Yoshi Blade Review

When I first received the Yoshi Blade as a gift, I was very excited to have this new utensil. With its clean-looking “santoku” design blade and slightly heavy soft-grip handle, it was a promising addition to my kitchenware collection. However, I was a bit nervous about the sharpness of the blade, as described by the large warning label affixed to its protective cover.

Our Yoshi Blade was Chipped After Several Uses

I used the Yoshi Blade to prepare two or three meals and cut chicken, onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, parsnips, cucumber and probably more. It worked wonderfully, slicing cleanly and with ease.

Unfortunately, the last time I used it I noticed a chipping sound. In retrospect, I had made the mistake of using it with a glass cutting board, which broke the tip of the knife made of the “second hardest material known to man”—as stated by the makers of the Yoshi Blade—zirconium oxide. Looking closely, I also noticed chipping along the edge of the blade, which made me worry that some of it might have made it in my food.

According to the user manual, which I neglected to read thoroughly, the Yoshi Blade should only be used with wood or plastic cutting boards. Other important notes of use include never using it to cut frozen foods, to carve meat with bones, or slicing hard cheeses. The blade should only be used for slicing, never for chopping, smashing garlic (with the blade on its side), should never be twisted or cleaned with steel wool or other abrasives. The Yoshi Blade is also not dishwasher safe.

The caution printed in bold at the end of the user manual does acknowledge that damage may occur to the tip of the blade, stating that this does not affect the performance of the blade. However, there is no mention of what to expect or do if this material makes it into your food.

There is also no mention of another problem—perhaps not a problem as much as an annoyance—being that the blade will stain after slicing certain colourful vegetables such as carrots. The peeler included in the package, though it works great and has suffered no damage, also got stained after a few uses.

While the Yoshi Blade is a good product for the price (retailing at about $20), users must certainly be aware of its limitations and be sure to follow the warmings printed in the manual. The Yoshi Blade must be used and handled with great care and though its packaging states that it will stay sharper than stainless steel, it by no means can replace steel knives in your kitchen.

-- Nathalie Caron--