I won't buy a serrated blade for general use. I think a plain edge is much more generally useful. Somehow, serrated blades have become all the rage. I guess people who don't really use knives much think they look cool.

That being said, I do have a "river knife" with a partially serrated blade attached to my pfd for sea kayaking. The primary use there would be if I became entangled and had to quickly cut ropes, nets, or whatever. Highly unlikely I will ever need it, but if I do, I will need it bad! It may be that a well sharpened plain blade would do just as well in that application, but the river knife is what I have.