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The Best Chef’s Knife for Every Type of Home Cook
Updated on Aug. 26, 2024
When you start making dinner—whether it’s a quick weeknight supper or a special-occasion entree—the first tool you reach for is a chef’s knife. For the easiest and most satisfying prep, you want the best chef’s knife in your knife block.
These prep tools are one of the essential knives you need at home. The sharp tapered knives are typically about eight inches long (though you’ll find larger and smaller ones on the market) and are great all-purpose tools for cutting everything from veggies to fruits to proteins. The knives’ slightly curved edge makes them ideal for rocking across the cutting board as you slice, say, stalks of celery, and the sharp tapered point allows you to do finer work, such as slicing tender tomatoes.
To help you on your quest for the best all-purpose knife for you, our Test Kitchen put ten popular and highly-rated knives to the test.
Best Chef's Knife to Splurge On
Wüsthof Classic Chef's Knife
Pros:
- Comfortable grip
- Sturdy
- Super sharp
- Little friction or drag when slicing
Cons:
- Hefty price tag for casual cooks
Specs
- Material: High-carbon stainless steel
- Price: $170
Do you want to treat yourself to a top-notch knife? Our Test Kitchen recommends the Wüsthof Classic Chef’s Knife.
“This is a really classic chef knife,” says Peggy. That means it’s sturdy, perfectly tapered, hefty (without being weighty) and super sharp. That checks all the boxes on our search for best chef’s knife.
In action, this knife is a dream to work with, per Peggy. “It’s comfortable and has good maneuverability.” With a good grip, you can deftly work your way around joints when carving Sunday’s roast chicken just as well as you can finely mince an onion.
This Wüsthof chef’s knife also glides super easily across the cutting board. That means you can really get into the groove when slicing stalks of celery or carrots for homemade soups without encountering friction that’ll slow you down.
Also worth noting is that this chef’s knife is made of high-carbon stainless steel. That means the blade has the rust- and tarnish-resistant qualities of stainless steel and the durability of carbon that keeps knives sharper for longer.
Best Budget Chef's Knife
Mercer Culinary Renaissance Chef's Knife
Pros:
- Affordable
- Comfortable grip
Cons:
- Too bulky for finer chopping
Specs
- Material: High-carbon stainless steel
- Price: $56
You can get a great all-purpose knife for around $50, and the Mercer Culinary Renaissance Chef’s Knife is proof.
This high-carbon stainless steel knife is comfortable to hold while slicing and dicing. This knife does wonders when it comes to chopping veggies for a stir-fry and glides easily across the cutting board. Getting that just-right rocking motion while you mince garlic comes easily with this chef’s knife.
However, this knife isn’t ideal for finer kitchen prep. “It’s a bit large and cumbersome for angling through more intricate cuts,” says Peggy. For more delicate knife work, grab your paring or filet knife.
Overall, though, this Mercer Culinary chef’s knife is a good bet for folks looking for a great knife for less.
Best Lightweight Chef's Knife
Misen Chef's Knife
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Color—you can choose from a black, gray, dusty blue or tomato red grip
- Nice price for a stylish piece of equipment
Cons:
- Color—you can choose from a black, gray, dusty blue or tomato red grip
Specs
- Material: High carbon stainless steel
- Price: $85
When you finally decide to trade in your old knives for professional-level tools, acclimating to weightier blades can be a challenge. But not with Misen. The Misen Chef’s Knife is wonderfully light but is still made with durable high carbon stainless steel.
Before even slicing, you can notice a difference in this knife. First off—it’s blue! “I love the color options,” says Peggy. Paired with the sleek, modern styling of this knife, Misen is a standout. And, per Peggy, “It’s lighter than German-style knives, but it doesn’t feel flimsy.”
Taking this knife for a spin in the kitchen, you won’t be disappointed. The fine, sharp blade glides easily through tomatoes, butternut squash, onions and apples. It also works well when cutting up a whole chicken.
When it comes to getting that flowing, rocking motion when dicing celery or mincing herbs, this chef’s knife definitely doesn’t glide as easily against the cutting board as other options, but it still cuts cleanly.
If you snag this Misen chef’s knife and love it as much as our editors, try the Misen kitchen shears as well.
On Sale
Best Stainless Steel Chef's Knife
Zwilling Gourmet Chef's Knife
Pros:
- Made of long-lasting stainless steel
- Very little friction against the cutting board
- Comfortable grip
Cons:
- Requires more sharpening than other knives
Specs
- Material: Forged stainless steel
- Price: $113
Material matters when it comes to your knives. Although many of our top picks are a blend of carbon and stainless steel, the Zwilling Gourmet Chef’s Knife is all stainless.
So what does this mean for you? A forged stainless steel knife like this is made from a single piece of metal that’s ground to a smooth taper with no bevels. This smooth finish makes cutting foods a dream. Stainless steel also won’t rust or discolor. Stainless steel knives like this Zwilling model do need to be sharpened more frequently than others, but they also last longer than their carbon steel counterparts. To keep a forged stainless steel knife like this ready to use, learn how to sharpen a knife the right way.
Now, when it comes to performance, Peggy says that Zwilling is one of her favorites. Even soft tomatoes were no match for this super-sharp blade. Other veggies and fruits were also simple to slice—no resistance, no slipping, no problems at all.
On Sale
Most Comfortable Chef's Knife
J.A. Henckels International Forged Premio Chef's Knife
Pros:
- Super-comfortable ergonomic grip
- Made of long-lasting stainless steel
- Reasonable price
Cons:
- High friction with cutting board
Specs
- Material: Stainless steel
- Price: $59
When you cook frequently, comfort is key; it’s why kitchen mats are so popular! Comfort should also be a consideration when shopping for knives. The J.A. Henckels International Forged Premio Chef’s Knife provides an exceedingly comfortable grip that allows you to slice and dice without needing to take a break.
The handle is rounded, and the overall shape is arced, which makes working with this knife a real pleasure. This chef’s knife also has a full bolster (that’s where the blade meets the handle), which makes getting a grip even easier. “The handle just feels so comfortable,” says Peggy.
With a great grip like this, even difficult tasks become simple. Slicing into an extra-firm butternut squash is no biggie, according to Peggy. When you have a good handle on the knife and you feel secure using it, prep work is a breeze. Even carving a turkey and chicken becomes nearly effortless.
If there is one drawback with this knife, it’s the drag the blade has on cutting surfaces. It doesn’t glide quite as easily as other knives, but “the comfort of the knife outweighs that drawback,” says Peggy.
Most Innovative Chef's Knife
Schmidt Brothers Heritage Chef Knife
Pros:
- Curved bolster
- Comfortable grip
Cons:
- Hand-wash only
(though you may want to hand-wash all kitchen knives—even dishwasher-safe ones)
Specs
- Material: High-carbon stainless steel
- Price: $68
You might think that all chef’s knives are basically the same, but Peggy encourages you to think again when you pick up a Schmidt Brothers Heritage Chef Knife.
Schmidt Brothers knives are all outfitted with the brand’s patented transitional bolster. That means you can get a firm grip on these knives while feeling comfortable and confident as you dice and mince and all the rest. According to Peggy, this design feature makes holding the knife much safer and prevents it from slipping.
With a secure grip, breaking down produce and proteins is a breeze. Cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots and cucumbers are simple to slice. Even fine slices of tomato, one of the trickiest veggies (or is it a fruit?) to slice, are easy with this top-rated chef’s knife.
How We Picked Our Favorites
For this test, Senior Food Editor Peggy Woodward led the charge. Over the course of many weeks and many more meals, Peggy worked with ten different chef’s knives in her home. Each was put through a series of standardized tasks (breaking down a chicken, dicing veggies, slicing tomatoes and more) in addition to Peggy’s everyday cooking.
Each knife was judged according to these categories:
- Material: There are so many types of knives out there, including ones made of stainless steel, carbon steel and even ceramic. Some of these materials are more durable than others. Our Test Kitchen made sure to take note of the components of each knife.
- Construction: Certain elements make for a quality knife. One of the most important features for a long-lasting chef’s knife is a full tang. The tang is the part of the knife that extends past the blade and into the handle. Especially sturdy knives (and ones that we’re happy to call Test Kitchen-Preferred) have a full tang for extra strength and durability. Other important construction features include comfortable grips and sharp blades.
- Performance: How well does the knife cut, chop, slice, chiffonade and carve? The best chef’s knives should tackle all these tasks easily without a lot of drag or friction on the cutting board to slow you down.
- Price: Our Test Kitchen kept all budgets in mind for this test, trying knives ranging from $30 to nearly $200. Our team knows that value for money is important when shopping for a kitchen essential like this.
In the end, six chef’s knives earned the right to be called Test Kitchen-Preferred.
Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products
Knives are just the tip of the testing iceberg! Our Test Kitchen is constantly testing kitchen gadgets, cleaning gear and delicious food, looking for brands that deserve the right to be called Test-Kitchen Preferred.
If you’re looking to fit out your kitchen with a few new items, be sure to check out these tests:
