Ceramic Knives Are Lightweight and Corrosion Proof, but not Great for Cutting Frozen Meat
We’ve seen ceramic knives being used by home chefs in shows like Master Chef USA. To the undiscerning eye, ceramic knives and metal knives don’t really look very different, and they do the same job. This has led many of us to ask what the fuss is all about. If you’re about to go knife-shopping, you might want to consider getting a ceramic knife instead of a metal one. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros
- Ceramic is a lightweight material; making ceramic knives usually weigh less than your typical metal knife. This means less effort you’re your part when you need to cut or slice something.
- Ceramic is also the second hardest material after diamonds. Ceramic knives tend to stay sharper longer compared to steel knives.
- Ceramic knives are denser and less porous so they are more sanitary to use.
- Because it has fewer pores than metal knives, ceramic knives won’t transfer odors or taste when you chop different food types. If you chop spices and need to slice pieces of meat, all you need to do is to give your ceramic knife a quick rinse and it won’t transfer any spiciness to the meat.
- Ceramic means no metal, so no rust.
Cons
- Even though ceramic is a hard material, it does not mean to say that it is not brittle. Ceramic knives are not meant to be used to cut frozen meat, bones or anything that can’t be easily sliced.
- They also tend to be more expensive. It used to be difficult to find budget ceramic knives that were decent quality, but that has changed over the course of the last few years as more and more durable ceramic knives are being sold at cheaper prices.
- Ceramic knives are meant to slice. It is not the most versatile knife in the kitchen. You can’t use it to chop, you will need your trusty stainless steel chef or butcher’s knife for that.
Start With One Knife Rather Than A Whole Set
If you are unsure if ceramic knives are something you would like to add to your kitchen cutlery set it might be a good idea to just buy one to test out rather than starting with a whole set. We recommend starting with a ceramic chef knife, because that tends to be the most popular ceramic knife.
If you really like the ceramic chef knife you may want to invest in an entire set of ceramic kitchen cutlery or you may want to stick stainless steel knives for everything but the chefs knife. Check out our article on the best ceramic chef knives under $50 if you are looking for a budget ceramic chef’s knife.
Our Favorite Ceramic Chef Knives
Here are a few of our favorite ceramic chef knives. Any of these blades would be a great option for testing a ceramic knife in your kitchen.
1) Vos 8 inch Ceramic Chef Knife
The VOS 8 inch ceramic chef knife offers impressive value at its current price point. This knife ships incredibly sharp and holds its edge well even if you are a busy cook. It also has one of the most comfortable and grippy handles of any chef knife we have tested.
2) Kyocera Revolution Series 7-inch Professional, Ceramic Chef`s Knife With White Blade
Kyocera Advanced Ceramics is a well established brand that is trusted by professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts world wide. They cost a bit more than the average ceramic chef’s knife, but most people who have purchased this knife say it is well worth the price.
3) Kyocera Ceramic Revolution Paring Knife Review
The Revolution Paring Knife from Kyocera is a great choice for your first ceramic knife purchase, because it is cheap, well designed and fun to use as long as you don’t try to cut cheese. This is an excellent fruit and vegetable knife, so if you are looking for a good salad maker that you won’t have to sharpen this is a great choice. Check out our in depth review of the Kyocera Revolution Paring Knife if you want to learn more about this impressive ceramic knife.
5) Kyocera Innovation 4-Pice Knife Set
The Innovation Series from Kyocera first caught our attention, because they used a new type of ceramic called Z212. Kyocera claimed that this material holds its edge longer than other ceramic knives on the market. This claim has proved to be more than an overhyped marketing claim. These knives really do hold an edge very an incredibly long period of time.
