Best Bread Knife For A Crusty Loaf! (Top Picks 2025)

Any bread lover will tell you that there’s nothing worse than a piece of torn and twisted bread that’s been hacked to death with a dull, flat kitchen knife. As the name implies, the best bread knife is going to be one that cuts crusty loaves of bread without tearing or crushing the delicate soft center. To get the best-uniformed slices of bread, you need to get yourself one of the best bread knives you can afford. A kitchen is not complete unless it has a knife for cutting bread or at the very least some sort of serrated knife.

Typically a bread knife is between 6 to 10 inches (15cm to 25cm) in length and has a razor-sharp serrated edge that makes light work of crusty bread as well as anything else it tackles like tomatoes and fruits. Unlike other kitchen knives, a serrated bread knife won’t dull as quickly, but when they do start to become less sharp, they require a little extra effort to get the blade razor sharp once again.

Bread Knives Are Not Just For Bread

The humble bread knife is a versatile kitchen knife that can tackle a lot more than just bread; it’s not just a one-trick-pony.

Even though it’s named a bread knife and its primary function is for cutting bread this type of knife is also ideal for cutting thin slices of food without destroying the food’s structure. Try using your knife to cut extra thin slices of tomatoes, or even cutting uniformed slices of eggplant or avocado.

Also, the bread knife makes for an excellent replacement for a carving knife if you find yourself stuck with nothing to cut the turkey during the festive season.

How to Sharpen a Bread Knife at Home

The best bread knives will hold a sharp edge for a long period, but when they do finally dull sharpening them can often be a challenge and typically a job for the local knife sharpening expert. But if you don’t mind a bit of work and taking on a challenge you can actually sharpen a bread knife at home with a few basic kitchen knife sharpening tools.

Before you start, make sure you have a honing steel, a whetstone and obviously a dull bread knife that needs sharpening.

Sharpening t​he serrated knife:

• arrow-rightHold your knife firmly by the handle.
• arrow-rightHold your honing steel firmly in your other hand.
• arrow-rightPlace your honing steel into the first set of serrated grooves (also called a “gullet”).
• arrow-rightPull the honing steel across the serrated groves quickly a few times making sure to apply pressure as you are doing so firmly.
• arrow-rightRepeat this for all of the serrated grooves along the blade.
• arrow-rightOnce you’ve completed one full side flip your bread knife over and repeat on the other side.
• arrow-rightOnce you’ve sharpened both sides give your bread knife a quick rub with fine sandpaper or rub it a few times over a whetstone to remove any loose metal shavings (also called a “burrs”) from the blade.

Top Rated Bread Knives (Best Picks For 2025)

When it comes to choosing the best-rated bread knife for crusty bread, I have picked out three of my favorites that I feel deserve a place in your kitchen in 2025 and beyond.

Victorinox (Forschner) 10-1/4-inch Wavy Bread Knife

The Victorinox (Forschner) knife has won numerous bread knife ratings and is the best bread knife for the money, in my opinion. Manufactured by the same company behind the Swiss Army Knife you know you’re getting quality.

The 10 ¼ inch high-carbon, ice-tempered stainless-steel blade makes light work of crusty exteriors without crushing tender insides. The NFS approved patented handle is slip resistant, lightly textured and offers great balance and superior grip even with the wettest of hands.

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J.A. Henckels Forged Synergy 8-inch Bread Knife

J.A. Henckels is known as one of the best knife producers, and their bread knife offering doesn’t disappoint. As with all Henckels kitchen knives, this bread knife is well-balanced and very comfortable to use, the blade is rigid and makes light work of the densest loaves of bread.

The 8-inch blade is a fully forged stainless steel blade with an elegant satin finish. The handle is a classic riveted handle that features a full rat tail tang for a comfortable grip.

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Kyocera 7-inch Serrated Bread Knife

If you prefer a ceramic bread knife look no further than this little gem from Kyocera. Kyocera seems to have taken a significant portion of the ceramic knife market, and their ceramic kitchen knives are favored by professional chefs and home cooks alike.

The Kyocera 7 inch bread knife is extremely lightweight (ceramic blades are typically half the weight of equivalent metal blades) and offers excellent balance. The blade is RAZOR sharp and durable with a rock-like blade edge. This is the best bread knife is the ceramic knife market, as far as I am concerned, great buy!

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Andy Nash

Andy Nash is a highly experienced chef with over 15 years of experience in kitchens around the world. He has developed a passion for kitchen knives and their importance in the kitchen. Through his blog, Andy shares his expertise on everything related to kitchen knives, from the various types available to the best way to care for and sharpen them. With his extensive knowledge and years of experience, Andy is dedicated to helping others improve their culinary skills and elevate their cooking game.

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