Is a Utility Knife Serrated?

Have you ever wondered whether a utility knife is a serrated knife, and what the style should look like? These knives tend to be used for slicing smoked meats, but should the edge have teeth or not?

A utility knife is not always serrated, but many utility knives do have a toothed edge. You should choose whichever style suits you best, or select both. Many people prefer serrated knives and these often do have the best bite for cutting certain foods.

Utility knives can be serrated or smooth, and people’s preferences will vary significantly between these two options. You may wish to have both in your kitchen drawer, but bear in mind that serrated knives are significantly better when you are cutting soft foods like squashes and tomatoes.

Should A Utility Knife Be Serrated?

A utility knife can be either straight edged or serrated, but many people prefer a serrated knife because it makes it easier to saw through foods, rather than trying to cut straight through them. It is quite common for these knives to have smooth cutting edges, but you can purchase either kind with relative ease.

Utility knives tend to be up to 6 inches long, and they are ideal for cutting several kinds of foods, including:

Bread
Bagels
Rolls
Zucchinis and summer squashes
Tomatoes
Peaches
Fruits with thick skins, such as oranges
Cakes
Banana bread
Pineapples

The advantage of a serrated knife is that you can saw through a food and cut it while putting minimal pressure on it. This means that it cuts through soft foods without squashing them, and therefore fruits and tender vegetables are not spoiled when being cut.

You should always opt for a serrated knife if you want neat edges to foods that will be crushed by leaning on them. If you compare cutting through something like a bread roll with a serrated knife and a non-serrated knife, you’ll soon find that the serrated knife is vastly preferable and doesn’t result in squashed bread.

Is A Serrated Utility Knife the Same as A Bread Knife?

Serrated utility knives look similar to bread knives and they can be used to cut bread, but they aren’t the same tool. A bread knife tends to be between 7 and 10 inches long (although this can vary significantly from knife to knife).
A utility knife is noticeably smaller, and usually a little more versatile and flexible. It will not manage to cut through a full-size loaf particularly well because it is too small to pass easily from one side of the loaf to the other – whereas a bread knife, with its extra length, can do so.

Serrated utility knives may be used for cutting things like bagels, toasties, pita breads, rolls, and more, but they are not ideal if you want to cut an actual loaf of bread. Although the serrated edge will bite the bread and create a clean cut, it is hard to handle and will often make uneven slices.