Ceramic knife blades are made from a very hard ceramic material called zirconium oxide. A blade retains its original sharpness ten times longer than its steel counterpart. Impressive spiciness and chemical inertness are the main reasons for their growing popularity.
Because a ceramic blade is chemically inert, it does not react with acidic or alkaline foods. Fruits and vegetables cut with a ceramic knife stay fresh longer than those cut with a steel knife. Finally, the ceramic does not transfer odors or leave a rusty taste or smell on your food as a metal knife would.
Ceramic Knife vs Stainless Steel
Although ceramic knives are considered the sharpest knives in the world, they are also more delicate than regular steel knives. These knives should be handled with care as they are very fragile and are limited to cutting soft foods. For more difficult things, you may still need to use your old steel knife.
If this is your first time using a ceramic knife, getting used to the light feel and following all the necessary precautions may take some time. Read the instructions to take good care of your knives and avoid damage and accidents.
How to Cut Food with a Ceramic Knife
- A ceramic blade should not be twisted or bent because it cannot bend and return to its original shape like an ordinary steel knife. Do not use enormous force when cutting, otherwise the blade may break. Always cut with straight-cutting movements and avoid putting pressure on the side of the blade. Do not use the blade as a chopper.
- You must be extra careful when using ceramic knives because the blades are extremely sharp and you can easily cut your fingers without even realizing it. Hold it by the handle and keep your fingers away from the sharp edge. Always cut away from the body. Be careful when children are around as these knives can cause serious injury.
What Are Ceramic Knives Good for?
Knives with ceramic blades are less consumable than ordinary steel knives but are excellent for cutting soft foods such as fresh fruits, tender vegetables, boneless meats, and soft fish fillets.
They glide through soft foods without a struggle, making it possible to achieve perfectly thin slices. You can use ceramic knives on all fruits and vegetables except those with hard skin. A thin ceramic blade goes through the slippery tomato skin with minimal resistance cutting extra-thin slices without smashing.
Cell walls experience reduced damage due to the lower pressure needed for cutting. Thus, your fruits, especially apples, and bananas will not discolor fast, which allows you to create eye-catching fruit arrangements. You also won’t shed tears when dicing onions like when using an ordinary metal knife.
Be careful when cutting dense vegetables such as carrots and cabbages because any type of twisting motion could chip the blade.
Since the acids in food do not attack the blade, you can safely use ceramic knives for foods containing vinegar or tomatoes, as well as for cutting citrus fruits.
You can precisely cut through boneless meat and fish and make the pieces as thin as you like. These knives are also good for removing fat from meat.
5 Things You Shouldn’t Do with Your Ceramic Knife
Avoid any use that involves twisting and flexing because such motions may damage the cutting edge. Below are some foods and stuff that are not intended to be cut with a ceramic knife.
- Cutting bones: Ceramic knives are not suited to cut through bones because this can affect the edge. The blades are quite brittle and don’t respond well to twisting movements or side-to-side force.
- Cutting frozen food: To prevent damage to the blade, do not cut frozen foods. Cutting through frozen foods will put stress on the blade, causing it to break or chip.
- Chopping: Cutting with a chopping motion is not advised, as well as any task that involves flexing such as carving meat with bone or filleting a fish. Ceramic blades are brittle, and twisting or hard chopping can easily chip them.
- Crushing: Never turn the knife on its side to crush garlic cloves, spices, or other foods because the blade can break.
- Using for tough food: A ceramic knife is not good for cutting tough foods. You should never use it for cutting foods with thick rinds such as pumpkin, winter squash, pineapples, and melons. Don’t use a ceramic knife for slicing block cheese because this task may involve heavy force and cause blade flexing.
Knives with ceramic blades are not supposed to be used for cutting anything besides food. Don’t use them to open plastic packaging or to pry the lids off cans and containers.
Best Cutting Board for Ceramic Knives
Always use a soft cutting board such as silicone or softwood to maintain sharpness and avoid damage. Avoid cutting on glass, granite, and marble cutting boards, as well as other hard surfaces like plates or tiles. Never scrape diced food from the cutting board with the blade of your knife.
How to Clean Ceramic Knives
Ceramic knives are easier to clean and sanitize than their steel counterparts because ceramic is non-porous, stain-proof, and resistant to corrosion, oils, and acids. Ceramic blades will not catch and breed mold or bacteria.
Knives with ceramic blades are not supposed to be washed in a dishwasher because rattling against other utensils will harm the blades.
Clean them with warm water and soap, rinse them, and dry them with a paper towel, or let them dry on a cloth. Don’t use abrasive products for cleaning, to preserve the non-stick property of the blade.
Be careful not to throw ceramic knives into the sink together with metal flatware because the blades are very brittle and can break when knocked against steel flatware or when you accidentally place heavy utensils on them.
Put your knives back in their protective sheet or block holder after drying to keep the blade and your fingers safe.
Are Ceramic Knives Dishwasher-Safe?
Certain brands with plastic handles are considered dishwasher safe, but they should be placed on the top rack without coming into contact with metal utensils. Extreme caution is required when removing it from the dishwasher as there is a risk of injury if you accidentally touch the edge.
How to Store Ceramic Knives
Correctly storing your ceramic knives is essential to maintaining their quality. Knives with ceramic blades must be stored properly to preserve the integrity of the blades and prevent injury. The delicate tip may break if the knife falls on a hard floor surface.
Don’t leave ceramic knives sitting on a kitchen countertop. Also, don’t put them into the drawer with the steel knives because metal tableware can damage ceramic blades. There is also the risk of cutting yourself when you try to reach something in the drawer.
Store your knives in a specially designed knife block or protective case to keep them safe and secure. They often come with an included blade cover for safe storage when not in use.
Look for a good knife holder that keeps your knives safe and accessible. Some knife holders have a removable inside part made of a mass of bristles. The flexible interior keeps knives separated and well-protected.
Do Ceramic Knives Stay Sharp?
When used properly, ceramic blades will hold their edge much longer than steel. Re-sharpening may not be necessary for a couple of years after purchase. Many manufacturers will provide free sharpening services if you send your knives to them.
How to Sharpen a Ceramic Knife
If you prefer to do sharpening work at home, you will need special equipment and some practice. Knife sharpeners for ceramic blades come in the form of a manual device that uses diamond abrasives or an electric device with advanced performance. Both types give you good results, but electric sharpeners are quicker and easier to use. Look for a sharpener that allows you to sharpen more types of knives.
The sharpening process will repair small damage, remove chips, and restore the cutting edge to its original sharpness.
This is a very good article, you definitely want to pay particular attention to the larger cracks. If you suspect any kind of structural damage, I always advise people to contact a structural engineer before getting quotes from foundation repair contractors. The engineer will let you know what needs to be done and that kind of information will save you a lot of money when dealing with contractors.