Bread is one of the oldest foods known to humanity, whether it’s homemade or bought from a bakery. We may have used a traditional recipe or put our own unique twist on it.
There is one thing that should not be overlooked. Buying and choosing a good bread knife, an accessory that helps us to slice the loaf without damaging it: here are some indications not to make mistakes.
Here we had selected some of the best models of bread knives that are listed below.
Bread Knife Buying Guide
Unlike other cutting tools, the bread knife is characterized by the continuous serrated blade which follows a wavy profile; this indentation, which generally measures from 15 to 25 centimeters in length, is very sharp and resists for a long time, making maintenance and sharpening operations less frequent.
What Are the Bread Knives For?
The serrated blade serves to guarantee a perfect cut when slicing the bread, because it sinks with a little effort even in the most resistant crust and, above all, does not ruin the soft inside of the crumb.
The result is precise slices with relatively low pressure, which therefore does not compromise the integrity of the food and the beauty of the presentation on the table: serving slices of bread of uneven size, but above all crumbled and with a crumb or crumbed crust is certainly not much elegant.
In addition to loaves and rolls of all kinds, these knives can be useful in the kitchen for cutting various types of food, such as cakes, plumcakes, and other leavened products (or in any case foods that have a soft crumb inside and that are more outside) hard).
But also delicate vegetables such as tomatoes, fruit such as fresh pineapple or even chocolate bars, always allowing you to have clean cuts and thin and precise slices.
How to Use the Bread Knife?
Regardless of the type, the way the bread knives are used is similar: you have to hold the handle of the tool and perform a constant movement back and forth starting from the outer edge of the food, cutting the bread along one of its sections and using the entire length of the blade.
As we said, there is no need to exert too much pressure (even with the hand that is used to block the loaf), because there is a risk of having negative effects.
Right below we had shared some tips on how to use the bred knife properly so have a look at that video guide.
How To Evaluate the Blade?
The blade is therefore a decisive factor in choosing a good bread knife, and the elements to be evaluated are various; generally, we wrote, these accessories have a serrated and toothed blade, with an inclination in both directions to limit that the bread crumbles during operations.
The length varies from 15 to 25 centimeters, and the choice of the size simply derives from one’s consumption habits: if we prepare or buy large bread shapes, it is better to focus on equally larger utensils, so as to facilitate slicing.
In principle, it would be better to avoid blades that are not very thick or that appear excessively flexible; the cost is also not a completely “reliable” variable, because it is possible to buy excellent low-cost bread knives.
The Types of Blade of Bread Knives
As for the materials, most of the products on the market have stainless steel blades, which ensures good performance; in the higher quality models, titanium or high carbon steel are used instead, which make the blade harder and more resistant.
A further distinction is that between forged and stamped blade, which applies to all knives with a metal blade. In the case of forging, we start from a single piece of steel that is heated and machined to achieve its final shape.
This project manipulates the steel molecules and the hardest and most resistant knives, capable of preserving a blade edge longer cutting edge.
In the molded blade, on the other hand, the knives are made from a large steel sheet with a molding process, a simpler and cheaper production: the tools thus created are less expensive, lighter but also less resistant and durable.
In recent years, ceramic knives, with a very sharp blade even though inevitably more delicate and less resistant to chipping, are making their way even for design issues.
According to the “purists”, this knife also guarantees a qualitative advantage, because it prevents the bread from having a hint of steel, and they are very suitable for those suffering from allergies to commonly used metals.
The spread of technology has then led to the creation of electric bread knives, suitable for those who do not want to strain too much and never give up on comfort.
There are various models on the market, even at a rather affordable price, and the characteristics are not too dissimilar from those of traditional manual knives.
The Handle of The Knives
Another variable to consider when choosing the best bread knife (or the one that best suits our needs) is the handle material: among the most common are plastic, wood, and steel, each with characteristics and advantages very specific.
We all know the knives with plastic handle, of different quality, based on the type of raw material used: if the most common are of poor quality and low cost, there are also knives for cutting bread with plastic handles of excellent workmanship, beautiful to see and use.
Aesthetics is certainly one of the main characteristics of bread knives with a wooden handle, with a classic look and good grip for the handle; on the other hand, these accessories need more careful washing care.
In particular, the use of the dishwasher is prohibited and must always be washed by hand and dried after each use. Knives with steel handles are also growing, made of a single block of steel with no angles or breaks between the blade and the handle.
They are well balanced and easy to clean, but they risk being slippery if the handle is not supported by another material that facilitates the grip, such as rubber or plastic.
As for the blade, also for the handle, we must evaluate the size according to our needs: better to choose a product that is comfortable to use, suitable for our hands, which guarantees the best and most effective handle.
Balance is also very important: if the blade is too heavy compared to the handle, the cut risks being unbalanced and not homogeneous, and vice versa.
The Use, Washing, and Maintenance
To respect hygiene and safeguard the product, it is advisable to place the knife in a wooden block or in any case in a special container that does not allow our blade to come into contact with other metal bodies.
Alternatively, even the classic cutlery drawer can be fine, perhaps protecting the blade from being hit by other tools. This is one of the main rules of maintenance of this accessory, together with the care of the blade sharpening.
Over time, use and wear also generate effects on the best blades, which therefore require intervention: if we want to do it ourselves, we can use tools such as electric sharpeners or other special devices, but for the most precious models it would be better to turn to a professional knife sharpener.
The washing rules are also very important: in general, it is recommended to always carry out a hand wash with soap after each use, also taking care to dry the bread knife immediately, and therefore not to clean them together with other dishes.
Instead, the passage in the dishwasher should be avoided, unless the specific product instructions allow this possibility.
