Chef knife is the single most important tool in the kitchen because, with the right knife, you can level up your meal prep. It’s designed for doing important work like dicing veggies, slicing herbs, cutting meats, and chopping nuts.

People prefer chef’s knives because it speeds up the cutting and cooking process. Generally, these are 8 to 10 inches long, and the blade has a round tip. This thing makes the chef’s knife be used for almost everything.

Talking about construction, a chef’s knife is made of stainless steel and carbon steel. Among these two materials, people prefer stainless steel sharp edge blade knives as it is more durable and versatile. 

If you keep a chef’s knife properly, it can stay in good shape for a lifetime. Taking care of a knife means getting it re-sharped when required and keeping it clean, so it doesn’t get rusted. 

Commonly, German knives and Japanese knives are popular among people. Here, German knives are recognized by their use of full tang, whereas Japanese knives are made of high-quality steel. 

In this post, we have recommended 10 of the premium chef’s knives, among which, Wusthof Classic Cook’s Knife, 8-Inch, Black is the best. This knife is perfect in every way. First, we have tested, and then we are recommending them. 

Here are Best Chef Knives – Tried & Tested 

#1 Wusthof Classic Cook’s Knife, 8-Inch, Black

Price: The price of this chef’s knife is $129.99. It comes in nine different sizes, each available at a different price. You can either get this 8-inch chef’s knife or select a 10-inch size. 

Key Specifications: 

The edge of this knife makes it easy to chop heavy-duty foods. You can make effortless cuts because this knife’s high-carbon stainless steel blade is sharper than other options. 

It’s a full tang knife with a sharp edge that has a comfortable and ergonomic handle. Also, there is a bolster and finger guard that offers complete protection while using this knife. 

If you offer it proper care, it can last a lifetime and be as good as new. Talking about the handle, this chef’s knife has triple-riveted handles that offer it a professional look. But, what impresses us the most is that this sharp knife is made of a single block of high carbon stainless steel. 

Since the knife is made of a continuous metal, the chances of its breaking reduces. That means it’s a durable knife. 

#2 ZWILLING Professional S

Price: The price of this knife is $116.99, which is a nominal price for a pretty decent knife that has a razor-sharp blade. 

Key Specifications:

This knife is manufactured by a leading German company called J.A. Henckels. This Henckels classic chef’s knife is one of the best options in the market as it can be handled even by beginners and professionals both. 

It’s made of a single block of high-carbon solid stainless steel and is a little heavy. This chef’s knife can stay sharp for a long time, making it one of the best kitchen knives. Also, its edge is laser-controlled for optimum safety and durability. 

This balanced knife has an ergonomic polymer three-rivet handle. In addition, its dishwasher is safe and does not get rusted quickly. So, if you were looking for a stain and corrosion-resistant knife, you should pick this one. 

#3 Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife, 8-Inch Chef’s

Price: As compared to the above two chef’s knives, this one is better in price as it’s available at $37.78. 

Key Specifications:

The blade of this carving knife is made of European stainless steel that does not give up quickly. While it’s not a full tang knife, you can trust its performance. Whether you have experience with knives or not, you can control this one without putting your safety at risk. 

This low-maintenance knife is dishwasher safe and is worth the price. It has a non-slip ergonomic handle. It further has a straight sharp edge that can slice tomatoes and other veggies that you want. 

That means you can get an excellent product without digging a hold in your pocket. So, hurry and purchase it now. 

#4 Mercer Culinary Chef’s Japanese Knife, 8-Inch, Black

Price: If you have a limited budget, you can consider purchasing it as this great knife is available at $26. This 8-inch chef’s knife is available in different sizes, like 7.5 inches, 9 inches, 10 inches, and 12 inches. Also, each knife’s price is different. 

Key Specifications:

This knife is crafted using single high-carbon steel. This chef’s knife has a sharp blade, which is corrosion and stain-resistant. Further, its handle has an ergonomic design and is made by mixing polypropylene and Santoprene. 

The handle material helps this knife last longer than most of the premium chef’s knives. As a result, it’s one of the best kitchen knives you can purchase for cutting chicken. 

This Japanese knife has textured finger points for better hold, control, grip, and comfort. Also, this knife does not require a lot of maintenance. Purchase this knife today if you want the best performance. 

#5 Mac Knife Professional Hollow Edge Chef’s Knife, 8-Inch

Price: To purchase this knife, you would have to spend an amount of $144.35. This chef’s knife is worth the price because its blade is sharp. 

Key Specifications:

This Japanese-style knife is made of sharp alloy steel and has a dimpled hollow ground edge. The thin dimpled blade helps in precisely cutting vegetables and slicing meats. This chef’s knife further has Graton-style indentations for reducing friction. 

Talking about the handle, it is made of pakkawood that offers improved stability and strength. This knife is great for professional and home kitchen use. As compared to the other knives, this one has comparatively softer steel. So, buy this amazing knife now. 

#6 Misono Swedish Carbon Steel Gyutou 9.4″ (24cm) – Right

Price: When it comes to price, this chef’s knife is available at an expensive end. You can purchase a 9.4 inches knife at $150. Besides this, there are other two variants as well, i.e., 10.5 inches and 8.2 inches. 

Key Specifications:

One thing that we liked most about this best chef’s knife is that it’s a multi-purpose knife. This versatile curved blade knife can be used for cutting veggies, meat, and fish. You can also call it a western-style knife as it can prepare almost all kinds of Western cuisine. 

The advanced carbon steel sharpness does not let it become a dull knife. It offers precision cuts and is designed for right-hand users. Another highlight of this knife is its high-impact triple-riveted wooden handle. 

This knife is hand-forged in Japan of Swedish carbon steel. It makes this chef’s knife durable and better than others. 

#7 Tojiro DP Gyutou Knives – 8.2″ (21cm)

Price: The price of this harder steel knife is $85, which is a reasonable amount for such an excellent price. 

Key Specifications:

The triple-layer blade is VG10 cobalt alloy steel resistant. Also, the knife has a full-tang handle for stability. It has a sharp blade that perfectly cuts through the hard surfaces. 

It’s one of the best chef’s knives as it’s easy to clean and can be used for cutting veggies, meat, and fruits on any kind of cutting board. Whether you are a right-hand user or left hand, you can use this knife perfectly. 

#8 Misono UX10 Gyutou 8.2″ (21cm) – Right

Price: It is one of the most expensive options on this list because it’s available at $184.37. You should totally go for it because it’s slightly softer steel makes it one of the lighter knives in the market. 

Key Specifications:

This chef’s knife can easily handle hard-to-do jobs like cutting meats, fish, and butternut squash. Its asymmetrical edge makes it an ideal choice for left and right-hand people. 

This knife has an all-purpose blade that does not give up quickly. Its broad blade makes chopping, dicing, and mincing easy. So, if you want to purchase a good chef’s knife that is worth the price, you can buy this one. 

#9 Global 8″ Chef’s Knife

Global knives are popular in the market for their performance, and this particular knife is best among all the knives. 

Price: This 8-inch chef’s knife is available at $114.95. But if you want to get a custom engrave on the handle, you need to spend around $129.85. 

Key Specifications:

This knife has a plain blade edge and is light in weight. Its blade is made of high-tech vanadium/molybdenum that does not let the knife get rusted. One best thing about this knife is that its thicker blade can regain sharpness quickly. 

Global offers a lifetime warranty on this knife. That means this knife can stand against breakage and defects. You can either purchase a single knife or a knife set. 

The straight edge of this knife results in precise and dramatic cuts. You can use this knife for both professional purposes and home cooking. So, if you are impressed with its features, purchase it today. 

#10 Shun Premier 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

Price: You can purchase this great chef’s knife at $191.99. Besides this, the knife comes in three more variations, each at a different price. 

Key Specifications:

This lightweight chef’s knife has a comfortable grip, making it ideal for use all day long. Moving further, it has razor-sharp thinner blades that can be used for slicing, chopping, and dicing. 

One thing that makes this one of the best Japanese knives tend is its hammered tsuchime finish. This finish further offers smooth and clean cuts. 

This prep knife can easily turn any boring task into exciting and fun. So, if you are impressed by its features, get your hands on this one today. 

How to examine a knife?

If you have recently purchased a knife and you want to test its sharpness, the best way to do it is by doing a paper test. 

For this test, you should hold a paper firmly and draw the blade of the knife down the paper. If you can reach the end of the paper with minimal force, that means the knife is sharp. 

Another way you can examine the sharpness of the knife is by conducting a fingernail test. This simple technique requires you to tap the edge of the knife blade against your fingernail. Be careful while doing it. 

If the blade bites your nail, that means it’s sharp. But if it slides or deflects, that means it’s not sharp. 

How to use a chef’s knife?

If you are using the best chef’s knife, view your thumb and first finger while holding the knife. Then, try to hold and control the knife safely. 

When chopping or mincing, keep one hand handle and the other on the top of a thinner blade. The razor-sharp edge of the knife should stay in contact with the chopping board. 

Also, you should cut vegetables and fruits in half before chopping them. This way, you can prevent them from slipping. 

How to keep your knife like a pro?

You can follow this tip if you have the best chef’s knife that you want to keep properly. Get honing steel and slide the knife’s side along its length. Then, do the same thing with another size of the knife’s blade.  You can repeat this process a couple of times. 

Doing this once a week will keep your knife in good condition. Also, this way, the sharpness of the knife’s blade will be maintained. You can even clean the knife with soap and water so that it does not stay greasy for a long time. 

What’s the difference between a German chef’s knife and a Japanese chef’s knife?

The two popular kinds of knives are German-style knives and Japanese knives. But are these two types the same? Well, they are not. 

A German-style knife is designed to perform heavy-duty tasks. For example, you can easily cut bones and joints with it. On the flip side, Japanese knives are generally used for doing basic chores like chopping, cutting, and mincing. Also, it has thinner blades. 

As compared to Japanese knives, German knives have softer steel, and they are corrosion-resistant and durable. 

Buying Guide 

Weight

It’s always important to pick a knife that has the ideal weight. That’s because if carbon steel knives are heavy, you might not be able to handle them, and if they are too light, they won’t offer the best results. 

Size

Generally, chef’s knives are either 8 inches or 10 inches in length. But you can also find a 6-inch knife, which offers performance just as a paring knife. 

Blade

Another that you must look for in a knife is the blade. Different knives have different blade materials. So, what you should do is check the longevity, edge, and durability of each material. 

Instead of a blunt knife, you should pick a knife that has a razor-sharp blade. Also, make sure that the knife can be re-sharpened without much hassle. 

Tang 

It’s another important factor that cannot be ignored. That’s because tang refers to how far the blade reaches inside the handle. Full tang knives are more durable, but partial tang knives are light in weight. 

Chef Knife Care

At last, you should check the knife care. If the knife requires a lot of maintenance, you should think again before purchasing. That’s because no matter how great a high-maintenance knife is, if it’s not getting proper care, it will give up while performing tasks. 

FAQs:

Conclusion 

A chef’s knife is important because it makes cooking easier. You can speed up your cooking with a good chef’s knife as chopping and mincing get quicker. But that doesn’t mean you should pick any random knife. 

The best knife is the one that has a comfortable grip, sharp blade, and durable handle. You can fix a budget and consider the buying guide to get your hands on an excellent knife. 

But if it feels like a lot of work, you can consider one of the options mentioned above. Also, if you want, you can click on the link to make a direct purchase.