Ceramic knives have been very popular with professional chefs on television and off for some years now. Many people are going with the fad and buying a ceramic knife now that they are available outside the professional culinary arena. Still, before you take the plunge and buy a ceramic knife, you should make sure that it will be right for your needs.

Practical Functionality

Undoubtedly, the most touted feature of ceramic ceramic canister kitchen knives are their ability to retain the sharpness of their cutting edges for a long time. This is because they are made of a very hard material called zirconia. Since zirconia is much harder than steel, a ceramic knife will hold it’s sharpness much longer than a comparatively soft forged steel knife. However, this doesn’t make ceramic knives the ideal knife for all round use. It is strongly recommended that you limit your use of ceramic knives to the cutting of fruit, vegetables, and boneless meat. Many ceramic knives have been known to chip if used on frozen foods or in chopping or prying applications. Also, take care in the everyday handling of your ceramic knife as it is will certainly break if dropped.

Price

A good ceramic knife can cost between 45 and 200 dollars as compared to steel kitchen knives that usually range between 20 and 100 dollars. While there are a few companies that sell cheaper ones, they have been found to supply low quality knives which chip easily. A ceramic knife is one of those items where the saying “Good isn’t cheap and cheap isn’t good” holds true. A higher price equals a higher quality, more durable ceramic knife.

Sharpening

Though it will take a long while to happen, a ceramic knife will eventually become dull. When this happens there are two options. The first is to sharpen the knife yourself and the other is to send the knife in to the factory for sharpening. If you choose self sharpening, you will need a diamond knife sharpening rod. These can usually be purchased for between 30 and 70 dollars. The process itself requires a good deal of care and precision and so many people opt for the second sharpening option. Factory sharpening means that the manufacturer will take your knife and sharpen it professionally for a small fee.