Ceramic Life knives (say that 10 times fast) are a relatively new player in the industry. These are Korean made knives that are distributed throughout the U.S at retail stores. Upon receiving my sample knives in the mail, I was in a rush to try give them a test (what a loser I am… what can I say, I love to use ceramic knives!).

My initial thought was that the packaging seems quite flimsy, thin cardboard inside a thin plastic box. The packaging makes no difference to me, but it often times will reveal a bit about the product’s quality, we’ll soon find out right?

DETAILS

Blade material: Zirconium Oxide
Handle Material: Polypropylene Resin
Size: 6.7-in.
Weight: 9 ounces
Origin: Korea
Cleaning & Care: Hand wash with mild dish soap

Price:

6.7 inch chef’s knife: $40
4.5 inch paring knife : $25

PERFORMANCE

Upon initial use, this knife seemed to perform very similar to most brands on the market. The balance of the knife was almost spot on. The weight felt well distributed allowing for better control of the knife.

The handle was comfortable to grip. The handle has an ever so slight ergonomic curve to it. Not perfectly straight, but not overly curved. After cutting about a dozen tomatoes and potatoes, fatigue did not set in at all. I guess we are having stew for dinner tonight!

The blade felt very sharp to the touch but not quite as sharp we would like. Its cutting performance rivaled most decent metal knives we’ve used, but not nearly the razor edge found on higher end ceramic knives. The sides of the blade aren’t very smooth. We found that food stuck to the sides a lot more frequently.

DURABILITY

After 4 months of almost daily use of this knife, it has stood up pretty well. The blade is still close to its orginal sharpness. After inspecting the edge very closely, I see no chips on the blade at all. The handle has held up well and it still performs like it just came out of the box.

THE FINAL VERDICT

The Ceramic Life chef’s knife is an admirable first attempt in the ceramic knife industry. The knife is well made and performs well for its price. The blade kept its edge through rigorous use, but out of the box, the edge isn’t honed quite so well. At about $40, this knife is a nice way to get your foot into the door. For any hard core ceramic knife user, I would stay away and get a higher end brand.