Kyocera Knives: Are They Good?

In the league of ceramic knives, the brand name Kyocera is one of the standouts. For us who are on the threshold of getting a new knife or set of knives, we wonder – are Kyocera knives really that good?

They have been popularly used across the culinary scene – from professional chefs to everyday homemakers and touted to be worth every penny. Let’s see what these famed kitchen implements have to offer!

The Kyocera knife is an excellent tool for you to have. It can make meal preps easier with its lightweight and balanced design, while the knife itself is durable and easy to use.

are kyocera knives good?

Kyocera Corporation is a Japan-based brand renowned for its high-quality kitchen tools and cutlery.

Holding its main office in Tokyo since 1959, it was originally known as Kyocera Ceramic Company which was into the production of industrial ceramic used in industries such as power and telecommunications, among others.

Eventually, the company ventured into culinary gadgets. This was probably an offset of their line of high-grade industrial ceramic cutting tools scaled down to the home-use level.

You can only imagine the technology and expertise they have poured into manufacturing – technology that has been used by NASA programs going as far back as far back as the 60’s!

What Makes Kyocera Knives Special?

At first, you might be tempted to believe that a knife is a knife, in the end. Not really much to write home about… but the truth is that there are definitely better knives than others and Kyocera are in the former category.

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Let’s see what makes them so special!

Material Integrity

Not all ceramic knives are equal. Kyocera poured their technology into their knives creating high-tech ceramic zirconia which is known also as zirconium oxide.

This chemically inert compound is long-lasting and extremely hard. Compared to the hardest material which is the diamond at 10 Mohs, zirconium oxide comes in at 8.2 Mohs with steel knives coming in at 5.5 Mohs.

This means that although “ceramic” (which is not something you’d associate with “strong”) these knives are extremely hard and also incredibly sharp!

With their state-of-the art manufacturing centralized in southwest Japan, the company guarantees the integrity of production of each Kyocera knife.

Their Premier, KYOTOP, and LTD series which are the top lines are exclusively manufactured in Japan.

They have proven that upon magnification of ceramic blade materials, Kyocera’s micro-grain ceramic is indeed shaper and much denser compared to other leading brands, making them a leader in the ceramic knife industry.

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Sharpness and Corrosive-Free

If you are used to knives with forged metal blades, you know that their blades are softer than the hard ceramic of Kyocera knives.

They also corrode over time, with its edges showing signs of rolls and pits after a good amount of time.

The zirconium oxide blade, however, is able to hold the edge and is resistant to the wear longer. Depending on the weight of your usage, a Kyocera knife can even go years without sharpening.

Ease of Cleaning

With a Kyocera knife, it can be as simple as a quick soap, rinse and wipe. Clean-up is not a chore.

However, in order to make your knife last longer, it is best not to dishwasher-clean it as it may damage the wooden handle.

Food Freshness

Kyocera knives are also not susceptible to the rust and discoloration suffered by steel cutlery.

This is important, not only for the longevity of your kitchen implement, but also for the taste of the food that passes through the knife.

Because ceramic is impervious to the food, the freshness of the taste is maintained. And because it is not metal, vegetables and fruits will not be browned and discolored.

Ease of Use

Aside from the advanced material, Kyocera knives are also ergonomically designed. This makes them very easy to use in slicing appropriate foods. It is very lightweight and balanced making food prep a breeze.

However, they are not too light either – so that you can’t really “feel” them when you’re using them. They have the perfect weight needed for worry-free use.

The Revolution Advantage

If you are planning to up the ante on your ceramic knife action, Kyocera has the Revolution series which are made through an additional hot isostatic pressing step, making it even denser than the white Innovation Series.

This black blade is more durable due to the tighter molecules created form the extra process. This also makes the knife more resistant to the trauma of being dropped.

How to properly use and care for your Kyocera Knife

Kyocera knives are absolutely beautiful!

The first thing we must always say is that when you are thinking of getting a Kyocera knife, you should remember that all kitchen implements have their specific ideal function.

Adding a ceramic knife to your kitchen means you want to use them where they are best suited – they are meant to complement other culinary tools.

While in the realm of ceramic knives, the Kyocera is unparalleled, always remember that they are made for slicing vegetables, fruits, bread, boneless meats, and other softer ingredients.

They are not for the tougher food. Steel knives have their place – cutting up frozen food, carving meat with bone-in, chipping, boning, prying!

Kyocera provides the user with a booklet every time they purchase on the do’s and don’ts in usage. Make sure to check that and also double check with our list below for proper use and care of the knives:

  • Avoid chipping your Kyocera knife by using a wood or plastic cutting boards. Surfaces like marble, tile, granite or stone are inappropriate for ceramic knives as they can cause chipping.
  • Keep your Kyocera knives in a traditional knife block, preferably a wooden one, individually in a knife sheath or cover inside a drawer tray or in the package they came in. Avoid chucking this in with other knives and cutlery as this will damage the blade.
  • As mentioned above, do not place your Kyocera knife in the dishwasher to avoid the handle warping. Gentle washing with an organic kitchen cleaner will do the trick. In case your blade had a stain, baking powder and warm water is the quick fix.
  • Should you drop your Kyocera knife on hard surfaces and difficult angles, Kyocera offers a repair and sharpening service to restore you knife back to its original edge.
  • Don’t attempt to sharpen your knife with a ceramic sharpening rod! The hardness principle applies and these are only for steel knives. You can use the Kyocera Advanced Diamond Hone Knife Sharpener for Ceramic and Steel Knives which is equipped with the necessary diamond wheel sharpener.

You can always send it in to the company for resharpening as well or simply use one of our recommended methods for sharpening a ceramic knife.

Using ceramic knives also requires that you adjust your slicing technique and use straight motions when doing so.

If you’re new or wondering why ceramic knives are not working for you, reviewing your slicing style – you may just need a slight adjustment of you angle and the pressure you apply. Practice makes perfect is one cliché that we can go by.

Also bear in mind that within the Kyocera knife lines, there are varied categories and uses.

The life of your Kyocera knife depends if you use the proper knife for the proper job. You will find knives specially for paring or slicing.

Some Kyocera lines includ utility knives and serrated knives. They also have Kyocera ceramic scissor which have become a recent popular substitute to slicing down leafy vegetables and soft meat.

Most reviews that involve the knife chipping is usually the result of improper usage. But as nothing is perfect, whenever a factory defect does occur, Kyocera offers a corresponding limited warranty on its ceramic knife line – just make sure you do not abuse the tool!

Once you master the use of your Kyocera knife, nothing will ever do your slicing and dicing again! So yes, we can safely say that Kyocera knives are indeed really good and a solid option to make!

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