Top Pick: 10 out of 10 points in the Süddeutsche Zeitung's bread knife test

The Süddeutsche Zeitung had ten bread knives tested. Our 21-cm Alpha bread knife was the only model in the test to achieve a perfect score—10 out of 10 points and the top rating of “The Best.”

10 out of10 points
Model Tested
Güde , 21 cm, Walnut (W430/21)
Rating
10 out of 10 points — “The Best”
Price in the Test
164 euros
Test Field
Ten bread knives

Ten bread knives, one expert, one winner

The tests were conducted by Nathalie Kinzel from the Munich-based organic bakery “Julius Brantner Brothandwerk.” She is responsible there for purchasing raw materials and managing quality control across the three bakeries, and previously spent her days hand-slicing a wide variety of breads at the counter. For the *Süddeutsche Zeitung*, she tested ten bread knives, paying particular attention to the cut surface and crumb formation.

The test loaf was a “Bio Brothandwerk 25,” which has a particularly crispy crust and was fresh and still warm during the test—in other words, the most challenging scenario imaginable for a bread knife.

What Convinced the Expert

Her assessment focuses on the workmanship, the balance, and, above all, the cutting performance:

  • Forged by hand from a single piece: The blade and tang are made from a single piece of steel, and the handle scales are made of walnut.
  • Balance thanks to the full tang: The steel extends all the way to the end of the handle, where it ends with a second bolster. According to the expert, this distributes the weight very evenly, and she maintained control at all times while cutting.
  • A smooth cut on oven-warm bread: Even on a freshly baked loaf with a crispy crust, the cut remained clean.
  • Hardly any residue: Almost nothing was left on the blade after cutting.
  • It’s both easy to grip and elegant: In her opinion, the knife sits securely in the hand and has a high-quality feel.
  • Plastic-free packaging: The expert considered the simple corrugated cardboard box a clear plus.

Her conclusion is clear: The Güde was the most expensive knife in the test, but in her opinion, it also delivered the best results. According to her description, the blade cut effortlessly through both the crust and the crumb.

Results of the test conducted by Nathalie Kinzel for the *Süddeutsche Zeitung*, July 18–19, 2026, edition

Important to know: It wasn't the wood that won—it was the blade.

The 21-cm bread knife with a walnut handle was tested. However, the blade is the key factor in the result—and it is the same for all Güde in this line: the same hand-forged steel, the same fine serrated edge, the same geometry, and the same manufacturing in Solingen.

Same knife—the blade and steel are identical; only the handle is different.

The selection ranges from walnut, pear, and apple wood to barrel oak, olive, acacia, and briar, all the way to Briccole oak from Venetian mooring posts or oak from the Balkhauser Kotten. In addition, there are two non-wood versions: Alpha with a black POM handle and Kappa with a seamless stainless steel handle. It’s a matter of appearance, feel, and price— not cutting performance.

These models are currently in stock

The model used in the test—with a walnut handle for right-handers—is currently out of stock; however, it is available in versions for left-handers and for both right- and left-handers. The following overview shows the current inventory directly from our store. The pear wood and barrel oak models are identical in construction, available immediately, and cost exactly the same:

Walnut wood

Tested by the SZ

  • 21 cm 164.00€ Left-hand version only
  • 32 cm 257.00€ Available immediately
View

Alpha POM)

  • 21 cm €124.00 Available immediately
  • 32 cm €239.00 Available immediately
View

Pear wood

  • 21 cm €164.00 Available for immediate delivery
  • 32 cm 257.00€ Available immediately
View

barrel oak

  • 21 cm €164.00 Available only as left-handed and right-handed/left-handed models
  • 32 cm 257.00€ Available immediately
View

olive wood

  • 21 cm €151.00 Available only as left-handed and right-handed/left-handed models
  • 32 cm 240.00€ Available immediately
View

Inventory levels are retrieved directly from the store. Most models are also available in left-handed and right-handed versions; the prices shown are for the standard version.

What length is right for you?

The 21-cm model tested here is the all-purpose size for loaf pans and medium-sized loaves. The 32-cm version slices through large, tall sourdough loaves in a single pass without requiring you to make adjustments. In between are specialty models such Delta the Delta and the 23-cm model Caminada by Andreas Caminada . The same principle applies here: the blade quality is the same; it’s the length that determines how it handles.

Left- and right-handed people

The serrated edge of a bread knife is side-specific. Most models are therefore available in three versions: for right-handers, for left-handers, and as a double-sided version suitable for both right- and left-handers. Be sure to choose the correct version—it’s listed directly on the product page for you to select.

Source of the test:
Süddeutsche Zeitung No. 163, July 18–19, 2026, “Living & Enjoying” section, page 60, article “Aufschneider.” Test by Nathalie Kinzel. Rating for the Güde 21 cm Walnut Güde (W430/21): 10 out of 10 points, “The Best” category.

Read the review on sueddeutsche.de

Discover more news

To the overview