If you want to be a great chef, then you will need all the best tools.
Knives are a core part of the tools you need to be able to make some amazing meals as they will help you properly slice and portion meat, vegetables, and more.
But, with so many different knives out on the market, how can you tell the best from the rest?
That’s where we come in – here are 12 of the best kitchen knives as proven by our own tests (see also ‘10 Sharpest Kitchen Knives, According To Testing‘).
Check them out below to find the best knives for you and your kitchen!
JA Henckels Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
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Chef knives are some of the most versatile knives that you can find in a kitchen set, so it’s definitely a kind of knife everyone needs in their kitchen (see also ‘A Complete Understanding Of Kitchen Knife Types‘).
One of the best chef knives out there is the classic 8-inch chef’s knife on offer from Henckels.
Henckels has a great reputation for good quality knives and for such an affordable price, making their products accessible to all.
However, this budget-friendly chef’s knife comes with a few downsides but the main one is the low quality handle which feels hard and difficult to grip comfortably.
The blade, however, is flawless in quality.
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Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
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As we mentioned earlier, chef knives are super handy to have but if you are not impressed with the ones on offer from Henckels, then this 8-inch chef’s knife from Wusthof is definitely a great alternative.
Wushthof has an amazing reputation for creating sharp and sturdy knives which means that you can count on the quality of this knife.
Unfortunately, this also means that you can count on paying a handsome sum for just a chef’s knife – but if it’s a razor sharp edge and sturdy blade you are after, look no further than the classic 8-inch chef’s knife on offer from Wusthof.
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Mercer Culinary 6-Inch Chef’s Knife
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For durability and ease of use, we would seriously recommend trying out the 6-inch chef’s knife from Mercer Culinary.
It works just as well as a traditional chef’s knife but with a shorter blade for easier cuts and use.
Plus, the ergonomic handle was super comfortable to hold and is made from a non-slip material so even if your hands are damp from juices or blood, you can still keep a firm grip on your knife.
It’s a really handy feature to have that some other affordable knives tend to forget about.
So, if you tend to get your hands dirty while cooking, this is your ideal chef’s knife.
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Victorinox 6-Inch Chef’s Knife
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Another great chef’s knife that is easy to use is this 6-inch chef’s knife from Victorinox.
It’s extremely well balanced and its shorter blade allows for easier precision cuts, especially when handling smaller items of food.
The blade itself is made from tapered stainless steel so it’s safe for dish-washer use and highly resistant to rust and corrosion. So, this knife is one that is built to last.
However, some chefs may struggle with a shorter blade and prefer a chef’s knife with a longer blade for better balance and fit with their hand.
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Santoku Knife from Imarku
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Another great type of knife to have in your kitchen is a santoku knife (see also ‘Santoku Knives Vs Chef’s Knives (Everything You Need To Know)‘).
Many mix up these two types of knives, but santoku knives are much better built for precision cutting and finer slicing.
This means that using a santoku knife will leave you with more refined results – and it’s a must have for any chef.
This santoku knife from Imarku is a great first choice due to its high quality steel, lightweight hold, and great edge retention.
Although not as durable as chef knives, santoku knives like this one from Imarku are still great knives to use if you care highly about the quality of your chopping, slicing, and more.
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Henckels Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
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Another great santoku knife can be purchased from Henckels.
Like with their chef knives, Henckels offers a great hollow edge santoku knife that comes with the great high-quality manufacturing promise that all Henckels knives do.
Unfortunately, this also comes with a higher price tag compared to some other santoku knives – but none other can compare in blade quality.
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Wusthof Craftsman Knife
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Wushthof makes a triumphant return with their version of the craftsman knife.
Craftsman knives are super versatile and act like a chef’s knife, boning knife, and carving knife all combined into a single knife.
Although the original knives for each category are better at their jobs, a craftsman knife is great if you are limited on budget and cannot afford to buy three separate knives.
So, Wusthof’s craftsman knife is a solid choice to go with if you want to save money.
It has a sharp edge that allows you to effortlessly cut through all kinds of ingredients, and this edge is hollow to allow for additional boning and filleting.
It’s super useful and so, a great knife to have.
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Victorinox Pro-Boning Knife
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Boning knives are often overlooked but are super useful knives to keep in any chef’s kitchen.
They help you safely remove meat from the bone, using the long blade and sharp tip to cut through meat with precision and ease.
This boning knife from Victornix has everything you need – a sharp, semi-flexible blade which makes it perfect for cutting through both tough and tender pieces of meat (see also ‘Best Knife For Cutting Meat‘).
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Mercer Culinary 6-Inch Boning Knife
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Another great boning knife is one on offer from Mercer Culinary.
The blade is arguably stiffer than the blade found on the Victorinox boning knife, which makes it even easier to debone tough pieces of meat.
Another great feature of this boning knife is its impressive edge. Seriously, this is easily one of the sharpest boning knives we’ve ever seen!
This means that we had great results when using it to bone and slice our test meats.
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Misen 3-Inch Paring Knife
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Not everyone eats meat and if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, then you will need a paring knife more than you need a boning knife.
Paring knives are the best for slicing and dicing pieces of fruit and vegetables – and this short paring knife from Misen is a great one to go for.
The short blade allows you to make easy cuts, plus the high carbon steel allows the blade to be super strong and retain its sharp edge.
If you spend more of your time slicing veggies than meat, then this knife is the one for you.
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10-Inch Bread Knife From Mercer Culinary
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Bread knives are often overlooked by most chefs but seriously – you try using any other knife to slice up your home-baked bread, and see which one you prefer.
A great bread knife allows you to safely slice up bread without issue, making it an important knife to own for the sake of safety.
This bread knife from Mercer Culinary is our recommended one to buy due to its super affordable price, strong steel, and great design which cuts through bread with no hassle.
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Mueller 7-Inch Meat Cleaver
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Our final recommended kitchen knife to buy is a cleaver.
Meat cleavers are great for cutting up and dividing larger sections of meat, but they also belong in your kitchen as well as a butchery.
This meat cleaver is a great one to keep in your kitchen as it’s large, durable, and super sharp – making it super easy to easy!
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Final Thoughts
So, there you have it – the 12 best kitchen knives out there on the market!
We have put many to the test and the knives selected above are the ones we seriously would recommend.
Of course, you don’t have to buy them all – but run through them and make sure you have at least one of each type!
Happy cooking!
