There’s no replacing a quality serrated knife and they play essential parts in any kitchen. We’ll guide you through choosing the best serrated knife for your needs and budget. We’ll show you what’s important to look, give you a couple of excellent knives to choose from, and show you where to get them.
Our goal is to help you get the best possible value for your money. By the end of the guide, you’ll know what type of serrated knife you need most, and how to balance the features and choose the perfect serrated knife for you. Let’s jump in!
Top 7 Best Serrated Knife Reviews in 2023
You’ll find a breakdown of 7 serrated knives we feel best balance performance, price, durability, utility, and more. We’ll show you what’s unique about each of the knives and why they’re worth paying attention to.
You’ll be able to build realistic expectations and get a good feel for their real-world performance. We’ll show you what we did and didn’t like about each of the knives so that you can learn the kind of value you’re getting across the different price points. Let’s dive into the best serrated knife reviews!
Orblue Ultra-Sharp Serrated Bread Knife
Kicking it off, here’s an excellently crafted and super-affordable 8” serrated knife. The edge is razor-sharp and makes quick work of hard-crusted bread, fruits, and more without breaking a sweat. You’re getting a 4.9” handle that helps to balance the overall profile of the knife and give you a desirable slightly hefty cutting experience.
The handle is non-slip and ergonomic, which helps to take the strain off your hands and wrists. Your hand is kept safely off the blade by the well-placed rubber safety guard which also guides your hand into the perfect grip. This is the perfect serrated knife for the first-time owner and gives you the ease of use and versatility you’d expect from a beginner-friendly knife.
We loved the sleek and minimalistic profile of the knife. The bolster is stunning and its transition into the handle is smooth and seamless. The blade is just flexible enough to let you get insanely accurate and slim slices (both bread and fruit) while still handling lateral pressure expertly. Considering the affordable price point, this is possibly the best serrated knife for beginners and early home chef enthusiasts.
- Very beginner-friendly
- Affordable
- Flexible but sturdy 8” blade
- Ultra-sharp cutting edge holds well
- Handle feels a little cheap
- Serrated teeth are very pronounced and might tear some fruits or bread types
Zelite Infinity Serrated Utility Knife
At 5.5”, this serrated blade offers you the perfect profile of an all-purpose kitchen utility knife. It’s exceptional for cutting and slicing fruits and vegetables into incredibly thin slices, while still handling pasties and bread like a dedicated bread knife.
The distance between the serrated teeth is a little bigger and their layout is a little sparser than the previous knife – letting you cut and slice without ripping or tearing. You’re getting one of the most visually captivating knives with a premium performance to match its classy design.
This knife can easily slot into a modern or discerning kitchen and earn its keep. We love AUS10 super-steel, and this knife makes excellent use of it. It’s resistant to rusting and corrosion and holds a wicked edge for longer than many other bread knives. The 66-layer steel’s sweeping design testifies to the incredible robustness and durability of this knife.
The handle is triple-riveted, full-tang, and rounded to give you the best possible ergonomic grip and cutting experience. It’s an incredibly versatile and functional knife with astounding cutting power and durability worth its price tag. It’s likely the best serrated knife if you a balance between premium performance and affordability.
- Excellent value for money for a premium knife
- Ultra-sharp edge that holds well
- Full-tang and triple-riveted ergonomic handle
- Extremely attractive
- Quite weighty for a utility knife
- Could be a little better balanced
OXO GoodGrips Serrated Bread Knife
Here’s an awesome all-rounder for all shapes and sizes of bread. Whether you’re a fan of pastries, or you’re cutting up a baguette, this knife makes an excellent kitchen companion. Its large 8” blade gives it all the versatility and functionality it needs, as well as offering an ergonomic grip and well-balanced overall build. You’ll get it very sharp right out the box and ready to go.
It can be honed to quite an exquisite edge and the retention is decent enough not to bother you too often. You’re getting a moderate mid-range knife that handles reliably and performs consistently. It’s by no means a premium or high-end knife (as hinted at by the price). We think it’s a sturdy and respectable choice for a beginner who doesn’t want to go big right off the bat.
The lightweight build makes it easy to control, though this comes at the cost of not having a full-tang. You’ll need to be a little bit cautious with putting too much lateral pressure on the blade. Overall, despite these minor issues, this is an excellent performer considering the price. You’re getting value for money and a best serrated knife you can build up your kitchen skills with.
- Lightweight and easy to handle
- Comes very sharp out the box
- Excellent price point
- Well-designed serrations
- Handle feels a little too plasticky
- No tang
Victorinox Fibrox Pro Serrated Knife
Toning down the price a little, this knife gives you excellent value for money and an impressive cutting experience for its price. It’s a fantastic knife to have around the kitchen for making quick work of crispy bread, sandwiches, and other large cutting tasks (melons, delicate fruits, etc.).
The blade is quite flexible without losing its integrity. You can get some incredibly thin and accurate slices without needing a surgeon’s steadiness. Don’t let the simplistic design hinder you – but this knife cuts and performs fabulously. It’s well-balanced and the handle is very easy to work with.
The non-slip texturing and ergonomic design sit the knife comfortably in your hand. You’ll have slightly raised finger choils on either side of the blade too guide your hand into the perfect grip and keep it safe from slipping onto the blade.
You’ll love the wavy serrations on the knife’s edge. It stops you from tearing your bread and helps you more accurately slice delicate fruits. Overall, you’re getting one of our favorite picks for the best serrated knife for the money. The value is hard to ignore and there isn’t a whole lot that this knife does wrong.
- Fantastic balanced feel
- Beginner-friendly with the gentle wavy serrations
- Safe Fibrox handle
- Very versatile for an 8” serrated knife
- Struggles a little with very hard-crusted bread
- Design and appearance is quite bland
Henckels Classic Serrated Utility Knife
Also made from high-quality German stainless steel, this knife is built to last. It’s a moderately priced knife with respectable prowess in the kitchen. We think it’s a fantastic knife for the enthusiast who is looking to take their culinary art more seriously.
You won’t have to spend a pretty penny to add this knife to your collection. The transition from the handle to the blade is seamless and one of the smoothest at this price range. You’ll quickly fall in love with the premium feel this knife offers. Despite being a little unusual, we though the longer handle was well-though-out.
It does an excellent job of balancing the overall profile of the knife and makes it easier to work with. Your hands and wrists won’t get tired and you’ll handle larger workloads effortlessly. The blade comes ultra-sharp and honed to near perfection, so you’ll be ready to get started right away.
It’s quite a versatile knife that can handle a bunch of utility work like slicing tomatoes and muffins. While it claims to be dishwasher-friendly, we advise you to always wash this knife by hand to keep it at its best.
- Awesome value for money
- Larger handle balanced the knife
- Comes ready to use out the box
- Easy to clean and maintain
- 5” blades are a little on the small side
- Handle is quite thin
Wusthof Classic Serrated Bread Knife
If you want to go all out, here’s a larger class-leading bread knife by the knife giant, Wusthof. Crafted from some of the highest quality high-carbon steel, this precision-cut blade is incredibly capable and well-suited to professional use. Whether you’re running a commercial kitchen or a budding professional, this knife is versatile enough to be your driver.
It has the robustness and resistance to perform reliably and consistently for daily use. You don’t need to worry about discolorations, heat effects, bending, and fading. The steel is hardened to HRC58 to give you a devastatingly sharp edge that holds up to 2x longer than previous models.
This combines expertly with the solid ergonomic handle to give you accurate and precise control over the larger 10” blade. Overall, we think this Wusthof knife is perfect for breaking through any technical plateaus you’ve reached and is a top-quality best serrated knife.
- Excellent material quality and build
- Extremely ergonomic handle with a textured grip
- Larger 10” blade is easy to control
- Professional level resistance
- Expensive and not suited to beginners
- Quite heavy and bulky
Shun Classic Serrated Bread Knife
In the spirit of premium performance, here’s another high-hitter. Not only does this 9” Shun Classic look amazing, but its curved blade is incredibly versatile and suited to extensive professional use. The serrations are wide and wavy, which combines perfectly with the exceptionally sharp edge to cut through bread, fruit, and vegetable with ease.
You don’t need to worry about tearing, bruising, and ruining your fruits. You’re getting a broad blade that handles exquisitely well. It glides through the cuts effortlessly, furthered by the well-balanced overall build of the knife. You can precisely and accurately handle the larger blade and relatively heavy build with the D-shaped handle.
It’s non-slip textured and ergonomic, giving you all the control you’d need. In terms of durability and robustness, this is about as good as it gets. With resistance against rusting, corrosion, discoloration, wearing, bending, impacts, and more – this is an incredibly robust knife.
Together with an excellently sharp edge and phenomenal edge retention, this Shun knife brings you a deluxe and smooth cutting performance. It’ll handle heavier duty work just as efficiently as intricate cutting. Overall, you’re getting one of the best serrated edge knives on the market.
- Wider wavy serrations preserve the cuts better
- Intelligently designed D-shaped handle
- Slightly larger 9” blade
- Razor-sharp with great edge retention
- More expensive than almost all other knives here
- Serrated blades with a curved profile aren’t for everybody
How to Choose What’s Best for You
Have you ever had the problem of having two good options but only being allowed to choose one. Not knowing which way to go can be frustrating because you might feel like you’ll lose out if you take the wrong one.
So if you need some extra help to lead you in the right direction, then read on! We’ve already looked at some key features for these 8 knives, as well as a few things that we did and didn’t like. So now we’re going to look at some other aspects that you might want to consider when making your choice.
Stainless Steel or High Carbon
Rust is an enormous problem for so many metal products worldwide, and most brands do everything they can to use stainless steel and ensure rust prevention. The only downside is that stainless steel does not retain its sharpness as long as high carbon blades do because it contains Chromium, which softens the blade slightly.
They are, however, a lot more durable than high carbon steel blades, meaning that they don’t chip or dent as easily. High carbon blades stay razor-sharp for long periods without sharpening and therefore tend to be more favorable but be aware that they require much more attention to be maintained.
Design Style
Where it comes to the design of the handle, it would be recommended that you choose a full tang and triple-riveted make. A full tang refers to a blade that extends continuously from the tip of the knife to the back of the handle. This usually comes with three rivets spread equally apart to increase sturdiness. The rivets should sit flush and smooth on the handle. Otherwise, it can become highly uncomfortable while holding.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Are Ceramic Blades Worth Buying?
A: Ceramic blades are not metal, and therefore they don’t rust; they are usually colorful and lightweight, and very sharp. Although, when it comes to durability, they aren’t so great.
Q: How Do You Sharpen a Serrated Blade?
A: It requires a particular type of sharpener. Each serration has to be sharpened on its own so that it can be quite a lengthy process in comparison to a straight-edged knife.
Q: Do I Have to Wash My Serrated Knives by Hand?
A: If the blades are not made with stainless steel, you need to wash them by hand.
Q: What Should I Look for in a Bread Knife?
A: This depends on the type of work you’ll be using it for. Stick to 5-7” serrated blades if you want something that can double as a utility knife. Dedicated bread knives start at around 8” and can reach up to 12”. In terms of the serrations, I prefer the wavier style to the compact and pronounced teeth. I find it doesn’t tear the bread and cuts thinner slices on fruits and vegetables.
Comfortable handles are essential for keeping your hands and wrists strain-free. You should get a bread knife with a slightly flexible blade. This lets you cut accurately and gives you more control over your slicing. Finally, you want good resistant steel (against rusting) with decent edge retention that comes sharp.
Final Thoughts
You should have a good feel for what features are most important to you. Bear in mind that you don’t need to rush this choice. Take your time to make sure you’re getting something that suits your style and ultimate goals. If you’re just getting started, don’t worry – a little experience will be your best guide. Choosing the best serrated knife is all about getting what’s right for you. All the best!