The Best Bread Knife Reviews

In a hurry? The best bread knife is the Henckels Bread Knife. Its carbon steel blade, quality engineering, and durability make it our top choice.

Looking for the best bread knife? Look no further!

Baking your own bread must feel amazing, but do you know the feeling when you’re slicing your bread, the regret for not investing in a quality bread knife? Imagine taking a warm loaf of bread right out of your oven or out of your bread machine and then just squishing it down when trying to cut it with a butter knife.

After all, bread knives are made for bread – so why not take advantage of them.

You don’t need to spend hundreds on quality bread knives – and in this post, you’ll find out how to use one properly and how to find a good serrated knife that will be a great fit for your needs.

Top 3 Best Bread Knives

Below are our top 3 choices out of the 9 bread knives we reviewed. 

What is a Bread Knife?

As you probably see, bread cutting knives come with serrated blades (or teeth) in most cases which is an ideal blade for cutting bread. These rounded serrations are ideal because they make it easy to slice through bread because when combined with a gentle rocking motion of going back and forth and a good grip, a great bread knife will slice through a loaf of bread very easily.

Also, they tend to come with a blade length of somewhere between 8 to 10 inches which allows you to cut even the largest loaves.

A bread knife might not look like anything special, but actual bread knives are able to slice through neatly without crushing the crust or the inside of your loaf.

Most quality bread knives come with serration that helps grip the crust of the loaf which also helps in the slicing process.

What kind of a knife do you use to slice bread?

Once you equip yourself with the best bread knife that offers a great length, sharp teeth, and a decent weight (yes, it’s measured in ounces) – you should pay attention to the technique you use when you slice.

Instead of using pressure, you should focus on the energy you put into slicing the loaf with a light back and forth move of your knife.

If your knife is high quality, this technique is everything you need in order to slice loaf without crushing the crust and its structure.

Now when you know how to properly slice bread and why a quality serrated knife is important – let’s find you one that you can start using tomorrow! (if you order through Amazon).

How do I choose a serrated knife?

You’ll have to weigh out a few different options. Not only price (which can be a big factor), but also quality, weight, length, and customer ratings, among others. I always say that you should go for the top bread knife that you can afford.

Can serrated knives be sharpened?

Serrated blades cut well for a long time. However, like any other edge, they dull and lose their cutting ability. Many people are intimidated by the prospect of sharpening a serrated edge, and some will even have you believe that it isn’t worth doing.

But with minimal investment in time and tools, your serrated knife, serrated steak knives, and any other serrated blades can be sharpened.

Sharpening a knife does require a specialized sharpening stone like the DMT Diafold Serrated Knife Sharpener. The technique is also a little different from sharpening a regular straight blade. However, regaining a great cutting edge on your favorite bread knife (and any other serrated knife you own) is well within your reach.

Serrated Blade or Straight Blade – Which is better?

It depends!

Serrated culinary knives are ideal for a loaf of bread and tomatoes, steak, cake, and any other surface that can be “crushed” by a straight blade that isn’t sharped well.

Straight blades, or a Chef’s knife, are great for apples, pears, strawberries, fruits in general, and other foods that are hard can’t can’t be crushed but can be sliced cleanly by a sharp, straight blade.

Bread Knife or Bread Slicer – Which is better?

There are some people who bake their own loaves of bread so often that they find it better to buy a bread slicer or bread slicing machine rather than depend on knives.

A bread slicing machine is a home version of what a bakery uses to slice bread.

In, the machine can be expensive, difficult to store, and complicated to use well. A quality serrated knife combined with a quality cutting board can be pretty versatile not just for baked goods but for many other home cook needs.

9 Best Bread Knives – Buying Guide

There are a couple of different types, even though they’re all made for bread. However, there’s no reason to get overwhelmed as we’ll find you the top bread knife in each category so you know exactly what you’re looking at.

Best Pastry Knife – Darnell Nehemiah 12″ Stainless Steel Long Bread Knife

Pastry Knife vs bread knife, what’s the difference?

The only difference between these different type of serrated bread knives is that the pastry knife has smaller teeth and therefore is a little bit more delicate in it’s performance. Slicing a bagel, for example, or other hard or crusty bread with a pastry knife is not a good idea. Because the pastry blade is more delicate with less pointed serration, so it’s better to save it for delicate food.

Darnell Nehemiah produces a neat 12″ knife made for pastry (and even cakes) which has a flexible blade made out of stainless steel.

It’s a steel that is very adapting and yet it can endure high temperatures without losing its fine polishing.

The side surface is very smooth which gives you the ability to apply and spread butter, while the blade itself is very narrowly serrated.

The handle is comfortable and gives enough place for a grip whether you have smaller or larger hands. The material used to make the handle is plastic, but its ergonomic shape improves the hold.

You get to choose between a 10″ or 12″ size of the blade – but we highly recommend 12″ blade since the difference in price is very minimal. You’d be hard-pressed to find a 12-inch blade on most other knives, so it might make sense to go ahead and get one in case you need it.

Bread Cutting Knife – Chicago Cutlery Walnut Traditional Bread Knife

If you remember the knives our parents and grandparents used to cut bread – Chicago Cutlery walnut tradition bread knife is the closest thing to it.

It is a traditional 10-inch bread knife that adds classic style to your kitchen, and if you’re someone who cares about style as well as performance – this is an ideal blade for your kitchen.

The knife has a high-carbon stainless steel blade that resists rust, stains, and pitting. As you can see in the photos, the blade itself is equipped with a decently spaced serration that provides optimum sharpness.

The handle is made out of triple brass rivets which combines a full metal tang. This only results in better stability, decent holding weight and balance, and safe handling whether you’re prepping a meal or cutting a bagel.

One of the things we liked the most is the walnut wooden handle finish which doesn’t only offer a great grip but also looks great.

This knife may not be a Professional Chef or Executive Chef top choice, but it’s a great option for us home cooks and paired with a quality cutting board will easily slice through your crusty bread, soft bread, soft tomatoes and other delicate food.

Best Rated Bread Knife – Wusthof Classic Bread Knife

Wusthof is a knife manufacturer that keeps the design simple and classy, featuring the classic design – yet they rely on high-quality materials.

Therefore, this 9-inch bread knife is a part of their Classic collection which has a high carbon stainless steel blade.

Also, the metal that forms the blade extends all the way to the handle, so you have a great balance and weight combined with a comfortable handle.

It has a decently ergonomic handle, which offers a pretty good grip and fits medium-sized hands without a problem.

The brand itself is producing these knives in Germany, so you can rest assured the quality will match everything described.

Best Bread Knife in the World – J.A.-Henckels Pro S Bread Knife

If you’re a chef or in the cooking industry – it’s most likely you’ve come across the J.A.-Henckels brand.

It’s one of the best bread knives you can get in the world – featuring the high carbon stainless steel material.

This blade is 8″ long and is forged by hand in Solingen, Germany. J.A.-Henckels has been hand-crafting their knives for 260 years now and every one of their knives goes through a FRIODUR ice-hardening process.

Such a process results in a maximum strength blade and a long-lasting sharp edge.

The handle might look like any other knife handle at first, but this one is a triple-riveted Novadur handle. Such a handle features fully visible tang construction – resulting in a great combination of strength and balance.

This is the best bread knife on the market, hands down. Slicing bread, or even cutting tomatoes, butternut squash, or crusty loaves will be easier than ever before.

Small Bread Knife – Muncene Ceramic Bread Knife

If you’re never slicing large loaf, then you might do fine with a smaller bread knife such as the Muncie ceramic bread knife.

While most bread knives range anywhere between 8″ to 12″ in length – this one is only 6″ long.

However, what’s interesting enough is that this Muncie knife is made out of ceramic (instead of steel), and therefore, their blade never needs sharpening.

If you’re worried about it being long enough to slice bread, it’s a valid concern. 6 inches may not be long enough for some loaves of bread, but plenty long for others.

Not only the knife is fairly economical, but it also features a great matte black design that comes with an anti-slip grip design.

Since this a fairly small knife for a bread knife – this doesn’t have to be a disadvantage at all. Instead, you can use this knife to cut tomato and other vegetables & fruit.

It can also handle very chewy or crusty bread, like French bread tends to get. It’s a highly regarded serrated kitchen knife that can handle much more than meets the eye.

However, the only disadvantage is that you can’t make a mistake and drop Muncene ceramic knife since it’s most likely going to break due to its special material.

Professional Bread Knife – TableTop Stahl 9″ Bread Knife

Purchasing a professional top-of-the-line bread knife is an investment worth the money – especially if you’re in a need of a professional bread knife for commercial use.

We find that professional knives such as the one from TableTop are ideal for both commercial and personal use.

TableTop Stahl is a 9″ knife that features quite an unusual blade shape. TableTop has invested a lot of time crafting such an ergonomic blade – and it’s very easy to notice they’ve forged and tempered this blade with precision.

Rockwell hardness of this blade is somewhere between 55 and 57, but what’s even better is the superior edge with lasting durability. This means only one thing – plenty of enjoyable bread slicing with this sharp blade.

The blade follows the design all the way to the handle where you can find the quality Pakkawood handles. Needless to say, Stahl bread knife’s blade is being forged in Germany.

Best Runner Up Bread Knife – Wusthof Dreizack Bread Knife

Even though 95% of bread knives come with a serrated blade – if you’re trying to stick to a budget and still find a quality bread knife, Wusthof Dreizack is probably the best cheap bread knife on the market.

Its blade has been made out of stainless steel with the purpose of staying sharp over the time. Blade testing has revealed that it eliminates the need for regular sharpening. This itself preserves the blade quality and ensures its sharpness and high performance over a longer period of time.

Wusthof Dreizack has been relying on a Precision Edge PEtec technology lately at the production site in Solingen, Germany.

The blade comes in an Ikon white finish which is slightly curved for a better fit and a greater grip.

If you’ve not only been looking for a valuable bread knife but also for a stylish bread knife – there is no doubt that this is one of the classiest serrated edge knives out there.

Best Japanese Brand Bread Knife – Shun Classic Bread Knife

While most of the best bread knives come from Germany, Japan is a strong competitor and they can produce very quality blades – in this case, bread knives.

This Shun knife is made out of high-carbon stainless steel on each side of the blade, with a handle featuring 33 layered rust-free Damascus look.

It’s a little heavier most other knives but the weight is a welcome balance. Testing shows that it can handle easily slicing loaves, every very thin slices, without an issue.

The blade itself features 16 layers that stay sharp for the long term.

“D” shaped blade goes really well with the curved blade and is comfortable. Even though there is no special ergonomic design going on with the handle, it’s doesn’t fatigue your hand.

Slicing with curved blades can be more ergonomically friendly because it’s easier to get down to the bottom of the loaf.

The main reason for this is the weight distribution which results in a great balance that it improves handling – which is important no matter whether you are slicing bread or cutting through tomatoes on your kitchen counter.

Best Victorinox Bread Knife Set – Victorinox Forschner 7-piece Fibrox Deluxe

If you’re in a need of a knife set (including a quality bread knife), you have two choices. Create your own set by purchasing knives separately or purchase a ready-set from a reputable manufacturer.

This Victorinox Swiss Army set features a Forschner 7-piece Fibrox Deluxe knife roll set which is designed for both professional and personal use.

The knife’s blade is ergonomically shaped (known as a curved design) specifically for larger loaves and is made out of a high-grade stainless steel material which comes with decently spaced teeth.

No matter what baked goods you’re looking to slice – you’ll always have a clear view on the slice thickness and you can rest assured knowing that the knife will always deliver a perfect slice every time.

Each one of these knives is made in a way that will stay sharp for the long term thanks to the ice-tempered build along with the wider breakpoint design.

It features a fibrox handle and are very wisely crafted to provide both safety and comfort at the same time.

This is a top of the line serrated knife set that will last you for years to come if properly cared for.

Wusthof VS. J.A.-Henckels – Which Brand is Better?

If you’ve been doing your own research, you’d be aware that both brands are considered to be the top brands when it comes down to kitchen knives – especially bread knives.

Both brands are professionally used for commercial purposes. Even though they’re incredibly great and are very close competitors – we believe that J.A.-Henckels is a bit better competitor.

Of course, their price point is a bit higher which is something you should consider as well. But if the money is no object and you only care about the quality, this is your best bet.

On the other hand, Wusthof is a really great brand which can be used for both professional and personal purpose and it is a bit cheaper, yet remains the same quality standards – which makes them a very close competitor to J.A.-Henckels.

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for a high quality professional-grade bread knife or you’re just looking to upgrade your current one – we hope you’ve seen what you need.

Feel free to go for any of these quality serrated knives as you can’t make a mistake, and believe us when we say that you won’t regret your decision.

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