Best Bread Slicers

Buying guide for Best bread slicers

Few things compare to a freshly baked loaf of bread straight from the oven. Its fluffy texture and golden crust make it a veritable work of art.

Until you try to slice it, that is.

Slicing a loaf of bread by hand is quite a chore. Even with a good knife, cutting pieces that will fit your toaster slots is a challenge, let alone cutting slices fit for a sandwich.

Indeed, whoever coined the phrase, “the best thing since sliced bread,” was onto something. Bread slicers, generally speaking, are box-shaped tools that help you cut uniform slices from whole loaves of bread. You simply place the loaf in the box and cut with a knife at the slits. However, slicers can vary depending on how much bread you need to slice or how thick you want your slices to be.

Most loaves from bread machines are wider than traditional loaf pans. Make sure the loaves from your specific model will fit between the guides before ordering.

Key considerations

Mechanical vs. manual

Bread slicers range from inexpensive plastic knife guides to top-dollar mechanized slicing machines. So, it’s important to think about your needs.

• Mechanical: If you’re a professional or semi-professional baker, it’s impractical to consider a single or multi-slice guide, because it still requires you to slice by hand. You’ll need something more mechanical and precise.
• Manual: On the flip side, if you’re a hobbyist who bakes a loaf or two of bread a week, spending a fortune to slice up your experimental rye or sourdough is impractical. A manual model makes much more sense.

Knives

If you go the manual route, you’ll need to think about which knife you’ll use. A standard bread knife will get the job done, but an electric blade usually results in a cleaner cut. Some bread slicers coordinate well with electric bread knives while others do not. You’ll need a bread knife that’s at least 10 inches long to fit through most slicer knife guides; knives that are even longer get better results.

Quantity

You’ll also need to decide how many slices you want to cut at once. Some prefer to cut individual slices of bread as needed, to preserve its freshness and moisture. Others appreciate the convenience of cutting the whole loaf at once. You can find designs that will satisfy both.

Size

When it comes to bread slicers, size matters. Some allow you to adjust the width to accommodate round artisan boules as well as traditional long loaves. Whatever size you buy, make sure your favorite loaves can fit inside.

Features

Thickness

Some slicers have fixed-size knife guides that lock into place, so there’s little chance of your bread sliding around. Other slicers allow you to adjust the thickness of your slices. This feature gives you the versatility to cut thinner toaster-ready slices, while leaving your options open for recipes like French toast or bruschetta, which need more substantial wedges of bread. 

Materials

Plastic

Usually less expensive, plastic bread slicers aren’t as fussy as wooden models. Many are dishwasher safe for the top rack. Even plastic slicers that cannot be put in the dishwasher can be easily rinsed and left to dry. Unfortunately, plastic slicers often lack the durability of their wooden counterparts. Both the guides and the base are more easily damaged by stray cuts. Additionally, they may not stand up to electric knives.

Wood

More substantial than plastic models, wooden bread slicers can easily absorb stray cuts without as much damage. They are less likely to crack if dinged on the counter or dropped, and they are more compatible with electric knives. Wooden slicers are, however, heavier and more expensive than those made with plastic. They’re also less convenient to clean. Wooden tools should never go in the dishwasher, and, ideally, should be fully dried immediately after rinsing to prevent damage.

Bread slicers made from wood are typically constructed from bamboo or hardwood.

• Bamboo bread slicers are less expensive and more environmentally friendly — but they also splinter more easily from errant knife strikes.
• Hardwood bread slicers are usually the highest quality on the market. They are much more resistant to splintering than bamboo, making them safe to use even when the blade has penetrated the cutting board. However, they are the most likely to sustain water damage if rinsed and left to dry.

Storage

If you’re concerned about finding a spot for yet another kitchen gadget, you’re in luck. Many bread slicers disassemble and fold flat for storage. This is a thoughtful feature, because few consumers need to slice loaves on a daily basis.

However, some particularly sturdy bread slicers don’t come apart. Thankfully, these ones are usually well-made, with finished wood and substantial knife guides. Just make sure you know what you’re getting and where you’ll store it before ordering.

Bread slicer prices

Inexpensive: The least expensive bread slicers are made of plastic and cost between $10 and $20. In this price range, models that cut individual slices may have adjustable features while multislice models will likely lack any bells and whistles.

Mid-range: Slicers in the $20 to $40 range will likely be made of bamboo. Many will offer adjustable sizes; most will collapse for storage.

Expensive: The highest-quality bread slicers will start at around $50; hardwood and mechanized models can cost much more. The priciest manual slicers will have durable hardwood construction and have the size and flexibility to cut a variety of different-sized loaves.

Tips

• Be careful to slow your cutting as you reach the bottom to avoid cutting into the bottom board. (Some manufacturers make extra bottom cutting surfaces available for purchase if the original is damaged beyond repair.)
• Rubberized feet on the bottom of your bread slicer can prevent it from sliding across the counter when you apply pressure.
• A handful of single-slice models do not come with a cutting surface. Make sure you have something in your kitchen that will serve as an appropriate block to avoid crumbs and stray cuts to your counter.
• To make cleanup easier, some slicers have a built-in tray that catches crumbs as you cut.
• Use an electric knife with your bread slicer to get the cleanest, most uniform cuts — dull manual knife blades can hack and flatten fluffy loaves.
• Loaves that are significantly thinner than the guides may be challenging to cut.
• Make sure you are checking the bread slicer’s internal measurements — rather than the external ones — when deciding whether your loaves will fit.

Without preservatives, sliced homemade bread often dries out and goes bad after a couple of days. Keep it in a bread box, ceramic container, or bags made of cloth, paper, or plastic to extend your loaf’s life.

FAQ

Q. Why is my homemade bread so crumbly and hard to cut?
A. Don’t get discouraged. Commercial bread makers have perfected their recipes — or else they’d be out of business. They also add preservatives to gives their loaves a longer shelf life, which can contribute to their soft, chewy texture. Most often, you’re using too much flour. We add extra flour to cut the dough’s stickiness during the kneading process, and many times, new bakers get carried away in their efforts to keep dough from sticking. Keep your hands and your board lightly floured, but use a dusting rather than a whole helping.

Q. Why does my boule loaf sag after the first slice is cut?
A. A firm, crusty exterior is one of the things we love best about homemade bread. That crust helps give your loaf shape. When you cut that surface tension by slicing off some of the crust, it’s no longer pulling the end of the loaf upright. This is why many recipes for round loaves recommend slashing your loaf before baking. Slashing helps to cut the tension before a solid loaf bakes, which helps to prevent your loaf from drooping. If slashing doesn’t do the trick, try cutting your loaf from back to front in the slicer. That way, you can stabilize the loaf as much as possible against the slicer’s back wall instead of cutting from front to back, where there’s next to no support for droopy dough.   

Q. Do I need to use a serrated knife to cut my bread when using a bread slicer?
A. Definitely. Bread loaves are easily crushed by the pressure a flat knife blade needs to penetrate the crust. Serrated, saw-like blades, however, are able to simultaneously cut through the bread’s hard exterior and soft insides. Their scalloped, fluctuating shape lets the spongy interior flex and bounce back instead of tear. But be sure to pick one between 10 and 14 inches long, so it will easily fit between the bread guards.