Bread Lame Vs Knife [Which One is Better?]

Baking is a fun, relaxing activity that ends with creating delicious baked goods. Additionally, it leaves your kitchen smelling amazing too! 

Bread is a staple in most kitchens. So, have you tried baking your bread? Several kitchen tools help make the baking process easier, especially scoring bread. When it comes to scoring, your ideal options are bread lames and knives. 

Bread Lame Vs Knife

Bread lames are specially designed to score bread. So, they naturally do a better job than kitchen knives during the process. If your priority is not precise and complicated cuts, you can start with kitchen knives as a beginner. If you’re a seasoned baker or a perfectionist, bread lames are the way to go!

We’ve briefly answered your question of what to choose between bread lame vs knife. There are more aspects to consider before taking your bread-baking a notch higher. Continue reading this post while we try to put your mind at ease! 

Bread Lame vs Knife: A Quick Look!

Before diving into the detailed analysis of bread lames vs kitchen knives, let’s take a quick look at both for a basic idea!

Most bakers or baking enthusiasts enjoy the process of baking sourdough bread. Scoring cuts on the bread is indeed a skill! 

The bread bakes into wonderful shapes and designs when you’ve precisely scored. It is a treat for the tongue and eyes! To achieve such results, it is essential to take into account the accuracy and efficiency of these kitchen tools.

Bread lames are ideal for scoring bread. Their thin handle and razor-sharp blade ensure precision. On the other hand, kitchen knives aren’t as precise and don’t offer the same range of motion that bread lames. However, knives still get the job done! They still do a decent job while scoring and can help you achieve similar results.

If you’re a beginner at scoring bread, we recommend starting with a kitchen knife. You don’t need to invest in a bread lame at the start. You can start with a knife and eventually switch to bread lames. For professionals that know how to work a bread lame, we say go for it! 

We’ve put together a table that compares the features of bread lames and knives. Check it out for a better understanding! 

Factor	Bread Lame	Knife
Blade	The blade is razor-sharp and curved	The blade is straight and gradually thickens along the length
Handle	The handle is thin and can be operated like a pen	The handle is primarily thick
Cut	Thin, precise cuts. The dough doesn’t stick to the blade.	Cuts are blunter and less precise. Dough may stick to the blade.
Price	Check Price	Check Price

Bread Lame vs Knife: In-Depth Analysis

If we compare various aspects of bread lame and knife, the chances are bread lame will most likely win. Bread lame is designed to slice or score bread perfectly. 

The price point is the only drawback that probably doesn’t make bread lames sound worth it. Especially if you’re a newbie to baking bread, investing in an expensive option is not always necessary. Most households have a 9 or 8-inch kitchen knife that serves the purpose well enough!

Regardless of the price point, you must still be curious about how bread lames do a better job than knives. To make it easier for you to understand, we’ve answered your question!

1. Cutting

This is an essential aspect while comparing bread lames and knives. How does the final result differ while using each of these tools?

Professional bread lames give you excellent results. Their razor-sharp, curved blade allows you to perform complex cuts and intricate designs. It offers more flexibility and accuracy while scoring bread. All you need is a light touch of bread lame to score bread precisely the way you want!

Now, let’s talk about our kitchen knives. There is no denying that kitchen knives do a decent job while scoring bread. However, kitchen knives don’t match up to the sharpness and range of motion that bread lames offer. 

The thicker blade makes scoring bread more challenging, as the cuts may not be as accurate. A lot of the time, the dough may stick to the knife blade while being cut. This may impact the texture of your dough as well. 

2. Blades

Let’s look at how well blades of bread lames and knives score bread!

Bread lames are specially made to create complicated cuts and designs accurately. You don’t need to apply as much pressure with bread lames while scoring; all it requires is a light cut as the blades are very sharp. 

The blades of bread lames are also a little curved. This shape allows you to make curved or roundish cuts in your bread efficiently.

What about knife blades? Knife blades are sharp, but they are mostly just straight. The thickness of knife blades also increases progressively along their length. Knives are designed to cut items. So, while it does a decent job, you cannot achieve the best results while scoring bread. 

If you know your way around your knife, you can try to achieve results close enough to using a bread lame. We suggest using very sharp knives to get the best scoring results. 

If you wish to purchase a knife that gives you the best result while scoring, check out our recommendations below! 

Product	Where To Get
Imarku Japanese Chef Knife	Get Now!
Professional Chef Knife Set	Get Now!

3. Handles

The way handles are designed for these kitchen tools greatly varies.

First, let’s talk about knives. Knives have a thick handle that your palm almost entirely wraps. It is used to cut in a downward motion, which requires that kind of grip. 

While knives can do a decent job scoring bread, you may not be able to achieve exactly what you want. Scoring bread with a knife can be challenging as it doesn’t twist and curve enough to make intricate cuts. Due to this, the thick handles of knives may not be ideal for scoring bread.

Next, bread lames! Bread lames have a much thinner handle with a sharp blade attached at its end. Its design allows you to operate it as a pen. The bread lame’s thin handle allows you to score bread and swiftly create complicated cuts and designs. The designs produced by lames on bread have higher quality, and the bread bakes beautifully with them.

Bread lames are special utensils for those who think it’s a good investment. To make it easier for you, we’ve given our top recommendations for bread lames!

Product	Where To Get
SAINT GERMAIN Premium Handcrafted Bread Lame	Get Now!
Riccle Bread Lame Slashing Tool	Get Now!

Finally, the Winner: Which One to Buy?

As we can see, the winner has to be the bread lame! Several professionals use this technique to score bread in the best way possible.

Here’s a brief description of each to wrap it up. We also have some recommendations for both bread lames and knives!

Product	Features	Where To Get
Bread Lame	The perfect way to score bread; is used by most professionals!	Get Now!
Bread Knife	Best suited for beginners!	Get Now!

Bread lames have a relatively higher price range than knives. Knives are a standard household utensil. So, is investing in a bread lame worth it? 

While you can get the best results while using a bread lame, the jobs knives do isn’t too inferior. Using a knife to score bread may not be the best option, but it is almost as efficient.

If you’re a beginner looking to purchase one of these utensils for household needs, you can start with knives. Sourdough baking and creating designs can still be done with a knife. Your first instinct doesn’t have to be to get bread lame when baked initially.

For some people, knives may not cut it. That’s okay; you’re a perfectionist and want things a certain way! You can go for the bread lame if you’re one of them. 

Seasoned bakers generally invest in bread lames as they can fully exploit its benefits. Bread lames are also fabulous for people that want to experiment and master the art of baking bread. If you see yourself indulging in this activity for a significant time, bread lames are an excellent investment!

Choosing between a bread lame and a knife depends on your commitment to scoring and designing your dough. Please consider your household or professional requirements before investing in one of them! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is scoring necessary to make sourdough bread?

Yes, you can still bake sourdough without scoring. However, gas gets trapped in the dough when it is not scored. So, there is a high chance they will deform into irregular shapes during the baking process. 

Can I bake bread in a skillet?

Yes, you can bake bread in a skillet by using it as a baking stone. Popping the skillet in the oven is a great idea to preheat it. You can achieve the best results with this technique. 

Can I use X-acto knives instead of bread lame?

Yes, you can! X-acto knives are sharp enough to do a fantastic job on your bread. The only drawback of using X-acto knives is that they have short blades. So, if you want to cut deep, this knife isn’t the one for you. However, it is an excellent option for making minor, accurate cuts in your bread. 

Final Words

We’ve finally reached the end of the article! If the baker in you couldn’t help being confused between bread lame and knife, we hope you’ve got your answer!

As we’ve seen, bread lame takes the cake in most aspects. However, investing in an expensive bread lame is unnecessary if you’re only a beginner. You can start with whatever is available around your kitchen and go up from there.

Happy bread-baking!