M23210 Millennia Black Handle, 10-Inch Wide Wavy Edge, Bread Knife

Bought this to replace a much more expensive Wusthof bread knife. Very good quality and very sharp much better value. Slices through bread without crushing the loaf. Mercer makes 2 sizes. I bought both of them. Only wish the make one that was much smaller.

This Mercer Culinary Millennia knife has extremely good cutting quality. The blade cuts very cleanly, and for me that is the strongest part of the knife. This knife worth the price. The handle is okay. It does not feel especially premium, but it gives a good grip and control while cutting, which matters more in real use. Overall, the blade is excellent and the knife works very well.

I make sourdough and got tired of struggling to cut it, saw a recommendation for this knife and decided to try it. It slices through the bread so easily, and even better than my electric knife! It's very sturdy and sharp! Absolutely worth every penny!

M23210 Bread Knife First off, Amazon accumulates reviews for all of Mercer's knives into one rating (which they do with many other items as well). So, how do customers know which knife gets which review? Yes, it got best of class from many sources and yes, in my first use it outperforms my current restaurant grade knife that I have sharpened several times, but it is not perfect out of the package. When examining the edge with a flashlight, 'grey line' can be seen on some of the tips and the sides of the gullets. Gray line means a flat surface that reflects light. A perfect edge has no flat spots and produces no grey line/reflection. Big Deal? It is to me. But to be honest, it's not uncommon for other knives, chisels and such. While this knife is not comparatively expensive (it is an above average restaurant grade knife with an NFS certification on the blade), I expected a clean edge from tip to heal. Why? Because serrated knives are a pain in the rump to sharpen. It's more than running a round file through the gullets; that's easy. But each of the tips must the sharpened with a micro file because they come from the factory slightly rounded (as does this knife), and they round over even more from cutting. That's why bread knives can dull quickly. They do not cut with the valley of the gullet but with the few tips of the serration. No matter how sharp the valleys are, it's the tips that do the work. Unless you are experienced and have the tools, sharpening a serrated edge is unrealistic. Taking it in for sharpening (if you can find such a service) might cost 1/2 the original cost of this knife. So, your best protection is to use the knife correctly and safely: - Hold it correctly. Wrap your thumb and first finger firmly against the contour of the handle near the heal of the blade to arrest movement. This knife has an excellent contour and soft, textured grip. - Use the correct handing. This knife is a right-hand knife with the flat side of the knife on the inside of the loaf and the beveled side on the slice side of the cut. Mercer makes a left-hand model as well. They otherwise will not cut well. - Use the correct posture. Address the counter with your left foot extended and come as close the cutting surface as is possible. Grasp the loaf with your left hand well away from the cut line and exert firm, appropriate, downward pressure. Keep your elbows tight to your sides. The idea is to minimize lateral movement. - Cut from the shoulder. The cutting motion does not begin with the hand, wrist or arm but at the shoulder. Keep the knife, your hand and your arm in alignment as you make the cutting motion. Your arm should rub against your right side. - Position the bread correctly. Because of your posture, the bread should be slightly rotated to the left, say 15 degrees. - Start the cut with one or more backstrokes until the cut line is established and then cut on the forward stroke. Do not cut with a back/forth rapid gesture. Cut on the forward stroke with a purposeful manner using the appropriate force for the kind of loaf you are cutting. - Roll the loaf. When you near the end of the cut and before contacting the cutting surface, roll the bread on its side, if safely possible, and complete the cut with less resistance (especially on thick crusted bottoms). Even wooden and plastic surfaces will wear down the edge far, far more than will bread. - Keep the blade clean. Carefully wipe the blade with a damp towel if moist crumb accumulates causing drag on the blade. - Wash and store correctly. Clean the blade with water and diluted liquid detergent as needed. Rinse and dry carefully. Then store the blade in a block or divided compartment. Otherwise, buy and use a blade guard made for bread knives. One more thing ... this is a bread knife, not a general slicer. The more you use it on a cutting board, the sooner it will dull. If your slicing knife will not cut tomatoes or onions, get it sharpened. This is an above average knife. I look forward to a long and happy marriage with just the occasional strife of sharpening. And, this knife has a limited lifetime warranty. 5 Stars. May the crust be with you.

Excellent bread knife! The blade is incredibly sharp and slices through bread effortlessly without crushing it. The handle is sturdy and comfortable.

Excellent bread knife. It glides through crusty and soft breads alike with ease, making clean slices without crushing the loaf. Sharp, well-balanced, and comfortable to use. A great addition to any kitchen and well worth the purchase.

The Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Wavy Edge Bread Knife is a standout performer that rivals far more expensive blades. From the moment you pick it up, the ergonomics feel right. The textured handle offers a secure, non-slip grip, and the contouring fits naturally in the hand, giving you confidence and control whether you’re slicing delicate pastries or tackling thick, crusty loaves. It’s lightweight without feeling flimsy, and the balance between handle and blade makes long, even slices feel almost effortless. The blade sharpness is immediately noticeable. The wavy serrations bite cleanly into tough crusts without ripping through the softer interior. Artisan sourdough, bagels, sandwich bread, tomatoes, cakes, and melons all slice cleanly with minimal pressure. Mercer’s steel holds its edge surprisingly well, especially given the affordability of the Millennia line. The wide blade profile adds extra stability, helping maintain straight, consistent cuts—a feature typically found in higher-end bakery knives. Packaging is straightforward and secure, protecting the blade during shipping while keeping things simple and functional. Out of the box, the knife is ready to work. The only downside is the universal challenge of sharpening serrated knives; it requires either a specialty tool or a bit of technique. Fortunately, the wavy edge holds up longer than many comparable blades, so sharpening isn’t a frequent concern. Where this knife excels is in value. It performs on par with bread knives costing several times more, making it an exceptional addition for home cooks, professional kitchens, bakers, and anyone who appreciates a reliable, sharp, and comfortable tool. Its versatility also stands out—this knife handles everything from bread to produce to soft-skinned items with ease. Pros • Exceptionally sharp wavy edge cuts cleanly without crushing • Comfortable, slip-resistant handle with great ergonomics • Lightweight and well-balanced for long slicing motions • Wide blade provides stability and cleaner cuts • Outstanding value compared to premium bread knives Cons • Sharpening serrated edges requires practice and the right tool The Mercer Millennia 10-Inch Bread Knife delivers impressive cutting power, ergonomic comfort, and long-lasting performance at a price that makes it one of the smartest upgrades you can make in the kitchen.

This knife is amazing for crusty sourdough! I have a bread knife that came with a very good set, which made me nervous when cutting sourdough because it wouldn’t easily slice the crust. This Mercer has very positive reviews, and for its modest price, I thought it might be the answer to my problem. Yes! It’s no exaggeration to say that I was amazed at how great this is for sourdough. I can cut fairly thin slices with no tearing and no fear. If you’re looking for a great bread knife for sourdough, don’t hesitate.

the best bread knife

Buyers remorse, should have bought the longer one but it’s not avail

Expensive for what it is. I find it a bit to long.

I read/watched every bread knife review I could find, and this Mercer knife came up regularly as a favourite. The only thing was *all* the other favourite knives where way more expensive, so buying this was a no-brainer. And in use it is fantastic, no doubt. It's well balanced in the hand, the handle is ordinary looking but comfortable and grippy. And boy does it cut. It bites into the bread crust well, and from there it cuts effortlessly and smoothly. And whereas my previous (cheap Scanpan) bread knife made an almighty mess with bread crumbs everywhere, this one leaves about 1/4 of the crumbs. And the rounded tip lets me spread butter on the freshly cut bread more quickly. The only thing I'd improve is I'd buy one even longer next time for my big loaves. If you want a fancy-looking knife, this isn't it. Check with your bank manager and buy a Shun for almost 10x this price. But if you want a top-class knife that cuts as well as anything, look no further. I'm in love with my knife and baking more bread than I need just so I can cut it. And no-one can stop me, mwa-ha-ha-haaaaaaa!

The best bread knife ever, I loved it. It cuts off sourdough bread easily, which is hard to cut if you know what I mean;)