Chef knives are the cornerstone of a professional kitchen, used for anything ranging from mincing garlic to butchering meat. However, choosing the best chef knife for your toolkit is daunting, especially with the vast array of materials, styles, and sizes. While the perfect pairing between chef and knife boils down to personal preference, we narrowed the field by selecting our choices for the best chef knives on the market for commercial kitchens.
Critical for food preparation, a chef knife is a versatile, multipurpose instrument that needs precise weight and sharpness for maximum efficiency. The knife type, style, and material cater to specific tasks and settings. Ultimately, a good chef knife should be durable, precise, and comfortable in your hand.
Based on feedback from our team of industry experts, we compiled our top choices for different styles of chef knives at various price points.
Check Out Our Top Choices for The Best Chef Knives of 2024
Best overall chef knife: Mercer Culinary ZüM®
Best budget chef knife: Schraf Chef Knife with TPRgrip handle
Best workhorse chef knife: Victorinox Chef Knife with Fibrox handle
Best Japanese chef knife: Shun Forged Kiritsuke Knife with pakkawood handle
Best German chef knife: Wusthof Classic Forged Cook's Knife with POM handle
Note: All prices are current to time of publication. See product page for updated pricing
The Mercer Culinary ZüM® is the perfect workhorse chef knife for professional chefs in any setting, and we love everything about it. The full tang gives it a sturdy weight and extra durability. Moreover, the forged high carbon steel blade handles the grind of a full day's prep work without losing its edge. With proper care, the ZüM® will be with you every step of your career.
Price: $50.49
Read Mercer Culinary ZüM® Customer ReviewsIf you want a starter knife that can handle consistent use or a set of knives for community use in your kitchen, the Schraf Chef Knife with TPRgrip handle is ideal. This knife is sturdy, versatile, and efficient, but its defining characteristic is the TPRgrip handle. The material prevents slippage and provides a soft grip, promoting knife safety and preventing accidents from inexperienced users. Beginners and experienced chefs can utilize this knife for everyday tasks without breaking the bank.
Price: $16.99
Runner Up: Choice Chef Knife with allergen-free handle
Read Schraf Chef Knife Customer ReviewsAs any chef knows, most of your time in the kitchen involves food prep. The Victorinox Chef Knife with Fibrox handle is designed for comfort and prolonged use, allowing you to buckle down and work efficiently. Victorinox blades are known for their superior sharpness and durability, and their light weight design prevents fatigue over time. While other knives are suited for specialty tasks, this knife is the go-to for carrying the load of everyday prep.
Price: $70.00
Runner Up: Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Chef Knife
Read Victorinox Chef Knife Customer ReviewsThe Shun Forged Kiritsuke Knife with pakkawood handle is a violin in the symphony of knives - precise, piercing, delicate, and fluid. It stands apart from other Japanese knives thanks to its forged construction, superior sharpness, and excellent balance. Craftsmen utilize a specific forging method to produce Damascus steel for the blade, creating a sophisticated appearance and razor-sharp edge. Due to the cost and design, this knife is best for precise work and shouldn't be the workhorse of your kitchen.
Price: $179.95
Runner Up: Mercer Culinary San Mai Japanese Gyuto
Read Shun Forged Kiritsuke Knife Customer ReviewsWhen considering German-style chef knives, Wusthof immediately distinguishes itself for its long history of quality construction and excellent blades. The hefty Wusthof Classic Forged Cook's Knife with POM handle is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, known for its strength, sharpness, and precise weight. It offers a full tang, bolster, and fingerguard for precise control. Additionally, the Wusthof manufacturing method produces blades that are tempered to 58 degrees on the Rockwell scale.
Price: $170.00
Runner Up: Victorinox Stiff Chef Knife with wood handle
Read Wusthof Classic Forged Cook's Knife Customer ReviewsThe best chef knife is durable, comfortable, and agile. Its balance and sharpness allow a chef to wield it deftly as an extension of their arm. As you experiment with different types of chef knives, consider the make, material, weight, balance, and sharpness before making your selection.
Chef knives are crafted by two methods: stamping or forging. Stamped knives are machine-made from high-quality materials, resulting in a more generic and less expensive option. They are still highly effective but might require more effort to break in to match your preferences.
Forged knives are handmade by expert craftsmen utilizing specialized machinery to shape heated metal into a precise blade. Because of this process, these knives are the gold standard among chef knives. They cost more than stamped knives, but proper care will ensure they perform just as well in 20 years as on day one.
Chef knife materials vary, but most are steel alloys that create a stronger, harder, or lighter blade than regular steel. Popular choices include:
A chef knife's weight is subjective to the user's preferences and duties, but our experts consider it the most influential factor when choosing a knife. While heavy knives are ideal for cutting through dense meat and bone, other chefs might find them too unwieldy over long periods of prep work. In contrast, light knives are challenging to control for precise cutting and require more effort to complete a cut.
Balance and weight go hand-in-hand, and you should test both before investing in a knife. To test balance, hold the knife with the tip pointing away from you and try to keep it straight. After that, perform the same test by holding the knife at a right angle to your arm. If either grip strains your arm, the knife is not well-balanced.
Dull knives can result in injury or ill-prepared food, so examine sharpness as part of your research. Knife sharpness is judged by how sharp the blade gets, how long it stays sharp, and how often it needs sharpening. These qualities are a factor of blade material, so consider this as part of blade upkeep.
A high-quality chef's knife is a fundamental piece of your toolkit, but a chef's success is only as great as their mind. According to our in-house professional chef Larry Williams, "The best piece of equipment a chef has is their mind and creativity." These traits set chefs apart, allowing them to explore the art of food. As you search for the right knife for your style, select one that compliments your creativity and elevates you to the next level.
Back to TopRelated Resources
Knife Sharpeners Buying Guide
No matter what type of knife you own, it's essential to keep it sharp for the best results. Sharp knives make food prep easier and require less pressure to achieve your desired cuts, contributing to a safe kitchen environment . If you aren't familiar with knife sharpeners, it can be difficult to determine the sharpener that best fits your needs. In this guide, we'll introduce the different types of sharpeners, bevels, and knife angles so that you can make an informed decision. Shop All Knife Sharpeners Use the following links to learn more about the types of knife sharpeners: Electric Knife Sharpeners Sharpening Stones Sharpening Steels Serrated Knife Sharpeners Handheld Knife Sharpeners
How to Carve a Turkey
Carving a whole turkey seems like a messy task, but if you follow our simple steps it can be done quickly and neatly. It's a skill that comes in handy for any chef or foodservice professional, especially around the fall holiday season. Whether you're catering for a large group or prepping roasted turkey for menu items, follow our tutorial to learn the best way to carve a turkey. Carving a Turkey Video Check out our turkey carving video to learn how to cut up a whole turkey the easiest way: What Knife to Use to Cut Turkey? Do you actually need a carving knife to cut up a turkey? No, not necessarily. The best type of knife for cutting a turkey has a pointed, non-serrated blade. Avoid using a serrated blade when you're carving because the slic
How to Use Cheese Knives
You may have a cheese knife set in your home but may not exactly know what task each one of those knives is made to perform. Just as a chef will use various types of knives in a day to increase their efficiency, each cheese knife type has a purpose to improve the user experience. We prepared a guide and a printable cheese knife resource to help you use the proper knife for the cheeses you are planning to serve. Shop All Cheese Knives How to Choose Cheese Knives Video Watch the video below to learn more about cheese knives! Types of Cheese Knives According to dining etiquette , a cheese knife should not be used on more than one cheese type on your cheese board. Each cheese knife performs a purpose and was built to perform it well. Here is a