bread knife incorporates a high-carbon Japanese metal blade and ergonomic deal with constructed from sturdy rubber-like plastic. The ten-inch-long serrated edge makes fast work of even the biggest loaves, whereas the textured finger factors present slip resistance. Dimitri Viaud, government chef at Mille Feuille Bakery in New York Metropolis, says that is one in every of his prime three favourite bread knives: “Let’s be sincere, not a whole lot of professionals wish to spend greater than $50 for ‘only a bread knife.’ This Mercer, in my view, is the perfect compromise. It does not require a whole lot of upkeep or sharpening as a consequence of its high-carbon metal, and the deal with is well-balanced with a superb grip. It’s a mixture of plastic and rubber that forestalls slipping, which makes it simpler to make use of, particularly when slicing veggies.” It additionally occurs to have greater than 10,000 five-star evaluations on Amazon, and at lower than 20 bucks, it’s a simple funding.
One other favourite model decide for chef Caturano is the Japan-based firm World. “They’ve a cool look to them and a whole lot of cooks use them,” he says. Whereas the 9.5-inch model is beloved by many for its grip and flexibility (a lot in order that it’s totally offered out on-line), the accessible 8.5-inch model is simply nearly as good.
Manufactured utilizing a way inherited from the Samurai sword, the trendy design incorporates a signature dimple sample on the deal with to enhance grip, whereas the stainless steel blade is ice-tempered, hardened to 56-58 on the Rockwell scale, and sharpened by a ceramic water sharpener and whetstone. The metal deal with is hole and full of sand for further weight, a novel strategy that makes for a very well-balanced knife.
Shun’s Basic 8.25-inch bread knife options an offset deal with with a a steel-core blade that glides simply via bread, veggies, and even tender deserts reminiscent of angel meals cake. The offset place of the deal with permits for added clearance (so your knuckles aren’t continuously knocking into the reducing board), and the blade incorporates a premium hardness to assist keep its razor-sharp edge. A prime decide of chef Bisiotis, the Shun Basic shouldn’t be solely impeccably made, it’s additionally versatile: “You possibly can merely take it in every single place. It’s gentle, it cuts rather well and it’s stylish. Cooks love their toys—for me, that is one in every of them.”
Chef Viaud calls the Dalstrong Frost Fireplace Collection 8-inch bread knife his prime decide. The ergonomic design incorporates a “excellent deal with and grip,” he says, making it “gentle and really properly balanced. The blade is thick and sharp,[and the pointed serration is perfect for heavy duty uses.” It’s great for cutting through “sourdough toast or any type of bread with a hard crust, and the TPI (teeth per inch) makes the cut easier with fewer crumbs.” Plus, it’s still relatively affordable at $80.
Featuring a scalpel-like sharpness, the 7-level high-carbon, high-chromium steel is sandblasted for a frosted look that enhances its non-stick properties. The handle is made of white resin and enclosed in an aluminum mesh designed to improve durability.
Lightweight and efficient, the Opinel curved bread knife is an affordable and elegant addition to your knife rack. The serrated 8-inch blade is made in France (and assembled in Portugal) from anti-corrosive stainless steel. Sophie Couche, project manager of Four & Twenty Blackbirds Bakery in New York City, says the Opinel curved bread knife is one of her top picks. It’s “good for at-home use, long lasting, affordable, and looks nice,” she says. Opinel has been making timeless knives in France for more than 100 years, and you’ll be delighted to show this one off on your kitchen counter.
How long should a bread knife last?
According to chef Bisiotis, “If you take care of things and you want them forever, you might be able to keep them forever; a bread knife with proper care could last for up to 15 years.” But it all depends on the quality of the knife to begin with, and how well you maintain it. Wash by hand, dry immediately, and sharpen as necessary to keep the blade and handle in tiptop shape.
What’s the best way to sharpen a serrated blade?
Chef Bisiotis prefers to use a round ceramic hone: “I gently pass it through each serration. It works!” he says. It can be time-consuming, though, and the finesse required might lead to mistakes and possible injuries for less experienced home chefs. Chef Caturano recommends foregoing the DIY approach and visiting a pro instead: “There are professional companies out there with machines that can sharpen the serrated edge for you,” he says, which will save you time (and your fingers!).
