The Best Ceramic Knives for Your Kitchen

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›

When it comes to cutting a variety of food items, stainless steel knives have always had an unwaveringly strong reputation. However, no one can deny the upkeep required to keep their blades sharp. Those looking for more low maintenance—but still high-quality—knives have turned their attention toward ceramic models.

Made from zirconium oxide (also called zirconia), ceramic knives are significantly harder than stainless steel blades and maintain their sharpness for much longer. Read on to learn more about the factors to consider when choosing the best ceramic knives—and discover some of the top-rated options on the market today.

BEST OVERALL: Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series 5-1/2-in
BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: WACOOL Ceramic Knife Set 3-Piece
BEST PARING: Vos Ceramic Paring Knife – 4 Inches Zirconia Blade
BEST LONG KNIFE: Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series 8-inch
BEST FOR BREAD: Cestari Best Serrated Knife – Tomato Knife
BEST SET: Kyocera Revolution 2 Piece ceramic knife set

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Ceramic Knives

Choosing the best ceramic knives comes down to understanding the features that suit the food they’ll be used to prepare. There is a wide variety of types, lengths, weights, handles, and—of course—blades that impact the effectiveness and efficiency of a ceramic knife on different foods. Read on to learn more about the factors to consider when choosing a ceramic knife.

Type

There are seven main types of ceramic knives: chef’s, santoku, paring, utility, boning, cleaver, and bread. Each type offers distinct features and blade designs that make it unique.

A chef’s knife is the most common type of ceramic knife. It has a slightly curved tip on the end of the blade.
A santoku knife works especially well when using a rapid up-and-down chopping motion.
A paring knife has a small blade suited for precise cutting, peeling, and deveining.
A utility knife has a narrow blade that makes clean cuts. It’s similar to a chef’s knife but slightly smaller.
A boning knife has a narrow and pointed blade for cutting and piercing.
A cleaver knife is the largest type of ceramic knife, designed with a hatchet-style blade.
A bread knife has a serrated blade specifically designed to cut through bread.

Length

Ceramic knives vary in length. A standard knife is about 8 inches from the end of the handle to the tip of the blade. However, they can be as long as 12 inches and as short as 4 inches.

Shorter knives are best for more precise tasks like peeling, dicing, and mincing. Longer knives are great for filleting fish, carving steak, and slicing through thick slabs of meat. Standard knives are useful for most kitchen cutting tasks.

Blade Features

When selecting a high-quality ceramic knife, look for one with features that indicate the blade will remain sharp for a long time. Professional and amateur chefs alike will want a blade that’s resistant to rust and bacterial growth and doesn’t negatively react to oils, salts, and fats. It’s obviously also important that the blade is strong and durable.

Blades are available in different curvatures; some are straight, and others have a slight curve to make chopping and slicing easier. Blades can also have hollows, which are evenly spaced indentations that prevent food particles from sticking to the knife during food preparation.

Edge

There are four different types of blade edges: serrated, straight-edge, single-edge, and double-edge.

Serrated edge blades are jagged to tear through food. They are most common on bread knives.
Straight-edge blades provide a smoother cut for slicing, dicing, and chopping.
Single-edge blades have a slight angle on one side, also referred to as a bevel. They don’t require much effort to sharpen and slice through softer foods like boneless fish and vegetables.
Double-edge blades are angled on both sides. They take longer to sharpen but offer more versatility for a wider variety of cutting tasks.

Weight, Balance, and Control

The weight of a ceramic knife will determine the amount of balance and control the user has over it. Ceramic knives are lighter than stainless steel knives, but certain factors will impact a ceramic knife’s overall weight.

Some blades have distal tapering, which means they grow thinner from the handle to the tip. These knives are naturally lighter and easier to maneuver.

The tang is the part of the blade at the handle end of the knife. When the handle hides the tang, it’s called a hidden tang. When the tang is visible, it’s called a full tang. Full-tang knives are heavier than hidden-tang knives.

Finally, a knife’s bolster will affect its overall weight. The bolster is the small part of the knife that connects the handle to the blade. Knives with a bolster are more balanced and stronger than those without one.

Forged vs. Stamped

Ceramic knives are created either by forging or stamping. When a ceramic knife is forged, its individual units of metal are shaped and compressed under extremely high heat. This process results in well-balanced, highly durable blades that hold their razor-sharpness for a long time.

When a ceramic knife is stamped, it’s made out of a flattened sheet of metal. This process results in more affordable and lightweight blades, but ones that lose their sharpness faster.

Handle

A ceramic knife’s handle can be made from multiple materials, including carbon fiber, stainless steel, fiberglass laminate, aluminum, and titanium. Handles are also available in a variety of colors and styles.

The most important aspects of a knife’s handle are its comfort and stability. A high-quality handle is made with an anti-slip, ergonomic design that makes the knife comfortable to hold while maintaining a secure grip. A well-designed handle will also prevent the user’s knuckles from hitting the cutting board or getting too close to the food being prepared.

Versatility

Every type of ceramic knife has specific cutting tasks for which it’s best suited—and some are more versatile than others.

A chef’s knife is primarily for chopping and dicing fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
A santoku knife is for slicing, dicing, and mincing cheese, meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
A paring knife is also known as a peeling knife and is most suited for peeling, slicing, and coring fruits and vegetables.
A utility knife is for chopping up smaller food items and making more precise cuts.
A boning knife is specifically for piercing through meat, cutting through ligaments, and removing meat from the bone, hence the name.
A cleaver knife is also for cutting meat, but it’s primarily intended for large pieces of soft bone.
A bread knife, as the name suggests, is best for slicing bread.

Knife sets are a great option to consider because they include multiple types of knives for increased versatility and a knife block to protect both the knives and the users when not in use.

Our Top Picks

With the above considerations in mind, it’s time to discover the top picks for the best ceramic knives on the market. These knives are all from reputable brands and made with high-quality materials that can handle a variety of cutting tasks. Read on to learn more about some of the best ceramic knives for the kitchen available today.

Best Overall

Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series 5-1/2-in

See It

The Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series santoku knife makes a versatile addition to any kitchen. With a 5.5-inch blade, it’s the ideal size for most common cutting tasks like slicing fruits, dicing vegetables, and chopping up boneless meats.

This high-quality everyday knife is made of Japan-produced zirconia and will maintain its ultrasharp edge 10 times longer than stainless steel. It’s also lightweight, easy to hold, and clean. Plus, the blade is rust-proof and resistant to acids.

Affordably priced, this knife is available in nine handle colors: black, blue, green, orange, pink, yellow, white, red, and purple.

Best Bang for the Buck

WACOOL Ceramic Knife Set 3-Piece

See It

The WACOOL ceramic knife set includes three knives with different blade lengths: a paring knife with a 4-inch blade, a utility knife with a 5-inch blade, and a chef’s knife with a 6-inch blade. Constructed from a proprietary blend of high-quality zirconia and forged with a cold isostatic pressing process prior to heating, these knives are sharp, strong, and lightweight.

The blades are rust-proof, resistant to chemical leakage, and will not absorb salts, odors, or oils. Plus, these ceramic knives are so sharp that they retain their edges 15 times longer than steel knives.

The WACOOL Ceramic Knife Set is one of the most affordable options on the market and is available in two handle options: multicolored (orange, blue, green) and black.

Best Paring

Vos Ceramic Paring Knife – 4 Inches Zirconia Blade

See It

This Vos high-quality ceramic paring knife is well suited for slicing, dicing, and peeling most vegetables and fruits. Its 4-inch zirconia ceramic blade will remain sharp longer than steel blades and is also resistant to rust, acids, smells, and oils.

The small, dynamic size of this knife makes it extremely lightweight and easy to use. Additionally, the soft handle ensures it is more comfortable to grip for long periods.

This knife includes a green sheath that matches the handle to protect users from the blade when it’s not in use. It’s also an inexpensive option compared to some other ceramic paring knives.

Best Long Knife

Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series 8-inch

See It

This professional chef’s knife from the Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series is a high-quality, robust knife for cutting up large portions of fruits, vegetables, and boneless meat. Constructed with a proprietary ceramic formula made exclusively in Japan, this knife is designed to retain the sharpness of the 8-inch blade 10 times longer than stainless steel blades.

The ergonomic design doesn’t require full-tang, so the handle weighs less and requires less pressure when in use, giving the user more comfort and control. The knife also offers plenty of knuckle clearance to prevent injuries to the user’s hands and fingers.

While the downside of this knife could be the price tag, it’s one of the higher-end models on the market due to the professional capabilities and top-quality construction.

Best for Bread

Cestari Best Serrated Knife – Tomato Knife

See It

The Cestari serrated ceramic knife features a 6-inch blade to slice through some of the toughest items to cut, like bread, tomatoes, meat, and cheese without crushing the interior of the food. Designed to hold its sharp edge 10 times longer than stainless steel, this knife will not require sharpening for a long time. The blade is also resistant to rust and will not negatively react to foods.

Another great feature about this knife is the handle, constructed out of a rubber material and offering a seamless nonslip grip. The ergonomic design makes the knife lightweight and easy to hold, which reduces the muscle fatigue that accompanies repetitive cutting tasks. This knife is reasonably priced and boasts a black satin finish.

Best Set

Kyocera Revolution 2 Piece ceramic knife set

See It

The Kyocera Revolution 2-piece ceramic knife set includes a paring knife with a 3-inch blade and a santoku knife with a 5.5-inch blade—the latter is the “Best Overall” pick on this list. The paring knife is excellent for slicing, dicing, cutting, and peeling fruits and vegetables, while the versatile santoku knife is ideal for most cutting tasks.

Both of these blades are made of Japan-produced zirconia that is rust-proof and resistant to acids. The handle features an ergonomic design that gives the user precise control and comfort. Like all ceramic blades, both knives will maintain their sharpness far longer than stainless steel blades.

Although this set has a higher price point, both knives will make food preparation a breeze. Choose from black or white handles.

FAQs About Ceramic Knives

Now that you’ve learned about the features of the best ceramic knives, read on for some questions about making a selection that suits your needs. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked queries about caring for high-quality ceramic knives and choosing the best ceramic knives for your kitchen.