Perhaps it’s because I’m from New York. Or maybe it’s because it’s just delicious. Whatever the reason, I LOVE pizza. And I make it regularly, so I need pizza tools that are top-notch.
Today I’m taking a look at pizza cutters. Below I review some of the most popular pizza cutters, then I’ll discuss some specifics about different types of cutters and what to look for when shopping for one. Feel free to go right to the product listings from the table below.
Quick Comparison
Cut to the Chase—The Best Pizza Cutters
Editor’s Pick – Checkered Chef Pizza Cutter Rocker Blade
If you’re hoping to look like a professional pizza slinger, this might be your pizza cutter. This cutter is made of a single piece of stainless steel, with a long, curved blade.
The blade is a generous 13 3/4 inches long, so depending on the size of your pizza, it may fit across in one rock. At over 3 inches high, it even works for thicker pizzas. The single piece of steel rolls into a handle at the top, and there’s a plastic cover for the blade when not in use.
When this type of cutter works well, it’s the most efficient pizza cutter, and many cooks rave about how well this cutter cuts. People appreciate the build quality and the sharpness of the blade. They find it does a great job of slicing through toppings and crust without rearranging and smooshing everything around. Many people also use it for other things, such as cheesecakes, herbs, vegetables, pitas, quesadillas, etc.
There are a few drawbacks, however. It won’t work with a deep dish pizza or a pizza on a pan with a raised edge to it. Some people find the handle a bit ungainly, and a few people found the cutter arrived with burrs on the blade (though most were able to removed these with a honing rod). Other people who didn’t like this cutter felt it was a bit flimsy—it seems there may be some manufacturing inconsistencies given the divergent opinions of consumers on this one.
Overall, though, it looks like a great option for easily slicing up your pizzas. I like the idea of getting across the pizza in one cut, and that’s why it’s my top choice!
Pros
- Ergonomic design, comfortable to use
- Blade slices nicely, leaving pizza intact
- Has protective storage cover for blade
- Works well for other foods, too
- Easy to clean
- Works for thick pizzas
Cons
- Large and hard to store
- Doesn’t work with deep dish pans or pans with raised edges
- Some people find the handle flimsy
- Seems to suffer from some manufacturing inconsistencies such as defects in the blade and burrs on the blade
Upgrade Pick – All-Clad Stainless Steel Pizza Wheel
All-Clad is well-known for its high quality cookware, mainly stainless steel. Their kitchen tools are also excellent quality.
This is a traditional rotary or “wheel” style pizza cutter with a handle at the side. The handle features All-clad’s signature concave design with a hole for hanging, as on their pans, and there’s a finger guard above the wheel, which helps with stability when gripping it. At around 3 3/4 inches in diameter, this cutter is larger than most of this style, and that extra size makes a big difference. I find the construction of the wheel, with two pieces of steel holding the wheel on either side, speaks to its likely longevity—no wobbly pizza cutter here!
I have this pizza cutter, which I’d gotten in a set with a pizza stone. The first time I used it, I was blown away by how much better it cuts than the cheap one I had before it. Other owners echo my feelings on this cutter. People praise the sharpness of the blade and the heft of the tool.
Some people find the handle a bit awkward to hold (some people have the same gripe about All-clad cookware, too). Another issue is that wheel cutters can be difficult to hone and sharpen at home.
But if you’re looking for a high-quality tool with a lifetime warranty, get this pizza cutter!
Pros
- Ergonomic design, matches All-clad cookware
- Blade slices cleanly, leaving pizza intact
- Larger diameter wheel is more efficient
- Nice heft
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Doesn’t come with cover
- Some people dislike handle design
- Wheel cutters are difficult to sharpen
- Pricier than many other cutters
Budget Pick – OXO Good Grips Pizza Wheel
OXO is well-known for its kitchen tools, and this pizza cutter is frequently recommended! This pizza cutter is a traditional wheel/rotary style cutter.
It features OXO’s signature grippy rubberized handle, and a generous 4” diameter blade wheel that is angled from the handle to maximize your cutting force. It also has a thumb guard to help with the hold.
Many pizza consumers love this pizza cutter and find it feels like a good quality tool. They praise the sharpness of the wheel, the heft of the tool, and the nice feel in hand. People also appreciate the large size and how this enables it to quickly slice up a pie.
A few people have had issues with the longevity, though—a problem I could predict based on the fact that the handle only holds the wheel from one side. Therefore, the blade can become wobbly over time. Some people also experienced the handle falling off.
But I think that for the money, this is a good little pizza cutter—a great option if you’re on a budget.
Pros
- Comfortable, grippy handle with thumb guard
- Wheel angled from handle for better ergonomics
- Blade slices nicely, leaving pizza intact
- Larger diameter wheel is more efficient
- Nice heft
Cons
- Doesn’t come with cover
- Some people find it too large
- Wheel cutters are difficult to sharpen
- Poor build quality, with issues such as wheel coming loose or tool falling apart
Best for Thin Crust Pizzas – Kitchy Pizza Cutter Wheel
This wheeled pizza cutter is a novel take on the pizza cutter but it makes a lot of sense and seems much more ergonomic than the cutters with a handle.
A blade sits in a plastic casing, which opens to release the cutter for cleaning. The handle is made of plastic, with a silicone gripper. A nice feature is that is has a protective plastic cover over the blade that retracts back when in use.
Many pizza eaters rave about this cutter and find that it’s a real improvement over conventional rotary cutters. They find that it slices through easily and is a breeze to take apart and clean. People also love the plastic cover.
One notable issue with this cutter is that the handle will come into contact with a thicker pizza. Some people also find the blade a bit dull, but this doesn’t seem to be a common issue.
If you eat primarily thin crust pizza, this would be a great option for quick and easy slicing!
Pros
- Compact
- Ergonomic design, comfortable to use
- Colorful options
- Blade slices nicely
- Has protective cover over blade
- Easy to clean
- Good customer service
- Moneyback guarantee
Cons
- Not tall enough for thicker pizzas
- Some people find cleaning it tedious
- Rotary blades are hard to sharpen
Best Heavy-duty Pizza Cutter – BruArcher Pizza Cutter
This is yet another out-of-the-(pizza)-box design for a pizza, something that will bring a professional feel to your home kitchen. It consists of one long crescent-curved blade with two handles at either end, like a mezzaluna with one blade. The blade is 14 inches of stainless steel, and the handles are a textured black plastic.
You use a rock-chop motion to cut through the food, using two hands. With its length, you can cut through most pizzas in one swift rock.
Many people love this pizza cutter. They find it feels very sturdy and has nice heft to it. And most importantly, it cuts very well—easily with a nice and even cut and without messing up the toppings. “Pizza guillotine” is how one user describes it!
Most of the complaints of this cutter are really about the size of it. Some people find it too heavy, others complain that it’s a bit hard to clean due to the awkward size and shape. The other complaint is that it doesn’t come with a proper cover, rather a plastic sheathe.
Pros
- Ergonomic design, comfortable to use
- Blade slices nicely, leaving pizza intact
- Cuts through most pizzas with one pass
- Works well for other foods, too
- 1 year warranty
Cons
- Doesn’t come with proper cover
- Length makes it awkward to clean and store
- Some people find it heavy to use
- Requires two hands
Best for One-handed Work – Kobza Mezzaluna Style Rocker Cutter
This knife is a sort of mezzaluna style or Native American “ulu” style knife, with a long, curved blade. The blade is made of stainless steel and the handle is a ribbed plastic for grip. It comes with a plastic blade protector.
With one long curved bland and a handle on top, you use a rocking motion to cut through whatever you’re chopping up. The blade is about 6.5 inches long, so it won’t slice through a larger pizza in one motion, but it does make quick work of the job. As a side benefit, people who are one-handed or suffer from weaknesses such as arthritis find this to be a very useful tool for chopping all manner of things.
Many people find this is the best tool for cutting pizzas. Although it does take more than one pass to get through a pizza, many people find this isn’t an issue as it slices deftly. Owners also find it nicely weighted, with a sturdy feel but not too heavy to wield with one hand.
Some people find the build quality to be a bit lacking, noting that it acquired rust spots after a few washes, or that it just didn’t feel very sturdy out of the box.
If you like the idea of getting through a pizza with one hand or have issues such as arthritis, this is an option worth considering!
Pros
- Ergonomic design, comfortable to use
- Blade slices nicely, leaving pizza intact
- Has protective storage cover for blade
- Works well for other foods, too
- Can be used one-handed
- 1 year warranty
Cons
- Doesn’t get through larger pizzas with one pass
- Some people find the quality to be poor
- Can acquire rust spots if not washed/dried carefully
Buying A Pizza Cutter
If you want to look like these guys, it’s all about the pizza cutter!
Here’s a bit more information about different types of cutters and what to look for when shopping.
Styles of Cutters
Rotary/Wheel Cutter
This is the most popular type of pizza cutter for home use, consisting of a circular blade attached to a handle. They are usually fairly compact. If you prefer this type of cutter, note that ones with larger blades cut faster than smaller ones.
The main drawback to wheel cutters is that these blades are hard to hone or sharpen at home. The other problem is that they displace your cutting force, which makes you have to work harder. Handle placement can improve this.
Mezzaluna
The other main type of pizza cutter is a mezzaluna style blade, which consists of one long blade with a curve to it. With this type of cutter, you may be able to make one or two clean cuts across a pizza.
Traditionally, a mezzaluna has two handles at either end. Some variations have one handle across the top of the blade. The main benefit of these cutters is that they apply a more even and direct force on the pizza, which makes the work easier, and can make a cleaner cut that doesn’t drag the toppings around.
The drawback is that they are large and harder to store.
Factors to Consider
Construction Material
Most pizza cutter blades are stainless steel, which is strong and easy to maintain. Ceramic blades are growing in popularity. The handles may be the same material as the blade, or may be textured, ribbed, or rubberized plastic or wood.
Note that while many pizza cutters claim to be dishwasher safe, I don’t recommend putting any cutting tool through the dishwasher as it can dull the blade more quickly. Instead, hand wash and immediately dry your pizza cutter to keep it in good shape.
Ease of Sharpening
Even the best pizza cutter will dull over time. It’s a blade doing a hard job, and just like a knife, you need to hone and sharpen it periodically. If the shape makes it difficult to manage on your own, consider taking it to your knife sharpener.
Storage
Pizza cutters are an awkward tool that can be hard to store. If you’ll be storing it in a drawer, it’s helpful if there’s a blade cover to both protect the blade and your hands when reaching into the drawer. Some pizza cutter may also have a hook or hole so they can be hung on a hook or pot rack.
Blade Depth
Consider what type of pizza you like to eat. If you regularly eat deep or thick pizzas, you’ll need a big blade that won’t allow its handle to drag through your pizza. If you mostly eat thin crusted pizza, this is less of an issue.
Pizza Time!
If you’re like me and you love pizza, you’ll need a good pizza cutter!
To feel like a professional and make quick work of the slicing so you can get to the eating, I recommend the Checkered Chef Pizza Cutter Rocker Blade. With its streamlined design it’ll be easy to maintain at home to keep it cutting nice and smoothly! And it’s a good value.
If you’re looking for an upgrade and like the idea of a lifetime warranty for this hardworking tool, splurge on the All-Clad Stainless Steel Pizza Wheel.
Happy pizza eating!