Does it work like a santoku knife's indents, to keep the food from sticking to the blade? That's what I've always thought.

That thought crossed my mind. But I thought I would ask just in case there was some other mysterious purpose that was over the top of my head! lol

Yep, that is what I've always been taught. The holes are there to make it easier to slice. Less surface means less sticking. NancyLouise

I have never used a cheese knife. That's a pretty fancy looking set!

I do like wire cheese slicers.

I think they would make wonderful wall art placed next to one of those artful cutting boards Ann T has on her blog. When I get a job I look forward to ordering one of those boards.

These knives are 50% off and they are still $46. A deal at that price - not sure I would spend $90 on the set though.

Teresa

I think the ''holy'' cheese knives are mostly gimmickry and artful aesthetics.

If the cheese is hard/firm or crumbly, you don't have sticking problems. If the cheese is soft/runny/sticky/glu-y, the holes won't help and just make cleanup a bigger pain.

Instead, use a thin sharp knife (like a boning knife, a fish knife, or even a paring knife) and cut by pulling the tip along the board while the heel is raised well above the board (as if you were cutting paper or cloth w/ an X-Acto blade). Best of all, a wire cheese slicer. Maybe even (mentioned here, but I've not tried) dental floss.

The ''gratins'' (hollows) in some slicers don't work either (personal experience, and Cook's Illustrated found the same when they tested slicers).

John - I get Cook's Illustrated. I don't remember seeing that issue........ of course I have a pile of unread magazines. Was it recent?

I love that magazine for all the testing and scientific information on cooking and products that they provide!

I don't have time to read magazines since I've been in school. But once the snow starts to fly, after shoveling the driveway I plan to settle in to my favorite chair with a glass of wine and enjoy them.

As you might have guessed I have bought been given and owned about every design of cheese knife out there....and hands down, this is the best. Not as pretty as some of the sterling handled ones, not as interesting as the old stilton scoops, but for slicing soft or hard cheese it really works best.
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: dheese knife

I'll take your word for it Linda. It looks like a product that is only sold online. I will delve further into the website tomorrow - it locked up when I tried to view the video. The price seems very reasonable - especially if it works like you said it does!

Teresa

A lot as johnliu said.

It is almost not possible to come up with a good cheese knife, given the fact that cheese comes in so many different hardnesses and textures.

The one lindaC link to probably is the best one around.

If you study a Japanese sushi knife, you will see that it is only ground on one side with an angle which helps the fish meat to peel away from the blade body.

The cheese knife's cutting edge angle is designed for cheese and the horizontal grooves prevent further the cheese from sticking.

Just beware that the knife is made with plastic and is not meant for cutting very hard cheeses.

dcarch

Teresa, it was on America's Test Kitchen, the Cook's Illustrated TV show. Their winner was a fairly inexpensive Victorinox-Forschner slicer, no gratins.

It cuts a good aged English or Irish cheddar very well...as well as an aged Emmenthaler.
It may be plastic, but I believe I could manage to kill you with it.

lindac wrote: It may be plastic, but I believe I could manage to kill you with it.

Surely you meant to put an "LOL" after that comment. I am assuming your humor is on the dry side!

"Posted by lindac -----It cuts a good aged English or Irish cheddar very well...as well as an aged Emmenthaler.
It may be plastic, but I believe I could manage to kill you with it. "

It wouldn't take much. I am such a softy. :-)

My statement is based on:

1. A survey of owner reviews.
2. The original engineer Harold Joseph Fairchild designed it specifically to cut his favorite cheese, Velveeta, The design is only for soft cheeses.
dcarch

Well....if I knew I wouldn't hit any bone....
I think ti could stab....but wouldn't slice steak....it may be plastic but strong plastic.
Sort of OT....there was a murder in my town, the man was stabbed something like 27 times....with a jagged piece of PVC pipe...
My point was...plastic can stab and cut...cheese and people.