Ceramic knife: pros and cons, how to sharpen, reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If we talk about items that are in every home, then knives will occupy one of the first places in this list. There is hardly a kitchen that does not have this appliance.

Recently, ceramic knives have become popular. Some praise them, others say they are useless. In this article, we will consider what such a knife is, its disadvantages and advantages.

Historical facts

It is believed that the inventors of ceramic knives were the Japanese. In 1985, they developed a technology that resulted in a strong and sharp tool.

But an undeservedly forgotten fact is that the eighties of the last century were marked by the creation by Soviet scientists of an "eternal" razor, the blade for which was made using a similar technique. But this invention was shelved and forgotten.

For the next twenty-five years after their creation, only professional chefs used ceramic knives, as the material did not impart a metallic flavor to samurai dishes. And only recently they went on sale fora wide range of consumers.

A little about production

The ceramic blade is a high-tech item.

Its name refers not to the material of manufacture, but to the technology:

1. At the initial stage, it provides for the processing of zirconium - the main material - into powder (zirconium dioxide).
2. Then the powder is pressed into shapes - agglomeration.
3. At the next step, the molds are fired at a temperature of one and a half thousand degrees Celsius for two days.
4. Then, transparent thick plates sintered together are hand-sharpened by experts (handmade is expensive) at a special angle.

As a result of this treatment, a ceramic blade can cut a sheet of paper as well as metal.

About aesthetics and ergonomics

Sets of ceramic knives, as well as individual items, are produced in the high-tech style. Most often they have a futuristic appearance, ideally complement the design of a modern kitchen.

It is worth noting that the creators approached with responsibility not only the actual manufacturing technology, but also the implementation of ergonomic qualities.

According to reviews, everyone who takes the tool in hand invariably notes the impeccable shape of the rubberized plastic handle. It fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, its shape and structure are pleasant to the touch. And all this has a positive effect on the mood while cooking.

As for the color scheme,these products are available in only two colors - white and black. Moreover, black ceramic knives, reviews confirm this, are more durable. Therefore, these devices are used mainly by professional chefs, including sushi masters. They are also more expensive than white ones (these are slightly worse in quality). Therefore, the second option is perfect for use in everyday life by the broad masses.

Gourmets who often cook all sorts of meat delicacies can use black ceramic knives.

Which is better

Many people think before buying what is better - ceramic knives or metal.

The whole question is that it makes no sense to compare these tools with each other, they are just different and used differently. It cannot be said that some are better and others are worse.

Here are some simple examples:

1. Metal knife can safely butcher bones, ceramics - in no case.
2. Cans or bottles cannot be opened with a ceramic tool, which can be easily done with a metal knife.
3. Ceramic blade can cut fruits, vegetables or meat fillets into the thinnest plates, which cannot be said about a metal blade.

That is, ceramic tools are designed exclusively for the purpose of cutting products, they perfectly cope with this.

Many people admit that the only significant advantage of ceramic knives is their sharpness. But after all, with regular sharpening of a metal blade, it will also not causecomplaints. That is, for the majority, it is critical that metal needs to be sharpened quite often, but ceramics do not. But in the case of a metal tool, you don’t have to think about its too careful storage and cutting meat into bones.

Key features

Let's look at the list of characteristics that the best ceramic knives have.

The following qualities of ceramic knives attract buyers:

1. Hygienic - do not absorb food odors and do not have their own.
2. Chemically indifferent - do not react with anything.
3. Does not destroy vitamins in foods.
4. Perfectly cut thin and beautiful slices.
5. When used correctly, they remain sharp for a long time (how to sharpen ceramic knives - we will consider further). The first sharpening is required after five years.
6. Light weight, no force needed to cut, no fatigue.
7. Resistant to corrosion.
8. The blade does not oxidize, the material is absolutely harmless to living beings.

Main flaws

Like any material, ceramics has more than just advantages. And the cons of ceramic knives also need to be known.

The list of them is as follows:

1. Ceramic is definitely harder than metal, but less durable. The blade may break even if it hits a soft floor.
2. The longer the blade, the greater the fragility. Therefore, it is advisable to use blades no longer than sixteen centimeters.
3. If onload is applied to the side edge, it collapses. Ceramics cannot withstand blade deflection when cutting.
4. Ceramic knives can crack from extreme temperature fluctuations.
5. The product must not be used to cut hard or frozen foods, apply side pressure or strike.
6. Do not use the appliance on glass and porcelain boards and do not wash in the dishwasher.
7. Quite high cost.

Operating Rules

In order for the products to last as long as possible and less often you have to use a sharpener for ceramic knives, you need to follow certain rules for the operation of such devices.

The list is short:

• Plastic, silicone or wooden cutting boards are allowed for cutting food;
• you need to cut with light smooth movements in the direction "away from you" - at first it will seem inconvenient, and then it will become the only option;
• greens should not be chopped, but cut;
• wash ceramics only by hand, without the use of harsh abrasives;
• in order not to damage the cutting edge, store such knives in a case separately from the rest of the utensils or in a special wooden knife rack.

How to choose the right one

When choosing a set of ceramic knives or one such product, you should follow some rules so that you do not regret the purchase later.

The list is as follows:

• you need to have a clear understanding of the purposes for which you chooseknife;
• before buying, you should pay attention to the fastening of the handle to the blade - it must be welded, not glued (this is found in fakes);
• real ceramic knives have a pure white blade, while replicas have a grey-yellow;
• buy better products with a rubberized handle;
• the knife should lie comfortably in the hand, "merge" with it;
• knives with a blade length of one hundred and twenty-five millimeters are best suited for cutting vegetables and fruits.

Despite the high cost, it is better to choose knives with dark ceramic blades. In the manufacture of their forms, a special dye is added and kept in the oven for a longer time than white ones. They are stronger, but also more expensive.

How to sharpen a ceramic knife

At home, sharpening ceramic knives is a rather difficult task. If, together with the set, the seller offers to buy a tool for self-sharpening at a fabulous price, it is better to refuse. By and large, such an operation should be performed by a master on equipment specially designed for this purpose using suitable tools - diamond pastes or discs. Not every workshop has such a technique. Better get a new knife.

But if you want to sharpen at home yourself, you will have to purchase special tools - sharpeners.

There are two types of these machines:

1. Electric - a device consisting of diamond-coated discs arranged parallel to each otherfriend. For sharpening, the blade of the knife is placed between them. The sharpener has a high cost, but perfectly levels the cutting side of the blade and removes chips.
2. Mechanical - suitable for minimal correction of the cutting side of the blade. Although, according to professionals, manual sharpening allows you to do everything the way you want. This device is difficult to use for beginners - the first type is suitable for them.

If the question arises: “How to sharpen a ceramic knife without a special machine?”, The answer to it will sound like this: this can be done using diamond abrasive belts or diamond bars.

Cost

In order to satisfy all the needs of the hostess in the kitchen for cutting food, it is best to purchase a set of ceramic knives. There is no one universal blade, each one is designed for a specific purpose.

Expensive dark ceramic knives are bought mostly by professionals. For housewives, products with a white blade are perfect for the kitchen.

There are only three manufacturers of ceramic knives in the world - China, Russia, Japan.

Japanese devices with a blade about fourteen centimeters long cost from one and a half thousand rubles, longer models - up to five thousand. The most famous brands are Bergner, Kelli, Frank Moller.

Chinese and Russian models have a much lower price, but you should not buy products cheaper than a thousand rubles.

Customer Reviews

According to customer reviews, it can be noted that most ceramic knives were liked.

Manynote that after the purchase they experienced vague doubts about its appropriateness. The knives seemed very light and not adapted to cooking. But it all turned out to be a matter of habit. When the hand got used to wielding this tool, even cutting small greens ceased to be a problem.

Some consumers note the ideal sharpness of the cutting edge, which allows you to cut tomatoes and citrus fruits into thin slices without crushing them. Onions also do not slip when slicing.

Almost all buyers say that ceramic knives cut slices of bread perfectly - it does not crumble. Meat and fish fillets also shred without problems.

Several reviews say that they decided to save money and bought cheap Chinese knives. After several applications, the sharp part of the blade has chipped.

According to housewives, after two years of use, ceramic tools lose about twenty percent of their sharpness.

Also, a large number of users note that such items must be handled with extreme care - cracks and chips are formed even when cutting raw chicken cartilage.

However, many consumers note that after using ceramic knives, they still opted for metal cooking tools. They came to the conclusion that the metal is more practical, and in the presence of a thin blade also cuts thin slices well. There is only one simple condition left - systematic sharpening.