Best Bread Knives of 2023

Any experienced baker knows how important the visual element of artisanal and ordinary bread is. Our eyes eat before our stomachs do. You’ll need the best bread knife if you want to get better results from every cut and slice.

Our guide and review will take you through what you need to know and what you should expect if you’re in the market for a quality bread knife. We’ll show you how to get better value for money and show you 7 of the best bread knives available. By the end of the guide, you’ll know exactly what to look for. You’ll be ready to get the perfect knife for your needs and style. Let’s get started!

Top 7 Best Bread Knife Reviews in 2023

This is where we’ll take an in-depth look into the 7 bread knives we’ve chosen to review. We’ve sunk time into choosing knives that give you value for money and performance to match their claims. We’ll cover what we did and didn’t like about each of them.

You’ll find out what’s unique about the knives and why they are worthy of your attention. Our goal is to get you ready to make a smart and informed decision and get the knife that delivers quality where it matters most to you. Let’s jump into our best bread knife review!

Mercer Millennia Wavy Edge Bread Knife

Let’s start this review off with one of the most popular and top picks for the best bread knife. When you consider the balance between quality, performance, and price – you’re getting way more than you’re paying for. The 10” blade is long enough for all home use and thick enough to not bend even on the toughest artisanal bread.

It’s an ultra-lightweight knife thanks to the light but durable resin handle. There are textured finger holds to help you keep your grip. I’m not fond of the pointy corner piece of the blade where the handle tapers into the blade. This could be an issue if your hand slips over the bolster.

Despite being a cheap knife, this is one of the most ergonomic handles at this price point. It’s exceptionally easy to hold and get fine cuts with. We loved how easy this knife is to sharpen as it goes dull. This is a common problem with cheap bread knives and you’ll be glad it’s not an issue here.

Imarku Pro Serrated Bread Knife

Our favorite feature about this knife is how it cuts through tougher bread without leaving crumbs or tearing it. If you want super-smooth or ultra-thin slices, this might be the knife for you. It’s a 10” stainless steel blade bolstered onto a gorgeous and shiny Pakkawood handle. This is one of the most attractive bread knives around this price point and it fits a modern kitchen well.

You’re getting an extremely sharp knife with a little heft to it. Thanks to it being so well-balanced, you don’t need to worry about losing control. Despite being on the heavier side, this knife is easy to handle and very accurate. The handle is one of the standout features of this knife.

It’s got a glossy finish that’s slip and bacteria resistant. You’ll find it fits nicely into your hand and the rounded design suits most hand sizes. Sharpening the bread knife is easy thanks to the teeth being easily sharpened with a honing rod. This is possibly the best bread knife and is easy on your wallet.

Victorinox Swiss Army Bread Knife

If you don’t have space or need a 10” or 12” bread knife, here’s something for you. This 8” knife is a super-handy option for a home kitchen. If you’re somebody that bakes a lot of bread and pastries, a large 12” bread knife isn’t always the most practical. You’ll find the wavy edge is smooth to cut with the Fibrox Pro handle helps keep the knife light and balanced.

While this knife might struggle to smoothly cut through very hard crusts, it makes up for it by being super-functional and accurate. This knife is capable of specialized professional use and the ergonomic handle gives you the comfort you need for a larger workload. It’s a tempting pick for the best bread knife for the money if you want a small but capable slicer.

Tojiro F-737 Bread Slicer

To contrast, the smaller 8” knife from above, here’s a longer-than-average option. Coming in at around 25cm, it’s a versatile knife for cutting up larger bread. We would like to have seen a little more bend-resistance and sturdiness. Flexibility isn’t always a bad feature and can have its uses.

When you’re cutting, make sure you don’t let the blade follow its own path. You’ll find the skill floor this knife is quite a bit higher for this knife, but it’s more rewarding once you get a handle on it. The blade is exquisitely sharp and cuts through bread without any squashing or sawing needed.

Given the price of this knife, it’s an excellent upgrade if you’re tired of your current knives butchering the life out of your bread. Comparatively, using this knife will feel like you’re cutting through clouds. While it’s not designed to be used in a professional kitchen, it ultra-lightweight and perfect for home use. It’s possibly the best affordable bread knife with a blade this long.

Wusthof Classic Bread Knife

Wusthof is widely regarded for its ability to create top-of-the-range knives with premium materials and expert craftsmanship. You might wonder just how much there is to a bread knife – until you try this one! Not to blow this knife out of proportion, but it’s excellent for home, enthusiast, and professional use.

That being said, it’s expensive. This isn’t a knife you buy on a whim. It’s carefully and expertly crafted to meet strict standards. You’ll keep a knife like this for a very long time. With that premium design and performance, comes the need for premium care and maintenance. If you take good care of this Wusthof knife, it’ll reward you handsomely.

This blade is sharper and stays sharper for up to 20% longer than its previous models. You’ll love how it feels in your hands and how it glides through the bread you’re cutting. You’re getting possibly the best knife for cutting bread and a stunning premium knife to add to your collection.

Victorinox Wavy Edge Bread Knife

You’ll immediately notice how stunning and elegant the Rosewood handle is. It sits comfortably in larger hands and gives you all the control you’d need. While slightly more expensive than many of the knives we’ve already looked at, it’s still affordable.

You’re getting an excellent balance between premium performance and cost-saving measures. There’s not a whole lot wrong with this knife. It’s resistant to rusting and is reliable enough to use every day. You’ll need to hand wash and dry this knife after every use to preserve the handle and steel quality.

This is a top-rated best bread knife and needs to be cared for accordingly. The blade’s teeth as very close together and they’re intimidatingly sharp. They make quick work of thick and tough crusts that could cause other bread knives to trip up.

MacKnife Superior Bread Knife

Here’s a high-end break knife that’s lightweight and easy to handle. The blade curves slightly upwards, helping you cut beautifully smooth cuts of bread. You’ve got a robust Pakkawood made handle that’s suited to larger hands and cleans easily. There’s a steep edge where the handle meets the blade and this keeps your hand in position and helps with safety.

The handle is non-slip and does a great job and resisting grime and dirt buildup. You’re getting a 2mm thick blade that’s rust and corrosion-resistant. Like most bread knives, it comes very sharp and the high-carbon steel edge holds well over time.

We love the wavy-edge serrations as they’re better at getting smooth quick cuts and not tearing the bread. It’s a premium knife and needs to be cared for as such – always hand wash and thoroughly dry it.

What Makes a Bread Knife Great?

Bread knives can be extremely useful and can quickly become indispensable once you’ve started to rely on them. We’re going to look at the stand-out features that any versatile and capable bread knife needs!

Serrations

Bread knives with wider serrations reaching a little deeper into the cutting edge are generally better. You should look for serrations that have a more “wavy” layout. They tend to cut more smoothly and are less likely to catch and tear the bread. For example, a bread knife with 30 serrations is going to be more effortless and accurate than one with 50+ serrations.

Blade Length

Bread knives smaller than 9” are quite limited in the selection of larger bread and baguettes they can work on. My personal preference is a 10” bread knife. I find that larger 12” options are quite a hassle to handle for intricate cutting. Bread knives shorter than 8” are often specialty knives and aren’t the most functional in a standard kitchen.

Blade Flexibility

Flexibility becomes even more important as you increase the blade length. 10” bread knives need to have quite a flexible blade. This helps to stop the knife from taking an unintended route through the bread you are cutting. You’ll find them more accurate and easier to control. Smaller specialty bread knives don’t need as much flexibility, though a little bit helps accuracy and prevents tearing.

Handle

If you’ve ever used a bread knife for longer sessions, you’ll know how important handle shape and texture are. Try to find a bread knife that has a little contour near the butt of the handle that points out to help your hand better grip the knife.

Many high-quality knives also have a semi-hand guard to stop your hand from slipping onto the sharp cutting edge. One last pointer is to make sure the handle is non-slip and has a “grippy” texture. This makes it far easier to work with and reduces hand fatigue while improving accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How to Sharpen a Bread Knife?

A: I like to use the honing rods that are thicker at the base and thinner toward the tip. They look like really elongated and stretched-out cones. You’ll need to sharpen the teeth individually, following the angle of the bevel. Luckily, serrated knives and bread knives don’t need to be sharpened as often and other types of knives.

Q: Can I Put My Knife in the Dishwasher?

A: No, you shouldn’t. You should also avoid leaving these knives in the sink soaking in water. Wooden handles can be ruined this way and it’s a surefire path to rusting or corroding your knife.

Q: Can Bread Only Be Used on Bread?

A: Bread knives (especially the longer ones) are quite versatile. You can use them for carving up large cuts of meat if you have one with more “wavy” serrations. They’re great for large hams and carving up turkey/poultry.

Q: Do Bread Knives Need to Be Sharpened?

A: This will depend on the quality of the bread knife you have. Regardless of the quality though, bread knives don’t need to be sharpened nearly as often as regular cutting edges. In terms of the sharpening process, you’ll need to use a tapered sharpening /honing rod and work it along each of the serrations.

Final Thoughts

Well done for taking the time to make sure you get the right bread knife for you. Whether you’re looking for a professional-grade knife or just something that makes slicing up a loaf of bread easier – you should know what to look for now.

All that’s left is for you to make your choice. Take another look at the knives you’re most interested in and narrow down your choice. Treat your bread and pastries to an experience they’ve never had. Slice them up with the best bread knife and enjoy the smoothest cuts and slices!