> At a Glance
> – Seattle Ultrasonics’ C-200 chef’s knife vibrates at 30,000+ pulses per second
> – $399 price tag is roughly four times the cost of a premium conventional blade
> – Cuts tomatoes and potatoes with markedly less force
> – Why it matters: The tech could help cooks with arthritis or limited hand strength slice safely and easily
Seattle Ultrasonics drew crowds at CES 2026 with a blade that hums instead of hacks. Amanda S. Bennett spent time at the booth to see whether the buzz lives up to the hype.
How the Ultrasonic Blade Works
A discreet button on the handle switches on micro-vibrations that travel through the steel. The movement is invisible but tangible-like a faint electric current in your palm.
- 30,000+ micro-pulses per second reduce friction on contact
- Food releases more readily, keeping fingers away from the edge
- Minimal downward pressure required on both soft and dense produce
Cutting Test: Tomato vs. Potato
Tomato slices emerged cleanly and paper-thin with almost zero effort. The blade slipped through skin and flesh in a single, smooth draw.
Potatoes needed more push than tomatoes yet noticeably less than a standard knife required. Release was inconsistent-some slices slid off, others clung-so the main gain here is easier cutting, not guaranteed food drop.
| Produce | Force Needed vs. Standard Knife | Food Release |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Much less | Excellent |
| Potato | Moderately less | Hit-or-miss |
Who Might Actually Pay $399
Casual cooks who enjoy the rhythm of chopping probably won’t stomach the price. A high-quality traditional chef’s knife runs about $100, making the C-200 a four-fold leap.
The audience Seattle Ultrasonics quietly targets is people who struggle with grip or joint pain. Anyone with arthritis, carpal tunnel, or repetitive-strain injury could find the light-touch cutting a genuine relief.
Key Takeaways
- Knife vibrates at 30,000+ times per second, cutting friction dramatically
- $399 cost positions it as a specialty tool, not an everyday upgrade
- Cuts tomatoes almost effortlessly; potatoes need less force but don’t always self-release
- Cooks with limited hand strength stand to benefit most
- The C-200 earned a Best of CES 2026 finalist nod from News Of Los Angeles
Seattle Ultrasonics has engineered a fascinating solution for a narrow but real problem: safer, easier slicing when muscle power is in short supply.
