Best Bread Knife: 7 Picks for Crusty Sourdough, Soft Loaves and Cakes

Knives Task is reader-supported: if you buy through a link on this page, we may earn a small Amazon commission at no extra cost to you. That never changes which knives we recommend.

A good bread knife saws through a hard sourdough crust without squashing the soft crumb inside. It also handles tomatoes, cakes and sandwich loaves better than any straight-edged knife.

You don’t need to spend much to get a great one. What matters most is a blade long enough for your loaves and serrations that grip instead of tear.

Our Picks at a Glance

Pick	Best for	Blade
Mercer Millennia 10″ Wide Wavy Edge	Best overall / best value	10″, wavy, stamped
Wüsthof Classic 9″ Double-Serrated	Best premium	9″, forged
Mercer Millennia 9″ Offset	Sandwiches, bagels	9″, offset
Tojiro F-687 Bread Slicer	Large loaves, Japanese steel	270 mm (about 10.6″)
Dalstrong Gladiator 10″	Heavier feel, bigger hands	10″, full tang
Henckels Classic 7″	Baguettes, small loaves	7″, forged
TYOARO 16″ Bread Bow	Very wide boules	Bow-saw style

How we chose: we haven’t lab-tested these knives side by side. We compared blade length and shape, steel, construction (forged or stamped), handle design and the makers’ published specifications, and we favored models with a long track record and consistent owner feedback over newer, unproven listings.

The Best Bread Knives

1. Mercer Millennia 10-Inch Wide Wavy Edge — Best Overall

Best for: most home bakers who want one bread knife that simply works.

This is the bread knife you’ll find in a lot of professional kitchens, mostly because it’s inexpensive and does the job well. The 10-inch blade crosses most homemade loaves in a single stroke.

Its wide, wavy serrations bite into a hard crust without ripping a soft crumb. The blade is high-carbon Japanese steel, and the textured handle stays grippy with floury hands.

What we like:

• Long enough for most loaves
• Wavy edge is kind to soft bread
• Very affordable

What to consider:

• Stamped and lightweight, so it feels utilitarian
• Plastic handle won’t impress on a magnetic strip

Check the current price of the Mercer Millennia 10″ bread knife on Amazon →

2. Wüsthof Classic 9-Inch Double-Serrated — Best Premium

Best for: cooks who want a forged bread knife that matches a German knife set.

Wüsthof’s Classic line is forged in Solingen, Germany, with a full tang and a triple-riveted synthetic handle. It feels solid and balanced in a way stamped knives don’t.

The double-serrated edge puts small teeth inside larger ones. That design grips hard crusts quickly while still slicing cleanly through the soft middle.

What we like:

• Forged, full-tang build
• Excellent balance and finish
• Lasts for decades with care

What to consider:

• Costs several times more than the Mercer
• 9 inches is a little short for very wide boules

Check the current price of the Wüsthof Classic double-serrated bread knife on Amazon →

3. Mercer Millennia 9-Inch Offset Wavy Edge — Best for Sandwiches

Best for: halving sandwiches, bagels and anything you slice right down to the board.

An offset blade sits lower than the handle, so your knuckles clear the cutting board at the end of each cut. That makes thin, even slices to the bottom of a loaf far more comfortable.

It shares the wavy edge and textured handle of our top pick. Many delis use offset knives for exactly this reason.

What we like:

• Knuckle clearance on every cut
• Great for sandwiches and bagels
• Inexpensive

What to consider:

• Offset shape takes more drawer space
• Short for very large boules

Check the current price of the Mercer Millennia 9″ offset bread knife on Amazon →

4. Tojiro F-687 Bread Slicer 270 mm — Best for Large Loaves

Best for: bakers who make big loaves and like a thin, light Japanese blade.

Tojiro is a respected Japanese maker, and this long, slim slicer is a favorite among home bakers. The 270 mm blade (about 10.6 inches) handles wide sourdough boules easily.

Because the blade is thin and light, it glides rather than wedges through a loaf. It’s a big step up from cheap serrated knives without reaching premium German prices.

What we like:

• Long blade for wide loaves
• Thin and light — glides through crust
• Good value for a Japanese knife

What to consider:

• Long blade needs a long drawer slot or guard
• Plainer handle than forged rivals

Check the current price of the Tojiro F-687 bread slicer on Amazon →

5. Dalstrong Gladiator Series 10-Inch — Best for Bigger Hands

Best for: cooks who prefer a heavier knife with a chunky handle.

If the Mercer feels too light, the Dalstrong is the opposite. It has a full-tang, high-carbon German steel blade and a thick G10 handle that fills larger hands.

The extra weight helps it power through very hard crusts. It also ships with a blade guard for safer drawer storage.

What we like:

• Substantial, confident feel
• Comfortable for large hands
• Includes a blade guard

What to consider:

• Pricier than the Mercer
• Weight can tire you on lots of soft bread

Check the current price of the Dalstrong Gladiator bread knife on Amazon →

6. Henckels Classic 7-Inch — Best Compact Pick

Best for: baguettes, rolls, small sandwich loaves and cakes.

This is a forged, full-tang knife with a traditional triple-riveted handle. The shorter blade is easy to steer for precise jobs.

It’s ideal for torting a cake into layers or slicing a baguette on the bias. It also fits in drawers and blocks where longer knives won’t.

What we like:

• Forged and well balanced
• Precise control
• Fits smaller drawers and blocks

What to consider:

• Too short for wide sourdough loaves
• Not the best value per inch of blade

Check the current price of the Henckels Classic 7″ bread knife on Amazon →

7. TYOARO 16-Inch Wooden Bread Bow — Best for Very Wide Boules

Best for: people who bake large, crusty boules every week.

A bread bow holds a thin serrated blade under tension inside a wooden frame, a bit like a small saw. The long blade crosses even very wide loaves.

The frame also helps you keep slices straight and even. It looks good left out with a bread board.

What we like:

• Handles the widest loaves
• Helps keep slices even
• Attractive on the counter

What to consider:

• Only cuts bread
• Awkward to store
• Blade is hard to resharpen

Check the current price of the TYOARO bread bow knife on Amazon →

How to Choose a Bread Knife

Length: At Least 2 Inches Longer Than Your Loaf

The most useful rule is simple: the blade should be a couple of inches longer than the widest bread you cut. That lets you saw with long, even strokes instead of short jabs that crush the loaf.

For most homes, 9–10 inches is right. Big boule bakers should look at 10 inches or more, while baguette buyers can manage with 7–8 inches.

Wavy vs. Pointed Serrations

Wavy (scalloped) serrations glide through soft bread, tomatoes and cake with very little tearing. Pointed, saw-like teeth bite harder into thick crusts but can shred soft loaves.

Double-serrated edges like Wüsthof’s try to do both. For one all-round knife, wavy serrations are the safer choice — our guide to serrated vs. plain-edge knives explains why.

Offset or Straight Blade

An offset handle keeps your knuckles off the board, which matters when you cut all the way through. A straight blade is easier to store and better for slicing tall loaves horizontally.

Forged or Stamped

Forged knives such as Wüsthof and Henckels Classic feel heavier and more balanced. Stamped knives like the Mercer are lighter, cheaper and, for bread, every bit as effective.

Handle and Weight

Lighter knives are easier to control over a long slicing session. If you have larger hands or reduced grip strength, a thicker, textured handle is usually more comfortable than a slim polished one.

Common Bread Knife Buying Mistakes

• Buying too short. A 7- or 8-inch knife struggles with a big homemade boule, and you end up sawing in short, crushing strokes.
• Choosing aggressive teeth for soft bread. Pointed, saw-like serrations tear sandwich loaves and brioche.
• Paying for a block set to get one. The bread knife in most sets is short and basic; a separate Mercer often cuts better.
• Ignoring the handle. Slicing a whole loaf takes a while, so a slippery or cramped handle quickly becomes tiring.

Bread Knife vs. Other Serrated Knives

A bread knife is the longest serrated knife in most kitchens, usually 8 to 10 inches. A serrated utility knife is shorter, around 5 to 6 inches, and better suited to tomatoes, sandwiches and small rolls.

Serrated steak knives are shorter still and designed for cooked meat on a plate. If you only own one serrated knife, make it a bread knife, because it can do the smaller jobs while the reverse isn’t true.

Which Bread Knife for Which Bread?

Bread	What works best	Our pick
Crusty sourdough boule	10″+ wavy or double-serrated, or a bow	Tojiro F-687 or TYOARO bow
Soft sandwich loaf, brioche	Wavy serrations, light touch	Mercer 9″ Offset
Baguette	Shorter, controllable blade	Henckels Classic 7″
Layer cake	Long, steady blade for level cuts	Mercer 10″ or Wüsthof 9″
Tomatoes and citrus	Fine serrations	Any of our top three

If you’re on a tight budget, either Mercer covers almost every row above. They’re among the least expensive good bread knives you can buy.

How to Slice Bread Without Squashing It

• Let fresh loaves cool completely — warm crumb compresses easily.
• Use long, light strokes and let the serrations do the work.
• Turn very crusty loaves on their side so you start through the softer flank.
• Hold the loaf gently; squeezing it flattens the crumb before you even cut.

How to Care for a Bread Knife

Hand wash it and dry it straight away, because dishwashers dull edges and damage handles. Store it in a block, on a magnetic strip or in a guard so the teeth don’t knock against other tools.

Serrated knives stay useful for years because only the tips of the teeth touch the board. When it finally stops biting, touch up each scallop with a thin tapered rod or use a sharpening service — see how to sharpen kitchen knives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size bread knife is best?

For most kitchens, 9 to 10 inches. Choose a blade at least 2 inches longer than your widest loaf.

Can you sharpen a serrated bread knife?

Yes. Use a tapered ceramic or diamond rod in each serration, then lightly remove the burr on the flat side.

Is a bread knife worth it if I already have a chef’s knife?

Yes. A chef’s knife tends to crush soft loaves and skid on hard crusts, while a bread knife does both jobs better.

How do I slice sourdough without crushing it?

Wait until it’s fully cool and use long, light sawing strokes. Start on the side of the loaf if the top crust is very hard.

Can I use a bread knife to slice meat?

In a pinch, yes — it will slice a roast or a sandwich-ready brisket. Serrations tear meat fibres, though, so a straight-edged carving knife gives cleaner, juicier slices.

How long does a good bread knife last?

With hand washing and sensible storage, many years — often a decade or more. Serrated edges dull slowly because only the tips of the teeth meet the board.

Are bread knives good for left-handed people?

Many serrated knives are sharpened on one side only, which can make the cut drift. Lefties may prefer a bow knife or a symmetrical edge, and slowing down helps keep slices straight.

Related: best chef’s knife for home cooks · best paring knives · what knives every kitchen should have