You can attempt to level a cake using a knife, but the results won’t be similar to the professional ones. Professional bakers always use the right tools for the task, and a cake leveler isn’t an exception.
Finding the best cake leveler was quite a tiring task as there are tons of tools out there in the market. After going through user reviews, considering critics, I finally made a list of top 7 levelers.
The research took a few days to complete. Regardless of your cake decoration style and preference, you will find the most reliable leveler from the list.
Do You Want To Easily Choose A Product? Just Follow This Table
[amazon bestseller=”Best Cake Leveler”]
Benefits of Using Cake Leveler
So, what are the things that might tempt you to use a commercial cake leveler instead of a knife? Let’s find out.
Leveling the Uneven Surface
A baked cake doesn’t come even out of the oven. To be able to decorate a cake, you must make sure the surface is even and flat. The leveler is the tool that makes it happen. It levels the surface with minimal effort.
Eases Frosting
If you are to apply frosting on layer cakes, the cake must go through the trimming process. A cake with an even top is comparatively easy to ice. You can use a leveler to smoothen the top and make it ready for frosting.
Helps to Prevent Cracks
Moreover, leveling your cake is far more important as it helps the cake avoid cracking, especially when you stack and fill the layers. However, you can do the leveling in so many ways. You can use knives to level them up, but it can ruin all your effort and time if you’re not a professional.
So, using a cake leveler is highly recommended to make the cake decoration task easier and perfect. It will help you make the surface even along with the layers.
Our Recommended Best Cake Leveler Reviews
The list includes cake levelers of different types and prices. Regardless of your preference, you will find the right one from below.
Wilton 415-0165 Small Cake Leveler
[amazon box=”B007E8KCFY”]
The first leveler on the list is from Wilton. A well-reputable brand for kitchen tools and accessories among both homeowners, professional chefs, and bakers.
For those who want to remove the crowns from the cake’s top like a professional baker, this is the one you need.
If you want to remove the crowns from the top or tort several layers for decorating like professionals, this cake leveling tool can help you. This handy tool can make your cake evenly leveled up to 10-inch width.
You can adjust the blade height as per the need. There are ten height settings for you to choose from. If you want to make a layered cake, consider adjusting the height up to two inches for making a plain and smooth surface.
Wavy wire works as a cutting blade for neat and clean cutting. It remains firm even if you have to trim a larger cake.
Though the main material of the tool is metal, the handle is made of plastic. You will get a firm grip on this handle to be able to give the cake the desired shape or trimming.
Hand washing is preferable to clean it up. You can use soapy water and a soft cotton cloth to wash it properly.
One thing you have to maintain while leveling the cake is to trim the cake just after bringing it out from the oven. Never use this cake leveler on a frozen cake because it may break the wire of the leveler.
Highlighted Features
- Wavy wire cuts the top evenly
- Tort equal height layers
- Hard plastic feet and handgrip provide stability
- Easy hand-washing
- Contains blade setting guide
Mrs. Anderson’s Baking 2-Wire Layer Cake Leveler
[amazon box=”B009J9ALES”]
Looking for a leveler for making layer cakes? This professional cake leveler cuts batter-based cakes up to 12 inches width evenly. So, if you plan to make a layer cake, this is the one you need.
This tool comes with a 2-wire to be able to cut a cake into pieces effortlessly. The thickness of the cake doesn’t make it hard for the wires to cut. You can conveniently adjust the wire height for layering the cake as you like.
Also, you can cut the top doom of the cake to make it ready for colorful decoration and stuff. To do so, adjust the bottom wire to the lowest possible height, and pull the cutter through the cake.
Cleaning becomes super easy as it is dishwasher friendly, and the wires don’t stick much cake onto them.
Ensure to cut the cake while it’s normal or cool. Don’t cut it when it just comes out from the oven and remains hot; else, it may crumble. Just like this, don’t level it after freezing.
So enjoy a well-decorated, tasty, and professional presentation of cake with the help of this cake leveler.
Highlighted Features
- Sturdy and durable
- Two cutting wires
- Stainless still material
- Dishwasher safe
- Height adjustability
- Evenly slice layers
Wilton 415-810 Medium Cake Leveler
[amazon box=”B009NCINCS”]
If you are looking for a perfect cake cutter to give your cake a professional look, this medium-sized Wilton cake leveler can be an ideal option for you. When it comes to removing the top portion and give the cake a good shape for decorating, the tool won’t disappoint you.
Cutting or slicing large layers won’t be an issue for this leveler. You can stack and fill the layers with cream, butter, fruits, or anything you like.
Plastic feet increase their stability of it. So, there will be no wobbling when you level the treat. One of the things that I didn’t like about the leveler is that it doesn’t have any handgrip. There is a stainless steel notch for holding the tool.
Adjust the wire up to 2 inches when you turn the cake into layers. The leveler is wide enough to deal with a 10 inches wide cake. So, for small to medium-sized cakes, it’s a great deal to consider.
Cleaning this tool is such an easy task. You just need soapy water with a sheet to clean it up. Be sure to clean the leveler before you use it for the first time and after every time you use it to level the goodies.
As the manufacturer used stainless steel material, you can rest assured about the durability. There will be no rust and corrosion whatsoever. Also, the cutting wire is made out of the same material. Thus, spending a really low price for this tool would be worth the money for sure.
Highlighted Features
- Durable stainless steel material
- Cuts even slices up to 10 inches wide
- Stainless steel wire
- Adjustable wire cutter up to 2 inches high
- Perfectly level the top
- Easy washing
Bonviee Adjustable 3 Blades Cake Leveler
[amazon box=”B07DHR8HKN”]
Durability matters the most when we talk about cake levelers. Using a lightweight tool also eases the overall decoration process. This leveler from Bonviee is one of the most durable yet lightweight tools from the manufacturer.
Stainless steel and aluminum alloy ensures its longevity and make it the best for both homemakers and professionals. That doesn’t mean beginners cannot use it. If you are new to baking, you can significantly improve your cake decoration skill while spending much less time on it.
Being an extremely flexible tool for leveling the top of the cakes, you can use the tool with minimum cake decoration skills. You can turn the doom of a cake into a smooth and plain surface for frosting, icing, and other decorating stuff using this leveler.
Re-shaping or cutting pastry becomes fun with this professional cake cutter as the sharp saw-toothed cutting blades ensure quick and smooth leveling.
To make holding the tool comfortable for your hand, there is an anti-slip handgrip. Its two plastic feet make the entire structure stable enough to slide a large cake across the wire blade without any issues.
For layering the cake, you can adjust the size between 1 to 9 cm. These wire cutters are adjustable in 3 settings. This one is large enough to accommodate a 14 inches cake. So, if you mostly bake cakes of this size, this can be an ideal cake layer slicer for you.
Highlighted Features
- Provides three saw-toothed blades
- Lightweight
- Made of stainless steel and aluminum alloy
- Adjustable cutting wires
- Anti-slip handgrip
Prokitchen Layer Cake Slicer
[amazon box=”B072HJ2Q6L”]
For professional cake decoration, it’s a must to meet delicacy in terms of scaling, sizing, and precise cutting. Prokitchen presents their cake slicer to meet such requirements, which is made of durable material and promises to deliver nicely sliced and leveled cakes for decoration.
Unlike ones with two or more wire cutters, this leveler has only one. You can adjust the height to slice or layer the cake according to your desired thickness—no need for anything overwhelming to decorate a perfectly layered cake.
The leveler is made of stainless steel to make sure it doesn’t face corrosion issues whatsoever. Also, the cutting blade is made out of the same material.
There is a plastic handle that allows you to hold the leveler tightly to make sure it’s stable while you pass a cake across the cutting wire. Its stability is further ensured by two hard premium quality plastic feet.
The wavy wire makes sure of clean cutting and doesn’t get many cake particles. So, you can easily clean the tool using soapy water and a soft cloth to make sure it’s hygienic.
If you have to prepare cakes for weddings and parties on a regular basis, this can be the best cake leveler for sure.
Highlighted Features
- Wavy wire ensures a smooth top
- Stable handle and feet grip
- Delicate slicing
- Easy to wash
- Adjustable layer thickness
Wilton 415-800 Large Folding Cake Leveler
[amazon box=”B003TYDU1A”]
You have a small kitchen room with limited storage capacity. That doesn’t mean you cannot have fancy cake decorating tools like a leveler. Most of these tools take quite a lot of space. For those who have limited capacity, Wilton comes with a compact and foldable solution.
Yeah, you got it right. You can fold and store this tool without wasting much space in your kitchen drawer.
If you mostly make large-sized cakes like 20 inches, you will find this tool large enough to fit perfectly.
One of the first things for decorating any cake is to remove the uneven top of the cake. This tool does an excellent job of getting you the perfect and smooth finish on the top for frosting, icing, and other decorative ingredients.
Cleaning doesn’t require anything overwhelming from you. Simply use soapy water with a cloth to clean the tool.
The leveler is entirely made of quality plastic material, except for the cutting wire. For a customized layer cake, you can adjust the layer cutting to meet the right size needed for the decoration.
Having such a cake decorating tool doesn’t need you to purchase party cakes from a bakery shop. You can make these at home and spend the extra penny on other stuff.
Highlighted Features
- Thin and flexible blade
- Folding easy to store design
- Large cutting capacity
- Adjustable cutting heights
- Ergonomic handle
- Lightweight
Boao 2 Pieces Double Wire Cake leveler
[amazon box=”B0897N8ZCK”]
If your cake decoration tasks require you to use both the single and double-wired cake leveler interchangeably, then this one from Boao can be a worthwhile consideration.
Design-wise, these levelers are different. One has a square notch handle, whereas the other one has a plastic handle for better stability. The plastic one is a single wire tool; the one with the notch feature double-cutting wire for layering cake into three pieces.
Both of the cake cutters have height adjustability features by which you can adjust the heights of the slices. Staking and filling the layers becomes easier with this handy tool. Both these tools can make a doomed top super flat and make it ready for decorative artworks.
After cutting your cakes, don’t forget to wash the cake levelers. Though it cuts smoothly and remains almost clean after cutting, it’s better to wash it with soapy water and a soft cloth gently. It helps to remove oils or anything on the cake leveler.
Highlighted Features
- 2 cake levelers
- Durable materials
- The plastic handle ensures stability
- Easy height adjustment
How to Choose the Right Cake Leveler
Thousands of cake levelers are on the markets, but you can’t buy them all, you have to choose the suitable one. To select the best one among them, you should know some functionalities and specifications of them which make the variations.
Many people cut and trim the layers with a knife or dental floss. But it needs a lot of experience to do the job perfectly. Even it may destroy all your effort and time.
As most of the cake levelers are affordable, you can easily buy one of them for a nice and professional decoration.
So you have to prioritize your needs first; according to them, decide which one will meet your need.
Stability of the Material
When you purchase a thing, the first question that comes to your mind is its durability because we always want to buy something that will last longer.
Durability and longevity depend on some factors like construction material, blade, handle and feet, blade, and mostly right use of it.
Stainless steel is one of the most durable materials, which is also anti-rust, and you can easily rely on this for years.
Blades made of stainless steel are more durable than wired ones.
Moreover, plastic handle and feet ensure stability, and so it helps to cut well and last long.
Blade Quality & Numbers
The cutting or slicing or layer quality and finish will highly depend on the blade or wire.
Stainless steel blades handle cake much better than the wired counterparts.
You have to be more gentle with the wired cake levelers; on the other hand, wavy ones are stronger and work smoothly and hardly remain crumbs.
Storage
Storing the cake leveler in your kitchen with the other accessories is another thing you need to consider. Don’t end up purchasing one you cannot accommodate in your kitchen room’s storage drawer.
Though these cake slicers don’t contain much space in your kitchen, you can keep them anywhere.
If your kitchen is too narrow, in that case, folded ones may help. After using it, you can fold it and easily store it with other utensils.
Handle & Feet
The handle is the place where you grasp the cake cutter with your hand to level it. It can be of stainless steel or plastic, but a plastic handle is preferable. Plastic ones are much comfortable to hold.
Stainless steel handles are not bad as well, as these come with a notch to get a firm hold onto it.
Leveler’s feet is another thing that has to do with the overall stability of the tool. Make sure the feet are well-gripped so the structure doesn’t feel wobbly.
Height Adjustability
Layered cakes are always preferable for every occasion. But to make the layers, height adjustability is the key factor.
Different products offer varieties of heights, so you have to choose the possible highest number of height adjustment options.
A numbered scale stays on the side of the cake slicers. So check these all carefully before buying a product to enjoy evenly sliced cakes like professional bakers.
Budget
Though these cake levelers are budget-friendly, you cannot just grab one randomly. Paying more won’t get you the better one.
First, determine your cake decorating needs, and then look for one that meets those. Even if you have to go for a pricey option, it would be worthwhile spending the money on it.
Cake Decorating Tips for Beginners
Are you a beginner or have experience in decorating cakes? Well, it doesn’t matter how much you know about it; these cake decorating tips may help you to take your skill to the next level.
Freezen the Cake
Level the Cake
You can use knives or cake levelers to make the top of the cake flat. But using the cake leveler is preferable to do the job more efficiently. If you intend to make a layer cake, then trim the slices.
Put Crumb Coat on the Cake
Apply a thin layer of frosting to cover the loose crumbs of the cake surface. Then, stack the layers and fill them with frosting. Lastly, apply the thin layer of filling with the help of an offset spatula.
Apply the Frosting
Put the cake layers on the turntable, and then fill it with frosting. First, try to fill the top and then the sides with a palette knife. You can use a smoother cake instead to run the edges and the sides of the cake by rotating it in the opposite direction.
Practice Decorating
Decorate cake tops and sides with a piping bag with creams and butter. You can also use chocolates, fruits and so on to give it a professional look.
How to Use a Cake Leveler
After baking the cakes, you can’t decorate them as the cakes become doomed and uneven. So you have to cut them evenly to make the top plain and the layers with even height.
To make this task easier, you can easily use cake levelers to make the cake ready to decorate.
- After baking, cool down the cake and then cut it. Don’t level the warm one, as it may crumble when you slice it.
- Adjust the wire or blade to your desired height, and then lock the wire.
- Put the cake on a flat surface. Then, use a cake stand or keep the cake leveler’s feet firmly on the surface.
- Use a turntable by locking it in a place, or you can use it by rotating with a gentle motion.
- To level the upper surface, adjust the lowest wire to the lowest edge, and pull through the cake.
- Level up the top layer to slice different layers.
- Clean all the tools after use and before you use them for the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a wavy blade or wire better for cutting?
Though both work nicely but serrated blades work better and produce fewer crumbs.
Can you purchase the metal wire individually?
Manufacturers don’t sell the metal wire separately. If the wire is damaged, replacing the entire tool is the only available option.
Why use a cake leveler instead of knives?
While using a knife, the hand will shake, and the person might not have much control while leveling the cake. Most likely, this will ruin the cake’s shape. Using a cake leveler is the more efficient and easy option. It doesn’t have any risk of damaging the cake.
Can you take away one wire to transform it as a single cutter?
Technically, yes. But, remember, you probably won’t be able to reinstall the wire again.How to get precise cuts using wired levelers?
Cut with a zigzag and slow-motion while putting your hand on the cake.
Final Words
So, that was all from my end. Hopefully, you have already found the best cake leveler that meets your cake decoration needs, preferences, and style.
Be sure to take good care of the leveler because regardless of the material these are made out of, medium force or pressure can break them apart. Place in a safe storage drawer to prevent that from happening.
Jen Lin-Liu is the founder of Black Sesame Kitchen. A Chinese-American writer and a nationally certified Chinese chef in Beijing. Jen is the author of two memoirs, Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China and On the Noodle Road: From Beijing to Rome with Love and Pasta.