We Tested the Best Chef's Knife for Every Type of Task

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Pros: A super-sharp blade and slip-free handle make this a standout choice for best overall knife. Cons: This knife does not come with a sheath, so make sure to store it properly in order to safely preserve the super-sharp edge.

Overall, our testers were thoroughly impressed by how easily this knife passed all of our tests. It's lightweight and sharp, which any serious home cook knows are the two most important factors in finding a reliable chef's knife.

This Japanese-style knife features a thin blade and dimples that help prevent food from sticking. Throughout all of our tests we found this knife to be surprisingly sharp, lightweight, and durable.

Our testers were able to slice through dense vegetables just as easily as soft vegetables, and the blade had no trouble gliding through a sheet of paper or slippery tomato skin.

The Pakkawood handle was easy to grip and felt sturdy in our hands no matter what type of material our testers were cutting against. Overall, this knife has a super-sharp blade that is expertly balanced with the handle, so pressure and strain on our hands and wrists was minimal.

– Weight: 6.75 ounces – Metal: Alloy steel – Price at time of publish: $175

Pros: This is a sturdy knife with a weight, grip, and stability to make cutting into tough ingredients easier and safer. Cons: Though it's durable, this knife is definitely on the heavy side which means it can be cumbersome when tackling repetitive tasks over long periods of time.

This Western-style knife is one of the most durable, heavy-duty chef's knives we tested. The Wüsthof brand is known for making high-quality knives that are admittedly heavier than others, but that makes them ideal for tough tasks like breaking down whole chickens or cutting up dense root vegetables.

It has a half bolster that helps protect your finger from touching the blade's edge. The blade had no trouble gliding through paper in our out-of-the-box sharpness test and expertly achieved thin, consistent cuts in all of our vegetable tests.

The handle is sturdy and slip-free, which makes applying extra pressure easy and safe.

However, our editors who have used this knife over the course of many years noted that the heavy handle can feel bulky and cumbersome when doing repetitive tasks like prepping large quantities of vegetables. So users should keep that in mind depending on their regular kitchen tasks.

– Weight: 9 ounces – Metal: High-carbon stain-free steel – Price at time of publish: $200

Pros: Thanks to a sharp blade from belly to tip, this nimble knife can chop, slice, dice, and core with ease. Cons: Our testers noted that the handle is slightly heavier than the blade, which makes it a little unbalanced. However, we didn't feel that this hindered functionality.

For any home cook looking to practice their professional knife skills, this Japanese-style knife is a must. Throughout all of our tests, this knife stood out for its ability to easily glide through any type of cutting surface.

Our testers loved how the tip of the blade was just as sharp as the belly, which let them use it like a paring knife for tasks like mincing garlic and carving out seeds in butternut squash.

The super-sharp edge allowed for paper thin cuts that were consistent from start to finish, even on a slippery tomato. We also found it easy to cut the dense butternut squash into perfectly uniform cubes.

Though it's on the heavier side compared to some other knives on this list, our testers didn't think that hindered performance.

– Weight: 9 ounces – Metal: Damascus steel – Price at time of publish: $90

Pros: This knife is made from one single piece of metal, so it's lightweight and ergonomic. Cons: Since this knife is on the lighter side, our testers had a little trouble cutting through tough ingredients like butternut squash.

If you're most comfortable with a very lightweight knife and want one that's easy to care for, this is a solid option. It's made of just one piece of metal, including the handle, which is hollow and filled with sand.

The specific construction makes the knife feel perfectly balanced from heel to tip. Because the handle isn't weighted down with any extra material—like rivets—the knife feels sleek and ergonomic in our hands.

The metal handle has dimples to provide a safe grip, and while some cooks think it gets slippery when used to cut chicken, meat, or anything juicy, we didn't find that to be the case. Global's knives are made in Japan and come in a range of sizes like 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch.

This knife easily achieved paper-thin cuts in our tomato test and made easy work of chopping and mincing garlic. Though the super-sharp blade was able to slice through the squash, our testers noted that having a heavier knife might be better for tough, dense ingredients.

Note that this knife should be hand washed using warm water and mild detergent. We found it to be easy to clean, though some ingredients left spots on the metal.

– Weight: 5.75 ounces – Metal: High carbon stainless steel – Price at time of publish: $130

Pros: This Japanese knife has a Western-style curve, which means you get the benefits of both blade styles in one knife. Cons: This is a pricier knife that should be hand washed and diligently taken care of.

As far as Japanese Chef's knives go, Shun is an industry favorite that consistently offers sharp, lightweight knives that are durable and sturdy.

The Classic Blonde does not disappoint, as it comes equipped with a birch wood handle that's treated with resin for extra durability and designed for comfort in both left and right hands.

The knife is handcrafted with 34 layers of forged stainless steel on each side, resulting in a flexible blade that is rust-proof, stain-proof, and stick-resistant. As a high-end option, our testers love how easily it achieves paper thin slices, and the slightly curved blade allows for moderate rocking.

After using this knife for many years, our editors can attest to its quality, so long as you care for it properly. Make sure to hand wash and fully dry in between each use, and store it in a way that will safely preserve the razor-sharp edge.

– Weight: 6.75 ounces – Metal: Damascus steel – Price at time of publish: $170

Pros: This is a sharp, durable knife at an affordable price point. Cons: Our testers found the handle on this knife to be slightly awkward.

If you're looking to add a simply designed, low maintenance knife to your toolkit without making a major investment, this option from Material is a great choice.

Our testers found it to be sharp when cutting through paper and vegetables alike, and had no trouble breaking down tough ingredients like butternut squash. For occasional cooks looking for a reliable knife that can slice meat, chop vegetables, or mince herbs, this knife is balanced and efficient.

Though the design is attractive to look at, our testers found the handle to be long and straight, which made some tasks feel awkward. We also noted some stains and water marks when cleaning it, so make sure to hand wash thoroughly after each use.

– Weight: 7.5 ounces – Metal: High-carbon and Japanese stainless steel – Price at time of publish: $75

Overall, the Mac Professional Mighty Hollow Edge Knife allows you to prep food as quickly and efficiently as a professional line cook in your very own home.

Our testers love how sharp the blade is and how consistently it can cut through all different types of food. If you're looking to invest in a high-quality chef's knife that can handle meat, vegetables, and fish, this is a fantastic choice.

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We Tested the Best Chef's Knife for Every Type of Task

Pros: A super-sharp blade and slip-free handle make this a standout choice for best overall knife. Cons: This knife does not come with a sheath, so make sure to store it properly in order to safely preserve the super-sharp edge.

Best Overall: Mac Mighty Professional Hollow Edge Knife

Overall, our testers were thoroughly impressed by how easily this knife passed all of our tests. It's lightweight and sharp, which any serious home cook knows are the two most important factors in finding a reliable chef's knife.

Best Overall: Mac Mighty Professional Hollow Edge Knife

This Japanese-style knife features a thin blade and dimples that help prevent food from sticking. Throughout all of our tests we found this knife to be surprisingly sharp, lightweight, and durable.

Best Overall: Mac Mighty Professional Hollow Edge Knife

Our testers were able to slice through dense vegetables just as easily as soft vegetables, and the blade had no trouble gliding through a sheet of paper or slippery tomato skin.

Best Overall: Mac Mighty Professional Hollow Edge Knife

The Pakkawood handle was easy to grip and felt sturdy in our hands no matter what type of material our testers were cutting against. Overall, this knife has a super-sharp blade that is expertly balanced with the handle, so pressure and strain on our hands and wrists was minimal.

Best Overall: Mac Mighty Professional Hollow Edge Knife

– Weight: 6.75 ounces – Metal: Alloy steel – Price at time of publish: $175

Best Overall: Mac Mighty Professional Hollow Edge Knife

Pros: This is a sturdy knife with a weight, grip, and stability to make cutting into tough ingredients easier and safer. Cons: Though it's durable, this knife is definitely on the heavy side which means it can be cumbersome when tackling repetitive tasks over long periods of time.

Best for Butchering: Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Knife

Best for Butchering: Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Knife

It has a half bolster that helps protect your finger from touching the blade's edge. The blade had no trouble gliding through paper in our out-of-the-box sharpness test and expertly achieved thin, consistent cuts in all of our vegetable tests.

Best for Butchering: Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Knife

The handle is sturdy and slip-free, which makes applying extra pressure easy and safe.

Best for Butchering: Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Knife

However, our editors who have used this knife over the course of many years noted that the heavy handle can feel bulky and cumbersome when doing repetitive tasks like prepping large quantities of vegetables. So users should keep that in mind depending on their regular kitchen tasks.

Best for Butchering: Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Knife

– Weight: 9 ounces – Metal: High-carbon stain-free steel – Price at time of publish: $200

Best for Butchering: Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Knife

Pros: Thanks to a sharp blade from belly to tip, this nimble knife can chop, slice, dice, and core with ease. Cons: Our testers noted that the handle is slightly heavier than the blade, which makes it a little unbalanced. However, we didn't feel that this hindered functionality.

Best for Precise Cuts: Kiritsuke Oxford Chef's Knife

For any home cook looking to practice their professional knife skills, this Japanese-style knife is a must. Throughout all of our tests, this knife stood out for its ability to easily glide through any type of cutting surface.

Best for Precise Cuts: Kiritsuke Oxford Chef's Knife

Our testers loved how the tip of the blade was just as sharp as the belly, which let them use it like a paring knife for tasks like mincing garlic and carving out seeds in butternut squash.

Best for Precise Cuts: Kiritsuke Oxford Chef's Knife

The super-sharp edge allowed for paper thin cuts that were consistent from start to finish, even on a slippery tomato. We also found it easy to cut the dense butternut squash into perfectly uniform cubes.

Best for Precise Cuts: Kiritsuke Oxford Chef's Knife

Though it's on the heavier side compared to some other knives on this list, our testers didn't think that hindered performance.

Best for Precise Cuts: Kiritsuke Oxford Chef's Knife

– Weight: 9 ounces – Metal: Damascus steel – Price at time of publish: $90

Best for Precise Cuts: Kiritsuke Oxford Chef's Knife

Pros: This knife is made from one single piece of metal, so it's lightweight and ergonomic. Cons: Since this knife is on the lighter side, our testers had a little trouble cutting through tough ingredients like butternut squash.

Best Lightweight: Global G-2 Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife

If you're most comfortable with a very lightweight knife and want one that's easy to care for, this is a solid option. It's made of just one piece of metal, including the handle, which is hollow and filled with sand.

Best Lightweight: Global G-2 Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife

The specific construction makes the knife feel perfectly balanced from heel to tip. Because the handle isn't weighted down with any extra material—like rivets—the knife feels sleek and ergonomic in our hands.

Best Lightweight: Global G-2 Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife

The metal handle has dimples to provide a safe grip, and while some cooks think it gets slippery when used to cut chicken, meat, or anything juicy, we didn't find that to be the case. Global's knives are made in Japan and come in a range of sizes like 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch.

Best Lightweight: Global G-2 Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife

This knife easily achieved paper-thin cuts in our tomato test and made easy work of chopping and mincing garlic. Though the super-sharp blade was able to slice through the squash, our testers noted that having a heavier knife might be better for tough, dense ingredients.

Best Lightweight: Global G-2 Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife

Note that this knife should be hand washed using warm water and mild detergent. We found it to be easy to clean, though some ingredients left spots on the metal.

Best Lightweight: Global G-2 Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife

– Weight: 5.75 ounces – Metal: High carbon stainless steel – Price at time of publish: $130

Best Lightweight: Global G-2 Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife

Pros: This Japanese knife has a Western-style curve, which means you get the benefits of both blade styles in one knife. Cons: This is a pricier knife that should be hand washed and diligently taken care of.

Best High-End: Shun Classic Blonde Chef's Knife

As far as Japanese Chef's knives go, Shun is an industry favorite that consistently offers sharp, lightweight knives that are durable and sturdy.

Best High-End: Shun Classic Blonde Chef's Knife

The Classic Blonde does not disappoint, as it comes equipped with a birch wood handle that's treated with resin for extra durability and designed for comfort in both left and right hands.

Best High-End: Shun Classic Blonde Chef's Knife

Best High-End: Shun Classic Blonde Chef's Knife

After using this knife for many years, our editors can attest to its quality, so long as you care for it properly. Make sure to hand wash and fully dry in between each use, and store it in a way that will safely preserve the razor-sharp edge.

Best High-End: Shun Classic Blonde Chef's Knife

– Weight: 6.75 ounces – Metal: Damascus steel – Price at time of publish: $170

Best High-End: Shun Classic Blonde Chef's Knife

Pros: This is a sharp, durable knife at an affordable price point. Cons: Our testers found the handle on this knife to be slightly awkward.

Best Value: Material Chef's Knife

If you're looking to add a simply designed, low maintenance knife to your toolkit without making a major investment, this option from Material is a great choice.

Best Value: Material Chef's Knife

Our testers found it to be sharp when cutting through paper and vegetables alike, and had no trouble breaking down tough ingredients like butternut squash. For occasional cooks looking for a reliable knife that can slice meat, chop vegetables, or mince herbs, this knife is balanced and efficient.

Best Value: Material Chef's Knife

Though the design is attractive to look at, our testers found the handle to be long and straight, which made some tasks feel awkward. We also noted some stains and water marks when cleaning it, so make sure to hand wash thoroughly after each use.

Best Value: Material Chef's Knife

– Weight: 7.5 ounces – Metal: High-carbon and Japanese stainless steel – Price at time of publish: $75

Best Value: Material Chef's Knife

Overall, the Mac Professional Mighty Hollow Edge Knife allows you to prep food as quickly and efficiently as a professional line cook in your very own home.

Conclusion

Our testers love how sharp the blade is and how consistently it can cut through all different types of food. If you're looking to invest in a high-quality chef's knife that can handle meat, vegetables, and fish, this is a fantastic choice.

Conclusion

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