Special culinary tasks call for special cutlery. Enter tomato knives. These knives are designed specifically to cut through the fruit’s tender flesh without crushing it or ruining its shape. The small blades come with serrated cutting edges to serve the purpose. Some even feature forked tips so that you can smoothly pick up even the smallest slices.
If you enjoy perfectly sliced tomatoes on your dish, you would definitely benefit from a decent tomato knife. You can also use tomato knives to cut other fruits and vegetables. With razor-sharp edges, these knives are quick to cut through thick or thin skins. Some even double as a cheese and bread knife, serving you a wholesome breakfast before you dash out the door.
While tomato knives are not a must-have tool, they sure make fruits and vegetable preparation feel like a cinch. Engineering brilliance, coupled with sweet designs, we have gathered some of the best tomato knives in the market. Check out our buying guide to make an informed purchase decision.Best Pick
Rada Cutlery Tomato Slicing Knife is a perfect pick for thinly slicing a large volume of tomatoes within the shortest possible time. It is a surgical-quality stainless steel knife backed by a dual-edged serrated cutting blade and finger guard to deliver maximum efficiency.
Budget Pick
This 5 inches serrated knife offers everything that you need in a Tomato Knife, within your budget. It can effortlessly work on tomatoes and other fleshy fruits, always delivering professionally cut slices.
Quick Comparison: Top 10 Best Tomato Knives
1. Rada Cutlery Tomato Slicing Knife
Highlighted Features
Rada came up with a razor-sharp serrated knife that is fully equipped to deliver fresh tomato with every meal. If you’re like us and enjoy tomatoes in any form, then Rada Cutlery Tomato Slicing Knife, with its versatile features, makes an ideal pick.
The blades feature a tooth-like cutting edge that allows you to cut smoothly through the skin without squishing them. And if you’re preparing a salad, there’s no need to change knives. This slicing knife will cut through even the thick-skinned vegetables effortlessly.
The dual serrated blades are made of surgical grade, high-density carbon stainless steel that allows you to make straight cuts without any trouble. The slices are meant to come out perfectly, thick or thin - whatever you prefer. And this high-quality blade is supported by a black handle composed of a stainless steel resin.
Not only does it offer durability, but also easy cleaning even after the heavy cutting. Both the handle and blade are dishwasher tolerant. However, the manufacturer recommends you wash the product by hand to enjoy long-lasting service.2. Victorinox Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
If you’re confused about buying a tomato knife, the Victorinox Tomato Knife will certainly change your mind. It offers incredible performance, durability, and comfortable design - all within your budget.
The blade measures 5 inches in length, and it’s made of stainless steel. It was ice-tempered to achieve brilliant construction. The knife is able to retain its sharpness for a long time, so you can avoid the hassle of resharpening it regularly. With a serrated cutting edge, you won’t have to exert much pressure on the tomato or other fruits and vegetables. As a result, they can retain their original shape while slicing.
The handle features a soft grip nylon surface that allows you full control over the cutting the food. Owing to its lightweight body, the knife is well-balanced and very easy to maneuver. It is color-coded and comes in a bright green color so that it does not mix with other cutlery while you’re preparing a meal.3. Messermeister Serrated Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
The Messermeister 106/B Serrated Tomato Knife is designed to be a perfect size and weight for carrying out any light cutting duty in the kitchen. It also makes an excellent pick for taking on trips and picnics. You will find a matching plastic sheath along with the tomato knife, providing protection on the go.
The serrated blade is only 4.5 inches long, supported by a matte black handle of 100% Messermeister quality. It is made of a 1.4116 stainless-carbon alloy blade that is meant to resist corrosion or stain of any sort. The razor-sharp cutting edges can help you achieve the perfect slice in large volumes.
The handle is made of top-notch quality plastic with some texture. Its grainy grip surface backed by lightweight build makes the product incredibly easy to handle. Whether you are left-handed or right, the tomato knife offers an absolute treat.4. Cestari 6-Inches Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
With a highly-functional cutting design and exceptional features, the Cestari 6-inches tomato knife is perfect for home cooks who just can’t get the right tomato slices for their dishes. The product comes with a professional design that is meant to suit your home kitchen countertop as well as a commercial kitchen.
The sharp blades are made of zirconium oxide or advanced ceramic. That means, they can retain the sharp edges for longer without requiring resharpening. So you can continue using the knife for every meal, without any hesitation.
The blades are also non-porous and non-reactive. Thus, the knife will not rust or hold on to any unpleasant odor. The material neither absorbs nor releases any chemical ingredient during cutting and slicing.
The knife is ideally balanced. The 6-inch blade is supported by an ergonomic rubberized non-skid handle that is color contoured. It is made of BPA-free polypropylene material with a black satin finish. Moreover, the knife is remarkably lightweight, offering exceptional balance and long-lasting performance. And the commitment to durability is backed by a Lifetime Guarantee.5. Wusthof Classic Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
With brilliant design and delivery, the Wusthof Classic Tomato Knife has easily made it to our list of the best tomato knives. The product features a 5-inch blade with a serrated edge and a fork tip overhead. The tomato knife easily glides through the tender flesh of tomatoes without squashing or crushing them. And the fork tip allows you to pick up even the thinnest slices easily.
Moreover, the blade is forged, tempered, and hardened to ensure durability. So rest assured that the knife will serve you for years on end. They are made using a precision edge technology, PETec, which helps produce 20% sharper blades with at least twice the edge retention. Therefore, Wusthof brings tough competition to the market.
The handle, too, shows promise in terms of durability. It is made of a synthetic material called polyoxymethylene, designed to resist discoloration or fading. All in all, the tomato is meant to deliver the perfect slices for years. A limited lifetime warranty backs this German-made tomato knife.6. Messermeister Pro-Touch Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
Messermeister has made a name for itself with its incredible line of kitchen knives among customers around the world. The Messermeister Pro-Touch Tomato Knife exemplifies versatility in slicing fruits and vegetables with both hard and soft exteriors.
The blade features a unique design. Beside the serrated, razor-sharp cutting edge, the blade features holes on its surface to keep food from sticking to it. It also allows straight cuts every time you run the knife through a tomato without crushing its tender flesh.
Moreover, washing the knife feels like a breeze because of the nature of its construction. The holes prevent soft cheese or food content from sticking. So you can easily clean the knife with a rinse or wipe. While hand wash is recommended, the knife can tolerate the dishwasher in case you want to avoid dish duties occasionally.
The tomato knife blade has a brilliant fork tip that helps you lift even the smallest slices with ease. Needless to say, the product has been designed keeping user convenience in mind, making your cutting duties smooth and effortless. The company provides a lifetime warranty against material and manufacturing defects.7. Global Serrated Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
Global GS-9 Tomato Knife is a small tomato knife produced in Japan, using exclusive high carbon steel G18 CROMOVA. It is forged from a single piece of steel, later ice-tempered and hardened to deliver ultra-sharp slicing and hold a lasting cutting edge. It resists rust, stains, and corrosion and prevents the transfer of odor from one fruit to another.
The 3 inches serrated blade is sharp enough to cut through thick-skinned fruits and vegetables effortlessly. And its sleek and ergonomic handles make the job so much easier. The handles are precisely calibrated to offset the weight of the blade. And the dimple pattern on the handle allows secure grip and comfort. As it is perfectly balanced with a hollow interior, you will have complete control on the chopping board.
Note that the knife is relatively compact. So you’ll have a hard time cutting anything bigger than a tomato or apple. While it’s not an all-purpose utility knife, Global GS-9 will get essential cutting jobs done on the go.
Besides excellent edge retention and stain resistance, the Global GS-9 is very easy to clean. Simply wipe it or rinse it with warm water after a chopping session. The smooth contour of the knife and its seamless construction helps eliminate food particles and dirt traps. Therefore, you can maintain complete safety and hygiene in the kitchen.8. Fiskars Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
This incredible offering by Fiskars will quickly convince you to get a tomato knife even if it was not on your agenda. Suitable for use by right or left-handers of different size hands, the knife makes a useful addition to your cutlery toolkit.
The blade measures only 12 cm. It is compact and lightweight, so you can pack it in the picnic basket to cut apples on the go. It makes an ideal pick for professional chefs as well as home cooks who do a lot of cutting and peeling regularly. It delivers high cutting force owing to its brilliant forged construction and sharp cutting edge.
The product is made of stainless steel with the hardness of HRC 53, supported by a soft-grip handle. The material is durable and dishwasher safe. While handwashing is recommended, you may avoid dish duty by putting it into the dishwasher without worrying about damage. It even features a finger stop for making cutting more comfortable no matter what angle you choose.
To sum up, the Fiskars tomato knife is highly functional and user-friendly, offering a visually pleasing product that fits right into your contemporary kitchen countertop.9. Norpro 5-Inch Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
Norpro 5-inch tomato knife is a serrated 5-inch utility knife that cuts anything from tomatoes and citrus fruits to potatoes and vegetables. It is, therefore, a multipurpose blade that you can pick up every day. Made of molybdenum Vanadium steel, it exerts just the right amount of force to keep the fruit’s original shape as you slice. The knife is also tempered for stone finish blades.
The comfortable, synthetic handles are secured with three rivets for superior quality. They offer a full tang and secured with double bolsters for brilliant balance. That is to say, the handle is one of the most competitive in the market, promising excellent performance and long-lasting service.
Note that this knife is not dishwasher safe. It may dent or chip if put into a dishwasher. But don’t worry. The blade surface does not hold on to food particles or cheese slices. A simple wipe or rinse with warm water will be enough to clean the blades.10. Cangshan W Series German Steel Tomato Knife
Highlighted Features
Featuring a forward-looking design, the Cangshan W Series 61024 Tomato knife speaks of transparency and harmony in the kitchen. It is an ideal pick for practical function. While keeping performance in mind, the product made no compromises with design. The 5 inches blade is supported by a 4.75 inches teak wood handle with brass rivets on top. Besides functionality, it adds incredible aesthetic value to your kitchen.
The blade is made of high alloy German steel with HRC 58, promising great sharpness retention. The product is razor-sharp and seamlessly melded into a sleek silhouette for an elegant body and clear cuts. A distinctive feature of the knife is its hollow brass rivets that cut through the blade’s full tang. As a result, the knife offers full control at the cutting board. In fact, every curve and angle on the knife is designed to ensure security and a comfortable hold.
Be careful never to put the product in a dishwasher. The wooden handle may be damaged due to the strong water pressure in the dishwasher. The knife is exceptionally easy to clean and a simple rinse will do the trick.Things to Consider Before Buying Best
What is Tomato Knife?
While home cooks and beginner chefs will often reach out for a chef’s knife or paring knife to cut a tomato, it often proves to be a poor choice. We say this because tomatoes have very thin skins that are prone to tear. You want specialized razor-sharp knives that have serrated cutting edges.
A tomato knife is a small knife, carefully designed to deal with the stubborn yet thin skins and fragile flesh of tomatoes. The blades are typically serrated so that you don’t have to press too hard against the delicate tomato flesh. So if you’re a fan of fresh tomatoes, we suggest you get yourself a tomato knife and enhance the taste of your dishes with perfectly sliced tomatoes, undamaged.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Tomato Knife
Length
Tomato knives are specifically crafted keeping the size of tomatoes in mind. Dedicated tomato knives are made in small to medium length in order to allow easy handling. Knives measuring between 4 to 8 inches make an ideal pick for anyone.
Sure, you can pick a larger knife to cut tomato knives. But the slices often tend to stick through the longer blades in large knives. They also apply additional pressure on the fruit, crushing it in the process.
Moreover, smaller knives come with thinner cutting edges that help cut paper-thin slices. Such cannot be said for larger kitchen knives. That considered, a 5-inches serrated tomato knife makes a perfect tomato knife.
Forked Tips
Most tomato knives nowadays come with forked tips or prongs at the top of the blade. These tips offer special benefits in slicing, dicing, pushing, or picking up the tomato pieces. Prongs or forked tips allow you to pick up the slices from the cutting board without damaging its shape. Even the smallest cuts can be picked up in perfect shape using forked tips.
Material
Blades made of stainless steel and ceramic make the best knives for cutting tomatoes. Tomatoes are relatively reactive produce, releasing a significant amount of acid on the knife. As a result, they can potentially damage or dull carbon steel knives. To avoid resharpening the blades regularly, opt for tomato knives that are made of non-reactive and corrosion-resistant material. So if you want to indulge in salads regularly, pick up a tomato knife that is made of stainless steel, alloy steel, or ceramic.
Using a New Tomato Knife
Finding the right cutlery is half the battle. And using it right makes the other half. Having a few tricks up your sleeves will prove to be highly beneficial, especially when it comes to tomato knives. They are specifically designed to penetrate the soft and tender flesh of tomatoes without damaging their original shape. So if you’re wondering how you can achieve the perfect slice every time you pick up a tomato knife, here are a few techniques you might find helpful.
You may have already noticed that many tomato knives come with forked tips or prongs. If not, use the blade’s pointed end and remove the core on the tomato's top. The ideal angle to hold the knife when you make the cut is 45-degrees. This will minimize the pressure that you apply on the tomato, and prevent any accidental squashing.
When the core on top is removed, proceed to penetrate the tomato’s skin. A decent knife will allow you to slide the knife effortlessly through the flesh. Follow a gentle, sawing motion to achieve the perfect slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best knife to cut tomatoes?
While any knife can penetrate a tomato’s tender flesh, its skin is notoriously prone to tear and the flesh to damage. There is a special type of knife that does the job perfectly. Serrated knife.
Tomatoes have thin skins that any knife can cut through. But they also have very delicate flesh that might crush even when the slightest pressure is applied. Anything less than razor-sharp blades poses a risk of damaging the tomato's shape. That’s why serrated knives make the best knives to cut tomatoes. They have a tooth-like cutting edge that cuts straight through the tomato without slipping off the sides. You won’t even have to apply any unnecessary pressure to get the job done.
However, not all serrated knives will serve the purpose. Steak knives are built with thicker cutting edges to cut through the meat. So they will prove quite challenging in cutting paper-thin slices. Moreover, you will often find slices sticking through the larger knives. They are not designed to cut tomatoes, after all. So it’s always better to opt for smaller knives to cut the best tomato slices.
Why are there holes in a tomato knife?
Some of the best tomato knives come with holes on the blades. These holes serve a special purpose. They cut down on sticking. The sticky tomato flesh or cheese does not get a chance to hang on to the blade surface, making cleaning very easy. Just a wipe or rinse with warm water leaves clean knives immediately.
The holes also prevent a vacuum from creating between the blade and tomato. This allows you to cut faster. As a result, you can cut large volumes of tomatoes, potatoes, and such fruits and vegetables, within a short time.
Do tomatoes dull knives?
It is a common belief that tomatoes cause knife blades to be blunt. While it’s not completely true, tomatoes are reactive produce that tend to wear knife blades faster than other fruits and vegetables. The acid from the fruit corrodes the knife blade causing wear. It’s best not to pick up a carbon steel knife to cut tomatoes as they are more prone to damage.
Why is a tomato knife forked?
There are many tomato knives that are forked. These fork tips work as an added benefit as they help pick up the slices and diced pieces after they’ve been cut. They allow you to gently lift up the slices without crushing the flesh.
What else can a tomato knife cut?
While they are called tomato knives, their functions are not limited to tomatoes alone. There are many other fruits and vegetables that these serrated small to medium knives can quickly turn into fine slices. The list may range from potatoes and apples to fleshy stone fruits like peaches, avocados, and plums.
Conclusion
A tomato knife is designed to help home cooks serve professional slices. But they do a lot more than just cutting tomatoes. With sharp serrated blades and forked tips, tomato knives have become a vital tool for everyday vegetable preparation. They can also cut hard cheese, bread, and eggs, preparing a wholesome breakfast for you.
From snacks to three-course meals, you can always pick a tomato knife to help you with chopping duties. They will work as a brilliant replacement for unnecessarily large knives that increase hand fatigue when cutting in large volumes.
If you’re looking for the best tomato knife that money can buy, check out our review of knives in various styles, materials, and quality. These purpose-built knives will surely serve you well.