Chef's Knife Test 2023 • The Best Chef's Knives in Comparison

Are you looking for a professional chef's knife test? Then you are right here. There's a reason why we call the best kitchen knives "boss knives". A good boss is a multitasker, so a good boss is designed to handle multiple jobs. Think of all that cutting and chopping in a pan or chicken noodle soup. But the best chef's knife can not be defined by a single set of functions.

It's all about hand feeling: The right knife should feel like an extension of the forearm. We talked to two cooks, a cook instructor and a knife expert, then chopped, diced and peeled with 11 best-selling chefs.

Chef's knife test: is there a test winner?

Consumer magazine	Is there a chef's knife test?	Test from the year
Stiftung Warentest	Yes, Stiftung Warentest has published a chef's knife test	link: 2007
Swiss television	Yes, Swiss television has also published a chef's knife test	link: 2015
Konsument.at	Yes, consumer has published a chef’s knife test	link: 2015
Ktipp.ch	No, no chef knife test findable	link:

In the table you can see if there is a chef's knife test from large consumer magazines. In our search for the test reports, we searched the websites of the publishers. To see the test results, please visit the respective website. We can not name the respective test winners for legal reasons.

We have found on Stiftung Warentest and ökoTest chef's knife test. Unfortunately, we did not find anything on ktipp.ch and the magazine "Konsument" found only a general chef's knife test.

Here is the best chef's knife short list:

product name    advantages         price

 1: Chefmesser   Kitchen Knife Chef's Knife 20 cm Check Amazon

2:   Kai Shun        Kai Shun Classic Chef's Knife       Check Amazon

3 : Imarku           Imarku Professional 20cm            Check Amazon

4: paring knife   Paring knife Fruit knife Kitchen knife        Check Amazon

There is no kitchen knife that is more important than a chef's knife, unless you are an Italian Nonna, and in that case you can probably disassemble a cow with a blunt knife. But for the rest of us, a chef's knife is the most. It's a real workhorse, useful for almost any task. With this knife you season onions, cut carrots, break garlic and cut meat.

Sure, there are a number of specialized knives that you can invest in, but if you're in need, a sharp chef's knife can do more than well enough for you, be it cutting delicate fish, carving a turkey, or chopping a shallot.

Because of its importance in the kitchen, a chef's knife is one of the knives that have to splurge the most. I always tell people to buy cheap paring knives and serrated cutting machines so they can spend more on a good chef's knife. (That's why I generally do not recommend blocks of knives: you end up paying too much for the less significant knives and paying less for the keys.)

To find the best chef's knives, we tested 27 different, all with about eight inches of stainless steel blades and priced from about $ 15 to just under $ 200. Eliminating the clothes was easy, but the selection among the top performers was a lot difficult. At a certain point, the question becomes less about quality than personal preference - how does this knife feel in your hand? Remember, as you read this review, there are several other ones while all of our top picks passed the tests. Read down on all other opponents and, if you can, visit local knife shops so you can feel the blades in your hands. What works for us may not be what works best for you.

---

1. Chef's Knife Chef's Knife Chef's Knife 20 cm 

The knife is comfortable and secure in the hand. I especially like that the blade is made of stainless steel so it can be reground. It is already very sharp in the delivery. The handle is ergonomically shaped and non-slip, it needs little pressure for cutting. The blade is very sharp, it's fun to work with.

Although it is allowed, I never put good knives in the dishwasher so they stay sharp for a long time. A really good decision to buy this knife! It's a pleasure to be able to crush everything that needs to be minced with the food. It is ideal for fruits and vegetables, also z. For melons, pumpkins and hard cabbage, as well as for meat, raw or roasted. It fits well in the hand and makes it by its quality a real helper in the kitchen. It's fun and makes work easier. And at a price that is affordable for people on a budget.

• ULTRASONIC BLADES: The cutting angle is 15 degrees. And the blade of the kitchen knife is double-sided, so that the knife is suitable for right and left-handers. This sharp knife can cut everything. And it's as easy as cutting butter. The professional knife is easy to sharpen

• PREMIUM MATERIAL: The knife blade is forged from the best German stainless steel blade. The Rockwell hardness is 56-58. The kitchen knife is sharp, durable and dirt-repellent.

• VERSATILE AND MULTIPURPOSE : The chef's knife with 20 cm length facilitates your daily kitchen work such as chopping, cutting, cutting fruits, vegetables and meat. It really is a universal knife.

•  ERGONOMIC HANDLE : The handle is ergonomically designed. Three riveted non-slip handles ensure a secure and comfortable grip and make cutting easier. The handle is moisture resistant, heat resistant and durable. The kitchen knife is ideal for different hands.

• Lifetime Warranty and Gift Box : 100% satisfied or money back guarantee, lifetime warranty on defects in materials and / or workmanship, purchase without risk. Quality packaging and good service can be provided by us.

View on Amazon

2. Kai Shun Classic Chef's Knife, Blade 20.0 cm

Have almost all knives of the Shun Kai series. I am thrilled with all the knives, the chestnut-shaped handle is simply very pleasant. Have worked my cooking training and a year later only with these knives, stay sharp for a long time, no problems / pain in the wrist. When cleaning, you should avoid the rough part of a sponge, otherwise the beautiful structure of the layers disappears. For the hobby area rather expensive, but who still wants to afford one, has in any case a great chef's knife for life (but I would rather recommend the chef's knife without Kuhlenschliff, the cut is in my experience, rather an optical aspect).

•  Blade 20,0 cm, Damascus steel with 32 layers, for the cooking elite and ambitious home cooks

• The inner layer is made of VG MAX steel, extremely corrosion resistant, extremely hard - 61 ± 1 HRC, 1.0% carbon, 1.5% cobalt

• Slipping even by heavy clippings, fatigue-free working

• Delivered in a high-quality gift box with gold stamping, ideal as a gift

• The convex cut of the blade and the manual honing create an incomparable sharpness, Japanese blacksmithing

View on Amazon

3. Kitchen knife, Imarku Professional 20cm chef's knife, paring knife

The kitchen knife impresses with its noble appearance and its gentle handling.

The knife has convinced me from the beginning by its good workmanship, the sharpness and the beautiful wooden handle.

The blade made of chrome steel is stable and retains the sharpness.

It is optimally balanced and thus enables a safe and quick use when cutting meat and vegetables.

Convinced of the price performance, I ordered a second of these imarku knives for a friend.

So far, it proves what it will look like in a few months. I will update my feedback.

• HIGH-QUALITY STAINLESS STEEL BLADES  - This kitchen machine is made of high- grade stainless steel that guarantees unrivaled strength, longevity and balance. It ensures maximum sharpness and edge retention

• ANTI CORROSION BLADE  - The chef's knife contains 16-18% chrome and 0.6-0.75 carbon, it is twice as hard as it is and increases the anti-rust protection and sharpness of the knife

• ERGONOMIC PAKKAHOLE HANDLE  - The ergonomically shaped pakka wood handle provides support, minimizes finger fatigue and improves balance. It is very good in the hand

•  MULTI-FUNCTIONAL COOKING MEASURE  - It cuts, dices, craps, chops and cuts meat away from bones. It's with an HRC (Rockness Hardness Scale) of 58-60, which makes it one of the toughest knives in its class

• CORROSION AND ANTI-TRUE BLADES  - In addition to carbon, 16-18% chromium is also included in the blade metallic composition. This gives a shiny finish that will not fade or tarnish even after using them for a long time

View on Amazon

4. Kai Shun Premier Tim maltster Santoku

The KAI Shun Santoku looks very good, the feeling is great. Only the smooth surface on the handle was somehow uncomfortable.

The knife passed the test with soft tomato in the super-thin-cut. Unfortunately, not so terrific that the price is justified for me. The knife arrived in a perfectly packed condition including a wooden box. It cuts off excellently. Next, I buy the smaller knife size.

•  True to the motto of Tim Mälzer: "A good knife not only facilitates work, but also success", each of the carefully crafted damask knives was precisely tailored to the respective application by the Japanese smiths from Seki City. Due to the particularly symmetrical shape of the walnut handle, all shapes also guarantee precise cutting performance for right and left-handers.

•  Blade 18.0 cm

•  32 layers of corrosion-resistant Damascus steel, walnut handle, precise cutting performance

•  Handcrafted hammered surface, timeless aesthetics and ultimate sharpness

•  VG MAX steel with a hardness of 61 ± 1 HRC

•  Shun Premier Tim Mälzer

View on Amazon

5. Paring knife Fruit knife Vegetable knife Kitchen knife 10 cm 

The knife makes a good first impression! It came beautifully wrapped and, above all, safe! At the top of the blade was also a safety part made of plastic - in a small box.

The blade is clean and sufficiently sharp! It is super in the hand and has an optimal size!

That can defeat everything in the kitchen and fight and above all cut.

The knife is well made and looks high quality. It has a great design and is pretty sharp. It also feels good in the hand and has a nice weight. With the size particularly suitable for peeling vegetables and fruits and generally as a universal knife. If you want to go one step further, I can only recommend a whetstone.

• ULTRA-SHARP BLADE: The cutting angle is 17 degrees and double-sided, making the fruit knife ideal for right and left-handed people. The sharp stainless steel blade is easy to sharpen and sharp

• GERMAN PREMIUM STEEL : The knife blade is forged from the best stainless steel German stainless steel blade with the Rockwell hardness of 56-58. It is cut-resistant, durable and dirt-repellent

• SMALL KNIFE FOR THE KITCHEN : The peeling knife is ideal for peeling and carving or for complicated work, eg prawning with shrimp, removing the seeds of jalapeño, peeling or cutting of small plaques

• ERGONOMIC HANDLE : The handle is ergonomically designed. Three riveted, non-slip handles ensure a secure and comfortable grip and make cutting easier. The handle is moisture resistant, heat resistant and durable. The vegetable knife is ideal for different hands.

• Lifetime Warranty and Gift Box: 100% SATISFIED OR MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, lifetime warranty against defects in material and / or workmanship, purchase without risk. Quality packaging and good service can be provided by us

View on Amazon

6. Heiso santoku knife Kullenschliff Classic

Have a sharp big knife for various applications in the kitchen as a hobby chef has been looking for. After 2 returns (Aikok and WMF knife with serrated edge) I decided for the Santoku knife from Heiso. Immediately tried: Asian dish with lots of vegetables and chicken fillet. Everything went fast, effortless, clean cut, just pure joy when working with the Santoku knife. As mentioned by other reviewers, beautiful packaging with a useful 100% cotton in the kitchen. Contact with the seller / manufacturer because of delivery difficulties / Hermes / very pleasant and useful. All together 5 *, traditional company from Solingen lives up to its good reputation.

• Buy directly from the manufacturer. HEISO is a family-owned traditional cutlery factory from Solingen. Our company was founded in 1870.

• Big and heavy Santoku knife with 18cm blade length from the CLASSIC series. Stainless steel (X50CR15MOV), hardened to 56 HRC - the perfect balance between edge retention and good re-sharpenability.

• The culmination of the chef's knife creates an air cushion between the clippings and the blade so that the clippings are less prone to the blade.

• The plastic handles are seamlessly mounted and very easy to clean. Even in the stomach area, these knives can be used without hesitation.

• 31-day trial - 100% money-back guarantee. Remedial promise: kitchen knives from HEISO can be reground free of charge and professionally at our factory at any time. (see info)

View on Amazon

---

If you regularly cook at home and cut the ingredients accordingly, then you will appreciate having a good chef's knife handy.

Most likely you have the office knife, various utility knives in the kitchen at home. However, if you cook more often with fresh ingredients, we advise you to buy a standard chef's knife or some special knives, as needed. You can ease your work so that you can have fun cooking again.

Which kitchen knives you need to detail depends on which ingredients you normally use. As a vegetarian you need a meat knife, of course not. The best way is to look at the list of kitchen knives listed above. This is the best way to decide which blades are relevant to you.

What costs kitchen knives?

The price range of kitchen knives is very different and of course depends mainly on the quality of each knife. It pays for you to invest a few euros more here for good quality.

Inexpensive kitchen knives, especially peeling and office knives, you can already buy from about 1.50 euros. Accordingly, they usually consist of cheap materials and relatively poor workmanship.

For a slightly better quality you should spend at least 10 euros. In this price range you also get the European standard chef's knife. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of quality. For normal home use you get from about 40 euros an acceptable quality in terms of standard chef's knife. Here the life of the knife is much longer.

Professional knives will give you between 50 and 100 euros. These should have a long life with good care. From 100 euros you are already in the luxury segment. Here you will find the best chef's knives in the world. The elaborately crafted Santokus Damascus steel, for example, fall into this category.

If you want to save money, you can also use a knife or a filled knife block. Here you often get different kitchen knives for the package price. But you should also pay attention to the quality here. Again, you can use the above price ranges as an approximate orientation. However, you should check the prices in the case as unit prices of each knife.

Where can I buy chef's knives?

Chef's knives are available in well-stocked supermarkets, department stores or specialty stores. Since the sale on the Internet has increased in recent years, you will also find a huge selection of online stores here. Typically, you will find a wider choice and lower prices for comparable models over the Internet.

According to our research, most kitchen knives in Germany are currently sold over the Internet in the following stores:

1. Amazon

2. eBay

3. Otto

4. Real

5. Galeria Kaufhof

6. Wayfair

All knives that we present on our website are provided with a link to at least one of these stores. So you can beat directly if you have found a suitable knife for you.

Which kitchen knives are suitable for beginners, advanced or professionals?

Usually as a beginner, first look for the kitchen knives, what you really need in everyday life. Of course, it makes no sense to buy special knives that you do not use yourself at the end.

The basic equipment of each kitchen usually includes the standard chef's knife, an office knife, a meat knife, a bread knife and a fruit knife. Layers can handle these knives without any problems.

As a rule of thumb, you can forget that the more specific the kitchen knives, the more complex the handling. That said, you need a little experience to master the handling of certain kitchen knives like filleting knives.

As a beginner, you should also make sure that the Chef's Knife has a maximum length of 21 cm. This allows for easier handling for you. Asian kitchen knives are not suitable for beginners as they are very sharp and there is a high risk of injury due to lack of safety features.

As an advanced chef knife user, you can also easily buy knives with longer blades. Here you can also wallow in the Asian chef's knife cart. For starters, the Japanese santoku knife is recommended because it is a very good all-round knife.

Professionals then also use various special knives like ham or boning knives. As a professional, of course, all doors are open. The quality of kitchen knives is the deciding factor here.

Since your kitchen knives as a professional are likely to be used very frequently, you should pay special attention to the longevity of the knife and also grab the higher prices segment. As a main player, professionals usually use either the standard European chef's knife or the Japanese counterpart Santoku.

Decision: Which types of chef's knife are there and which one is right for you?

First, you can roughly divide kitchen knives into two categories:

• Asian chef's knife
•  European chef's knife

Of course, there are many different subtypes, which in turn bring different functions and advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the purpose for which you want to use your kitchen knives, the respective listed knife types are suitable for you. In the following section we would like to help you to find the ideal knife for you. For this we will introduce you to the individual Koch knife types and show you what they are best for.

The most well-known chef's knives from Asia are above all the Chinese chopping knives as well as the Japanese Santoku. The main difference to the European chef's knife is the lack of thickening to handle the knife. This makes the knife blades Asian cut in full length.

European chef's knives are relatively heavy compared to Asian counterparts. The blade is also relatively long with 20 to 25 cm. For safety reasons, the cutting edge of the European chef's knife is thicker and therefore duller. You can also keep them stable with greater force, because the shape of the handle is adapted to the hand.

These factors allow you to compare and rate chef's knives

In the following we want to show you the criteria with which you can compare and rate chef's knives. So you decide for yourself which knife is right for you, and fits your purpose.

These are the most important comparison criteria:

•  Kochmesserart
•  Balance
•  Processing
• Weight of the knives
• Blade length
• Klinge material
• Blade thickness
• Hardness of the blade
• Cut knife
• Sharpness of the blad
• Claws material

Worth knowing about chef's knives

1. How do I cut correctly?

The cutting technique with which you use your kitchen knives depends on which knife you hold in your hand and what you want to cut with it. Important is the right station of the knife. The tip and the blade should always point away from the body to minimize the risk of injury.

As a base you should use a sturdy cutting board. In addition, you should make sure that you hold the food in your hand so that you can not cut your fingers. The knife should be sharpened accordingly sharp, so that it slides without much effort through the clippings.

2. How do I care for chef's knife?

After using your knife, you should just wash and dry. In no case should you place it in the dishwasher because it will promote corrosion and wear of the material.

As a cutting pad, use wood or plastic plates. Stone or glass shortens the life of the knife edge. When storing, make sure that the blades of your kitchen do not touch and rub knives. For example, you can use knife blocks, magnetic strips or bags.

3. How do I loop my chef's knife properly?

It is best to sharpen your knife with a good sharpening steel. For Japanese blades, however, you should choose a ceramic grinding rod. To restore around the most important soil you will need a grindstone. For pre-grinding you can use a coarser grain size and for sharpening a finer grain size. For beginners it is recommended to bring the knife for the basic grinding to a specialist.

4. How can I forge a chef's knife myself?

To make a knife yourself, you need an anvil, a forge, a workbench, a vise and a forging hammer.

From a heated piece of steel you design your desired knife shape with a hammer. Then harden the steel by quenching and grinding the knife. Then you just have to attach the right grip. To experience this process, there are several providers where you can book a forge course.

---