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Bread knife

Utensils & kitchen tools · Knife

Bread knife

A long knife with a serrated edge that saws through crusty bread, cakes and tomatoes without crushing them.

Useful to have · Manual · 5 recipes

Photo: T Houdijk, via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)

What it is

A long, straight blade, usually 20–25 cm, with a toothed or scalloped edge. The serrations grip and cut hard crusts and soft interiors with a sawing action rather than pressing down. Offset bread knives have a bent handle for knuckle clearance.

What it’s for: Clean slicing of foods with a hard outside and soft inside.

How to use it

  1. Lay the loaf on a board and hold it lightly with the other hand.
  2. Use long, gentle back-and-forth strokes, letting the teeth do the work.
  3. Keep the blade upright for even slices.
  4. For cakes, rotate the cake while sawing to split layers evenly.

Good to know

Tasks
slicing bread and baguettes, splitting cake layers, slicing tomatoes, cutting sandwiches, slicing pineapple and melon
Materials
stainless steel
Care and cleaning
Wash and dry by hand. Serrated edges stay sharp for a long time; they need a special rod to sharpen.
Limitations
Leaves ragged cuts in raw meat and fine vegetables.

Safety

  • Keep the hand holding the bread well above the blade path.

If you don’t have one

  • Chef's knife — A very sharp chef's knife slices bread, though it may crush soft loaves.

Equipment guide

How it works: Serrations act like many small blades: the points grip and pierce a hard crust, and the scallops saw through with little downward pressure, so soft crumb is not squashed.

MaterialGoodWatch out
Stainless steelLow maintenance.Serrations need special sharpening.
Scalloped (wavy) serrations
Clean cuts through crust.
Pointed serrations
Aggressive bite for very hard crusts.
Offset bread knife
Handle raised so knuckles clear the board.

Buying guidance

Starting out: A 23–26 cm serrated knife longer than your widest loaf.

  • Blade length 23–30 cm
  • Wide, scalloped serrations
  • Comfortable handle

No brands or prices — check current reviews before buying.

Techniques:Knife skills

Related tools

Recipes that use it