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

Our Favorite Chef's Knife

The Wüsthof 8-Inch Classic Chef's Knife is a powerful all-purpose tool that's built to last. You'll feel like a professional line cook whipping through meat, vegetables, and fish with this sharp and investment-worthy chef's knife. Coming in a close second place in our tests, the Mac Knife Hollow Edge Chef's Knife is a bit lighter, a bit smaller, and a bit cheaper, but still razor-sharp and a joy to use.

How We Tested Chef's Knives

Throughout our separate rounds of chef knife tests, we assessed everything from how sharp the blades were to how balanced the knives felt from tip to heel. We also noted the weight and grip of each handle and whether they felt heavy or light, and slippery or sturdy. We checked how easy each blade was to clean and if the blades stained easily. To compare knives across testing sessions, we always use a standardized set of tasks.

• Scientific Sharpness Test: Using an Edge-On-Up Professional Edge Tester, we made an objective measurement of each blade's sharpness. (The tool works by measuring the amount of force needed to cut through a reference material.) We made sharpness measurements on each brand-new knife to compare to one another, and we also measured them again at the end of our testing to see how well they held their edges.
• Paper Test: Holding a piece of paper tightly with one hand, we dragged the blade of each knife through the paper along the entire length of the blade. We assessed whether or not we could achieve a clean slice and evaluated how easily each blade could move through the paper, noting any snagging or tearing. This test also measured the overall sharpness of each knife fresh out of the box, and helped us to note any dull spots along the length of the blade.
• Vegetable Tests: We sliced and chopped a variety of produce to evaluate the knives' abilities on different types of ingredients. To test strength, we used hard squash or sweet potatoes. To look at efficiency and sharpness, we chopped garlic and onion finely. We sliced green onion and fresh basil at thinly as possible to evaluate control. We also cored and sliced a tomato to test the knives' tips and to see if they were sharp enough to break through the skin without slipping.
• Chicken Test: We used each knife to cut a whole raw chicken into pieces. We also cooked the chicken breasts and used the knives to slice them. This helped evaluate sharpness, maneuverability, and balance, and get a general impression of how the knives felt to use with meat.

How We Choose Which Chef's Knives to Test

We've been testing chef's knives for years, from early days in the test kitchen to our product testing lab and food editors' long-term insights after months of use at home. We've tested more than 80 different blades throughout the past few years. This article incorporates data from three different rounds of organized testing, including our most recent set of 11 chef's knives that included previous favorites, new releases, and updated models.

Factors to Consider

Blade Shape

When shopping for a chef's knife, there are two basic styles. Heavy-duty, German-style blades have a curved belly that allows for a rocking motion while chopping. These knives typically have a thicker, larger blade that lends itself to tough tasks like breaking down a whole chicken or slicing through dense winter squash. As a result, they're heavier overall and somewhat less agile.

Japanese-style chef's knives tend to be lighter and thinner, with a blade that's straight across the bottom and lends itself better to up-and-down chopping than a rocking motion. Thanks to the more precise blade, this style gives you more control and can make thin slices easily, but it has less power to chop through large, heavy ingredients.

It's also important to consider whether or not the blade has a bolster. A bolster separates the heel of the blade from the end of the handle and acts as a guard to give your fingers a place to rest and protect them from the sharp edge. Bolsters are common in German-style knives and are particularly helpful for cooks who like to "choke up" on the grip. Though bolsters provide protection, they add weight and length, and can sometimes cause a knife to feel heavy or unbalanced.

Handle Shape

Knife handle shapes can range from rectangular to round, with endless options in between. The best choice for you is largely up to personal preference, but we find that sharp corners tend to be uncomfortable to hold and round handles tend to be slippery. Look for something between the two extremes that matches the way you like to hold your knife and doesn't cause any discomfort.

Materials

The type of steel your knife is made from can have major implications on blade sharpness and how easy it is to care for. Carbon steel, which is common in Japanese-style knives, is harder than stainless steel, which means it can be sharpened to a finer edge and will hold that edge longer. But carbon steel is more brittle and can chip, and it's more prone to corrosion if you don't dry it thoroughly after washing. Stainless steel is somewhat softer and tends to be cheaper. It resists rust but needs sharpening more often.

The handle material matters, too. Smooth plastic is a common choice, but it can be slippery depending on the shape of the handle. Wood handles are often rough and easy to grip, but they can warp and split with repeated washing. Another material you see often is Pakkawood, which is not actually a type of wood but a brand name for resin-impregnated wood that's hard, smooth, and can be shaped easily.

Weight Balance

One of the most important aspects of a chef's knife is the balance between blade and handle. A knife with a heavy handle can strain your wrist, making long-term use painful and inefficient. Repetitive motions like chopping and slicing can be tiresome, so having a knife that is easy to control and maneuver is essential. The handle should not feel heavier than the blade, nor should the blade feel heavier than the handle. When you hold the knife using your regular grip, it shouldn't feel like it's trying to tilt upward or downward.

Other Chef's Knives We Tested

Strong Contenders

Hedley & Bennett Chef's Knife ($115 at Hedley & Bennett)

You might know Hedley & Bennett as the maker of your favorite chef's favorite apron, but the brand recently released a line of knives, too. This chef's knife is a good blade at a good price. We loved the handle, both for its comfort and its several color options, as well as the narrow tip, which was great for detail work like coring a tomato. Its struggled with more rigorous tasks like sweet potato, however.

Paudin Chef's Knife ($34 at Amazon)

For its price, the Paudin delivered really impressive performance in our initial testing. It's sharp and comfortable to hold. We worry about it's long-term durability, however. There's a noticeable separation between the handle and bolster that's likely to deteriorate over time. If you pay a bit more, you can find a still-inexpensive chef's knife that will last longer.

Zwilling Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife ($200 at Amazon)

The Zwilling Pro did well in our tests, especially when using the middle and heel of the blade for larger-scale chopping. We found the tip a bit duller, through, which was a problem with more detailed tasks. For the high price, there are better options.

Material The 8" Knife ($105 at Material Kitchen)

Adding a simply designed, low-maintenance knife to your toolkit without making a major investment is easier than you think, and this option from Material is still a good choice. We found it ultra-sharp when cutting through paper and vegetables and had no trouble breaking down tough ingredients like butternut squash. Though the design is attractive, we noted that classically trained cooks might find some tasks awkward with the smooth, long handle. We also noted some stains and water marks when cleaning it, so you should hand-wash and dry quickly and thoroughly after each use.

Miyabi Koh 8-Inch Chef's Knife ($200 at Amazon)

A previous top pick, this Japanese knife is impressively sharp. It's quite lightweight but handled all our tests — squash included — with relative ease. The problem is the high price; you don't have to pay this much for the same quality.

Kiwi Chef's Knife ($15 at Amazon)

Despite the extremely low list price, the Kiwi performed well during testing. It's only partial-tang, so it won't have the same longevity as high-end knives. Though the blade is great, the handle doesn't feel as secure, which is why we we'd recommend paying a little more even for a budget-priced knife.

Masamoto VG Santoku ($194 at Amazon)

The clean, no-frills design and hyper-sharp edge make this Japanese knife a workhorse — you can use it for everything from pushing through thick cuts of meat to carefully slicing vegetables. Plus, the Western-style handle offers a balanced feel that will be familiar to cooks who are accustomed to European chef’s knives. But it's pricier than other options that are just as good.

Shun Classic Western Chef's Knife ($185 at Williams Sonoma)

Shun's Classic Western Chef's Knife has a similar design to its Classic Chef's Knife above, but with a somewhat taller blade. It did quite well in testing, but it's heavier than the standard Classic, which is the main reason we didn't make it one of our top picks.

Oxford Chef Kiritsuke Chef's Knife 8-Inch ($90 at Amazon)

This inexpensive Japanese-style knife is still a decent choice for any home cook trying to practice their professional knife skills. It stood out in testing for its ability to glide easily through any texture of ingredient. We loved how the blade tip was just as sharp as the belly, which let us use it like a paring knife for tasks like mincing garlic and carving the seeds out of a butternut squash. We didn't like how heavy it is, though, and there are similarly priced knives that performed equally well without the extra weight.

Victorinox 6-Inch Fibrox Chef's Knife ($47 at Amazon)

This is an excellent choice for the cost. It's sharp and strong — it easily cut through onions and butternut squash — but we didn't find it particularly nimble when working with delicate vegetables like tomatoes. Despite its sharpness out of the box, our long-term testing revealed that the Victorinox blade dulled easily and needs to be sharpened more frequently than others.

Victorinox Grand Maitre Chef's 8-Inch Chef's Knife ($165 at Amazon)

This knife excelled in our tests and had no trouble slicing through paper, tomato, onions, or garlic. The maple wood handle is sturdy, slip-free, and attractive, but the knife is heavy. We also noticed that streaks and spots were left on the blade after cleaning. We feel it's a little too expensive for what it is.

What Didn't Make the List

We've tested dozens of chef's knives, which means we've found lots of options that didn't do such a great job. Low-rated blades at low prices made their lack of quality apparent with dull blades, uncomfortable handles, and loose joints, while lots of more expensive knives did merely mediocre jobs in testing. Tested blades that didn't make the cut included options from Zwilling, Misen, Mercer, Kyocera, and more.

Our Expertise

• Laura Denby is a former professional chef who has spent years cooking in professional and private kitchens throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Hamptons. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education with a degree in Culinary Arts, Laura now uses her experience in the kitchen to guide her expert product reviews for sites like Food & Wine and AllRecipes. Her writing can be found on FoodNetwork.com, Delish, Southern Living, Real Simple, and more.
• Food & Wine senior writer Jason Horn updated this story with the results of our latest round of testing. He's been writing about food and drinks for nearly 20 years and is our resident knife expert, having tested multiple categories of blades at home.