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The 12 Best Kitchen Knives Of 2023

Slice, slice, baby!

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kitchen knives

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When was the last time you upgraded your kitchen knives? As any professional chef will tell you, a quality knife is the most essential utensil in your culinary arsenal. As a matter of fact, if there’s any kitchen tool you’re going to invest in, it should be a knife. (Yes, even more important than an air fryer or any other cool kitchen gadget.)

A sturdy, reliable knife doesn't just affect the quality of your cuts. It can also be the one thing that stands between a safe cooking experience and a trip to your local urgent care. After all, a dull knife is a dangerous knife—they require you to put more pressure into every slice, which increases the chances of your tool slipping and causing bodily injury. You don't want that!

As for why you should invest in a kitchen knife as opposed to butcher’s knives, bread knives, or meat cleavers? Those knives are fantastic, too. But if you want a single knife that can do it all—from chopping up ingredients for a one-pan salmon and orzo to carving a whole chicken to dicing fruit, herbs, and cheese for a refreshing watermelon feta salad—kitchen knives are your best bet.

But which knife is best for you? We’ve rounded up the best on the market, including popular brands used and recommended by the pros, like the Gordon Ramsay-approved Wüsthof and Bobby Flay’s favorite Shun, as well as the sharpest knives available (they can even slice through paper!). Curious if your favorite made the cut? Read on below for our recommendations.

Secured your knife? You'll want to know how to sharpen them. Pair it with one of the best cutting boards around, and your slicing and dicing game will be as good as gold.

Our top picks

How we picked these products

Good House Keeping Institute Lab Tested Badge

To determine which kitchen knives are a cut above the rest, we turned to our friends at the Good Housekeeping Institute, who over the years have evaluated over 30 knives to find the best on the market. Their team of on-staff experts—which includes all types: engineers! data analysts! registered dietitians!—rigorously put everyday products to the test (and then more and more tests) in their New York City-based labs to determine which ones you can trust.

In this case, Good Housekeeping Institute experts put each knife model through rigorous testing to determine its overall capability when performing tasks like slicing tomatoes, chopping herbs, mincing garlic, and dicing carrots and onions. We then narrowed down our recommendations based on their results and notes on each contender’s sharpness, ease of use, performance, handle and blade length, clean-ability, weight, durability, and ergonomics. These are the best kitchen knives you can buy in 2022.

1
Best Kitchen Knife

Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife

Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife

Pros

  • Sturdy construction
  • Ergonomic handle

Cons

  • No protective sheath
  • Requires frequent sharpening

Forged in Solingen, Germany, from a single block of high carbon stainless steel, the Wüsthof Classic blade is made using the 200-plus-year-old cutlery brand’s Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) to ensure superior edge retention and tempered to achieve an impressive 58 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale.

The Good Housekeeping Institute appreciated that the Wüsthof Classic is “razor-sharp,” but the true stand-out feature was its triple-riveted handle, which testers called “thin… but sturdy,” “ergonomic,” and “feels like you'd have good control.”

This all-purpose chef’s knife also features a finger guard, full bolster (the junction between a knife's handle and blade), and full tang (the part of the knife blade that extends into the handle), which all make for a sturdier, better-performing blade.

The only downside? It lacks a sheath for safe storage and transport, and it requires regular sharpening—especially with frequent use.

2
Best Budget Kitchen Knife

J.A. Henckels Classic 8-Inch Chef Knife

J.A. Henckels Classic 8-Inch Chef Knife

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Stays sharp

Cons

  • Not for small hands

With a full-tang construction and an HRC rating of 58, The J.A. Henckels Classic Chef Knife gives a whole new meaning to “Cost Cutters.” This German-style model may not come with a sheath to protect the knife when it’s not being used, but it doesn’t skimp when it comes to quality. This knife has the classic shape and heft of a pricier option, while its ergonomic triple-rivet handle gives balance and comfort—though it may be too large if you have smaller hands. Its nitrogen-treated, stainless steel blade also features a full bolster to give it some heft and ensure safety.

What’s more, the Good Housekeeping Institute’s panel noted that the J.A. Henckels Classic remained “extremely sharp throughout testing, even after performing a month’s worth of cutting tasks.”

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3
Best Splurge Kitchen Knife

Kramer by Zwilling Euroline Essential Collection 8-Inch Chef's Knife

Euroline Essential Collection 8-Inch Chef's Knife
Credit: Kramer by Zwilling

Pros

  • Strong and sharp
  • Great for most tasks

Cons

  • Not for beginners
  • Pricey

Designed to master bladesmith Bob Kramer's precise specifications, the Kramer by Zwilling Euroline Essential Collection Chef's Knife is manufactured in Seki, Japan—the knife capital of the world!—and hand-sharpened using a traditional three-step method to ensure a Rockwell score of 61. Rounding out the aesthetically-pleasing design is a polished bolster and full-tang construction for perfect balance whether you’re slicing up a butternut squash or some fresh basil.

As what we’d consider to be the Rolls-Royce of kitchen tools, its blade is made up of fine-carbide steel with a Damascus steel outer layer, so you get all the strength and edge retention of carbon steel with less fragility. In this regard, this knife most definitely succeeds—the Good Housekeeping Institute was thoroughly impressed with how it “stays sharp a long time between honings.”

However, the Euroline Essential Collection Chef's Knife’s high cost isn’t the only downside. This high-maintenance blade also requires a lot more time and care than your standard kitchen knife, so it’s less suitable for beginners.

4
Most Versatile Kitchen Knife

Wüsthof Classic 7-Inch Craftsman Knife

Wüsthof Classic 7-Inch Craftsman Knife
Credit: Wüsthof

Pros

    Cons

    • Requires regular maintenance
    • No protective sheath

    No, you’re not seeing double—the Wüsthof Classic Craftsman Knife is a different variant of our favorite kitchen knife, but there are a few key factors that make it a more utilitarian option.

    Like the Wüsthof Classic Chef's Knife, this model has a full-tang construction and triple-riveted handles, but lacks a protective sheath. Furthermore, its high-carbon stainless steel blade is also forged with Wüsthof’s signature PEtec, earning it 58 HRC on the Rockwell Hardness Scale. However, it’s slightly smaller and has a unique hybrid design that combines all the best features of a chef's knife, boning knife, and carving knife into a single kitchen tool. For example, there are oval-shaped scallops (aka “kullens”) hollowed out of the blade to prevent more glutinous or starchy foods, like potatoes, from sticking to the knife as you chop.

    Praising it for being “a top-performer in almost every test,” the Good Housekeeping Institute took note of the Wüsthof Classic Craftsman’s impressive sharpness. It was particularly adept at cutting through chicken, with testers remarking that it “cut through bone without even trying.” That said, the similarities between this workhorse of a knife and its equally-sturdy counterpart don’t stop there: Like most German knives, the need for regular sharpening increases the more often you use it.

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    5
    Easiest to Use Kitchen Knife

    Made In 8-Inch Chef Knife

    Made In 8-Inch Chef Knife

    Pros

    • Solid performance
    • Comfortable grip

    Cons

    • Hand-wash only

    Whether you’re chopping up a storm while hosting your entire family for Thanksgiving or you just want to turn your meal prep routine into less of a chore, you’ll have it made in the shade with Made In’s 8-inch Chef Knife.

    To create this fully-forged, nitrogen-treated utensil, Made In partnered with a family-owned, fifth=generation French cutler. The result is a well-balanced knife that feels sturdy in your hand and a blade that is hammered from a single rod of premium stainless steel to achieve a Rockwell score of 58-60.

    Testers “had to use a little pressure” when cutting tomatoes and found the Made In Chef Knife’s “could only slice through [paper] once,” but they were overall impressed with its performance, as well as its “very cute” packaging. (It even comes with a plastic blade guard, instructions how to hold and use your knife, and an adhesive bandage!) In all, the most difficult part of your user experience will be hand-washing—which, unfortunately, is required for this model.

    6
    Most Durable Kitchen Knife

    Mercer Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch Chef's Knife

    Renaissance 8-Inch Chef's Knife

    Pros

    • Sturdy
    • Sheath included

    Cons

    • Hand-wash only

    The Mercer Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch Chef's Knife is proof that you can find high-quality knives on a budget. Perfect for professional and home chefs, this modern take on a classic utensil can effortlessly slice through ripe, juicy tomatoes using its precision-forged, high-carbon steel blade (which boasts a Rockwell score of 58-60).

    Not only is the triple-riveted Delrin handle tough, lightweight, and resistant to wear-and-tear, but the Good Housekeeping Institute also liked how its rounded spine offers an ideal weight and comfortable grip. In fact, testers said it felt “nice, normal, [and] medium-heavy in the hand.”

    To ensure you get the most out of your knife, Mercer recommends users hand-wash their cutlery with warm water and mild soap, rinse, and dry completely with a soft towel, which can be a drag, but the good news is the Renaissance comes with a soft plastic sheath to protect its super-sharp blade.

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    7
    Best Ergonomic Kitchen Knife

    Zwilling Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife

    Zwilling Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife

    Pros

    • Comfortable handle

    Cons

    • Doesn’t fit in some knife blocks

    Some ailments, like arthritis, neuropathy, or motor difficulties, can make a seemingly-simple task like using a knife uncomfortable (and therefore, more daunting). Don’t let your difficulties hold you back from your passion for cooking—just pick up the Zwilling Pro. Featuring a score of 57 on the Rockwell scale, this knife undergoes a four-step ice-hardening process called Friodur to fortify its cutting edge and prevent corrosion.

    During testing, the Good Housekeeping Institute’s lab panelists found the Zwilling Pro's strong, slightly curved eight-inch blade “made quick work of chopping parsley, slicing tomatoes, dicing onions, and even boning a chicken” and maintained its sharpness even after extended use, while the triple-riveted polymer handle “gives you a comfy, ergonomic grip.”

    Due to its unique rounded half-bolster, this knife may not fit into some knife blocks, but if you use a pinch grip when cutting, it’s worth sacrificing some convenience for the sake of comfort.

    8
    Best Celebrity Kitchen Knife

    Miyabi Morimoto Edition 8-Inch Chef's Knife

    Miyabi Morimoto Edition 8-Inch Chef's Knife
    Credit: Miyabi

    Pros

    • Great at carving meats
    • Impressive quality

    Cons

    • Poor at cutting hard foods
    • Not dishwasher-safe

    You don’t have to be a huge Iron Chef fan to love the Miyabi Morimoto Edition Chef's Knife. Named after Japanese celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto, this Japanese-style knife features an eight-inch, high-carbon stainless steel blade (which the Good Housekeeping Institute called “noticeably thinner than on traditional knives”), a full tang for excellent control, a small bolster, and a black, synthetic handle with three metal rivets.

    In addition, this knife is hand-honed using the three-step Honbazuke process and ice-hardened to a 60 HRC on the Rockwell Hardness Scale. As “one of only two knives to earn a perfect score” for carving through cooked steak, the Good Housekeeping Institute was impressed with the Miyabi Morimoto's ability to hold its own in the kitchen—especially for a celebrity-branded piece of cutlery. Their Kitchen Tech Experts remarked that “it performed well, but didn’t seem to be the appropriate knife for the job” when chopping carrots.

    Unfortunately, this knife is not dishwasher-safe, but the good news is it’s super easy to clean by hand—not to mention, easy on the eyes.

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    9
    Best Lightweight Kitchen Knife

    Mac Professional 8-Inch Hollow Edge Chef Knife

    Mac Professional 8-Inch Hollow Edge Chef Knife

    Pros

    • Lightweight
    • Good for cutting dense ingredients
    • Excellent pointy tip

    Cons

    • Hand-wash only

    Do you want to effortlessly chop with speed and precision like the chefs you see in movies? Then you’ll need a lightweight tool like the Japanese-style Mac Professional Hollow Edge Chef Knife. This utensil’s handle is made of a type of plywood called pakkawood (aka “colorwood” or “staminawood”), which is covered in a wood veneer and sealed with an epoxy resin to better withstand water damage and extreme wear-and-tear. However, you’ll still need to hand-wash this model if you want to keep it in peak condition.

    Ranging between 59 and 61 HRC, the alloy steel blade has hollowed-out kullens to help the knife seamlessly glide through dense ingredients, like apples, potatoes, carrots, and squash. The Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Tech Experts also found the Mac Professional's “thin blade allows for precise cuts” without tiring their hands or wrists, while the pointy tip provided “the neatest cuts and most yield when it comes to serving meat.”

    10
    Best Kitchen Knife for Beginners

    Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-Inch Chef's Knife

    Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-Inch Chef's Knife
    Credit: Mercer Culinary

    Pros

    • Good for simple prep
    • Affordable

    Cons

    • Lacks full-tang construction
    • Less durable

    At a price that’s even more affordable than that of the J.A. Henckels Classic, the Mercer Millennia offers solid performance for such an inexpensive knife. This model is ideal for practicing your cutting skills or doing simple prep work like crushing garlic, mincing herbs, and shredding cabbage.

    Designed with textured finger points for a safer, non-slip grip, this knife stood out during the Good Housekeeping Institute’s tests thanks to its “unique” ergonomic handle—in fact, the lab panel was pleasantly surprised to find it was “lightweight, but still big and durable” and “good for large grips.”

    Meanwhile, the blade is made of high-carbon Japanese steel for straightforward edge maintenance and enduring sharpness, but it lacks a full-tang construction and only has a Rockwell Hardness Scale rating of 54-55. The Millennia won’t last you as long as its sturdier counterpart, the Renaissance, but to get the most out of your Mercer knife, you’ll still want to follow Mercer’s recommendation that you gently hand-wash and fully dry this handy tool.

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    11
    Best Kitchen Knife for Small Hands

    Shun Classic 6-Inch Chef Knife

    Shun Classic 6-Inch Chef Knife

    Pros

    • Ergonomic, D-shaped handle
    • Sharp, narrow blade

    Cons

    • Fragile
    • Hand-wash only

    As any episode of MasterChef Junior will tell you, kids love to cook, too! (With supervision, of course.) Whether you’re looking to encourage your budding Guy Fieri (who started his culinary career when he was in middle school, btw!) or you’re a gourmet Goldilocks searching for a knife that fits “just right” in your hand, consider the Shun Classic Chef Knife.

    As pretty as it is practical, this lightweight model falls somewhere between a chef’s and a paring knife in terms of size and has a 60-61 HRC. Its cutting core is crafted out of Shun's proprietary VG-MAX steel—which offers premier sharpness and corrosion resistance—covered in Damascus steel. The result is a straighter, narrower blade, which the Good Housekeeping Institute attributed to its ability to “literally glides through ripe tomatoes with its sharp edge.”

    Plus, the Shun Classic's rounded black pakkawood handle is D-shaped, so it’s comfortable to grip whether you’re a righty or a lefty. That said, you’ll need to take care with this knife, as it isn’t dishwasher-safe and can sustain nicks and chips if you throw it in a kitchen drawer instead of storing it in a sheath or knife block.

    12
    Sharpest Kitchen Knife

    Global Hollow-Edge Santoku 7-Inch Chef’s Knife

    Global Hollow-Edge Santoku 7-Inch Chef’s Knife

    Pros

    • Great for chopping and slicing
    • Super sharp

    Cons

    • Straight edge

    The well-balanced knife Global Hollow-Edge Santoku is made using Global's exclusive Cromova high-carbon stainless steel and, like the Wüsthof Classic Craftsman Knife, features hollowed-out kullens on its thick blade to streamline your slicing and dicing. Boasting a full-tang construction, it’s lightweight enough to prevent hand fatigue while also providing substantial control, while its molded handle is designed with Global’s signature dimple pattern for a stronger, more comfortable grip.

    Calling it “one of the sharpest knives we've tested,” the Good Housekeeping Institute declared that this “Japanese knife excelled at all tasks, but wowed us with its ability to power through chicken bones.”

    However, the Global Hollow-Edge Santoku does have one Achilles heel: Like most Santoku knives, it has more of a straight edge, as opposed to a drop-point shape. This makes it more suitable chopping, rather than rocking back and forth or performing more delicate tasks like piercing or scoring.

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    13

    What is the best kitchen knife set on the market?

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    The best kitchen knife set is… Well, actually, none at all. Whether you’re starting out on your own and want to save some cash or you want to look like a pro (we’re not the only ones guilty of wanting to revamp their entire kitchen utensil collection after watching a riveting food documentary) the siren song of the kitchen knife set can be tempting. Sure, it looks great on your countertop, and getting so many knives for a decent price is basically a win, right? Wrong. While these sets may seem like a great way to up your kitchen game, most people don’t need them, and even those who do are better off building their own collection.

    By purchasing a kitchen knife set, you’re likely to either get an assortment of lower-quality utensils, overspend on pieces you don’t need, or both. After all, how likely are you to need a carving knife if you’re vegetarian or vegan? Or when’s the last time you had four to six guests over for a steak dinner? But don’t just take our word for it—listen to the pros! As Ellen Bennett, founder and CEO of kitchen goods brand Hedley & Bennett, told Eater in 2019 “You don't need 15 knives… You need a bread knife, a chef's knife, and a paring knife. Everything else is just sort of unnecessary.”

    14

    How to choose the best kitchen knife for you

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    So you’ve decided to invest in a quality kitchen knife… Now what? Finding the right knife isn’t as cut and dry as you may think—after all, no chef is alike, so it makes sense that the same can be said for knife preferences. When shopping for the perfect knife for your culinary needs, keep these qualities in mind:

    Style: When it comes to chef’s knives, there are two main styles to choose from, both of which have their own pros and cons. German knives have a “full-tang” construction, which means their design features a single piece of steel running from the blade to the pommel (or the butt end) of the knife. This utilitarian option has a thick, heavy blade that can be used for everything from dicing up a mirepoix to spatchcocking a roast chicken. Though German knives are more versatile and typically curved to make them easier to handle, they’re also made of a softer type of steel, so they need to be sharpened more often. On the other hand, Japanese knives have a thinner, sharper blade and a straighter edge than their German counterparts. With their lightweight and Western-style design, they're optimal for more precise, delicate tasks like slicing cucumbers, chopping herbs, and fileting soft, flaky fish. The higher carbon content of Japanese steel blades allows this style to go longer between sharpenings, but their composition also makes them more brittle and vulnerable to chipping or cracking.

    Blade: A longer blade makes quick work of food prep and is ideal for chopping up voluminous ingredients like kale or spinach. It’s also helpful for cutting large foods like roast beef or baked ham into clean, long slices. However, for smaller ingredients and kitchen tasks, like carving out potato eyes or coring apples, a shorter blade gives you the control needed to make safe, precise cuts into your food (and not your hand). That said, you should also take your hand size into account.

    A thinner blade is essential if you want to make thin slices, whether for homemade sweet potato chips or root vegetable gratin. Meanwhile, for chopping vegetables without hitting your knuckles on the cutting board, a wider blade that measures at least 1 ½ inches from the spine to the cutting edge is best. In the case of bones, cartilage, or dense produce such as squash, thicker blades are stronger and easier to maneuver.

    Last but not least, you should consider the edge of the blade: Knives with one, continuous sharp edge are the most traditional. Serrated blades are usually associated with bread, but their saw-like pointed teeth are useful for slicing up pretty much any food with a firmer exterior and a soft interior—so citrus fruits, tomatoes, cucumbers, baked goods. etc. Just be sure to consider the ingredients you work with most, as a smoother, shallower serration is less likely to turn your layer cake into a pile of crumbs, but it will be more difficult to cut through a crusty sourdough.

    No matter what kind of blade you choose, there's one common denominator: You'll need to hand-wash it if you want it to last. Though some cutlery brands say their knives are dishwasher-safe, if you value longevity over convenience, you're better off cleaning these kitchen tools yourself. Luckily, this is a relatively easy task—after each use, just clean your knife with dish soap and hot water, rinse, and then pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.

    Handle: You should also consider a knife's weight and how it feels in your hand. Heavier knives may seem more sturdy, but they can actually tire your hands after prolonged use or when cutting hard ingredients like carrots. You can make thin, quick slices with smaller-handled knives, but knives with larger handles are easier to control. Overall, you should find a knife that is comfortable to hold and that you can easily rock back and forth, even when slicing through thicker ingredients like meat.

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