5 Best Plastic Kitchen Knives Of 2024
Adding a plastic kitchen knife to your collection of steel knives is a good idea as these knives are great not only for teaching children knife skills but also for many other benefits they have.
What is the best plastic kitchen knife? As with any knife, the key features of the best plastic knives are a well-made blade and an ergonomic handle. The quality of the plastic itself matters too. Other properties of the knife, including its size, weight, and whether it comes in a set or not, are a matter of preference.
In this article, you will find five of the best plastic kitchen knives you can buy. Read on to learn what makes them good and what to consider before you make a purchase.
Choosing the Best Plastic Kitchen Knife
Plastic kitchen knives may not fully substitute steel knives that undertake the most difficult food preparation tasks but they certainly have multiple benefits:
- These knives are lightweight and easy to carry around when traveling.
- They prevent such products as lettuce and other greens from browning.
- Plastic kitchen knives are great for teaching children how to work safely with knives and how to cut vegetables and fruits for family meals.
- These knives are easy to clean and in most cases dishwasher-safe.
- Plastic kitchen knives won’t scratch your coated cookware.
If you are looking for the perfect plastic kitchen knife, consider the following before making a purchase:
1. The Blade
Many people are skeptical about plastic kitchen knives as they believe a plastic blade can’t do much.
While you shouldn’t expect your plastic knife to perform the same way as steel knives, don’t underestimate them either.
These knives are usually made for cutting vegetables and certain baked goods. Don’t be too surprised if the plastic knife you have bought doesn’t cut through your steak, although it’s still possible.
But even with plastic knives, the shape of the blade matters. If the knife comes with a sharp tip, it makes cutting through products so much easier.
This feature is especially good for cutting through such foods as tomatoes. We all know it can be an issue for many knives to poke through the seemingly soft tomato skin.
With this being said, if you are buying the knife for your kids or you know you will be using it for lettuce or cutting brownies, a rounded tip will work great. Serrated edges are also a safety point.
2. The Handle
No matter how good the blade on the knife is, if the handle isn’t designed thoughtfully, you can’t make good use out of your knife.
Make sure the handle of the plastic knife you are buying has an ergonomic design. You should have a nice grip on the knife to be able to control it and cut food without any incidents.
3. Material and Quality
A plastic knife is a plastic knife, you may think. What’s so different about it?
But it turns out there are things to consider even when you are certain about buying a plastic knife. You can’t just go and grab a random knife from your local supermarket.
Firstly, it is always good to buy BPA-free plastic items. When a product comes with a BPA-free label, you know that is safe to use for food.
Secondly, the type of plastic also matters. Not any plastic kitchen knife gets the job done and this is all about the quality and the type of plastic used. Nylon kitchen knives, for example, are some of the best.
4. Size and Weight
Plastic knives come in a range of sizes. If you want something portable and compact, buy a knife that is on the smaller side.
But if you are looking for a plastic kitchen knife that will feel like a regular steel knife in your hand and be suitable for cutting everything from lettuce to cabbage, buy a bigger one.
Plastic knives can be both lightweight and on the heavier side. If you are buying a plastic kitchen knife to teach your kid how to work with fruits and veggies, pick a lightweight one.
For adults, heavier knives are obviously better. They are sturdy and long-lasting.
Set Vs Individual Kitchen Knife
You can buy an individual plastic knife intended for certain uses, such as cutting baked goods or lettuce, and you can buy a set of knives that will cover all your needs.
It should be noted, however, that in most cases individual plastic knives are suitable for a range of uses and are not limited to cutting either fruits and vegetables or baked goods, such as brownies and pies.
Buying a set of knives is a good idea if you are planning on teaching your kids how to work with a kitchen knife.
If you buy a set with 3 or more knives of different sizes, you can use the big one while your kids work with the smaller knives.
5 Best Plastic Kitchen Knives
Here are five plastic knives that aren’t just toys for kids but functional kitchen tools with multiple benefits. No matter which one you choose, you will get a good value for the price.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | StarPack Nylon Kitchen Knife Set | Rubber grip handles |
| 2. | ZYLISS Lettuce Knife | Safe on coated cookware |
| 3. | Norpro Green Lettuce Knife | Soft-grip handle |
| 4. | Homebae Kids Kitchen Knife Set | Set of 3 sizes |
| 5. | Fox Run Bakeware Buddy Knife | Heat-resistant to 270°F |
1. StarPack Nylon Kitchen Knife Set
Key Features:
- 3 pieces in a set
- Non-slip handles
- Dishwasher-safe
The StarPack kitchen knife set will give you the best of both worlds. Not only will you get two smaller knives for kids to learn some cutting skills but also a big one for your own needs.
The serrated edges of these knives will easily cut through fruits and vegetables. The rounded tip, however, makes the knife safe for children’s use.
The handles of the StartPack knives are also well-designed. The rubber provides a nice grip on the knife giving the user more control over the cutting process.
Being made of nylon, these knives are very durable and a real find for the price.
2. ZYLISS Lettuce Knife
Key Features:
- Long angled blade
- Good for greens and baked goods
- Safe for coated cookware
One of the main reasons why many people buy plastic knives is that they don’t cause greens to turn brown after chopping them.
If you are also looking for a good plastic knife for greens, then this ZYLISS lettuce knife is one of the best options on the market.
The serrated long blade will make the cutting process so much easier and faster. The handle is also quite long and has an ergonomic design for convenient use.
But it is not only lettuce and greens this plastic knife is good for. It can also cut through cakes, pies, brownies, and bread without scratching the coated cookware.
3. Norpro Green Lettuce Knife
Key features:
- Soft-grip handle
- Hanging hole
- Can be used for spreading
Another lettuce knife you can use not only for greens but also for fruits and vegetables, as well as for cutting through bagels and bread.
As the blade of the Norpro knife is long and straight, you can also use it for spreading frosting on cakes.
The handle of this plastic knife is very comfortable. Not only is it angled but is also non-slip which provides a nice grip on the knife.
The only thing you should know about this knife is that the manufacturer recommends hand-washing it. But this shouldn’t be a problem as this plastic knife will be a matter of seconds to clean.
4. Homebae Kids Kitchen Knife Set
Key Features:
- 3 pieces in a set
- Food-grade BPA-free plastic
- Ergonomic handles
The Homebae plastic kitchen knives set is another affordable yet user-friendly option for people looking for plastic knives for both themselves and their kids.
Containing 3 knives of different sizes, these plastic cutting tools can be used for fruits and vegetables, as well as for cutting bread.
The Homebae knives are made of nylon. This material makes them both sturdy and lightweight. So, if you need a travel-friendly knife set, this is it!
5. Fox Run Bakeware Buddy Knife
Key Features:
- Compact size
- Heat resistant to 270°F
- 4-inch serrated blade
The Fox Run Bakeware Buddy knife is the most compact plastic knife you can find. The size makes it a great tool for teaching kids some cutting skills.
While the name suggests that this knife is best used for cutting baked goods, including cakes, brownies, and pies, you can also use it for cutting greens and vegetables.
As the blade is straight, this handy knife can also be used as an icing spatula. What makes it even better is that it is made of food-grade plastic and is dishwasher-safe.
