I Tried Made In’s Super-Popular Bread Knife — Here’s My Honest Review

Made In is a direct-to-consumer (or DTC, for those in the know) cookware company that makes some of the prettiest pots, pans, knives, and even silverware on the market. And whatever they make tends to sell out — quickly. Whether that’s a roasting pan or a limited-edition bread knife made in collaboration with Nancy Silverton.

Speaking of Made In’s bread knives, let’s talk about them: Priced at about $110 and with no fewer than 665 five-star reviews, customers have only positive to say about them: “Clean design, balanced feel, and a perfect cut,” one reviewer said. “The knife is beautifully made with a very high level of craftsmanship,” extols another.

So, I was curious. How well does the Made In bread knife work? And how does it compare to my go-to bread knife, by Mercer Culinary? To find out, I used both of the knives to slice tomatoes, quarter sandwiches, and cut through crusty boules and soft loaves of challah. Here’s my honest review.

Not all bread knives are equal. You want one that slices but doesn’t squish; is able to make clean, non-jagged cuts; and works effortlessly, even with crusty loaves. Have you ever squashed a loaf of pillowy bread trying to cut it? Or attempted to cut a sandwich, only to have all the fillings fall out the sides? That’s what you don’t want in a bread knife.

Made In’s bread knife has shallower, less-sharp serrations than Mercer Culinary, which meant it cut tomatoes and sliced challah with a little less precision and finesse, but still did a good job. It also easily quartered a BLT (heavy on the B). However, it did struggle more with the crusty boule and I had to use some elbow grease, especially, to slice through the bottom crust.

I think Made In’s bread knife is beautiful and thoughtfully designed — which is, for me, a big selling point. When you open its substantial packing, you find a little orange Band-Aid with an “M” on it (hey, I’ve nicked myself with a bread knife before!). A knife guard is also included with your purchase. The knife’s handle is smooth, with rounded edges that make it super comfortable to hold. (It felt cool and lovely in my palm.) And you can choose the handle in either red, black, or gray.

If you value aesthetics and it’s in your budget, Made In’s bread knife will make you happy. If you want a no-frills knife that works super well but isn’t a stunner, the Mercer Culinary bread knife (which costs about $22) is an excellent option, too.

Do you have a favorite bread knife? Tell us about it in the comments!