While many home bakers may not start out using a bread lame—essentially, a long tool with a razor blade—adding this relatively inexpensive tool to your bread-making kit will immediately pay off with cleaner scoring, higher rises, and more refined results.
Bread lames (“lame” means “blade” in French) were once difficult to find on the consumer market, which often left home bakers to score their bread using blades by hand or fashion their tools out of skewers or chopsticks. Professional-quality bread lames are now available to anyone interested in stepping up their bread game, and they come in a variety of choices to suit your bread-making style.
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What We Like
Nice storage case
Adjustable straight or curved blade
All stainless steel
Easy-to-replace blade means less chance of injury
What We Don't Like
Comes with only three blades
This is what you get when a bread baker sets out to make their own equipment. Designed and tested by bakers and baking enthusiasts, the Baker of Seville bread lame is versatile, sturdy, and streamlined.
The biggest advantage of this lame is its ability to alternate between a straight-edge and curved blade, meaning that you can make a variety of cuts without having to purchase two different tools. The edge is stabilized with a sturdy screw and two stabilizing knobs to keep the blade from slipping under pressure.
In testing, it came with the first blade attached, but of course, we wanted to see how easy it would be to change from a straight blade to a curved one. This process proved to be fairly easy; you can switch from a straight blade to a curved one by placing the included spacer on top of the blade (for a curved slash) or under it (for a straight one). The depth of the curve can also be controlled, depending on how tightly the blade is attached. The screws kept the blade secure in testing, and scoring our bread was easy whether we used the blade straight or curved.
Unlike most other bread lames on the market constructed, this one is made entirely of stainless steel, making it sturdy and easy to clean. The stainless steel design makes for a slightly heavier-weight lame, allowing for greater control while scoring. After removing the blade and securing the screw, it can be washed in your dishwasher. And when you need to store it, the Baker of Seville lame comes with its own hard plastic case to protect both the blade (and your fingers) from damage.
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Blade Style: Curved and straight | Material: Stainless steel | Includes: Storage case, three blades
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What We Like
Wooden handle feels high-end
Easy blade installation
Handle is comfortable to hold
What We Don't Like
No storage case
If you're just starting your bread-making journey or are unsure of your level of commitment, the XoYo Bread Lame is a great, reusable option that won't break the bank. This bread lame is designed to hold a double-sided safety razor with a 6.3-inch wooden handle and a stainless steel razor stick. It also comes with instructions on how to safely attach the blade.
During our testing, we found that the Xoyo Bread Lame performed well. While the blade does the bulk of the work, we were pleased with how comfortable the handle was to hold while in use. When attaching the blade, we had to hold it steady while sliding it onto the shaft of the lame, which requires a careful hand due to the sharpness of the blade. This is a simple process, but users should always take extra care when handling the blade.
Although the XoYo Bread Lame does not come with a protective box, it does include a leather blade cover to protect the user and keep the blade safe and secure when not in use.
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Blade Style: Curved | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Five blades, leather blade cover
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What We Like
Easy to use for various types of cuts
Comfortable and attractive handle
Blade cover included
What We Don't Like
Requires screwdriver for blade installation
Many bakers like to score their sourdoughs and yeasted doughs with a head-on perpendicular slice in either the classic "X" or a square pattern. A straight-blade lame can help you achieve a clean direct cut, as well as many of the popular decorative cuts often seen on larger artisan loaves.
The UPKOCH bread lame has an attractive wooden handle, which is exceptionally safe and secure. The blade is held in place by two screws, and the back of the double-sided blade is sunk into the handle to avoid accidental cuts while using the lame. The screws can be removed to rotate or replace the blade. A small screwdriver key is included in the set, or a regular small screwdriver can be used if the key disappears into the gadget drawer.
In use, we found the blade easy to install and replace, and it made quick work of both straight cuts and smaller decorative ones. It was less effective when trying to hold the lame at the angle required to create an “ear” (the coveted crisp flap you see on artisan bread) on the loaf, but adjusting the depth of the blade was easier with this model than others we tested, and the handle has a nice, solid feel.
Five blades are included, as well as a plastic blade cover for safe storage and a key to tighten the screws. Unlike other models, the UPKOCH bread lame also has a small hole drilled in the handle for hanging.
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Blade Style: Straight | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Five blades, blade cover, one plastic blade cover, one screw key
Bread Baking for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know
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What We Like
Attractive black walnut handle with brass accents
Pre-drilled hole in handle for easy hanging and display
Easy blade installation
What We Don't Like
Expensive compared to other models
Does not come with instructions for blade installation
This lame takes the utilitarian straight blade up a notch with a beautiful black walnut handle embellished with brass accents and stainless steel fittings. The screws that secure the blade in the handle can be tightened by hand without a key. A pre-drilled hole in the handle makes hanging and displaying in your kitchen easy.
In testing, we found the blade easy to install, but the directions were lacking in detail. We initially thought we'd installed the blade correctly, but it took looking up a photo of the product online for us to realize that we had in fact inserted it upside down. This lame features a brass accent piece meant as a stop for the blade, but we found it unnecessary since this models has screws to keep the blade from slipping. Also, the brass piece sometimes felt loose or wobbly when the lame was assembled, but that’s a nitpick that doesn’t affect the product’s use.
The whole package includes additional razor blades and a small cardboard box for storage, making this lame a lovely and thoughtful gift for the bread enthusiast in your life. This alone would be an excellent gift, but if you’re ready to up your gifting game, this same lame is also included in the Williams Sonoma Bread Baker’s Dream Set, which consists of a dough whisk, a ceramic bread baking pot, and a dough rising basket.
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Blade Style: Straight | Material: Black walnut wood, stainless steel, brass | Includes: 5 blades, cardboard storage box
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What We Like
Good for both straight and detailed cuts
Sturdy and well made
Easy to replace blade
What We Don't Like
Doesn't come with a nice storage box
The curved blade of the Saint Germain lame makes scoring baguettes for that beautiful arched expansion and delicate ear a breeze. Like other models, the lame is designed with a wooden handle and stainless steel stick to hold the blade.
To get the blade onto the lame when testing, we had to bend and hold the blade to slide it onto the shaft of the lame. While this was easy to do, it required a steady hand since our fingers were close to the blade's sharp edges. The shorter handle of this lame is popular among bakers who like to hold the tool closer to the blade for more control or bakers with smaller hands. Since baguette dough is typically a little denser than high-hydration sourdough, the extra control for scoring comes in handy.We found that this feature made it ideal for more detailed cuts, especially when we used the straight blade.
The package includes five replaceable blades for multiple uses, a blade cover, and a cardboard box to store it all. A lifetime warranty also covers the blades.
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Blade Style: Curved | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Six blades, leather blade cover
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What We Like
Textured handle for nonslip grip
Simple blade installation instructions
Budget-friendly
What We Don't Like
Storage box is cardboard
Not the most comfortable to hold
For bakers looking for a dependable (and admittedly cute) lame for scoring homemade bread, the Breadtopia lame is an easy tool to use, change, and maintain. The long, textured resin handle is nonslip and allows for a looser and gentler pressure for soft doughs. For thicker doughs, there's plenty of room to choke up on the handle without directly touching the blade.
Since this comes without the blade attached, our first task was bending and holding the blade as we slid it onto the shaft of the lame. While this was simple enough, it takes a sure hand since fingers are close to the blade's sharp edges. If a more aggressive curve is desired, the shaft can be bent to change the blade's angle. For those new to the process, it comes with clear, easy-to-follow instructions.
We did find that this wasn't the most comfortable of lames, but this wasn't a huge impediment. And while you can use the blade tip to learn how to make finer cuts, it's not ideal for that job. It comes with five blade replacements and a padded box for safe storage.
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Blade Style: Curved | Material: Plastic, stainless steel | Includes: Paper storage box, five additional blades
The 7 Best Bread Lames, Tested and Reviewed
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What We Like
Great for gift-giving
10 replacement blades and a 365-day return policy
Comfortable to hold
What We Don't Like
Doesn't come with instructions for use
Bread Bosses has set out to make serious tools for serious bread bakers, like its lame, which boasts a solid wooden handle, ten replacement blades, a blade cover, and a rugged wooden box to store it all in. The handle is smooth, without carvings or texture to prevent flour or dough buildup that may be difficult to clean out over time.
In testing, the lame's short handle was easy to hold and use. The curved blade is designed mainly for intricate cuts, but our tester was able to make deep, straight cuts with the blade's corner. We particularly appreciated the box that held everything safely, with enough room to store extra blades. Additionally, Bread Bosses has a 365-day return policy if, for any reason, your lame doesn't stand up to regular use within the first year.
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Blade Style: Curved | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Wooden storage box, 10 additional blades, one leather blade cover
Final Verdict
The Baker of Seville Bread Lame is designed with serious bakers in mind, providing a heavy-duty stainless steel handle and versatile scoring options, all at a reasonable price. If you're looking to perfect your baguette, we recommend the Saint Germain Premium Bread Lame.
How We Tested
We sent eight bread lames to our product tester, cookbook author and bread baking expert Donna Currie, who used each to score loaves of bread dough to determine which products were indeed the best. Each bread lame was rated on quality, ease of use, comfort of grip, the ease of installing or removing the blade, the blade quality, and overall value. After rigorous testing, she offered additional insights on each bread lame's strengths and weaknesses.
How We Test Products
What to Look for When Buying a Bread Lame
Blade Style
Blades can be straight or curved, depending on how they're installed on the lame handle. Most of the blades used for lames are flexible enough to curve, although most handles typically hold a blade in one style or the other—except for the Baker of Seville model, which can be adjusted to fit either style. Whether to use a straight or curved blade is largely a matter of preference, although some beginners find it easier to start using a straight blade until they get a feel for making cuts and for decorative scoring.
Blade Installation
We found that most blades are installed on lames in one of two ways. The first, and perhaps the safest, way to attach a blade to the handle is by screwing it on. Some models have a single screw in the center or at one end of the blade. Other models have two screws holding the blade in place at both ends. The single-screw configuration makes it easier to angle the blade however is most comfortable for you, and once the screws are tightened, the blade is snugly held in your chosen position. Almost all blades secured with screws are straight blades (except the Baker of Seville lame, which can be adapted to either blade style). The screws themselves vary from hand-tightened models to models requiring a small turnkey or screwdriver to loosen and tighten.
Curved blades are typically installed by bending the blade by hand and sliding it over a flat rod on the lame handle. If fussing with screws is more than you want to deal with, or you bake a high volume of bread that requires changing the blade often, this blade style and installation might be a good fit for you. However, bending a sharp razor blade by hand involves inherent risks and takes some practice. If you’d like to try this style, choose a lame with installation instructions and watch a few videos demonstrating the correct and safest way to install a curved blade.
Handle Materials
Stainless Steel: Lame handles come in various materials that are not specific to the style of the lame. As with most kitchen hand tools, a stainless steel handle should be machine washable and one of the sturdiest options for years of reliable use. The extra weight of stainless steel lames makes them easier to handle, especially when working with thicker doughs that require more forceful cuts.
Wood: Lames with wooden handles are some of the most prevalent and inexpensive models on the market today. Wooden handle lames are available for both flat screw-on blades and curved blade styles — although all wooden lames come with metal pieces to secure the blade. Plenty of low-price options are available, but higher-end wooden models are also available for those interested in a more luxurious or hand-crafted tool. All wooden lames should be washed by hand to prevent stripping or waterlogging the porous handle and should be left to air dry before storing.
Plastic: A few plastic lames are available, and most are suitable for beginners. Plastic models tend to be the most lightweight option and are available in replaceable and nonreplaceable blade options. Nonreplaceable blades are built right into the plastic handle, while replaceable blades are typically installed on a metal rod that extends from the handle. The majority of plastic lames are designed with curved blades. To avoid warping plastic lames, it’s best to wash them by hand.
Safety and Storage Options
Like any other sharp kitchen tool, a lame should be handled and stored with care to protect against cuts and serious injuries. When choosing a lame, consider the storage options and any safety features that make storing the lame in your kitchen easier. At the bare minimum, a lame should come with a blade cover. Blade covers are often leather pouches that fit neatly over blades but are sometimes also plastic and snap over blades without removing them from the lame handle. Loose blades should have a storage box or pouch of their own. Many lames come with storage boxes to hold the handles and extra blades. Storage boxes vary and can be made from paper, plastic, or wood.
Additional Accessories
A straightforward lame will include a handle and at least one blade. But more often than not, they have a few additional accessories. A pack of five to 10 additional blades is an excellent addition to any lame set, as are blade covers. Higher-end sets come with storage boxes, which is helpful but not necessary. If your tool is designed with screws, it should come with a turnkey or small screwdriver unless the screws are hand-tightened. Lames with instructions for installing the blades are very useful, and some instructions also give you an overview of how to hold and slice with the lame.
FAQs
What is a bread lame?
Essentially, a bread lame is a handle and a razor blade. It’s used for slashing bread dough, allowing it to rise properly during baking without creating unattractive cracks in the crust. Better lames have removable blades, but there are inexpensive, disposable lames with permanently attached blades.
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How do you use a bread lame?
The key to proper use of a lame is slashing with confidence. Hesitant slashes tend to make jagged cuts that may not be deep enough. The lame can be held at different angles, depending on the desired results. It can be held perpendicular to the loaf to slash straight down, or it can be held at an angle. To create an “ear” on a rustic loaf, the lame is held nearly parallel to the surface of the dough. Smaller, shallower cuts can be made to create decorative designs on the surface of the loaf.
Is a bread lame necessary?
Slashing bread dough can be made easier with the use of a bread lame, although there are other options available. Some types of bread may not even require slashing, and a super-sharp knife or a single-edged razor blade can also do the trick. However, if you frequently bake bread, you may prefer having a bread lame on hand. Luckily, they are affordable and require very little storage space, making them a convenient addition to your roster of baking tools.
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Why are bread lames curved?
While many bread lames are curved, not all are. A curved blade promotes the formation of an “ear” on the loaf of bread, so it’s great for rustic loaves and sourdough. A straight blade can be easier for new bakers since it’s less likely to snag the skin on the loaf. Straight blades may also be easier to use for making decorative cuts.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Jenny Kellerhals has been a professional pastry chef in NYC for over a decade, developing an appreciation of professional-grade and high-quality home baking equipment through rigorous use. Her New York apartment kitchen cabinets are tiny, so only the most reliable equipment makes the cut.
Donna Currie, who tested and updated this roundup, specializes in product reviews and recipes and is the author of the cookbook "Make Ahead Bread."Her search for the best cooking and baking gadgets is never-ending.
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