How to Judge Value: The Best Bread Knife Cheap Enough for Any Kitchen

A bread knife is one of the few kitchen knives where spending less rarely costs you much. It has no fine edge to keep up, it does one job, and the knives that win independent reviews are often the plain, plastic-handled ones sold to restaurants. In a Mexican kitchen that job is splitting bolillos and teleras for tortas, slicing a pan de muerto or a tres leches cake, and cutting ripe tomatoes that a straight blade would squash.

This guide looks only at the entry tier of each maker’s range: the plain-handled, stamped or simply made bread knives rather than the forged or Japanese showpieces. We do not quote prices, because they change daily on Amazon. Instead we explain what makes a cheap bread knife good value, using makers’ specifications, the Amazon listings and America’s Test Kitchen’s published bread knife review.

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Quick verdict: which cheap bread knife to buy

The table shows our five standout picks, one for each kind of cook. All eight knives are reviewed in full below it.

Five budget bread knives side by side

Blade and care for our five standout picks, as each maker or Amazon listing states them.

Product images from Amazon. Specifications as stated by each maker or Amazon listing; usable blade length and serration counts are America’s Test Kitchen’s measurements. Check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best bread knife cheap enough for any kitchen

These eight knives are the entry-level bread knives from established makers: two from Mercer, one each from Victorinox, Henckels, Winco, Kuhn Rikon, Cuisinart and KitchenAid. They cover long and short blades, a curved blade, an offset knife and three knives that come with a cover for the drawer. We judged them on the same things we would ask of a pricier knife, and on the things that decide value over years rather than on the day you buy: usable length, care, and what the maker promises if something goes wrong.

How to judge value in a cheap bread knife

Because a bread knife is rarely sharpened and does one job, the gap between a cheap one and an expensive one is smaller than with a chef’s knife. These are the points that decide whether a budget knife is a bargain or a false economy.

1. Usable blade length comes first

America’s Test Kitchen measured usable length, the serrated part you can actually cut with, and its testers wanted at least 8.5 inches of it so the knife spans a large loaf in one stroke. A 10-inch knife clears that easily; most 8-inch knives do not. If you only buy one knife, buy the long one: a long blade does everything a short one does, but not the other way round.

2. Fewer, taller teeth

ATK found that tall, pointed serrations bite into crust better than short or scalloped ones, and that its best knives had roughly 29 to 34 serrations, with blades of more than four per inch struggling to grip. Few budget listings state a count, so look at the photo: widely spaced, distinct teeth are a good sign.

3. Care you will actually follow

A knife you can put in the dishwasher is worth more to a busy household than one you will put in anyway and void the warranty. Victorinox, Henckels and KitchenAid say theirs can go in the dishwasher (KitchenAid says top rack only). Mercer says hand wash only, and the restaurant brands often do not say. Hand washing and drying at once is still kinder to any edge.

4. A stated warranty

A lifetime warranty against defects is the closest a cheap knife comes to a guarantee of value. Victorinox, Henckels and Mercer state one on these listings. Where a listing says nothing, assume nothing.

5. Straight, curved or offset

ATK’s testers had no strong preference between curved and straight blades: curved gives leverage for rocking cuts, straight is a touch easier to guide. Offset knives give knuckle room but often have shorter usable blades. For a first knife, straight or curved and long; add an offset knife later if you make a lot of sandwiches.

6. Storage

Long serrated blades are awkward in a drawer, and loose teeth get chipped. If you have no block or magnetic strip, a knife with a sheath or cover, like the Kuhn Rikon, KitchenAid or Cuisinart, protects both the edge and your fingers.

How we picked these eight budget bread knives

We started from what a kitchen asks of a bread knife: splitting crusty rolls for tortas without crushing them, slicing large loaves evenly, cutting ripe tomatoes and cakes, and staying comfortable through a stack of sandwiches. We then limited the field to the entry tier of each maker’s range: plain-handled and stamped knives rather than forged, Damascus or premium lines. We kept only knives from identifiable makers that showed as in stock on Amazon in the United States when we checked, and confirmed each specification against the maker’s Amazon listing. Where a listing is silent we write “Not stated”.

We read America’s Test Kitchen’s serrated bread knife review and cite its measurements by name, and we say when ATK reviewed a different size or did not review a knife at all. We do not quote prices because they change; we explain instead how to judge value. We have not used these knives ourselves for this guide. We left out Dexter-Russell’s scalloped bread knives and the 10.25-inch Swiss Classic, which showed low stock, the Tojiro bread knife, which was not available to ship, and Victorinox’s 10.25-inch Fibrox, which ATK rated Highly Recommended but which was out of stock or low in stock when we last checked. The black-handled Mercer 10-inch leads our main guide, so we link the gray-handled version here.

Bread knife on a budget: questions, answered

What is the best inexpensive bread knife?

For most kitchens, the Mercer Millennia 10-inch with the gray handle. The black-handled version won ATK’s review, with 9.2 inches of usable blade, and the listing gives a limited lifetime warranty. Wash it by hand.

Is a cheap bread knife worth it?

Usually, yes. ATK’s winning bread knife is one it describes as an inexpensive industry favorite, and two of its Highly Recommended knives are Victorinox’s plain-handled models. What you give up at the low end is mostly looks and, on some listings, published detail.

What should a bread knife on a budget have?

At least 8.5 inches of usable blade if you cut large loaves, tall and well-spaced teeth, a grippy handle and a stated warranty. Dishwasher safety and a cover are pluses.

Is an 8-inch bread knife long enough?

For rolls, baguettes, sandwich loaves and cakes, yes. For a large round sourdough or a wide pan de muerto, ATK’s guideline of 8.5 inches of usable blade suggests a 10-inch knife is the better buy.

Can you sharpen a cheap serrated bread knife?

A serrated edge stays useful for a long time because the points do most of the work. When it does go dull it needs a tapered sharpening rod or a sharpening service rather than a standard whetstone, and on a budget knife many cooks simply replace it.

Our final pick for a bread knife on a budget

If you buy one inexpensive bread knife, make it the Mercer Millennia 10-inch with the gray handle: long, the same model number as ATK’s winner, and covered by a limited lifetime warranty. Add the Mercer Millennia 8-inch or the Winco offset if you cut a lot of rolls and tortas, and choose the Kuhn Rikon Colori if your knives live in a drawer.

For forged and premium knives, see our full guide to the best bread knife. If you would rather spend more on Japanese steel, our best Japanese bread knives guide covers that end of the market, and our electric bread knife guide covers the powered option.

A bread knife is one part of a working kitchen; our Mexican cooking tools guide covers the rest of the kit. And when you would rather someone else built the torta, see the menu or call to order.