The 8 Best Bread Lames, According to Our Expert Baker

Best Overall

Baker of Seville Bread Lame

$18 at Amazon $20 at Etsy

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, 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.

Blade Style: Curved, straight | Material: Stainless steel | Includes: Storage case, three blades

Best Budget

XoYo Bread Lame

Orig. $9 $5 at Amazon

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.

Blade Style: Curved | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Five blades, leather blade cover

Best for Sourdough

UPKOCH Bread Lame

$10 at Amazon

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.

Blade Style: Straight | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Five blades, blade cover, one plastic blade cover, one screw key

Best for Gifting

Williams Sonoma Black Walnut Handle Bread Lame

$40 at Williams-Sonoma

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 model 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.

Blade Style: Straight | Material: Black walnut wood, stainless steel, brass | Includes: 5 blades, cardboard storage box

Best for Baguettes

Saint Germain Premium Bread Lame

Orig. $15 $9 at Amazon View on Stgermain.co

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.

Blade Style: Curved | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Six blades, leather blade cover

Best for Beginners

Breadtopia Bread Lame

$13 at Amazon View on Breadtopia.com

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.

Blade Style: Curved | Material: Plastic, stainless steel | Includes: Paper storage box, five additional blades

Best With Case

Bread Bosses Bread Bakers Lame Slashing Tool

Orig. $20 $15 at Amazon

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.

Blade Style: Curved | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: Wooden storage box, 10 additional blades, one leather blade cover

Best for Detailed Cuts

Letheva UFO Bread Lame Cutter

$11 at Amazon

Rather than a blade on a stick, the Letheva UFO cutter is a small, yoyo-shaped holder that twists to loosen or tighten, grabbing the blade tightly in any position. The difference was like using a pencil versus a long-handled paintbrush. Our fingers were much closer to the surface of the bread dough, making it much easier to make small, detailed cuts and intricate designs on the dough.

While it was great for detail work, the lame was also handy for making standard slashes. Since the blade can be positioned in the holder at any depth or angle, adjusting it for any work we needed to do was easy. It was surprisingly easy to use, cutting our loaves with no dragging or snagging. This model also comes with ten blades and a soft storage pouch to keep the lame safe in storage.

Blade Style: Straight | Material: Wood, stainless steel | Includes: 10 blades, storage pouch