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Understandably, serious home cooks want the best material for kitchen knives. The best steel for kitchen knives would have to be the Damascus steel, which is used for many modern Japanese chef’s knives and regular knives used for various tasks in the kitchen. How does ceramic compare to steel in terms of performance?
- A well-wrought ceramic knife should have a Mohs hardness rating of 8.5. Regular steel will only have a Mohs rating of 4.5, and for hardened steel, we are looking at the minimum rating of 7.5 up to 8. This means ceramic knives can be incredibly hard and won’t crack easily – don’t make the mistake of misconceiving ceramic knives as hard as ceramic kitchenware, like bowls and plates.
- Steel does not take on odors and strange smells. Ceramic knives have some level of porosity, but this won’t mean that these will pick up odors and juices from the ingredients you are preparing. A quick rinse is all you need to remove any stains from a well-wrought ceramic knife.
- Ceramic does not rust – but neither does steel. There may be some minor staining on both materials in some instances, but they will resist corrosion.
- Ceramic can be incredibly sanitary compared to other materials like plastic knives. There are some small pores, but these are negligible, and you needn’t mind these pores at all. Warm water and some dish soap are all you need to keep your ceramic knives hygienic for next use.
- Hardened steel can be a little heavy, especially if we add the very solid handles’ weight. Should you need something lighter, you might like a ceramic knife as they tend to be lighter.
