REVIEW LAB · DESK REVIEW · 11 PICKS

Chef
knives.

One knife does most of the work in a kitchen. Eight chef knives from $21 to $205, three tools that keep them sharp, what the testers found, and prices checked on September 29.

By cc, PointCast Review Lab
· 9 minute read

See the knives ↓
NOBODY
HERE HAS
CUT WITH
THESE ↘ A pixel-dithered specimen sheet in black, cobalt and yellow with one red tomato: a Western chef's knife with a riveted black handle, a Japanese gyuto with a wooden handle, a paring knife, a honing rod, a whetstone in a tray of water, an end-grain cutting board with a lemon and a sprig of herbs, half an onion, and three knives on a magnetic strip.
Illustration: Astra (Codex) for PointCast, after Mike Hoydich’s specimen sheets

You need one good knife more than you need a block of mediocre ones. Everything else is care.

Eight chef knives from $21 to $204.95, sorted by kind, plus three tools that keep them sharp. Prices and specs are from the makers’ own pages on September 29. For how each one cuts, we read the three big test kitchens we could load, and we tell you when they disagree, because on this subject they often do. The knife America’s Test Kitchen likes best, Serious Eats doesn’t recommend at all.

Desk review. Specs and prices come from the makers’ own product pages, checked September 29, 2026. Where a maker doesn’t sell direct in the US or doesn’t list a spec, the card says so and names where the number came from. Test findings are paraphrased from America’s Test Kitchen (chef’s knives, July 7, 2026; gyuto, December 17, 2025; manual sharpeners, July 9, 2025), Serious Eats (chef’s knives, updated September 10, 2026; sharpeners, July 15, 2026; honing steels, July 31, 2026) and Bon Appétit (chef’s knives, August 17, 2026), and credited on each card. We could not load Wirecutter or Food & Wine’s chef’s knife guides, so neither is cited. PointCast has not held, cut with or sharpened any of these. There is no star rating because nothing was handled.

FIVE DRAWERS IN THE KNIFE ROLL

What kind of cook
are you buying for?

  1. 02 PICKSThe workhorseUnder $75. Sharp, grippy, hard to ruin. The knife in most restaurant kitchens.
  2. 03 PICKSJapanese gyutoLighter, thinner, keener. Slices more than it rocks. Needs a little more care.
  3. 01 PICKGerman classicHeavy, forged, forgiving. Power through squash; lives a long time.
  4. 02 PICKSDirect-to-consumerSold straight from the brand. Only the ones testers rate.
  5. 03 PICKSKeep it sharpA rod for every week, a stone or a guided sharpener for every few months.
Compare the knives ↓

Showing all 11 picks.

Victorinox Fibrox chef’s knife on white: a wide stainless blade with the tip to the left and a black textured plastic handle
Product image: Victorinox

01 / The workhorse · The one to buy if you buy one

Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch Chef’s Knife

$67*Victorinox

Model 5.2063.20 · stamped, not forged · TPE handle · 13.4 in overall

A mainstay of commercial kitchens, per America’s Test Kitchen, and the knife ATK has recommended for nearly three decades. ATK says it cuts everything, fits hands of all sizes, arrives sharp and stays that way, and is easy to sharpen. Victorinox’s page says it isn’t forged; it’s stamped, which keeps it light and cheap. Victorinox’s US store now calls this model number the “Fibrox Chef’s Knife Extra Wide, 8 in”; ATK’s winner is listed under the same 5.2063.20 number.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDWinner of America’s Test Kitchen’s chef’s knife test, July 2026: sharp, comfortable, durable, and still affordable. America’s Test Kitchen ↗

Steel
Stainless (Victorinox doesn’t name the alloy)
Hardness
Not listed
Edge
15° (measured by ATK)
Blade
7.9-inch blade
Weight
6.4 oz
Made in
Switzerland
Warranty
Lifetime

The catch. Not every tester agrees. Serious Eats put a Victorinox 8-inch in its not-recommended pile in September 2026, saying the wide handle was uncomfortable and the blade struggled with tomato skin. Victorinox says it is dishwasher safe; testers still say wash by hand. Serious Eats ↗

The default. Buy it, hone it, forget about it.

Shop at Victorinox →

Direct link · no commission · * Victorinox’s own price. America’s Test Kitchen says it usually sells for $45 to $70 online. · Victorinox product page ↗

Mercer Millennia chef’s knife on white: a narrow stainless blade with the tip to the left and a black rubberized handle
Product image: Mercer Culinary

02 / The workhorse · The cheapest good knife

Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-inch Chef’s Knife

$21*Mercer Culinary

Model M22608 · one-piece stamped blade · Santoprene and polypropylene handle · NSF certified

Two testers land on this one. America’s Test Kitchen made it the Best Buy, saying it performs about as well as the Victorinox for roughly half the money. Serious Eats named it the best chef’s knife under $40, and its tester says it’s the one she recommends to friends and family: light, grippy, slim and curved, and it stayed sharp through testing. At 53–54 HRC it is the softest steel listed on this page, which means it dulls sooner but hones back easily.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDBest budget chef’s knife under $40 at Serious Eats (September 2026) and ATK’s Best Buy (July 2026). Serious Eats ↗

Steel
“High-carbon Japanese steel” (Mercer’s words)
Hardness
53–54 HRC
Edge
15° (Mercer)
Blade
8-inch blade
Weight
6.2 oz (Serious Eats)
Made in
Not stated by Mercer
Warranty
Limited lifetime

The catch. ATK’s one quibble is the bumpy rubber handle: so grippy it can make it harder to shift your hold. Serious Eats also likes Mercer’s Genesis (about $43), a heavier forged sibling. America’s Test Kitchen ↗

Twenty-some dollars for a knife two test kitchens trust.

See it at Mercer →

Direct link · no commission · * Mercer sells through dealers, not direct. $21 is the low end of the $21–$31 retailer prices Serious Eats listed on September 10, 2026; ATK says it’s usually under $30. · Mercer product page ↗

Tojiro F-808 gyuto on white: a long, slim stainless blade with the tip to the right and a black three-rivet handle
Product image: Tojiro

03 / Japanese gyuto · The cheaper way into Japanese steel

Tojiro Classic (DP) Gyuto 210mm, F-808

$130*Tojiro

Model F-808 · 335mm overall · laminated wood-composite handle, three rivets, full tang · metal bolster

Sold for years as the Tojiro DP, it now sits in a line Tojiro calls Tojiro Classic, under the same F-808 model number; Tojiro says the series has long been popular with chefs. A hard VG10 core is sandwiched between rust-resistant stainless layers. Bon Appétit found it one of the sharpest knives out of the box, relatively light and thin, with a downward-curved tip for precise work and just enough belly to rock.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDBon Appétit (August 2026) called it one of the sharpest knives out of the box, but preferred the MAC enough to spend the extra money. Bon Appétit ↗

Steel
VG10 core, 13-chrome stainless cladding
Hardness
Not listed by Tojiro
Edge
Double bevel (angle not listed)
Blade
210mm (8.3-inch) blade
Weight
200 g (7.1 oz)
Made in
Japan (Tsubame-Sanjo)
Warranty
Not stated

The catch. Bon Appétit warns the VG-10 core is more brittle than other knives and can chip on hard things like bone, and that Tojiro’s bargain line is sometimes mislabeled as DP at big retailers. Serious Eats’ favorite Tojiro was a different, Damascus version that is no longer sold. Bon Appétit ↗

The classic starter gyuto, if you can find it at a fair price.

See it at Tojiro →

Direct link · no commission · * Tojiro doesn’t sell direct in the US. $130 is the price Bon Appétit listed on August 17, 2026; the link goes to Tojiro’s own spec page. · Tojiro product page ↗

MAC MTH-80 chef’s knife on a pale grey ground: a stainless blade with a row of oval dimples, tip to the left, and a black riveted handle
Product image: MAC Knife

04 / Japanese gyuto · The tester favorite that splits the difference

MAC Professional 8-inch Chef’s Knife with Dimples (MTH-80)

$190*MAC Knife

2.5mm blade · 12.63 in overall · dimples (grantons) · Pakkawood handle · bolster

A Japanese knife with a Western-style Pakkawood handle and a slightly curved edge; America’s Test Kitchen says it nearly filed it with the Western chef’s knives for that reason. Bon Appétit named it the best chef’s knife overall in August 2026: sharp enough for paper-thin slices, light, and comfortable through a pile of onions. ATK rated it Highly Recommended in its gyuto test, calling it razor-sharp and nimble, and easy for lefties and righties alike.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDBest chef’s knife overall at Bon Appétit (August 2026); Highly Recommended in ATK’s gyuto test (December 2025). Bon Appétit ↗

Steel
Not named on MAC’s page (ATK: “proprietary stain-resistant alloy”)
Hardness
Not listed by MAC
Edge
12.5°, 50/50 bevel (measured by ATK)
Blade
7.88-inch blade
Weight
6.5 oz
Made in
Not stated on MAC’s page
Warranty
25 years (MAC Knife USA)

The catch. Serious Eats used to rank it on top and dropped it: its tester has owned one for years and says it dulled quickly with daily use. ATK didn’t find the dimples kept food from sticking, and says debris lodges in them. Bon Appétit warns its high-carbon steel stains more easily than fully stainless blades. Serious Eats ↗

The step up two of our three testers still rate highly. Plan to hone it often.

Shop at MAC →

Direct link · no commission · * MAC’s own price on September 29, 2026, marked down from $195. · ATK gyuto specs ↗

Shun Classic Western cook’s knife on white: a rippled Damascus-pattern blade with the tip to the right and a dark round wooden handle
Product image: Shun Cutlery / Kai USA

05 / Japanese gyuto · The good-looking upgrade

Shun Classic 8-inch Western Cook’s Knife

$204.95*Shun (Kai)

Model DM0766 · 13.7 in overall · D-shaped Pakkawood handle · composite full tang

Shun ground this version of its Classic chef’s knife to a sturdier 22 degrees a side, where the rest of the Classic line is 16, so it can take on squash and cabbage. America’s Test Kitchen made it the Upgrade Pick in July 2026, praising a beautiful, razor-sharp blade and a long handle most testers found comfortable. It is a Japanese-made knife with a Western-shaped, curved blade.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDUpgrade Pick in America’s Test Kitchen’s chef’s knife test (July 2026). America’s Test Kitchen ↗

Steel
VG-MAX core, 68 layers of stainless Damascus cladding
Hardness
Not listed on the product page
Edge
22° (Shun)
Blade
8-inch blade
Weight
7.8 oz
Made in
Japan
Warranty
Limited lifetime

The catch. ATK’s one complaint is the handle: a bit slippery and more than 5 inches long, which is harder for small hands. Bon Appétit’s pick is the standard Shun Classic chef’s knife with the 16° edge, a different model that Shun showed as out of stock on September 29. America’s Test Kitchen ↗

The splurge that still takes abuse.

Shop at Shun →

Direct link · no commission · * Shun’s sale price on September 29, 2026; regular price $256. · Shun product page ↗

Wüsthof Classic chef’s knife on white: a broad stainless blade with the tip to the left, a full bolster and a black handle with three rivets
Product image: Wüsthof

06 / German classic · The heavy classic

Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife

$170*Wüsthof

Model 1040100120 · forged, full bolster · triple-riveted synthetic handle · 4.5-inch handle

The long-running German classic, forged in Solingen. Serious Eats named it the best chef’s knife in September 2026: a curved stainless edge built for a rocking chop, with enough heft to glide through carrots, tomatoes and onions without mashing, and a matte handle that grips well. Bon Appétit also rates it highly, and only passed on it for the price.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDThe best chef’s knife at Serious Eats (updated September 10, 2026). Serious Eats ↗

Steel
Forged stainless (Wüsthof doesn’t name the alloy on this page)
Hardness
58 HRC
Edge
14° (Wüsthof)
Blade
8-inch blade
Weight
9.2 oz (Serious Eats)
Made in
Solingen, Germany
Warranty
Limited lifetime

The catch. It is heavy (about 9 ounces) with a thick handle. America’s Test Kitchen rated it Recommended but found the thick spine made it feel less nimble than testers liked. America’s Test Kitchen ↗

If you like a knife with weight, this is the one.

Shop at Wüsthof →

Direct link · no commission · * Wüsthof’s price for the black handle on September 29, 2026; the white-handled version was on sale for $129. · Wüsthof product page ↗

Goldilocks chef’s knife lying on a dark end-grain wooden cutting board, tip to the left, black riveted handle
Product image: Goldilocks

07 / Direct-to-consumer · The direct-to-you bargain

Goldilocks 8-inch Chef’s Knife

$70*Goldilocks

2.5mm spine · slightly convex grind · half bolster · POM handle · 13.27 in overall

A blade that borrows from both traditions: a Japanese-style edge and steel with a gently curved, German-ish profile, so it can rock or push-cut. Serious Eats named it the best budget Japanese chef’s knife and says it was precise and sharp throughout testing, with a handle sized for hands large and small. It’s a good first Japanese-style knife, at Victorinox money.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDBest budget Japanese chef’s knife at Serious Eats (September 2026). Serious Eats ↗

Steel
AUS-10
Hardness
60 ±2 HRC
Edge
12° (Goldilocks)
Blade
8-inch blade
Weight
6.9 oz
Made in
China
Warranty
Not stated on the product page

The catch. Only one of the testers we read has tried it, and Goldilocks’ page doesn’t state a warranty. The photo is the maker’s own, on a cutting board; Goldilocks shows no plain studio shot. Goldilocks product page ↗

Harder steel than the workhorses for about the same money.

Shop at Goldilocks →

Direct link · no commission · * Goldilocks’ own price on September 29, 2026. · Goldilocks product page ↗

Made In chef knife on an off-white ground: a tall stainless blade stamped MADE IN, tip to the left, black handle with two rivets
Product image: Made In

08 / Direct-to-consumer · The French-forged one testers disagree on

Made In 8-inch Chef Knife

$129*Made In

Fully forged, full tang · asymmetric edge Made In calls ABT · black handle or olive wood

Made In updated its edge grinding in 2025 to an asymmetric edge, sharp on one face and barely polished on the other; Bon Appétit calls it a 70/30 bevel and says it now offers incredible sharpness out of the box, where its earlier test found the knife surprisingly dull. Bon Appétit likes its tall heel for chopping and its Japanese touches, like the drop-point tip and recessed bolster, and calls it a great option for anyone who wants an updated traditional Western chef’s knife.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDBon Appétit (August 2026) found the 2025 edge update made it very sharp and called it a great option. Bon Appétit ↗

Steel
X50CrMoV15 “Nitro+” stainless
Hardness
58+ HRC
Edge
14° front + 4° back, asymmetric (Made In)
Blade
8-inch blade
Weight
7 oz
Made in
Thiers, France
Warranty
Lifetime (per Made In’s page)

The catch. Even Bon Appétit says it’s heavy, with a lot of mass in the handle, so it isn’t nimble. America’s Test Kitchen rated it Recommended with Reservations in July 2026: not as sharp as it wanted, with a thick spine that wedged in butternut squash. It said it would take a cheaper, sharper, more agile knife. America’s Test Kitchen ↗

Sharp and handsome to one tester, heavy and wedgy to another. Hold one first if you can.

Shop at Made In →

Direct link · no commission · * Made In’s price for the black handle on September 29, 2026; the olive-wood handle costs more. · Made In product page ↗

Wüsthof honing steel on white: a long thin steel rod with a black plastic handle on the right
Product image: Wüsthof

09 / Keep it sharp · The weekly habit

Wüsthof Classic 9-inch Honing Steel

$35*Wüsthof

Item 3049700423 · micro-ridged steel rod · plastic handle flared at the guard

Honing doesn’t remove much metal. It pushes a rolled edge back into line, which is most of what “dull” means for a week-old knife. Serious Eats tested 20 rods in July 2026 and this one won: it improved both stainless and carbon-steel edges by more than 60 percent in its tests, with a handle that keeps your hand from sliding toward the rod. Serious Eats also found plain steel rods beat ceramic and diamond ones.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDBest honing steel at Serious Eats (July 2026), out of 20 tested. Serious Eats ↗

Angle
Hold near your knife’s own angle
Size
9-inch rod (14 inches overall, per Serious Eats)
Made in
Germany
Warranty
Not stated on the product page

The catch. Nine inches is short for honing a 10-inch knife. If you want a ceramic rod for very hard Japanese steel, Serious Eats highly rated the 12-inch Idahone fine ceramic, which is sold mainly through specialty shops. Serious Eats ↗

The cheapest thing on this page that makes every knife better.

Shop at Wüsthof →

Direct link · no commission · * Wüsthof’s own price on September 29, 2026. · Wüsthof product page ↗

Illustration: a pixel-dithered whetstone sitting in a black tray of cobalt-blue water
Illustration: Astra (Codex) for PointCast; no maker photo

10 / Keep it sharp · The stone to learn on

King 1000/6000 Whetstone Starter Set

$53*King

Two grits: 1000 to sharpen, 6000 to polish · non-slip plastic base · angle guide · wiping cloth · soak before use

Serious Eats’ position is simple: learn to use a whetstone. In its July 2026 test of 12 sharpeners, this dual-grit King stone was the best whetstone. On a deliberately dulled knife it raised sharpness 291 percent and posted the lowest (best) final reading of anything Serious Eats tried. The tester found it forgiving of imperfect technique and able to put on a razor edge without prior experience.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDBest whetstone in Serious Eats’ knife sharpener test (July 2026). Serious Eats ↗

Angle
Freehand; an angle guide is included
Size
7.3 × 2.5 × 1 in (per Serious Eats)
Made in
Not verified
Warranty
Not verified

The catch. It is a soft stone that wears a dip in the middle, and it doesn’t include a flattening stone. Serious Eats warns that if you start on a soft stone, moving up to a harder one takes adjusting. The picture here is our illustration, not a product photo. Serious Eats ↗

The way the testers say to sharpen, and a forgiving stone to learn on.

Read Serious Eats’ test →

Direct link · no commission · * King has no US store. $53 is the Amazon price Serious Eats listed on July 15, 2026, so the link goes to that test rather than a shop. · Serious Eats sharpener test ↗

Chef’sChoice Pronto 463 sharpener on white: a black body with two sharpening slots and a curved red-and-black handle
Product image: Chef’sChoice

11 / Keep it sharp · The no-skill option

Chef’sChoice Pronto Diamond Hone Manual Sharpener (463)

$49.99*Chef’sChoice

Two stages, 100% diamond abrasives · for 15° knives, including Japanese double-bevel blades · rubber feet

If you will never learn a stone, this is the pull-through America’s Test Kitchen picks. It won ATK’s manual sharpener test for 15-degree knives, putting a keen edge on quickly, and it fits in a drawer. Under ATK’s microscope its edge looked smoother than the cheaper, faster AccuSharp’s. It suits most knives on this page, which are ground at 12 to 15 degrees; the Shun Western (22°) is not one of them.

WHAT TESTERS FOUNDWinner for 15-degree knives in America’s Test Kitchen’s manual sharpener test (July 2025). America’s Test Kitchen ↗

Angle
15° per side (Chef’sChoice)
Size
Countertop, two slots
Made in
Not stated
Warranty
One-year limited

The catch. Serious Eats isn’t a fan of pull-through sharpeners in general, saying they scrape off a lot of metal. And Chef’sChoice showed this model sold out on its own store on September 29. Serious Eats ↗

Better than a dull knife. Worse than a stone.

See it at Chef’sChoice →

Direct link · no commission · * Chef’sChoice’s list price; its store showed it sold out on September 29, 2026. · Chef’sChoice product page ↗

THE CUTTING-BOARD TEST

Eight knives,
side by side.

US prices from maker pages unless starred · September 29, 2026 · bars: hardness on a 50–62 HRC scale, weight on a 0–10 oz scale
KnifePriceSteelHardnessEdge angleWeightMade in
Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch Chef’s KnifeThe workhorse $67 Stainless (Victorinox doesn’t name the alloy) Not listed 15° (measured by ATK) 6.4 oz Switzerland
Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-inch Chef’s KnifeThe workhorse $21* “High-carbon Japanese steel” (Mercer’s words) 53–54 HRC 15° (Mercer) 6.2 oz (Serious Eats) Not stated by Mercer
Tojiro Classic (DP) Gyuto 210mm, F-808Japanese gyuto $130* VG10 core, 13-chrome stainless cladding Not listed by Tojiro Double bevel (angle not listed) 200 g (7.1 oz) Japan (Tsubame-Sanjo)
MAC Professional 8-inch Chef’s Knife with Dimples (MTH-80)Japanese gyuto $190 Not named on MAC’s page (ATK: “proprietary stain-resistant alloy”) Not listed by MAC 12.5°, 50/50 bevel (measured by ATK) 6.5 oz Not stated on MAC’s page
Shun Classic 8-inch Western Cook’s KnifeJapanese gyuto $204.95 VG-MAX core, 68 layers of stainless Damascus cladding Not listed on the product page 22° (Shun) 7.8 oz Japan
Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Chef’s KnifeGerman classic $170 Forged stainless (Wüsthof doesn’t name the alloy on this page) 58 HRC 14° (Wüsthof) 9.2 oz (Serious Eats) Solingen, Germany
Goldilocks 8-inch Chef’s KnifeDirect-to-consumer $70 AUS-10 60 ±2 HRC 12° (Goldilocks) 6.9 oz China
Made In 8-inch Chef KnifeDirect-to-consumer $129 X50CrMoV15 “Nitro+” stainless 58+ HRC 14° front + 4° back, asymmetric (Made In) 7 oz Thiers, France

* Price reported by a tester (Serious Eats or Bon Appétit) because the maker doesn’t sell direct in the US; the date is on the knife’s card. “Measured by ATK” means America’s Test Kitchen measured the edge; the maker doesn’t list one. An empty bar means the maker doesn’t publish that number. Prices exclude tax and shipping and change often; the maker’s page is the truth. The three sharpening tools are compared on their own cards.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Six things that
actually matter.

Cross-section of a knife edge, showing the angle ground on each side SPINE EDGE 15° PER SIDE
Not to scale; real blades are far thinner. A narrower edge concentrates force and feels sharper; a wider one is tougher. Per America’s Test Kitchen, European makers traditionally ground near 20° a side and Japanese makers 15° or less, though many European knives are now narrower.
  1. 01
    Western or Japanese?

    Western knives have a rounder belly for a rocking chop, a beefier handle and more weight. Japanese gyuto are usually lighter and straighter, and want a push or pull slice. Serious Eats’ advice: most people will be fine with a Western blade; go Japanese if you’re confident in your cuts or want something daintier. Serious Eats ↗

  2. 02
    Mind the edge angle

    Traditionally European makers ground edges near 20 degrees a side and Japanese makers near 15 or less, per America’s Test Kitchen, though European knives have trended narrower. A narrower edge feels sharper; a wider one is tougher. The knives here run from 12° (Goldilocks) to 22° (Shun’s Western cook’s knife). Know your number before you buy a sharpener. America’s Test Kitchen ↗

  3. 03
    Harder steel, sharper longer, chips easier

    Harder alloys can be ground thinner and hold an edge longer, ATK says, but they chip, so keep them off bones and frozen food, and they take longer to resharpen. Softer stainless steel dulls sooner but hones back with a few swipes, per Serious Eats. Carbon steel gets very sharp but can rust and stain. America’s Test Kitchen ↗

  4. 04
    Eight inches, or 210mm

    Both America’s Test Kitchen and Serious Eats test at about eight inches: long enough to split a squash, short enough to mince a shallot. The Japanese equivalent is a 210mm gyuto. Serious Eats ↗

  5. 05
    Weight is personal

    Serious Eats found its sweet spot around seven to eight ounces; its heaviest knife, nearly ten, was hard to control. ATK’s testers split: some like a heavy knife, some a light one. The picks here run from about 6 to 9 ounces. Serious Eats ↗

  6. 06
    Not in the dishwasher

    Serious Eats recommends hand-washing and drying every knife: the dishwasher is too hot and harsh and can dull blades early. That holds even when the box says dishwasher safe. Serious Eats ↗

KEEP IT SHARP

A sharp knife
is a safer knife.

  1. Hone often

    A few strokes on a steel before you cook realigns an edge that has rolled over. It doesn’t replace sharpening; it just makes you need it less.

  2. Sharpen a few times a year

    When honing stops helping, remove metal: on a whetstone (1000 grit to sharpen, a finer grit to polish), with a guided sharpener set to your knife’s angle, or at a sharpening service.

  3. Cut on wood or plastic

    Glass, stone and ceramic are harder than a knife’s edge. Serious Eats dulled knives on purpose for its sharpener test by running them on a glass cutting board. Use wood or plastic.

  4. Wash by hand, dry right away

    No dishwasher and no soaking. Wüsthof says to hand-wash and towel-dry immediately and not leave the knife in the sink.

  5. Store the edge, not the drawer

    A magnetic strip, a block or a blade guard keeps the edge from knocking into other metal in a drawer.

A knife slicing half an onion on a wooden board
0 of 5 slices
A toy, not a technique video. Keep your fingertips curled on the real thing.

ALSO ON THE BOARD

Worth knowing,
not a pick.

  • Zwilling Pro 8-inch Chef’s Knife$169.99 · testers split

    Forged in Germany, 55–58 HRC per Zwilling. America’s Test Kitchen rated it Recommended; Serious Eats put it in the not-recommended pile for a wide, awkward blade and nearly 10 ounces of weight; Bon Appétit found it middle of the pack for the price. Zwilling product page ↗

  • Hedley & Bennett Chef’s Knife$120 · sold out at the maker

    Bon Appétit’s affordable personal favorite in August 2026, with a thin, fairly flat blade. Both chef’s knife colorways showed as unavailable on Hedley & Bennett’s store on September 29. Bon Appétit ↗

  • Misono 440 Molybdenum GyutouSerious Eats’ Japanese pick

    Serious Eats’ best Japanese-style chef’s knife: 5.6 ounces, very keen, with an asymmetric edge. Misono has no US store of its own, and Serious Eats says it is sometimes out of stock. Serious Eats ↗

  • Misen Chef’s KnifeWatch this space

    America’s Test Kitchen rated it Recommended with Reservations in July 2026: heavy and sharp, but it crushed onions and wedged in squash. Bon Appétit says the original was discontinued and it’s testing the new model. America’s Test Kitchen ↗