Cooking is a skill. While some have the natural ability for it, you can still learn it over time. Skill and talent are one thing, however; your tools, mainly knives, play an important role in the process, too.
You can choose from numerous types of kitchen knives, one of which is ceramic knives. Chefs and home cooks alike use these knives. Either way, you will love them since they are easy to use.
Do you want to know more about how you can use ceramic knives to your advantage? This article discusses the frequently asked questions about these knives and reviews four excellent knife sets you can add to your kitchen collection. Read on to know more!
What is there to know about ceramic blade knives? Take a look at the most frequently asked questions about these knives.
A ceramic knife's blade is made from zirconium dioxide (zirconia). Its hardness measures 8.5 on the Mohs scale, ranking between corundum and topaz. These knives retain their sharpness for a long time due to their hardness level.
Compared to stainless steel knives, ceramic ones are inert. It means they don't react with food and cleaning chemicals, nor do they corrode. As a result, when you use these knives to cut fresh fruits or vegetables, the food's surface won't oxidize or turn black, leaving the food fresh even after slicing.
Ceramic blade knives are mainly used for making thin slices of fruit, vegetables, meat, and bread. In addition, these knives are more lightweight than steel knives, making them perfect to use for long periods of cutting.
Ceramic knives are hard, which means they do not dull easily. However, like all kitchen knives, they will get dull eventually.
Now you might be worrying that you’ll have some difficulty resharpening them since these knives are hard. Is it even possibleto sharpen ceramic knives?
Fortunately, you can resharpen them. However, since you can choose from different knife sharpening devices, you should first know which one would be best for these knives.
Sharpening stones are generally harder to use, especially with blades that are as hard as ceramic. Electric knife sharpeners are more useful instead. Using them will be easier for you since you don't have to grind to resharpen them manually.
After knowing what a ceramic knife is, it's time to know which one is the most suited for you. Of course, the “best” ceramic blade knife will depend on the budget and use.
Here's a list of the knives you can choose from.
The Kyocera Ceramic Santoku Knife has a 5.5-inch blade. Its size makes it a perfect all-purpose ceramic knife.
The blade differs from other knives of the same caliber since it's made from Kyocera's proprietary zirconia material. It is incredibly sharp and beveled, excellent for making thin slices of fruits, vegetables, and boneless meats.
The blade is also ten times as sharp as stainless steel knives. In addition, it is lightweight, making it comfortable enough to use even after long cutting periods.
The Kyocera Ceramic Santoku Knife is available in seven colors: yellow, white, purple, pink, red, orange, blue, black, and green.
Pros
Cons
A ceramic knife is more expensive than a stainless steel knife. But this doesn't mean there is no affordable ceramic knife.
If you're looking for a budget ceramic blade carbon fiber knife, WACOOL has the perfect one for you. Its price does not compromise its quality. You can still get the main advantages of ceramic knives—their sharpness, hardness, and lightweight.
Its blade is forged from cold isostatic pressing. This process makes the knife blades more compressed, which directly impacts their strength and flexibility. It also has an improved surface finish and less porous blades. It can hold its sharpness 15 times as long as steel knives do.
It comes with BPA-free sheaths, which you can use for storage. Its handle is soft and lightweight, making it easy to use and control for longer durations.
Pros
Cons
If you are to get a ceramic lock-blade knife set, the Solutionelle brand has ceramic chef's and paring knives. It's one of the best professional ceramic knives due to its 100% resistance to bacteria buildup.
The chef's knife and paring knife measure 8 and 4 inches, respectively. Their lengths are perfectly suitable for cutting fruits and vegetables. Like other ceramic knives, Solutionelle knives don't rust and react with food and other chemicals. Their handle doesn't contain BPA, a chemical usually added to plastics that is harmful to exposed humans.
Pros
Cons
The ceramic knife from Quellance is on the higher-end side of the best kitchen knives. Its quality and make, particularly its high-quality zirconia blade, significantly contribute to its steeper-than-usual price tag.
The blade is not only sharp, but it can also lock in moisture, preventing it from rusting quickly. Its surface is nonporous, meaning food debris won’t get stuck in it.
Compared to other ceramic blade knives, Quellance probably has the sharpest blade. It can produce precise and clean cuts of sushi, sashimi, and other fruits and vegetables. It is ten times as sharp as stainless steel knives, and the edges don't dull easily. In addition, the knife comes with a plastic sheath which you may use when storing it.
Pros
Cons
Before knowing about these knives, you might have found yourself asking, “Are ceramic knives good?” The answer is yes, indeed.
The four kitchen knives listed above are the best ceramic knives you can get, and each brand has a unique identifying characteristic. However, the “best” is still pretty subjective; you first have to assess which ceramic knife will work for you.
If you're looking for long-lasting kitchen knives, the ceramic knife is the way to go!