Proof & LoafThe Best Bread Knives for Crusty Sourdough
Nothing ruins a beautiful loaf faster than a dull knife that squashes it. The best one for most people is also one of the cheapest.
What makes a good bread knife
- Length. A 9–10" blade spans a round boule so you can saw with long, easy strokes instead of hacking.
- Serrations. Fewer, deeper, pointed serrations grab a hard crust; very fine serrations give cleaner slices of soft bread and tomatoes.
- Grip. Crusty sourdough takes real pressure; a grippy handle with knuckle clearance keeps your fingers off the board.
Mercer Culinary Millennia 10" Wide Wavy Edge Bread Knife (M23210)
This inexpensive knife has been America’s Test Kitchen’s winning serrated knife for years, and Bon Appétit named it the best budget bread knife it tested, praising its clean cuts through crusty sourdough.
- Long, tall blade with deep serrations
- Grippy, comfortable handle
- Independent test-kitchen favorite
- Hand wash only
- Plain-looking
Victorinox Fibrox 10.25" Bread Knife
Victorinox’s Fibrox line is a restaurant-kitchen staple. The long serrated blade handles big loaves, and the textured handle stays secure when your hands are floury.
- Long blade for large loaves
- Non-slip handle
- Utilitarian looks
Tojiro Bread Slicer, 270 mm (10.6")
A Japanese bread knife with fine serrations, favored for very clean slices of both crusty loaves and soft sandwich bread with fewer crumbs.
- Very clean slices
- Long blade
- Fine serrations need a lighter touch on very hard crusts
- Wood handle needs care
WÜSTHOF Classic 9" Double-Serrated Bread Knife
A forged German knife with a double-serrated edge, for people who want their bread knife to match a nicer knife set.
- Forged, well-balanced
- Double serrations
- Shorter blade than the others here
- Hand wash only
Slicing tips
- Wait. Let the loaf cool at least an hour; the inside is still setting when it leaves the oven and slicing early makes it gummy.
- Turn it on its side. Slicing a boule on its side makes the crust easier to start.
- Let the blade work. Long, light sawing strokes beat pushing down.
More guides
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