The Pros and Cons of Ceramic Knives

By: Steve Efren

Have you heard about the recent trend of ceramic knives? Unlike traditional knives which usually have a metal blade, these knives are entirely ceramic. Made of a white ceramic material that is actually harder than steel, these knives have made their way into the kitchens of top chefs and five-star restaurants, as well as the arsenal of the home cook. If you are thinking about buying ceramic knives for your kitchen, be sure to weigh the advantages against the disadvantages.

There are some definite advantages of using a ceramic knife rather than one made of metal. The edge stays sharp for very long, sometimes even through months of constant use. It will effortlessly slice through a wide variety of foods. The ceramic will not rust or become stained by the acids in food.

Most ceramic knives are much lighter in weight than their steel counterparts. While high-end ceramic knives are finely balanced to feel comfortable in your hands, it can take some getting used to. Some cooks find ceramic knives to be much more comfortable to use, while others prefer the feel of metal knives. At about half the weight of a traditional knife, ceramic knives can lead to less strain on your arms and hands, which is a definite benefit for those who spend hours in the kitchen at a time.

While ceramic knives are the latest innovation to hit the market, there are some drawbacks. For one, ceramic knives are more expensive than most steel kitchen knives, because the material used (zirconium oxide) is more expensive than steel. While this may not be a problem for gourmet chefs, you may not be able to afford a full set of ceramic cutlery for your home kitchen. There are very few inexpensive options when it comes to ceramic knives. Few ceramic knives retail at $100 or less, and it is easy to spend $400 or $500 on a good quality ceramic kitchen knife.

Also, the fact that they are made of ceramic means that if dropped, they may become chipped or broken. Ceramic is much more brittle than steel. Though the type of ceramic used for knifemaking means that they are unlikely to shatter, the edge is still rather fragile. You must take special care of these knives, and that means no dropping them into a drawer or trying to cut through bone or frozen foods. If you're accustomed to using your knives as prying tools, even though you shouldn't, you run a very good chance of breaking your ceramic blade.

Perhaps worst of all, there is no way for you to sharpen a ceramic blade. Like all knives, the blade of a ceramic knife will eventually become dulled, despite the strength of the ceramic material. When this happens, you'll have to send your knives back to the manufacturer or simply replace them. Coupled with the high price of ceramic knives, this can get expensive quickly. One of the benefits of knives made of steel is that they are easily sharpened at home using a knife sharpening kit.