If we talk about the objects that are in every house, then the knives will occupy one of the first places in this list. It is unlikely that there is a kitchen in which this appliance is missing.
Recently, ceramic knives have become popular. Some praise them, others say that they are useless. In this article, we will consider what such a knife is, its shortcomings and advantages.
Historical facts
It is believed that the inventors of ceramic knives were Japanese. In one thousand nine hundred and eighty-fifth, they developed a technology that resulted in a durable and sharp tool.
But an undeservedly forgotten fact is that the eighties of the last century were marked by the creation by Soviet scientists of an “eternal” razor, the blade for which was made using a similar technique. But this invention was put on the cloth and forgotten.
Over the next twenty-five years after creation, ceramic knives were used only by professional chefs, since the material did not give the samurai dishes a metallic flavor. And only recently they went on sale for a wide range of consumers.
A little bit about production
Ceramic blade is a high-tech subject.
Its name does not mean manufacturing material, but technology:
- At the initial stage, it involves the processing of zirconium - the main material - into a powder (zirconium dioxide).
- Then the powder is pressed into agglomeration forms.
- In the next step, the forms are fired at a temperature of one and a half thousand degrees Celsius for two days.
- Then transparent thick plates sintered between each other are manually sharpened by specialists (manual work gives a high price) at a special angle.
As a result of such processing, a ceramic blade is capable of cutting a sheet of paper no worse than a metal one.
About aesthetics and ergonomics
Sets of ceramic knives, as well as individual products, are made in the high-tech style. Most often they have a futuristic appearance, perfectly complement the design of a modern kitchen.
It is worth noting that the creators with responsibility approached not only the manufacturing technology itself, but also the implementation of ergonomic qualities.
According to reviews, everyone who takes a tool in his hand invariably notes the impeccable shape of the handle made of rubberized plastic. It fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, its shape and structure is pleasant to the touch. And all this favorably affects the mood during cooking.
As for the color scheme, these products are available in only two colors - white and black. Moreover, black ceramic knives, reviews confirm this, are characterized by higher strength. Therefore, these devices are used mainly by professional chefs, including sushi masters. They are also more expensive than white ones (these are a little worse in quality). Therefore, the second option is perfect for use in everyday life by the masses.
Gourmets, who often cook all kinds of meat delicacies, can use black ceramic knives.
Which is better
Many people consider buying ceramic knives or metal knives before buying.
The whole question is that it makes no sense to compare these tools with each other, they are just different and are used differently. This is not to say that some are better and others are worse.
Here are some simple examples:
- You can safely cut bones with a metal knife, in no case with ceramics.
- You cannot open cans or bottles with a ceramic tool, which can easily be done with a metal knife.
- A ceramic blade can cut fruit, vegetables or meat fillet into the thinnest plates, which can not be said about a metal blade.
That is, ceramic tools are intended solely for the purpose of cutting products, they perfectly cope with this.
Many admit that the only significant advantage of ceramic knives is sharpness. But after all, with regular sharpening of a metal blade, it will also not cause complaints. That is, for most, it is critical that the metal needs to be sharpened quite often, but the ceramics - no. But in the case of a metal tool, you don’t have to think about its overly careful storage and cutting of meat into bones.
Main advantages
Consider the list of characteristics that the best ceramic knives have.
The following qualities of ceramic knives attract customers:
- Hygiene - do not absorb the smells of products and do not have their own.
- Chemically indifferent - do not enter into a chemical reaction with anything.
- Do not destroy vitamins in foods.
- Thin and beautiful slices are perfectly cut.
- When used correctly, they remain sharp for a long time (how to sharpen ceramic knives - we will consider further). The first sharpening is required after five years.
- They are light weight, when cutting, you do not need to use force, there is no fatigue.
- Resistant to corrosion.
- The blade is not oxidized, the material is absolutely harmless to living things.
Main disadvantages
Like any material, ceramics has not only advantages. And the minuses of ceramic knives also need to know.
The list of them is as follows:
- Ceramics are uniquely harder than metal, but less durable. The blade may break off even when hit against a soft floor covering.
- The longer the blade, the greater the fragility. Therefore, it is desirable to use blades with a length of not more than sixteen centimeters.
- If a load is applied to the side edge, it is destroyed. Ceramics cannot withstand blade bending during cutting.
- A ceramic knife can crack from sudden temperature fluctuations.
- The product must not be used for cutting hard or frozen products, exert lateral pressure or beat.
- Do not use the appliance on glass and porcelain boards and do not wash in a dishwasher.
- Fairly high cost.
Terms of Use
In order for the products to last as long as possible and less often had to use a sharpener for ceramic knives, you must follow certain rules for the operation of such devices.
Their list is small:
- for cutting products, it is allowed to use plastic, silicone or wooden boards as a lining;
- you need to cut it with light smooth movements in the direction "from yourself" - at first it will seem uncomfortable, and then it will become the only option;
- greens should not be chopped, but cut;
- wash ceramics only by hand, without the use of hard abrasives;
- in order not to damage the cutting edge, store such knives in a case separately from the rest of the utensils or in a special wooden rack for knives.
How to choose the right
When choosing a set of ceramic knives or one such product, you should adhere to some rules so as not to regret your purchase later.
Their list is as follows:
- you need to have a clear understanding of what purposes the knife is chosen for;
- Before buying, you should pay attention to the fastening of the handle to the blade - it should be welded, not glued (this is found in fakes);
- real ceramic knives have a pure white blade, while copies are gray-yellow;
- buy better products with a rubberized handle;
- the knife should comfortably lie in the hand, "merge" with it;
- knives with a blade length of one hundred twenty-five millimeters are best suited for slicing vegetables and fruits.
Despite the high cost, it is better to choose knives with a dark ceramic blade. During manufacture, a special dye is added to their molds and kept in the oven for a longer time than white ones. They are stronger, but also more expensive.
How to sharpen a ceramic knife
At home, sharpening knives made of ceramics is a rather difficult task. If, along with the kit, the seller offers to buy a tool for self-sharpening at a fabulous price, it is better to refuse. By and large, the master should perform such an operation on equipment specially designed for this with the use of suitable means - diamond pastes or discs. Not every workshop has such a technique. Better to get a new knife.
But if you want to sharpen the house yourself, you will have to purchase special tools - sharpeners.
There are two types of such machines:
- Electric - a device consisting of diamond-coated disks located parallel to each other. For sharpening, the knife blade is placed between them. The sharpener has a high cost, but perfectly evens the cutting side of the blade and removes chips.
- Mechanical - suitable for minimal correction of the cutting side of the blade. Although, according to experts, manual sharpening allows you to do everything the way you want yourself. This device is difficult for beginners to use - the first type is suitable for them.
If the question arises: “How to sharpen a ceramic knife without a special machine?”, The answer to it will sound like this: this can be done using diamond abrasive tapes or diamond bars.
Cost
In order to satisfy all the needs of the housewife in the kitchen for cutting products, it is best to purchase a set of ceramic knives. One universal blade does not exist, each is intended for a specific purpose.
Expensive dark ceramic knives are bought mainly by professionals. Mistresses for the kitchen are perfect products with a white blade.
There are only three manufacturers of ceramic knives in the world - China, Russia, Japan.
Japanese devices with a blade about fourteen centimeters long cost from one and a half thousand rubles, models longer - up to five thousand. The most famous brands are Bergner, Kelli, Frank Moller.
Chinese and Russian models have a much lower price, but you should not buy products cheaper than a thousand rubles.
Customer reviews
According to customer reviews, it can be noted that most ceramic knives liked.
Many note that, after the purchase, there were vague doubts about its appropriateness. The knives seemed very light and not suitable for cooking. But all this turned out to be a matter of habit. When a hand got used to wield this tool, even cutting shallow greens ceased to be a problem.
Some consumers note the ideal sharpness of the cutting edge, which allows you to cut tomatoes and citrus fruits into thin plates without crushing them. The onion also does not slip when slicing.
Almost all buyers say that ceramic knives perfectly cut slices of bread - it does not crumble. Meat and fish fillets are also chopped without problems.
A few reviews say that they decided to save money and bought cheap Chinese knives. After several applications, chips appeared on the sharp part of the blade.
According to the housewives, in two years of use, ceramics lose about twenty percent of their sharpness.
A large number of users also note that it is necessary to handle such items with extreme caution - cracks and chips form even when cutting raw chicken cartilage.
However, many consumers note that after using ceramic knives, they still chose metal cooking tools. They came to the conclusion that metal is more practical, and in the presence of a thin blade it also cuts thin slices well. Only one simple condition remains - systematic sharpening.