A Bread Knife That Is Very Cheap to Buy but Is Known for Good at Cutting Bread and Lasting Years

I know bread knives are probably the cheapest knife you can buy, it’s like the most useless knife in any set. Anyway I’d like to supply a local community centre with good bread knives that they can sell. The centre has been donating bread for years, the free bread is basically half of why the centre exists. But it isn’t sliced and people are struggling, they have this supply of bread but they have to cut it themselves and they are all cutting it with whatever they have. Anyway I’d like just one knife that we can sell at cost, we can demonstrate how to use it, and we can even use it ourselves in the centre kitchen. One knife to rule them all. The same knife we use in promotional photos will be the same knife we sell at cost 10 years from now, everyone will be comfortable with seeing it and the idea of cutting bread with it will seem natural to everyone after a while.

So what knife is that. A plastic handled knife I’m guessing, but which one. And will people need to bring them in for sharpening every now and then? The supply of free bread is never going to end and the more members take the fresher each loaf will be, because bakeries are committed to supplying excess capacity and old stock. If more people took up the bread on the regular then there’d be less need to freeze it, lowering freezer costs too.

It’s important it’s cheap enough that the individual cost feels negligible, but quality enough to last and not have the handle break and injure someone somehow. And it’s better that people cut the bread at home, there’s no need to be opening them and handling them unnecessarily. There’s machines for it but it stops being free. And it’d be nice if it’s some popular design that will be sold for a long time, so promotional photos can be reused for a long time. The knife isn’t for me and my needs, it’s for a whole community of disadvantaged people.

Comments

  • +1
    • They're a little small to slice a loaf which is what I think OP is after. I can't recommend a specific knife but I'd suggest contacting a commercial kitchen supplier and see what they can supply in bulk and for what price.

      Alternatively, and it's probably out of the budget and I have no idea how much they cost but the centre could look at getting a small commercial slicing machine and then supply loaves already sliced.

      • I use it to cut bread. Not a full Vienna style loaf but normal shelf bread size and rolls

        Maybe that brand has a bigger size available ?

        • +1

          I have several of them, it would depend on the size of the loaf and you could turn it and cut it for sure but an actual long bread knife would be easier for a typical size sandwich loaf.

          They do have larger actual bread knives in the range but they get expensive quickly.

    • Yeah I’ve got one of these, pretty good to cut bread

    • I've got a few of these. They come very sharp and stay sharp longer than most other cheap knives.
      But they're not long enough to cut anything wider than a roll or a baguette. I certainly wouldn't recommend these knives for slicing sandwich loaves.

    • DONT DO IT!
      its a steak and tomato knife only!
      using it to cut anything else will void warranty and cause the knife to self destruct

      in 5,4,3,2,1……

    • I have the proper Bread knife version of this and can recommend it. I think I paid $20-30 a few years ago.

      https://victorinox.com.au/cutlery/standard-bread-knife-21cm/

  • +2

    Just buy a $5.00 Bread knife from Kmart? It is all stainless steel so no plastic bits.
    If it breaks then just get a new one, they are so cheap you can replace them whenever.

    • +1

      I did this and i ended up throwing it away because i was sick of carrying it with me to house to house over the last 20 years - it's cutting bread, not concrete - little if any wear and tear on these

      • +2

        The wear and tear probably happens after the knife cuts through the bread and hits whatever the bread is on. Some people cut bread on a countertop or plate or other hard surface which would dull a knife quickly. A plastic or wooden cutting board would be best.

        • +1

          I agree. I've had a cheap supermarket bread knife that I always use on a bamboo cutting board and it's still good after 20 years.

          For OPs purpose, I don't think they will beat the combination of the $5 bread knife K-mart or Supermarket and cheap plastic or bamboo cutting board.

  • +2

    Lightsaber, guaranteed to last a lifetime in a galaxy far far away.

    • +1

      Mandatory toasting included

  • +6

    That title is a rollercoaster.

    • The whole post is a rollercoaster. OP's written more than most people would if they were buying a new car - but it's about a breadknife! 😂

      • I just want to make sure other people do the research right for me.

  • +1

    Have a look at a 10" mercer wide bread knife

    https://www.amazon.com.au/Mercer-Culinary-Millennia-10-Inch-…

  • I'd add that safe storage of the knife might be considered.
    Ours gets thrown in the miscellaneous kitchen utensil drawer and I'm careful not to run my fingers across the blade tossing the drawer for unrelated items.
    IDK - a sheath (that few would use after a while) but more likely an accompanying (cheap) knife block.

  • So this option probably doesn't meet the cheap price requirements ($40) but for the interest of others reading this thread, this is probably the best quality / longest lasting bread knife… it uses the same replaceable blade that are used in bakeries throughout the country (I know because my dad's job is sharpening bakery bread slicer blades). Given the blade in a bakery gets sharpened every 6 months-ish - im guessing with personal use it will be like 30+ years… and you can order a new blade for like $10 anyway.

    https://blackbirdandfox.com.au/products/hasfbk

  • +1

    I would like to attend the bread knife cutting demonstration……I have no idea what I'm doing.

  • you need this
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Commercial-Bread-Slicer-Machine-Bre…

    automatic bread cutting machine!

    • Buy a $1400 bread slicing machine to save $5 buying a Kmart knife - it's the OzBargain way!

  • I have heard people say the Loyal bread knives are decent but I haven't tried one myself. They are pretty cheap for the quality level and used by bakers and pastry chefs…

    this is the 25cm version but i think they go all the way up to 40cm

    https://mydreamcake.com.au/wavy-edge-25cm-knife-with-plastic…

    as bread knives are serrated they usually last a long time, since the cutting edges don't dull on the chopping board when cutting. I'd just make sure they go on a magnetic block or something to stop the blades smacking against each other in a drawer

    may be able to get an account with Loyal directly (they are Australian) and order a few in bulk

  • Enter this and hope they keep repeating the competition daily.

  • make sure they come in left and right handed versions, slicing with the wrong one can tear your bread up

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