What Is A Ceramic Knife Used For Exactly? (2021 Guide)

Made from extraordinarily hard and hard-wearing material called Zirconia, ceramic knives are made incredibly thin, lightweight, and have long edge retention. Because of all those reasons, it has become a huge favorite among home cooks, favoring this over the conventional steel blades.

For hundreds of years, steel has hogged the cutlery – especially when it comes to knives – industry primarily because no other material could top its properties in bladesmithing.

That has dramatically changed when ceramic started to be used for knife making.

Zirconia, the raw material used in the ceramic knife-making process, has an 8.5 rating on the Mohs scale. Diamond is graded 10. Steel is rated 4.5 to 8, depending on the type.

Aside from its incredible hardness, ceramic does not conduct electricity (note: at room temp), is not magnetic, is resistant to acid, alkali, and other caustic substances, and retains its cutting edge for longer.
But it does have its downsides.

Learn more about this below…

What is it?

It is a knife that consists of a ceramic blade.

This blade is typically made from zirconium dioxide.

The manufacturing process of these knives is different from the other steel knives.

In the first step of their formation, the dry-pressing and firing of the powdered zirconia take place, using solid-state sintering.

In simple words, after going through various chemical processes the final blade attains the shape of the strong blade that has the harder edges and stays sharper for longer as compared to the conventional steel knives.

Thus, we can say that these ones are steel knives but their blades are much stronger than normal steel knives.

However, it is worth mentioning that the blades are stronger than steel knives, but are comparatively more brittle as well.

It clearly means that you cannot use them for cutting frozen items and bones.

It is due to the brittleness of the blade.

Thus, you should bear in mind that these blades are not the alternatives of the meta; kitchen knives.

However, they are better than steel knives for the dicing of fruits and vegetables.

One of the best things here is that if you use them correctly, they will require little maintenance.

Pros

Having a look at the benefits of these knives will give you a clearer idea of why you should go for them.

So let’s get started.

They are portable, lightweight, and easy to handle.
It is due to this reason you can take them anywhere with you to perform the dicing tasks more efficiently and effectively than the steel knives.
One of the stunning features of these knives is that the blades are extraordinarily thin.
This feature makes them ideal for cutting tasks.
Fine and beautifully cut pieces of fruits and vegetables are not only the vital components of the salads but also enhance the appetite of the vegetarians.
As we know that the blades are very thick, which simply means that the sharpness of the blade is much more than steel knives.
This feature of these knives makes them work for longer.
Thus, you do not need to worry about the sharpness issues for a longer period.
The use of these knives is very hygienic because the blades do not have any kinds of pores and thus prevent the entry of the bacteria.
After going through a wide range of chemical processes, the blades become stainless, and will never stain.
You may have observed that the oxidation process occurs very quickly when you cut the fruits using steel knives.
It is because the steel knives transfer the ions to the material which is cut.
On the other hand, they do not transfer the ions from the fruits and vegetables during the process of cutting.

Now it is time to look at the other side of the story as well.

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Cons

As discussed earlier, the ceramic is not as strong as the steel.
Being a brittle material, you should not bend to fold the blade of this knife.
The twisting of the ceramic blades causes them to break so easily.
You will need to protect these knives from falling because they are not durable and the blades may break if the knife is dropped.
It is due to this reason, the manufacturers strictly advise to prevent the knife from chipping as well.
It can easily get chipped if you keep it in the dishwasher.
Although, the edge lasts longer than the steel knives, however, it is very difficult to sharpen the edges.
In case, the blade needs sharpening, you should either go to the professional knife sharpener or buy the new knife at all.
Unlike steel knives, these ones can only perform specific functions.
You cannot use them in your kitchen to cut the pieces of meat that have bones as well.
Thus, even if you want to cut the whole chicken, you need to use the steel knife for this purpose.
You cannot use this knife for the cutting of frozen food.
If you do this, the blade may break.

Well, now you have read about the disadvantages of having ceramic knives, it should not distract you from buying this knife, however, it will help you to follow the safety rules.

Care and maintenance tips

Here are few pro tips that will help you in keeping it efficient for longer.

Use this knife only for the up and down cutting tasks.
For twisting tasks, the steel knives are better.
As the blade is not durable and can be broken easily, you should not use this knife for the crushing of the materials either.
These knives cannot remain as functional if you keep them with other knives in the knife stand.
Thus, you should place them in a separate box or protective case.
Do not keep these knives in the dishwasher otherwise, they will be chipped.
Make sure to wash them by hand.
Sometimes, the high water pressure causes the touching of the blade with other materials, causing them to break.

Do they come in blocks?

Yes, they do.

And these are the special protective cases designed particularly for ceramic knives.

If you keep the knives in this block, it will serve as the protective covering for the brittle blade.

In case, you are unable to find the block, you can store the knife in the wooden or bamboo block when the knife is not in use.

Here you might be wondering,

Is it necessary to keep the blades in the ceramic block only? What if I consider other protective options?

The answer is yes, you can use other versatile options that will allow the knife to sit on the counter, hang on the wall, or fit anywhere separately in the kitchen drawer.

Thus, if you are conscious about the care and maintenance, you can find a place to store it.

FAQ’s

My ceramic knife got baked in the dish and chipped. Is it toxic for the dish to have fragments of the ceramic blade?

It is important to remove the blade fragment from the dish.

However, the chipping of the ceramic blade does not make the knife toxic.

So, if you are encountering this problem, do not worry, you have not lost your dish.

Just wash it thoroughly using high-quality detergent.

My blade has been chipped slightly from one side. Should I continue to use it or discard it?

I never recommend the people use the chipped ceramic blade.

No matter how many areas of the blade are chipped, you should immediately discard the knife and buy the new one.

I have heard that ceramic is a stronger material than aluminum. Is it true?

It is true that ceramic is harder than aluminum and can scratch the aluminum pans.

However, we advise you not to use the ceramic knife on the aluminum surface.

Thus, the best solution is to cut the food items before you put them in the pan.

In this way, you can keep your aluminum pans safe.

It is possible to use the blade on frozen chocolate or ice-cream?

Yes, you can use this type of knife to cut the frozen chocolates and ice-creams.

Final Verdict

Although the steel knives do not break easily, various steel knives are made up of low-quality material and come in poor quality.

However, ceramic knives are specialized knives and they reach us after passing through a series of chemical and physical processes.

Thus, almost all of them come to us with high-quality and never rust or corrode.

If you still have questions about the usage of ceramic knives, you can ask them directly in the comment section below.

Ryan Leavitt

Hi my name is Ryan Leavitt a Marine Corps Veteran and currently an over the road trucker (Long Haul). I am no expert chef but am enjoying preparing my own meals on the road and testing all the different knives.