There seem to be two camps when it comes to electric knives. Many people have fond childhood memories of a family member using one to efficiently and effectively carve meat or a Thanksgiving turkey. On the other hand, there are those of us who don’t even really know what an electric knife is (much less why you’d want to use one). If I’m being honest, I fall firmly in the second camp. My father never used one growing up because he enjoyed the challenge of sharpening the carving knife (the hardest part of carving, he always said). When it came time for me to host Thanksgiving dinner, I made the same choice—the apple must not fall far from the tree! I never gave electric knives a second thought until I was handed this assignment.
Why might someone prefer an electric knife over a carving knife? Before testing these six top-rated electric carving knives, I might have told you they're just a loud, expensive appliance that will clog your gadget drawer. But, after using the Black and Decker EK500B 9-Inch Electric Carving Knife (available at Amazon)—our favorite knife in the group—I may have changed my mind. It really opened my eyes to the many day-to-day uses of an electric knife, from slicing delicate bread to carving a chicken or a pork loin in as little as a minute. And since many of these knives are available for less than $50, they really start to look like an attractive investment (even if you only use them once a year).
These are the best electric knives we tested, ranked in order:
Black & Decker EK500B
How We Tested Electric Knives
What You Should Know About Buying an Electric Knife
Other Electric Knives We Tested
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After slicing crusty baguettes and soft brioche bread, we definitely found some winners (and, a few losers).
Hi, I'm Lindsay Mattison, a professional chef and a former electric knife critic. I've never owned an electric knife because I'm more of a do-it-the-hard-way kind of cook. Call it Taurus-stubborn, but you'll find me meticulously chopping vegetables into perfectly sized pieces instead of using a food processor, or hand-kneading bread dough right next to a perfectly usable stand mixer. Testing these six electric knives may have changed my mind, though, because I actually fell in love with our winning knife. In fact, next time you come over to my house, you'll probably find it in the gadget drawer.
We chose six electric knives and put them to the test. Our tests were designed to evaluate a few things, most notably the blade sharpness, overall ease of use, safety, and the noise level of each electric knife.
To understand how each knife performed in everyday use, we tasked them with carving a rotisserie chicken, thinly slicing baguette into crostini, creating sandwich-sized slices of soft brioche bread, and slicing a block of hard cheddar cheese. These tests helped us understand how sharp the blade was, as well as whether it could create smooth, uniform cuts. If the knife created jagged slices, we took off a few points. On the other hand, we awarded bonus points to any knife that could create nice slices of cheese (the test that most of the knives struggled with).
Next up, we wanted to make sure that the knives were easy (and safe) to use. We assembled and disassembled the knives without looking at the manual and used them with our hands covered in chicken grease. The best knives not only stayed secure in our hands without vibrating away, but they also remained cool after a few minutes of use. When it came to safety, we were looking for a cord that was long enough to stay out of the way as we cut and a safety lock to make sure we didn't accidentally turn on the knife before we were ready.
Finally, we paid attention to the noise level as we used each knife. This was one of the most important factors to our test team. No one wants to ruin the mood around the dining room table by turning on a buzz saw. The family dog will especially appreciate our dedication to this very important factor.
Since carving a Thanksgiving turkey is the main reason most people buy an electric knife, we awarded extra points to knives that created perfectly carved chicken breasts.
You might be wondering why someone should choose an electric knife over a carving knife. Really, it's up to personal preference. These types of knives have two serrated stainless steel blades that move in opposite directions when you pull the trigger. That means they can slice much more quickly than any human hand could. On the plus side, this means it requires minimal pressure to cut delicate items, like bread or skin-on poultry.
On the other hand, many people don't love the look of bringing a corded appliance to their fancy Thanksgiving table. A few cordless electric knives exist but can be extremely expensive. Some models are extremely loud, effectively ruining the mood, and others wildly fling poultry bits around the table as those blades vibrate together. So, it's important to be happy with your model if you're willing to show it off in front of the family.
In addition to carving your Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham, an electric knife also comes in handy for other regular kitchen tasks. A good one cuts perfect slices of soft bread for sandwiches, and the best ones are sharp enough to take down crusty bread like a baguette. You could also use it on delicate angel food cake or any boneless roast, cutting meat like pork loin, roast beef, or a standing rib roast. If you're an angler, you'll also love how easy it is for cutting and filleting fish.
Comfortable, slip-free handle
Can swap blades for different jobs
Includes butcher-block holding tray
Not whisper quiet
Comfortable handle
Doesn't cut neatly
Includes carrying case and carving fork
Mediocre cutting ability
Difficult to grip
Unique and easy-to-grip handle
Two-button safety feature
Loud and emits an odor
Not very sharp
None that we could find
No safety lock and poorly designed handle
Not very sharp
Loud
Lindsay D. Mattison is a professional chef, food writer, and amateur gardener. She is currently writing a cookbook that aims to teach home cooks how to write without a recipe.
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