Chef's Path Professional Chef Knife Set - 8" Ultra Sharp Japanese Santoku Kitchen Knife - German High Carbon Stainless Steel Chefs Knife with Sheath & Premium Packaging - Best Value Cooking Knife

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We love how this knife came seriously sharp right out of the box and maintained its edge well during our testing. Garlic cloves were easily smashed and neatly minced. The Victorinox also cut through and cubed a heavy butternut squash without any issues. Although it didn't feel as nimble as more expensive knives, we were able to cut through an onion skin comfortably. While slicing a tomato, the first slice was fine with no tearing, though further clean slices were tougher to get. All knife blades will gradually blunt with use, and even the act of slicing soft vegetables on a chopping board will slowly degrade the edge of the blade. Therefore, it’s advisable to always ensure your knife’s edge is razor sharp. Not only does this make the task of cutting, slicing and chopping a breeze, but you’re also far less likely to cut yourself with a sharp blade than with a blunt one. It's not dishwasher safe, but washing by hand was easy enough during testing. While we recommend sharpening upon arrival, this knife should hold its edge as well as other kitchen knives. After testing, we found this to be a great option for a budget-conscious carving knife. Key specs – Blade material: High-carbon steel; Handle material: High impact polypropylene; Size: 20cm Aesthetes will appreciate that Material Kitchen's chef's knife has a handle that comes in three colors, but it's more than just a pretty face: The blade is 8 inches of layered high-carbon and corrosion-resistant stainless Japanese steel. The tang extends into the handle for balance, and the handle is made with a comfortable grip. Designed to be low-maintenance, this chef's knife is affordable and high-quality.

Imarku Chef Knife: We found this lightweight knife attractive and comfortable to hold. Though easily sliced through delicate foods, it struggled with heftier ingredients like butternut squash. It's an affordable option, but we'd recommend spending a little more for a higher-quality knife. We tested 21 chef’s knives side by side in our Lab and in our own home kitchens. After unboxing the knife, we measured the length of the handle and the blade, then tested for sharpness by slicing two sheets of paper and noting whether the paper sliced cleanly. Lab testers noted the weight and balance of each knife in their hand before cutting several common food items to test how smoothly and comfortably the knives could be handled. The polypropylene handle is ergonomic and comfortable, making this knife a great option for beginner cooks as it’s super easy to hold and use. The test blade was sharp upon arrival, but we felt it could use just a little extra honing with our favorite honing steel for the best performance. This was good for slicing turkeys during testing, but because of the rounded tip, it wasn’t as reliable for more detailed tasks like removing the breast meat from the carcass.Whether you're an advanced home cook or a novice, having a sharp, durable, and sturdy chef's knife is essential when preparing a meal. It's one of the only kitchen tools you use almost every time you prepare food, so selecting high-quality kitchen knives can have major benefits for both safety and efficiency. In search of the best chef's knife, we tested dozens of leading models by chopping, slicing, and dicing ingredients.

This knife easily achieved paper-thin cuts in our tomato test and easily chopped and minced garlic. Though the super-sharp blade could slice through the squash, we should note that having a heavier knife might be better for tough, dense ingredients. This knife should be hand-washed using warm water and mild detergent. We found cleaning easy, though some ingredients left spots on the metal.Avoid putting your knives in the dishwasher where you can, as a dishwasher produces a lot of heat and steam that will expand and warp the metal, says Rob Falconer from ProCook. " There was no tearing while cutting tomatoes and we were able to able to slice them very thin. While we don't recommend this knife for smashing garlic because of the ceramic material, it did mince garlic cloves nicely. Cutting an onion required slight pressure to cut through and there was some drag when cutting the skin of a butternut squash—though it made up for that by chopping through the flesh with ease. Cleaning the knife was easy, but there were some streaks and some darker spots that couldn't be removed. Carving knives typically range from 8 to 14 inches in length, and the ideal length largely depends on personal preference. The smaller and shorter the blade, the more control you’ll have, but a longer blade is oftentimes more adept at making longer cuts and getting into harder-to-reach places. A longer blade also helps avoid any sawing-like motions, which can damage the meat. Though santoku knives are known for durability and longevity, they will still need to be sharpened from time to time. Sharpening with a whetstone at a 20-degree angle (15 degrees for those with hollow edges) is ideal for this type of knife. Since it does have a thinner blade, steel sharpening rods can cause damage. Both pull-through sharpeners and electric sharpeners aren’t recommended for santoku knives since they have a unique shape that doesn’t typically fit in those conventional tools. The average optimum length of a chef’s knife is 8in (around 20cm), although 6in blades are popular, especially among novice cooks. Finding the right size blade for you is important, though, as it will improve prep times and the accuracy of your cut. We’d always suggest starting out with a smaller blade, but if you have particularly big hands you might prefer a larger option from the get-go. How do you keep your knife in tip-top condition?

Made by a multi-generational family-run business that prides itself on engineering and innovation, this is sure to be one of the prettiest knives you’ll own. Of course, you need one for yourself, but this comes in a box that would also make it a lovely gift for any cook you know. Mac knives are popular among pro and semi-pro chefs who rave about the Japanese company’s attention to detail, the quality of its metals, its impressive manufacturing process, the weight and balance of its knives and, above all, the slimness and sharpness of its blades. This has a full tang and good weight, and it’s designed for impressive performance. Made from carbon Japanese stainless steel, the razor-sharp edge makes slicing easy. We tested this knife by using it to slice everything from herbs and greens to radishes, tomatoes, and even nuts. It wasn't as impressive with roast beef, but that's not the main function of a santoku. Although the knife wasn't super sharp out of the box, we didn't have a problem sharpening it ourselves. There are plenty of names for the proper hold on a chef’s knife. Some describe it as a handshake while others talk about a pinch grip. Generally, the thumb and forefinger are doing all the work, while the other three fingers grasp the handle more gently. With the proper grip, cutting will feel easy and comfortable, and the knife will always be under complete control.

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You may have noticed that many santoku knives are quite tall. This helps balance the food as you slice downwards, giving you even slices each time. Additionally, a bigger surface area on the blade means you can transport your sliced or diced ingredients to the pan with ease. The Messermeister Avanta two-piece carving knife and fork set earns our top spot for its quality and price. This carving and slicing knife was developed for one of the leading culinary schools in North America, Le Cordon Bleu, and it holds up well to daily wear and tear. We’re breaking with chef’s knife tradition here and recommending a much smaller blade than the 8-inch norm. The 11cm (4.3in) Signature Santoku is the perfect size and form for light duties such as preparing vegetables, fish and smaller cuts of meat.

We thought the blade could have arrived sharper, but that’s certainly easy enough to fix. And let’s be honest here—some cooks don’t want a super-sharp knife. Another thing to note is that both the knife and fork are very heavy, giving them a feel of quality. In testing, we didn’t find the weight a detriment, but some users might prefer lighter utensils. It worked well slicing a turkey but wasn't quite as smooth as some of the sharper knives we tested. If you're giving this as a gift, consider sharpening beforehand. The elegant design and quality feel, though, will ensure a happy recipient. The shape and design of the laser-etched Kebony handle (a Norwegian alternative to tropical hardwood) impresses as much as anything else, particularly the short little finger scoop at the butt end that really does help with precision cutting and slicing. Santoku knives are designed for precise chopping, slicing, and dicing. Unlike a chef’s knife, santoku knives are known for creating paper-thin cuts. This makes santoku blades ideal for mincing herbs, slicing seafood thinly, or dicing fruits and vegetables. It is an incredibly versatile knife. How do I sharpen a santoku knife? If you’re worried about sharpening on a whetstone, you could always get your blade professionally sharpened. There are a number of services available that will know exactly how to hone your santoku knife.This roundup was written by Donna Currie, cookbook author, food writer, and product tester. She personally tested two of the santoku knives on this list, in addition to over 100 products for The Spruce Eats. In testing, the knife felt well-balanced and made clean cuts with ease. The sharp tip did a great job carving meat away from the bones to remove the breast and working with the legs and wings. Not only did we like it with freshly cooked turkey, but it equally excelled when making super-thin slices for sandwiches the next day. Tang: Our pros recommend knives that have a full tang, which means the blade runs through the handle, rather than just being inserted into it. A full tang keeps the blade more secure over the life of the knife and helps the knife feel balanced for better control. These blades are works of art. They're each unique and beautiful. I enjoy using them more because I like looking at them! I know it is silly but it's true. Same reason my dish cloths are my favorite color and my cutting board is a thing a beauty... cooking is more fun when you enjoy looking at your tools!