Cutting your food properly after it has been cooked is an art form, and if you want to perfect that art form, you are going to need a knife that is capable of handling the job.
My favorite? The Cuisinart electric knife at Amazon.
There are many different knives that you can choose from when slicing your brisket, but they will all come in the form of either manual or electric knives.
Each category of knives will have their pros and cons, and they each have their own uses. The pros of manual knives are that they give you a little bit more flexibility because they are not as bulky as an electric knives.
The pros of an electric knife are that it is capable of cutting much faster than a manual knife and require significantly less force when cutting. However, they do have a couple of downsides. Electric knives are bulkier than their counterparts, and because they have motors, they are susceptible to malfunctioning quicker than manual knives.
Today we will look at some of the better electric knives available for purchase, go over the pros and cons of each, and then decide which is better for certain uses.
Black and Decker 9 inch Carving Knife
This one is the most economical of the two we are going to discuss today, but it is still capable of getting the job done for you. As the name of the knife would suggest, it has a 9 inch stainless steel blade that is large enough to cut most whole briskets even at its largest point.
The knife has a comfort grip handle that allows for additional control over the knife while you are carving your brisket (this is imperative because cutting briskets requires precise cuts against the grain of the meat).
See the Black and Decker carving knife at Amazon.
There is a built-in safety feature (safety lock button) that will keep the knife from powering up when the device is plugged in.
It also has blade release buttons that will unlock the blades from the frame so you can remove and clean them. The blades are also dishwasher safe.
Should you get this electric knife?
This is one of the least expensive electric knives that you can purchase while still maintaining the quality you expect from Black and Decker products. It makes clean cuts and does not tear at the meat.
Looking for the best knife sharpeners on the market?
However, the motor is definitely on the weaker side and probably will not last you more than a few months to a year. Still, for the money, I think this would be a good investment if you don’t plan on using electric knives often.
Cuisinart CEK-40 Electric Knife
There are some companies, which when I see their name, I automatically know I am getting a product that is made of quality material and is worth the money that I am going to spend. Cuisinart is one of those companies. The CEK-40 is a huge step up from the Black and Decker, and you will be able to tell the difference the moment you pick it up to use it.
It has two different options of blades and even comes with a standing butcher block holding tray. It will ship with a bread blade and a carving blade, and there is an option to get a cordless, battery-powered knife.
Find the Cuisinart electric knife at Amazon.
It has a very sturdy ergonomic handle that gives you immaculate control of the tool while you are utilizing it and has high-quality stainless steel blades that are razor sharp making your cutting experience easier and more enjoyable.
It is built with safety in mind and has a one-touch on/off trigger that is activated only when you apply enough pressure. The blade release buttons let you remove the blades for easy cleaning and you can put them in the dishwasher.
Sometimes that electric blade needs to be sharpened. Read about the best electric knife sharpeners.
Should you get this knife?
The Cuisinart CEK-40 is one of the better electric knives I have come across. It has razor sharp blades and slices your brisket with ease. Another positive for it is that it comes with two different blades, giving you more opportunity to get the most use out of it.
One area it could be a little better in is the handle. The handle is very comfortable and fits perfectly in hand. But if it is being used for an extended period of time it begins to get fairly hot to the touch. This is obviously an issue for something you are holding in your hand for the entirety of its use.
Also, because it comes with two blades (or one depending on the model you choose) and a carving block, it would have been nice if it came with a case to put everything in.
Wrap up
Using electric knives isn’t for everybody, and it certainly isn’t for every occasion. But when the occasion calls for quick carving and a lot of carving, they are viable options. They let you use less pressure, get cleaner cuts, and can save you a lot of time if you are slicing large cuts of meat.
Either one of these will do the job that you need them to do, but the clear winner for me is the Cuisinart CEK-40 Electric Knife.
Additional Resources
Image credit via Flickr Creative Commons: Photo H. and Brett S.
David learned to cook at an early age after his mother told him that he couldn't live on pizza forever, Dave uses his modest kitchen skills to recreate sorely-missed recipes from home and to occasionally make new favorite ones from places he is visiting.