The 9 Best Chef’s Knives (2025), Tested and Reviewed
Honorable mentions
Photography: Molly Higgins
New West KnifeWorks Joy Bauer 6 inch Knife Chef for $ 225: Like my new choice of western knives above, this luxury knife is absolutely magnificent with a daring red and white handle and a leather sheath in relief of accompaniment. Created in collaboration with the nutritionist and personality of TV Joy Bauer, this 6 -inch blade is a Japanese Santoku style, with a blade down and a robust higher slope in 440c stainless steel of American manufacturing. I found that the food stuck on the sides of this blade, and there was a drag with more starchy foods.
Henckels classic precision 7 inch santoku knife for $ 80: I found that the flat santoku style blade and the right edge are the most effective for cutting and tapping, the low point and the flat blade being effective for the easy shift and transport of chopped vegetables. The blade of this Spanish manufacturing knife is made of German stainless steel with a satin finish, which also has divots to reduce foods sticking to the sides. The model of Mannkitchen Santoku below is a little more solid, but it is a more affordable and lighter Santoku option from those I tested.
Zwilling Four Star 8 Pouf of the chef for $ 100: This German manufacturing knife is made of high carbon stainless steel, which, according to Zwilling, is made from a “steel of special owner form which has been perfected for almost 300 years” and has an ice -ice lame. The V -Vla blade is designed to be more difficult and keeps its sharpness longer. I found that the thicker blade required a little more force for the cut, and the cuts were sometimes not as smooth as the other choices with regard to dense foods such as root vegetables. The plastic handle is large and very adherent, but I had the impression that it was more difficult to control the cuts than some other knives on this list. It is a solid choice, but the cut required a little more effort, and the hash was not as fast.
The classic henckel’s classic 8 -inch knife for $ 75: This 8 -inch 8 -inch henckel knife has a classic German stainless steel style blade. It’s just feel Like a robust battle knife. The finely refined blade goes to an ergonomic handle with triple rivet. Although only 0.28 pounds, this knife seems heavier than comparable zwilling, partly because of this handle, which is less comfortable with more serious and square edges than others that I tested. The blade was super sharp and I quickly cut most of the products, although it is not such a clean cut on denser foods like potatoes. In addition, more starchy products seemed to stick a little more to this knife than the others.
Photography: Molly Higgins
Mannkitchen 7 inch Santoku MK71S for $ 130: This Japanese style knife Santoku feels a little heavier than the majority of this list, although the three -level handle is designed ergonomic and easy to hold, despite its large size. The heavy handle goes transparent in the stainless steel knife, and despite being heavy, I felt in control during the cut. This heavy knife has a lower point, which facilitates dice and chopped quickly without too much movement or effort of arms / shoulder. The blade is also wide and thick, which makes it a little more solid and easier to transfer the vegetables from the cutting board. It will not be my go-to for everything I cut on reg, but I particularly loved it for faster and harsh deceptions and more rough of things like herbs and garlic cloves.
Hast selection series Japanese steel series in 8 -inch knife steel for $ 79: This elegant knife knife is made of Japanese carbon steel (see above to find out more about carbon materials) of the Koike renowned steel manufacturer. Overall, it is light and slender, and the ergonomic handle was very easy to grasp, although it has become a little slippery (and potentially dangerous) when it is wet. Overall, he does not feel as heavy as the others have tested it and have been a little while cutting dense foods like potatoes. He was able to make super smooth cuts on softer foods, and I felt able to control it easily while exploiting the garlic. This is a remarkably affordable option for the knife of a Japanese carbon steel chef who excels in more precise cuts.
8 -inch ninja chef knife for $ 60: This knife was our old superior choice, and we always love it. It is inexpensive, the rounded handle is comfortable to hold, and the knife is well balanced, which facilitates work. The stainless steel blade is difficult, holds an edge of the edge and does not need to be sharpened often.
Victorinox Fibrox Pro for $ 45: A long time ago, this knife was our first choice, and it is always an excellent knife. We are not the biggest fans of the plastic handle, but we like the almost non -stick finish because almost nothing sticks to this blade – not even the fresh coriander.
Let’s get away from the way: the best knife is one that is lively. After having to have it in the kitchen for hours, I discovered that what makes a really great knife is a seriously sharp advantage. A dull knife is dangerous – you will need to apply more pressure while you cut, which means that when your knife slides, you cut yourself deeper. In addition, a dull knife is not as precise or fast with cuts.
Especially with a more expensive knife, you will want this investment to last as long as possible. This means regular sharpening to keep it in the shape of a peak slicing. Unfortunately, there is not a praise to govern them all. Different blade materials and shapes require different clarity techniques. For example, many stainless steel blades are too difficult to effectively refine by traditional water stones. The former chief and current cable reviser Scott Gilbertson recommends water stones for carbon steel and likes these shapton stones.
The majority of the chef’s knives can be (relatively) easily sharpened if necessary, which is generally done with an assistance stone at approximately 15 to 20 degrees, followed by a rod or a leather for the edge of the straightening knife. I have always used popular (and easy -to -use) needlers, which are more precise than steel and sharpened faster than appearance stones. But they are generally not recommended, especially for the chefs ™, as they lose a lot of metal in the process, weakening sustainability over time.
Most home managers will only have to sharpen their knives about twice a year and use perfection steel to keep the blades in shape at other times. Although a few years, we continue to return to this Epucurious article on how to sharpen a knife in the right way in order to keep your knives in better shape as long as you can.
Should you buy a set of knives?
In a word: no. Despite what the door seller says or your cousin in love with MLM, sets of knives are generally not a good investment. You just need some good knives. An 8 -inch chef will work better for most of the kitchen tasks. I have a smaller hand, so I also like a small automatic knife for certain tasks and a serrated knife for bread, in addition to the chef knife. The sets of knives often cost double or triple as much as the purchase of a good chef knife. Without forgetting, the wooden storage blocks also occupy useful counters, especially if you live in a tiny New York apartment like me. We recommend saving your money by jumping a set and investing in a solid chef’s knife instead. (In addition, one or two others if you want a little variety.)
What makes a knife a chef’s knife?
As indicated above, it is a versatile tool used to cut meat, dice vegetables, chop nuts or smash the garlic. The knife of a chef, generally, is composed of many layers of forged steel and has a sharp end point and a prominent edge with a sloping curve, which helps the rapid rocking movement which allows chiefs to quickly cut food.
The knife of a chef is among the most versatile knives in the kitchen and can be used for everything, from cutting to the cut. Current uses for a chef’s knife include cutting meat, diced vegetables, slice of herbs and nut cutting. The flat side of the knife can even be used to crush the garlic. The versatility of this versatile knife makes it a must in any kitchen. It is important to avoid any hard surface that would make the blade dull. In addition, learning to hold a knife is an important first step to ensure the best results when using.
Most popular knife styles
The chef’s knives generally fall into two camps, Japanese and German Santoku. Both have their merits and you may need both in your kitchen, depending on what you usually cook. The Japanese blades are very thin and better for precision, while the knives of the German chief are thicker and more utilitarian.
German knives: A curved blade means that you will make the back and forth movement to chop quickly. The knives of the German chief can be used for everything, cutting fresh herbs and the deduction of a whole chicken.
Japanese Santoku knives: with a more straight edge used for precision, you will cut directly, using the whole blade at a time. These are generally used for precision and specific purposes. They are generally made with harder steel, which can make them more brittle.
There is also the material whose blade is made to consider – these days, most blades are made of carbon or stainless steel.
Stainless steel: This material is moisture resistant, can maintain a razor edge longer and is more flexible than carbon, which makes it more effective to absorb the impact. However, stainless steel takes more time in Re-Sharpen, which makes it more difficult to maintain without a professional sharpening system.
Carbon steel: This material has a high carbon content, making it a very hard steel, and ends in stainless steel with regard to general sharpness. Most often, they also hold an advantage longer and are easier in Re-Sharpen. Carbon steel is more sensitive to elements such as humidity or water, so they require more timely and in -depth cleaning and maintenance.
All the knives on our list are measured in the Rockwell notation / measure, called Steel HRC. HRC measures the quantity of brand that a diamond point can do in metal with the amount of weight; Thus, the smaller the brand, the more difficult the steel and visa are difficult.
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