Kyocera Innovation Black 4.5-inch Ceramic Utility Knife

A 4.5-inch utility knife covers the in-between jobs where a paring knife runs short and a santoku feels oversized. Kyocera suggests this one for slicing sandwiches and smaller fruits and vegetables, and it is just as handy for sectioning an orange or cutting a block of tofu into cubes.

The Innovation Black blade is solid ceramic. Citrus and tomato acids have nothing to react with, and the blade cannot rust if it is left wet in the rack. Kyocera’s testing puts the edge life of its Innovation blades at double that of its earlier ceramic knives. The trade-off with any ceramic edge is brittleness. Keep the tip out of bones and frozen food, and do not use it to pry.

Customers ask us whether we are an authorized Kyocera dealer. We are, and it matters here, because Kyocera’s warranty only covers knives bought from authorized resellers. Knives from unauthorized sellers are excluded.

Where the 4.5-Inch Size Fits

For peeling and other in-hand work, the 3-inch Innovation Black Paring Knife is easier to steer. For thin slices of cooked meat, step up to the 5-inch Slicing Knife. This utility knife also comes in the Innovation Black 2-Piece Set and the 4-Piece Set, and the Innovation White 4.5-inch Utility Knife offers the same length with a white blade.