You may have heard about ceramic knives but wondered what the difference is between a ceramic and a steel knife. In short, ceramic knives are able to be much sharper than steel and stay that way up to 10x longer. But there are downsides to consider before buying a ceramic knife. We researched the best available ceramic knives and sifted through the customer feedback to determine what the best ceramic kitchen knives on the market currently are. The Kyocera Advanced Ceramics Knives are the best available ceramic kitchen knives for the money. Continue reading to learn more about the pros and cons of ceramic knives and details about the best ceramic knives available today.
Ceramic Knife Benefits
Ceramic knives are not meant to replace your stainless steel knives but they are meant to be a great addition to your knife arsenal. When you need a supper sharp knife for cutting fruits, vegetables, or other soft items they are the perfect tool. Ceramic blades can hold a much sharper edge than steel and they can do so for up to 10 times longer than a steel knife.
Ceramic knives are also ultra light which can make working with them much easier when you have a lot of chopping and cutting to do. Their light weight also makes them more nimble when you need to nip and slice at something.
Ceramic knives are easier to care for than stainless steel knives. Since they contain no metal they will never rust and they don’t readily react with anything that will damage the blade. The material is also not porous and won’t harbor bacteria like a metal blade can.
Metal blades can oxidize foods when cutting them causing them to turn brown faster than normal. A metal blade can also leave a metallic taste on food which a ceramic blade will never do.
Ceramic Knife Pros
- Sharper than steel knives
- Maintains its sharpness 10x longer
- Does not rust
- Does not oxidize foods
- Extremely light
Ceramic Knife Problems and Issues
Unfortunately there are some problems with ceramic blades you should be aware of before you take the plunge. The most serious problem to be aware of is that ceramic is brittle and prone to chipping and breaking. You’ll need to treat your ceramic knife with respect and care to prevent it from getting ruined. You should never twist it while cutting and you should never attempt to cut hard things like bones. Deboning should be left to the stainless steel knives.
While ceramic blades will remain sharp for far longer than metal blades, they will eventually need to be sharpened. When this happens you won’t be able to use regular knife sharpeners. A diamond sharpener is the on thing that you can use to sharpen a ceramic blade. Ceramic is so hard that it will damage a regular knife sharpener. Kyocera, a premium ceramic knife manufacturer offers its customers the option to send their knives back to the company when they need sharpening. They only charge a few dollars for this service. When returned your knives will be as good as they were when new.
Ceramic Knife Cons
- Ceramic is more fragile than steel
- Requires a diamond sharpener for sharpening
- Care needs to be taken when cutting to prevent cracking or chipping the knife
Ceramic Coated Knives vs True Ceramic Knives
Beware that many cheap knives you may see for sale, even from reputable companies, may be merely ceramic coated and not true ceramic knives. This isn’t some sort of bait and switch tactic on their part exactly but it is confusing. Ceramic coated knives are designed to be more colorful and more non stick than a metal knife but they don’t provide the benefits of a true ceramic blade. Whether the confusion is intentional or not seems to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. They all do usually clearly state that the knives are ceramic coated metal knifes in their marketing material but some are a bit more obscure to find than others. If you’re not paying attention you could end up with a product that is nothing like what you intended to buy.
Best Ceramic Knives:
Kyocera Advanced Ceramics Knives
Kyocera is the leader in the ceramic kitchen knife field. Kyocera is a company that is primarily focused on ceramics and perfecting ceramic technology. While Kyocera is known more in America as an electronics company they name Kyocera is a combination of their home of Kyoto and Ceramics.
Kyocera ceramic knives get high marks for their sharpness and more importantly their durability. Ceramic is brittle and prone to chipping and breakage. Kyocera has perfected their manufacturing process to produce a strong ceramic knife. While still not as durable as a metal knife, a Kyocera ceramic knife is the most robust ceramic kitchen knife you can buy today.
Since sharpening ceramic knives is so difficult due to the hardness of ceramics, Kyocera offers the option to send in your ceramic knives for resharpening. While you won’t need to sharpen your ceramic knives very often since the edges hold up many times longer than steel, it’s nice to know that for a few dollars you can send your knife in for sharpening when it eventually needs to be freshened up.
While you’ll pay a premium compared to some other ceramic knives on the market, you’ll be getting the best and most durable ceramic knife and that is worth a few extra dollars to help prevent ruining a knife prematurely.
Best Budget Ceramic Knives:
IMORI Advanced Ceramics Knives
There are a lot of inexpensive ceramic knives available on the market. Many are simply steel knives with a ceramic coating which gives you none of the benefits of a true ceramic knife aside from possibly not oxidizing food when cutting. Although the sharp edge will expose some metal so there is still some oxidation that is going to inevitably happen.
The IMORI Advanced Ceramics Knives are true ceramic knives available at a ridiculously low price compared to the Kyocera knives. They are super sharp and reasonably durable considering the price point. If you are extra careful with these knives they should do a respectable job in your kitchen.
Customers of all ceramic knives complain of knives breaking when they try to treat them as roughly as they would a metal knife but customer reviews revealed a higher than average rate of breakage. That said, many customers were very pleased with this knife set. For the money it is a reasonably alternative since you could buy a few sets of these before you reach the cost of the Kyocera knife set.
If you’re curious to give ceramic knifes a go but not willing to take the plunge on the much more expensive Kyocera knives then the IMORI knife set is a great alternative.
Additional Information:
Things To Keep In Mind
Do ceramic knives stay sharp?
Ceramic knives stay sharp up to 10 times longer than traditional metal knives. This is because the ceramic material is almost as hard as diamond which makes it extremely durable at its edge.
Do you need to sharpen a ceramic knife?
Eventually yes but not nearly as often as metal knives. Ceramic knives can go for years without needing to be sharpened.
Do ceramic knives break?
Ceramic is a brittle material and ceramic knives can break when not used properly. Ceramic knives shouldn’t be used for deboning or cutting hard objects. They are ideal for cutting vegetables, fruits, deboned meats, and other soft items. You shouldn’t twist or unusually force a ceramic knife when cutting as it can put stress on the blade and cause it to chip or break.
Do ceramic knives stick to magnets?
Unfortunately no. This means that your magnetic knife holder won’t be an option for a ceramic knife. You’ll need to find a universal knife block or purchase a knife that comes with a knife block or sleeve to protect and store it.
Do ceramic knives rust?
No. There is no metal in the blade of a true ceramic knife so you’ll never have to worry about the blade rusting. Also, since there is no metal in a ceramic it won’t oxidize foods when cutting them or leave a metallic flavor in the food.
Wrapping Up:
Differences Between Steel & Ceramic Knives
Ceramic knives are great tools to have in your kitchen. When it comes to a ceramic knife or a steel knife, ceramic is a clear winner for most jobs in the kitchen. They aren’t meant to replace your stainless steel knives but they are meant to enhance the selection of knives that you have. A good ceramic knife provides a lot of great benefits that make them worth having in addition to a good set of stainless steel knives. If you want the best at a reasonable price then Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Knives are the way to go. Kyocera is the king of ceramic blades. If you’re looking for a budget friendly option to allow you to find out first hand what the ceramic blade hype is all about then the IMORI Advanced Ceramics knives are a good pick. If we didn’t answer one of your questions about ceramic knives ask us in the comments below.
