Using a cheese cutter means placing the cheese on a firm surface, positioning the wire or bow, and pressing down with steady, even pressure in one smooth motion.
Whether you’re slicing a block of cheddar for a sandwich board or cutting sticks for a snack tray, the technique breaks down into a few simple moves. The key is matching the tool to the cheese and letting the wire do the work—forcing it only produces uneven messes. Below is the step order that works for wire slicers and guillotine-style cutters, plus how to adjust for soft, hard, and extra-hard cheeses.
What You Need Before You Start
Setup takes about thirty seconds and prevents most cutting problems.
- Sturdy surface: Put the cutter on a firm, level, flat countertop. A wobbly board makes even pressure impossible.
- Right bow size: If the unit uses interchangeable cutting bows, confirm the correct bow is installed before you start. Using the wrong size gives ragged slices.
- Cheese temperature: Very cold, hard cheese buckles and resists the wire. For semisoft and softer blocks, let the cheese warm slightly toward room temperature so the wires don’t break. Hard cheeses like parmesan can stay colder.
- Check the stopper: On guillotine-style cutters, inspect the rubber stopper and wire tension before each use. A damaged stopper changes the cutting angle and can make the blade drift.
How to Cut Slices, Sticks, and Cubes
The three most common cheese cutter results—slices, sticks, and cubes—come from one workflow plus a rotation.
Step 1: Slice the Block
Raise the cutting bow to the upright position and set the cheese block against the guide plate. The longest side of the block should face the cutting wire—this gives you the widest, most stable slices. Press the bow down slowly and steadily in one continuous motion. Do not saw back and forth; that tears the cheese and leaves a rough edge. When the wire reaches the board, the slice is done.
Step 2: Make Sticks
Take the slice you just cut and rotate it 90 degrees so it stands on its edge. Position it back against the guide and press the bow down the same way. You now have uniform sticks.
Step 3: Make Cubes or Rectangles
Lay the sticks across the support block slots on the cutting board, then pull the bow down slowly and steadily. Each stick becomes several cubes of equal size. If your cutter doesn’t have support slots, cut the sticks by hand with a knife to finish the job.
On a wire-style slicer without a bow, the motion is the same: place the wire at the top edge of the cheese and press straight down with even pressure. Keep your fingers clear of the wire at all times—it will cut skin much faster than cheese.
Matching the Cutter to the Cheese
Cheese texture decides which tool works best. Wire cutters handle soft and semisoft cheese well, including brie, mozzarella, and young gouda, because the thin wire glides through without crushing the interior. For semihard and hard cheeses like cheddar, swiss, and parmesan, guillotine-style cutters with a wider bow and firmer tension give cleaner results. Extra-hard cheeses benefit from a cheese plane or a dedicated hard-cheese wire, since a standard wire can snap under the pressure.
If you’re working with a very soft cheese, warm it slightly before cutting so the wires don’t break. If you’re cutting a block larger than the cutter’s support assembly, reduce it to a smaller chunk first— If you’re deciding which tool fits your kitchen, our tested cheese cutter roundup compares the top models side by side.
Cleaning and Common Mistakes
Wash the slicer in soapy water after every use, and dry it immediately. Most wires and bows detach for easier cleaning. Don’t put the cutting wire in the dishwasher—it can bend or corrode.
The three mistakes that ruin cheese cutting are forcing the cutter, cutting cheese that’s too cold, and letting fingers drift near the blade. Forcing produces crushed, uneven slices. Cutting straight from the refrigerator makes hard cheese buckle and soft cheese break. Keep fingers well clear of the wire, and stop using any cutter with a damaged stopper or slack wire. A smooth, steady press with the right cheese temperature gives you clean slices every time.