I remember what life was like before I bought a pizza cutter. I used my ever-reliable chef's knife and always cursed myself for not buying a proper rolling cutter. After one particularly messy incident that involved dropping my knife on the floor (remember that a falling knife has no handle), I knew that I needed to finally buy a dedicated pizza wheel and this led me to my search for the best pizza cutter.
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Naturally I took the internet, which is what you're doing too, if you're reading this. I had a few requirements for the perfect pizza cutter:
- I wanted something that would stay sharp enough to cut through even thick pizza crust without having to sharpen it regularly.
- I also needed one that was designed for easy cleaning.
- I wanted to be able to use it to cut pizza and more, like individual pieces of fudge and homemade granola bars.
Oddly enough, my research led to me this Fast Company article where Alton Brown shared his essential kitchen utensils. In it, he said, "When I have to cut something, I'll always think, Can I use a pizza cutter instead of a knife?" Well, bingo! I was almost sold, until he said, "This one is unique because the handle doesn't stick out from the side. When you press down, your hand is right over the blade for better control." I knew, then, that I had found the perfect pizza cutter in theory. But would it work for deep-dish pizza and thin-crust pizza alike?
Available on Amazon.com for $6.75, the ZYLISS Pizza Cutter Wheel and Slicer boasts 4.5 stars out of 5 from 499 reviews. As a left-handed cook, I was pleased to find it was designed to suit either right-handed or left-handed use. Not quite a 4-inch pizza wheel, this measures in at 5 inches. It still fits in your drawer discreetly and won't jar it open like a potato masher tends to. The stainless steel cutting wheel won't rust out with proper care and the blade remains sharp.
If you make homemade pizza regularly, I recommend this inexpensive and effective stainless steel pizza cutter. Perfect for thicker crusts up to 1.5 inches and thin crusts alike, this ergonomic design relies on the weight of your hand to apply pressure. Pizza cutting aside, it's a great blade to run through fudge or caramels, just make sure you spray it with nonstick cooking spray first. I've enjoyed using it to cut better brownies, too.
The non-slip grip of the half moon plastic handle ensures you won't send it flying off the counter after you run it through your large pizza. The stainless steel wheel blade is removable for easy cleanup and is also dishwasher-safe. While it doesn't come with a protective sheath for the stainless steel blade, I simply store mine in a small plastic bag. Of course Zyliss isn't the only brand of these wheel cutters. Having used the OXO Good Grips Pizza Wheel and the KitchenAid Pizza Wheel before, this model is superior and less expensive. That's a win-win in my book!
