A tomato knife is essential. Imagine you’ve spent all season growing the perfect tomatoes, or maybe you just got back from the farmer’s market with the ripest, juiciest tomatoes of the bunch. You’re just about to assemble the ingredients for a fun, new recipe when you realize that you don’t have a knife to cut your tomatoes!
If you’ve ever been in this situation, or if you’re just curious about different types of tomato knives, look no further! Our ranking of the best tomato knives will help you find the right one for any situation.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Mercer Culinary Renaissance, 5-Inch Tomato Knife
Budget Option:
Kershaw PK 2 Tomato/Cheese Knife
The High-End Tomato Knife:
Wusthof Classic 4110 Serrated Utility Knife
Best Overall
Mercer Culinary M23610
The Mercer Culinary M23610 is the perfect choice for expert chefs looking to level up their knife skills! This knife is sold specifically to professionals in the food-service industry, which is how you know it’s the real deal.
Its ergonomic design is another factor that makes it the best tomato knife for seasoned chefs. This knife is comfortable to hold and easy to grip, so you can use it for long periods of time.
In addition, this knife is really good at cutting thin tomato slices, which comes in handy for a variety of recipes!
One thing that’s important to keep in mind about this tomato knife is that it does not do well in water. This means that you’ll have to hand wash it rather than stick it in the dishwasher, and you’ll have to dry it right away.
Pros
- Ergonomic
- Supplier for food-service workers, so it’s an industry favorite
- Made out of high-quality materials
- Able to cut thin slices with it
Cons
- Have to wash by hand
- Damages easily if submerged in water for too long
The Budget Safe Tomato Knife
Kershaw PK 2 Tomato/Cheese Knife
The Kershaw PK 2 Tomato/Cheese Knife is easy to use and easy to clean! Made out of stainless steel and coated in food-safe resin, this knife is super safe to put in the dishwasher.
In addition to being the best dishwasher-safe option out there, the Kershaw PK 2 is fairly inexpensive. Because it was designed to cut both tomatoes and cheese, you’re really getting a good bang for your buck by purchasing this knife!
As an added bonus, this knife is bright red and will add a fun pop of color to your kitchen! If you’re looking for a neutral kitchen instrument to add to your collection of silver and gray knives, the Kershaw PK 2 is probably not for you.
One of the only downsides to this knife is that the blade protector it’s stored in is a little smaller than average. This just means that you have to be careful when handling this knife, even when it’s covered, because it could still cut you.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Affordable option
- A colorful addition to your kitchen
- Has more than one purpose (can cut tomatoes and divide tomato slices after cutting)
- Good for left-handed and right-handed people
Cons
- Smaller sheath, so it can be easier to cut yourself
- Doesn’t come in any neutral colors
- Dual purpose means that it might not be able to cut all types of cheese and all types of tomato
The High-End Tomato Knife
Wusthof Classic 4110
The Wusthof Classic 4110 is the winner when it comes to high-end tomato knives! This knife is especially known for its precision, and it does a phenomenal job of cutting tomatoes of all shapes and sizes.
Made out of high-carbon stainless steel, the Wusthof is durable and very long-lasting. You’ll be able to use this good-quality knife in your kitchen for many years to come.
Because this knife is so high-end, it also comes with a hefty price tag. The Wusthof is a fantastic option for people looking to invest in their knife collection, but it might not be the best choice for you if you’re cooking on a budget!
Finally, this knife is also very sharp. While this characteristic is great for cutting tomatoes of all thicknesses, it’s good to keep in mind because this knife’s sharpness may pose safety concerns.
Pros
- Known for its precision
- Very durable and long-lasting
- Good for both cutting and serving
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- One of the more expensive options
- Very sharp, so have to be especially careful handling it
Rada Cutlery Tomato Slicing Knife
The Rada is the best-serrated tomato knife in our book! This knife has a dual-serrated blade, which allows you to make much straighter, cleaner slices than the average non-serrated knife. With this knife, you’ll be making beautiful and even tomato slices in no time.
Because of its state-of-the-art serration, this specific knife is also a perfect substitute for other knife varieties. You can use it to cut many different types of food, not just tomatoes!
Even with all these different functions, the Rada doesn’t break the bank. It’s sold at a fairly reasonable price, especially keeping in mind how many different uses it has.
Also, this knife has a particularly long blade. Its length makes it great for cutting larger tomatoes of all kinds!
However, although the Rada’s length is one aspect that makes it special, it may not work well for tomatoes of all sizes, especially smaller ones. In other words, you may want to look for a different knife if you’re only chopping cherry tomatoes!
Pros
- Good price point
- Fairly long, which is helpful for larger tomatoes
- Made out of surgical-grade carbon
- Can cut other foods because of its serration
Cons
- Length can also be a downside depending on the size of the tomato you’re trying to cut
- Have to wash by hand
Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife
The Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife is the jack-of-all-trades when it comes to tomato knives! The cousin of the famous Swiss Army Knife, this knife lives up to its reputation. In addition to the usual chopping and slicing, the Victorinox can peel, garnish, and even mince!
This lightweight, fairly inexpensive knife also comes in a variety of lengths. You can purchase a shorter or longer knife depending on the type of tomatoes you usually cut, all without sacrificing the quality that this knife provides.
Like the Wusthof, this knife is also extremely sharp compared to others on the market. As a result, beginners who are just learning their way around specialty knives may want to steer clear of this one!
Pros
- Comes in a variety of different lengths
- Fairly inexpensive
- Dishwasher safe
- Good for peeling, mincing, and garnishing fruits and vegetables
- Pretty lightweight
Cons
- The blade is extremely sharp, so probably not a good option for beginners
- The handle can become slippery when wet and pose a safety risk
Finding the Best Tomato Knife for You
There are a few factors that everyone should consider when figuring out which tomato knife is the best fit for your kitchen.
Sharpness
Obviously, any good tomato knife can cut through tomatoes! However, some knives are significantly sharper than others.
You might want to consider how sharp of a knife you actually want, especially if children are often in your kitchen or if you’re still learning your way around specialty knives.
Serration
Many tomato knives are serrated, but the size and shape of the serration can differ. You should consider the serration of a knife depending on if you want to cut thick or thin tomato slices.
Ease of Cleaning
Not everyone wants to do the dishes after they’ve cooked an entire meal! This applies to tomato knives, too. Some of these knives are dishwasher safe, while others require hand washing.
If you want a knife that makes for an easy clean-up, you may want to look into one of the many dishwasher-safe options available.
Also, there are a few factors you should keep in mind that may be a little more specific to your own personal cooking and serving needs.
Function
Some tomato knives are specifically designed to cut only tomatoes, while others are created with a variety of foods in mind. If you’re looking for a versatile tool that can cut all sorts of fruits and vegetables, a multi-use knife might be the best fit for you.
Cost
Tomato knives come at a range of price points. If you’re more of a beginner in the kitchen, you may want to start out with one of the cheaper knives.
Ergonomics
While all tomato knives are fairly easy to handle, a few of them have handles that are shaped slightly differently. If you have arthritis or other accessibility needs, you might benefit from a knife with an ergonomic handle.
Buying the Perfect Tomato Knife
No matter what size or type of tomato you’re dealing with, this list has all the knife options for you! Finding a tomato knife that works best for you and your kitchen is a big task, and our round-up does the hard work for you so that you can just buy a knife and enjoy the results.
If you’re interested in the steps it takes to get to a ready-to-cut tomato, check out our Tomatoes page! There you’ll find all sorts of helpful info about how to plant, grow, and eat tomatoes.