Bodum Ceramic Knife Review
Friday, January 10, 2014
Can you say ceramic knives!? Okay well maybe that's a little overkill on the excitement scale but they are a pretty cool thing. I've never done a review before so I will give it my best try. Supposedly these knives are the latest and greatest addition to the cooking world. Everyone is talking about them and anyone who does lots of chopping pretty much wants one.
A little bit of information on the what and the how that I've gathered from mainly good 'ol Wikipedia. They are made out of (you guessed it) ceramic or a more detailed term zirconia powder. To make the actual blade this powder is dry pressed and then fired. Then to sharpen it up a "diamond-dust-coated grinding wheel" grinds at the edges. That's right I said diamond dust which actually sounds like it'd make good fairy dust! ;)
I am going to do a little list of the pros and cons and then I'm just going to speak from personal experience about these beautiful but scary knives.
Pros:
- Extremely Sharp - is rated an 8.5 in hardness, which lands between a 7.5 for steel and a 10 for diamond
- Long Lasting Blade Edge - 'cause of the hardness having to sharpen one of these is a rarity
- Non-Corrosive - withstands acidic and other harsh conditions
- Never Rusts - back to the non-corrosive nature...no metal to oxidize
- Light Weight - extremely light, probably about half the weight of a comparable stainless knife
- available in a variety of sizes and types
Cons:
- Fragile - it's not recommend to use for cutting frozen food, bones, etc. - it easily chips
- Pricey - some of these can get up to $200 for just one knife
- Sharpening - although there is rumor of an at home sharpening tool but for now you have to send it back to the factory
I am going to briefly touch on some of the bullets above and I'll start with the cons. I've mentioned sharpening as a con but remember these knives could stay sharp and cut like butter through most things for a year or longer and I'm sure that it won't be long until they figure out a way so you can sharpen your own knife at home. As for price you just have to shop around. Generally a common price I've seen these knives around is $100 but I was able to get mine with the fitting case for $20 at J. C. Penny during an after Christmas sales.
Fragility is a concern for me because it is true that they are very fragile. You could be scraping aside some scraps of food on a cutting board and it could get a crack in it which at some point will most likely lead to a chip like the one pictured. Now I compared my knife to my parents and mine seems a bit thicker and I hope this means it is less brittle. I've also seen that they have some dark gray/black ones that have gone through an extra step in the production process that makes it stronger as well. So it definitely seems they are working on that problem as well.
As for the pros it is pretty much an amazing knife to use!! Even the sharpest, and newest stainless steel or other metal knife (at a comparable price) doesn't even come close to cutting as well as this knife! In fact, my parents have had theirs for a little over a year and I would say that it cuts pretty much just as good as my new one and it's never been sharpened. It is uber light and just fun to work with in the kitchen. You just have to be careful because the very first time I used mine I cut my finger from trying to wipe some food that was sticking to it off. I say it'd definitely be worth your investment and you don't have to go with the most expensive best brand out there. It will still be a great knife! If you are interested in buying one click on the amazon link below! To read more reviews here is a link that I found to a website that is only about ceramic knives!
1 comments
Excellent knives! But they are wicked sharp so you need to be extra cautious with handling/washing.
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