I want you to imagine, for a minute, the perfect bread loaf. You’ve worked hard all day, hand kneading the dough multiple times until it was soft, smooth, and ready bake. You’ve punched the dough down and let it rise again a few times. You’ve used your favorite Honeyville Flour and baking products, all to create a delicious masterpiece that any bakery would be proud of.
Now, imagine that you’ve just taken this warm, beautiful loaf from the oven, placed it on the cutting board, and are ready to slice your first piece. You pull out that same, worn out bread knife you’ve used for years and begin to hack, push, pull, and rip apart your bread, turning your beautiful loaf into something you’d find at the local butchers shop! How could this happen?
Believe it or not, the knife you use to slice up your bread may be just as important as the ingredients you use to bake it. That’s why Honeyville has introduced a brand new line of professional-grade bread knives.
Wüsthof Knives are the industry standard for design, manufacturing, and versatility. Originated in Solingen, Germany, and creating high-end baking and cooking knives since 1814, these knives set the standard for fine quality and craftsmanship. Consider these the “Cadillacs” of bread knives, and now they’re available at our online and retail store locations.
Today, we thought we’d put these new knives to the test. We sliced and diced a whole variety of basic bread loafs, from baguettes to boule’s, just to see how each Wüsthof Bread Knife held up. Here what we found, starting with our introductory model, the Wüsthof Pro Bread Knife.
Wüsthof Pro Bread Knife
I like to think of this knife as the “Air Jordan sneakers” of bread knives. Why you ask? Because this is the knife the Pro’s use! Visit any local deli, sandwich shop, or bread bakery, and chances are you’ll see the Wüsthof Pro Bread Knife behind the counter. The reason? Durability. With a precision-cut steel blade and rubber handle, this knife is not only built for comfort, but for longevity. The Pro is built to handle a little wear and tear, while still giving you a precision slice through bread loafs and baguettes every time. And who wouldn’t want a knife that you can find in the kitchen of a fancy restaurant?
Wüsthof Bread Knife and Board Set
First off, do not be fooled by what may appear as a simple board and knife combo. This knife is still sharper, more durable, and longer lasting than that heirloom bread knife Grandma passed down to you. Forged from one piece of tempered high carbon steel, the Wüsthof Bread Knife and Board Set was meant to slice through the crustiest bread like a coast guard cutter cutting through an iceberg! And it comes with it’s own bread board. How cool is that?!
We put this knife right to the test, putting it up against a super crusty bread loaf. Typically these loaves cause havoc to a bread knife and counter top, leaving crumbs everywhere and making it near impossible to cut a straight slice of bread. Not today. The Wüsthof Bread Knife moved with ease through the bread. There was no struggle or fight and very few if any crumbs were found on the counter afterward. The loaf had no chance against the prestigious knife. Wüsthof Knives 1, Crusty Bread Loaves 0.
Wüsthof Gourmet Bread Knife
The next step up from the Knife and Board set would be the Wüsthof Gourmet Bread Knife. This is a knife any baker or bread maker would be proud to possess. With a laser cut, tempered high carbon steel blade, a slip resistant, full tang handle, and a serrated blade, this knife is ready for action right out of the packaging. If bread loafs could dream, this knife would fill their dreams with terror and fright! The thing that surprised me most about this knife was how light-weight it really was. I’ve held butter knives that were heavier than this knife. But beware, lightweight does not mean weak. The Gourmet Bread Knife sliced through every bread we threw at it with complete ease. Even our crusty baguette had no chance against the Wüsthof Gourmet Bread Knife. Consider the bread battle officially over!
Wüsthof Classic Bread Knife
When it comes to bread knives, the Wüsthof Classic Bread Knife is at the top of the peak, and maybe even beyond. I’m not sure if we can even list it as a bread knife. It’s that impressive! Forged from one piece of tempered high carbon steel, and with a full tang handle, this knife is built for a lifetime of bread battle.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of this knife is its double serrated blade. Take a look at the teeth on this blade! This is like the Great White Shark of serrated blades – the teeth just keep going and going!
We put our Wüsthof Classic Bread Knife to the test against what we thought was a pretty tough boule. I say, “What we thought” because as soon as the knife hit the hard crust of the bread, I could have sworn I was slicing through warm butter and not bread. This knife flew through this bread, not only with the simplest of ease, but there was nigh a crumb insight when we were finished. Believe me, this is a knife you’ll be slicing bread with for generations to come!
