The best chef’s knives make preparing meals a lot easier. And, because a knife spends a considerable amount of time in your hand, it makes perfect sense choosing a good one. Sure, you should purchase the best knife you can afford, but that’s not of much help unless you can tell what makes one knife better than another.
The best knives have a single piece of steel that extends the entire the entire length of the knife. Read the anatomy of a chef’s knives which also doubles up as a buyer’s guide.
The Blade
The best chef’s knives sport a high carbon stainless steel blade. You may choose one with a standard steel blade but be ready to sharpen it more often. A traditional chef’s knives measure 8 to 12 inches. The longer the blade, the easier it is to make long single strokes as you slice.
There are three blade styles, German, French, and the Japanese-style santoku knife.
German Style – The front section of the blade is curved. The blade is perfect for chopping in and up and down motion.
French Style – The blade is straight and more or less triangular. It is ideal for cutting as you draw the knife straight back toward you.
Santoku-Style – The blade features hollow, beveled indentations. The design creates small pockets of air between the knife and the food item you’re slicing thereby reducing friction and sticking.
The Handle
This is the part that will have the most contact with your hand. It, therefore, should be as comfortable as possible. The grip should be tight and without slippery edges. The best chef knife has a rubber handle. You may also choose one with a plastic resin handle too.
Whenever possible, avoid a wooden handle as it may harbor bacteria and by extension cause food-related illnesses.
The Heel
The heel happens to be the widest part of the knife. It is at the back of the blade where it joins the handle. You’re likely to use this section to chop hard food items such as chicken bones, nuts or carrots. The longer the knife, the greater the cutting force at the heel of the blade.
The Tang
As stated, the best chef’s knives come with a single piece of steel that goes all the way to the handle. The part that extends to the handle is known as the tang. If the tang stretches to the end of the handle, you call it a full tang. Choose a knife with a full tang for ease of use and better balance.
The Rivets
These are round studs that securely attach the handle to the tang. The knife of your choice should have at least three rivets for stability. You certainly don’t want a knife that wobbles as you chop.
The Bolster
This is the thick section at the front of the handle where it connects to the spine or the edge of the blade. The bolster offer balance to the knife. It also prevents your fingers from slipping as you chop and ensures that you don’t suffer from operation fatigue.
A bolster is an indication that the knife’s blade is from a single piece of steel as opposed to being forged from a roll sheet metal. Note – chef’s knives without a bolster are typically inferior – the thicker the bolster, the better.
If you get well acquainted with these basics, you shouldn’t have a problem choosing a chef knife that suits your need. On that note, we review the ten best chef’s knives 2017 to help you get value for your money.
10. APG Kitchen Chef Knife
Usability aside, this chef’s knife has a sleek design and will indeed make an attractive addition to your kitchen. It has a razor sharp blade to chop your food items with minimal effort. Meanwhile, the premium stainless steel blade guarantees reliability and years of use.
The makers of this knife had your safety in mind too. As a matter of fact, the FDA rates it as safe and sustainable. What’s more? The blade is resistant to corrosion while the handle is eco-friendly.
Verdict
The APG Kitchen Chef Knife is an excellent choice if you’re after versatility. It allows you to accomplish a host of tasks with relative ease from cutting meat to chopping groceries. Plus, you can also use it as sashimi, deba, or gytou knife. The APG also happens to be one of the cheapest chef’s knives on the market.
9. Chef Remi Latest Chef Knife
With an 8-inch blade and well-thought-out craftsmanship, this is indeed one of the best chef’s knives for a seasoned cook. It comes with slip resistant TPR handle to allow you to use it even with slippery or wet hands. Users love its extra-light design that enables you to chop food items without tiring the hands.
Because of its super sharp blade, this knife is exemplary when it comes to cutting through tough meats. The edge also lets you cut to precision.
Verdict
The Chef Remi Latest Chef Knife brings to the fore the same dexterity as high-end models without a premier price tag. It is ideal for all gourmet cooking at home or busy restaurant. Use it to mince garlic, shred cabbage, slice bagels, handle fish bone or open clamshells. In other words, this is a multipurpose chef knife that you’ll love having in your kitchen.
8. Outeam Chef Knife
It doesn’t get better than the Outeam chef knife. A favorite with beginners and experienced cooks, it promises infinity performance backed by durable construction. The 67-layer high carbon steel transitions smoothly from the knife to the blade, offering the counter balance you need to cut your food items with accuracy.
You’ll love this knife ergonomic handle for comfortable grip. In essence, the ergonomics provide the steadiness required to chop food items for long without getting blisters on your hands.
Verdict
The Outeam Chef Knife is for anyone who loves to cook. It will serve you well during anniversaries, wedding or housewarming parties. Its durability is not in question, thanks to the handcrafted blade. And, if you have a friend who loves to cook, this knife will indeed make a brilliant gift item.
7. Alpha Inspirations Ceramic Chef Knife
The one thing that makes this knife stand out is its design. As the name suggests, it has a ceramic blade. That means two things. One, you can sue it for months upon months without sharpening. Secondly, the ceramic blade is hardy which translates to years of use.
Unlike most chef’s knives, this one is easy to clean. All you have to do to get rid of food chipping is to rinse and wipe. That makes it the type knife you need to chop pieces of meat during an afternoon barbecue session.
Verdict
This could very well be the best chef’s knife if you’re looking for one that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. Ceramic is non-porous, so you can bet that it won’t transfer odors from one food to another. With this knife as part of your cooking apparatus, you can be sure that your vegetables and fruits won’t taste like onion or garlic.
6. Okami Knives Best Chef Knife
Okami knows its trade if this knife’s design is anything to go by. It combines performance and style to make every buck it sells for worthwhile. Featuring a Japanese VG-10 steel blade, it undertakes to handle all your needs, be it slicing, dicing or chopping. As you’d expect, this chef’s knife is super sharp and light too.
The Spanish Pakkawood handle reduces fatigue and numbness allowing you to use the knife for long.
Verdict
Ideal for a modern family, this knife strikes that balance between Japanese and Western style knives. It is relatively thinner and harder to assure sharpness after every use. As its manufacturer puts it, this chef’s knife offers everything you need “to do a good job.” Those who’ve used it hail the excellent build and the pitch-perfect performance irrespective of what it is you’re chopping. Be sure to view this knife; it is ah-mazing!
5. Kitchen Galaxy Chef Knife
This knife by Kitchen Galaxy boasts fifteen times razor-sharp edge to slice food how the best chef’s knife should. It has a unique angle honed blade for easier and faster slicing. In the meantime, the hard martensite steel ensures that the blade stays rust free and that it won’t pit.
You may also want to know that this knife’s edge is relatively thick. While it’s not like anything you can’t handle, it gives it an edge when cutting through hard food items and veggies.
Verdict
The Kitchen Galaxy Chef Knife is a cheap and good choice if you don’t have much to spend. Each package comes with a brochure to help you make the most out of your knife. So meticulous is this knife that it promises to outlast your cutting needs in the kitchen!
4. J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL Chef’s Knife
Designed for tasks such as coring vegetables or peeling, this is one of the best chef’s knives for a small kitchen. It comes with a full tang, reinforced with a triple rivet handle so you shouldn’t worry about it wobbling as you mince, slice or dice.
Choose between a 3-inch vegetable knife, a 3.5-inch paring knife and a 2-inch vegetable knife as per your needs. One more thing; the Henckels chefs’ knife is dishwasher safe even though you’re better off cleaning it with your hands to reduce injury risk.
Verdict
The J.A Henckels Chef’s knife features a high-carbon German stainless steel blade to cut through your onions and steak finely. The thick bolster provides a good balance between the shade and the handle for extra stability. If you don’t have a lot of chopping needs, this is a perfect low-priced chef’s knife to consider.
3. ZELITE INFINITY Chef’s Knife
This chef’s knife by Zelite Infinity is just revolutionary. From the appealing design to the robust blade this is the knife you need to prepare your food items like a master chef. It has a Japanese VG 10 super steel blade that will never rust or break when shocked.
Besides, the beautiful, rounded handle is triple-riveted, complete with a full tang for added strength and durability.
While this knife may not be for frugal shoppers, its handiness justifies what it sells for. Chefs pursue Zelite Infinity and with what it has to offer, it not surprising that it holds near-perfect customer feedback.
Verdict
The Zelite Infinity chef’s knife has a tasteful appeal and a five-star performance to match. It is a professional knife that any cook will appreciate. It is a keeper and extremely sharp. If you can’t afford the expensive German chef’s knives, this could make a great alternative.
2. Wusthof Classic Chef’s Knives
The Wusthof any busy kitchen could make do with. It has a thick 8-inch blade for outstanding chopping and slicing. And with a forged high carbon stainless steel, you can trust this knife to get the job done no matter the magnitude. The blade’s hand-honed design allows it to stay sharp for long.
Naturally, the seamless synthetic handle provides a comfortable tight grip. It ensures that harmful bacteria have no place to thrive.
Verdict
The Wusthof chef’s knife is in a class of its own. If you’re just learning how to use a chef’s knife, this one is a good choice. It even has a finger guard to ensure to reduce the risk of injury as you prepare your food items. Just remember to sharpen it after a while to keep the performance intact.
1. Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife
You can’t go wrong with Victorinox. Their chef’s knife is an excellent all-rounder and has what it takes to handle virtually any kitchen task. Did we mention that its manufacturer has been around for over two decades, emerging an industry leader over the years?
This 8-inch blade knife features the patented non-slip Fibrox handle to reduce wrist tension while offering a secure grip irrespective of the size of your hand. It is lightweight and hardwearing with a textured handle to provide the balance you require for precise and effortless cutting.
Verdict
There’s no doubt that the Victorinox is a hot contender for the best chef’s knife 2017. The National Sanitary Foundation (NSF) says it meets the highest sanitary standards so the user can cut with confidence. To cut to the chase, this knife seeks to help you achieve your culinary aspirations at a price you can afford.
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