Which chef’s knife is the best? I put 27 popular options to
the test, and in this video, I'll give you my honest opinion on
each one in less than 30 seconds. I explain what I like, what I dislike,
and whether they're worth your money. These knives have 8-inch blades and range from $18 to $380. I'll be reviewing them in
order from least to most expensive. At the end, I give you my
top picks and a comparison table that you can use to see how
they compare side by side. The Henckels Solution chef's knife has a thin
stamped blade and is very affordable. But, unfortunately, you get what you pay for.
This knife is blade heavy and unbalanced, the edge dulls relatively quickly, and the choil
is thin and sharp. So, when you use a pinch grip, it digs into your hand. Don't buy it
unless budget is your number one priority. Like Henckels Solution, the Caraway chef's
knife has a thin stamped blade that makes the pinch grip uncomfortable. The handle is
completely straight and flat on top - it's not the most ergonomic design. And the
plastic handle looks and feels cheap. This knife is not available individually;
it comes as part of Caraway's Prep and Knife Sets. Unless you love one of the
handle colors, I would pass on this knife. The Ninja Foodi Premium is a heavy-duty
knife with a forged blade, full tang, and steel end cap. It's balanced and the
half bolster provides a comfortable pinch grip. I'm not a big fan of the Ninja logo
engraving; it's just another place to clean, and there are some imperfections where
the plastic and the steel meet. The handle is thick with a wide circumference, so only
buy this knife if you have large hands or you want a handle that fills up your palm. Overall,
it's a decent knife at an excellent price. The Cangshan Helena Rocking chef's
knife has a steeply curved edge, which is ideal for rocking. However, this
knife has one of the thickest blades I've seen, and because of that, it's the
heaviest knife in this list. The weight is mainly in the blade, which is
fine for rocking since you're not lifting the knife off the board, but it feels
unbalanced when chopping up and down. If you want a heavy, durable
knife for rock chopping, this is a good option. But it's not
designed well for other techniques. At a little under 6 ounces, Victorinox Swiss
Classic is one of the lightest knives I tested. You can use it for long periods without getting
fatigued. The black plastic handle has a grippy texture that prevents slipping, even when
your hands are wet. The main downside of this knife is that the steel is relatively
soft at 56 Rockwell, so the edge dulls faster than knives that are 58 or 60 Rockwell. It's
not the prettiest knife, but it's functional, durable, and relatively cheap. For those reasons,
it's a favorite in many restaurant kitchens. Dalstrong Phantom is another lightweight
knife. It has a thin blade profile, which makes it nimble, but you don't get as much
knuckle clearance, and it's too thin to scoop ingredients. The Pakkawood handle has a red
stripe and mosaic that makes it stand out, but it's D-shaped, so it might feel awkward
if you're left-handed. I wouldn't recommend this knife for one simple reason: I hate the
prominent curve on the choil. It comes to a sharp point and can poke you if you reach
for the knife and aren't paying attention. Lamson Vintage is a beautiful American-made
knife. It has a long walnut handle with a glossy polished tang and two large brass
rivets. The handle is relatively thin, so it's a good option if you have smaller
hands. I love the weight and balance of this knife. It feels natural in my hand,
and the choil and spine are smooth, so there are no sharp edges when performing the
pinch grip. The one downside is that the wood handle is not as durable as a synthetic handle.
It can scratch and dent if you're not careful. The blade profile on the Misen chef's is slim
but not as slim as the Dalstrong Phantom. The edge has a slight curve for rocking, but it's
straighter than traditional Western-style knives, so more of the edge makes contact with the
cutting board when you do up-and-down chopping. I like the curved bolster that provides
a comfortable resting spot for your hand while using the pinch grip. The main
downside is the squared edges on the end of the handle. The corners can dig
into your hand if you're not choked up. The HexClad chef's knife has
a very narrow blade profile. From spine to heel, it's just 1.7 inches. For
comparison, the Canshan Helena is 2.2 inches. The slim blade makes the knife agile, but there's not much room between
your knucks and the cutting board. Also the PakkaWood handle is dyed green, but
the color fades over time as you wash it. It's not the best knife for
dense ingredients like squash, but the thin blade works well for fruits,
veggies, and other small ingredients. Zwilling Four Star is the most affordable and
lightest Zwilling knife of the three in this video. I like its classic western blade
profile, but that's all I like about it. The handle is bulky, it's blade heavy and
unbalanced, the edges of the bolster stick into your hand when using the pinch grip, and
the squared butt end of the handle is clunky. Although it's a decent price for a German-made
forged knife, it's my least favorite Zwilling. Wusthof Gourmet is the cheaper
version of the Wusthof Classic. The handle design and lightweight feel
are great, and it’s sharp out of the box, but since the steel is softer than Wusthof’s
other collections, it dulls quicker. Also, the thin, stamped blade makes it difficult to
cut through dense ingredients. If you love the look of Wusthof Classic but it’s out of your
price range, Gourmet is a decent alternative. But in this price range, there are better
options, including knives with forged blades. The Made In chef's knife has good heft and is balanced right in the center
where the handle and blade meet. The blade is wide, so you get
plenty of knuckle clearance, and it's great for smashing garlic
cloves and scooping ingredients. The downside is that it's not
the most nimble knife. It can feel unwieldy if you're used
to lighter, narrower blades. Also, the handle is set
back too far from the blade, so you're not holding much of the
handle when using the pinch grip. The Dalstrong Shogun is one of my go-to chef's
knives, and here's why. The handle is the perfect length and thickness for my hand,
the bolster has a gradual slope, the heel of the blade is close to the handle, so you get
a comfortable grip and have more control. Also, the blade is wide at the heel and tapers to a
thin tip, making it great for small and large ingredients. On top of that, the steel they
use is incredibly hard and holds an edge well. This 7-inch Cangshan Yari has a
subtle Damascus pattern on the blade and thoughtful design details
on the handle. The octagonal handle provides a nice and secure grip. And the
hard X-7 steel blade retains its edge well. This knife is ideal for chopping vegetables
and slicing fish. But if you prefer rocking and cook a lot of meat, root vegetables,
and dense ingredients, you'll be better off with a more traditional chef's knife
with a curved edge and wide blade profile. Cangshan Haku uses the same steel as the
Yari, so you get the same edge retention, but the blade is an inch longer with a
curved edge. This knife is lightweight, well balanced and has a beautiful
African blackwood handle. I don't have much negative to say about
this knife other than the blade profile is relatively slim. It's not quite
as narrow as HexClad, but it's close. The Lamson Premier Forged chef's knife is made
in Massachusetts, and it has a highly polished finish, a beautiful red acrylic handle,
and three large rivets. At 9.6 ounces, this is the 4th heaviest knife I've tested, but
it doesn't feel that heavy because the weight is evenly distributed. Like the Zwilling
Four Star, this knife has a full bolster, but Lamson does a better job smoothing the
edges so it doesn't hurt your hand when pinching the blade. The two main downsides are
that fingerprints and smudges are noticeable on the polished blade, and the shiny, smooth
handle gets slippery when it's wet or greasy. This is the same knife, but
instead of a red acrylic handle, it has a striated wood handle. I like them
both, but the red handle is more eye-catching. Instead of extending the bolster down to the edge, Zwilling Pro has a sloped bolster with a
gradual transition from the handle to the blade. Other brands have sloped bolsters, but Zwilling
Pro's is thicker, transitions more gradually, and extends further up the blade, so the
top of the bolster overlaps with the blade. Even when you choke up and pinch the
blade, the handle fills your palm for a secure grip. In my opinion, it's the
most comfortable knife for the pinch grip. The main downside is the blade profile. The spine
is straight and the belly has a prominent curve, so the tip is positioned higher than most knives. So if you're dicing an onion or making
small precise slits with the tip, you need to angle the knife much higher. Zwilling Professional S is made of the
same materials as Zwilling Pro but has a full bolster and a traditional blade
profile. It's a solid German workhorse, and I really like the black riveted
handles. However, like the Zwilling Four Star, the edges of the bolster are sharp and can be painful
if you press up against them for long periods. Victorinox Grand Maitre has a beautiful
contoured maple handle that fits nicely in your hand. This knife has good heft, and
the balance point is right at the bolster, so it doesn't feel too heavy. It's an
elegant-looking knife, but, like Made In, the heel of the blade is a bit too far from
the handle. So when you're pinching the blade, you're not holding on to much of the handle.
Also, like the Victorinox Swiss Classic, the blade steel is on the softer side, so you
need to sharpen this knife more often than others. Wusthof Classic looks and feels almost
exactly like Zwilling Professional S but the handle is slightly flatter from
side to side, and the curve at the end of the handle is less drastic. The edges of the
bolster are also less sharp than Zwilling's. I love the handle design; it fits
nicely in my hand and is not too thick or too thin. And I love the blade
profile; it's not too wide like Cangshan Helena or Made In and it's not too narrow like
Dalstrong Phantom or HexClad. Overall, it's a solid German style knife.
The biggest downside is the price; you can get the same blade and handle materials
with brands like Ninja for a fraction of the cost. Cutco has a unique Wedge-Lock handle
with a wavy pattern that's supposed to fit more comfortably in your hand. Some
people love it; some people hate it. I think it's okay, but all else equal, I prefer
more traditional handles. This knife is made in New York and it's pretty expensive, so it's
only worth buying if you love the handle. The New York Times named the MAC MTH-80 the
best chef's knife, and I generally agree with their assessment. This Japanese knife is
lightweight, agile, and comfortable to hold. The blade profile is a perfect balance
between Western and Japanese designs. It has just enough curve for rock chopping, but
it's flatter than most Western chef's knives, so you can get cleaner cuts
when chopping up and down. My one complaint is that the handle is
relatively short at only 4.5 inches; most are around 5 inches. If you have
large handles, you might find it too short. The Cangshan Thomas Keller Collection chef's knife
was designed in partnership with Thomas Keller, a Michelin-star chef and restaurateur. This is one of the most well
balanced knives I've tested. It also has excellent edge retention
thanks to the extremely hard powered steel used to make the blade.
However there are a few downsides. The handle is an awkward shape — it's
much taller than it is wide — and there are uneven gaps where the
plastic and steel meet. Also, it's the most expensive knife I've
tested that's made in China by about $70. If you like German-style knives but don't like
the bolster on the Wusthof Classic or the high tip on Zwilling Pro, the Wusthof Classic Ikon
is a good option. It has the same blade profile as the Wusthof Classic but a tapered bolster
and longer handle with a more gentle curve. Because of the long handle and steel end cap,
this knife is back-heavy. The balance point is about an inch behind the blade. If you're
used to a blade-heavy or center-balanced knife, this knife can feel awkward at first
and take a while to get used to. Shun Classic is a beautiful knife.
The blade has a wavy Damascus pattern, and the handle is dark PakkaWood
with subtle wood grains. It cuts incredibly well, and it stays sharp for
a long time thanks to its hard VG-Max steel. However, it's important to
note that the hard steel is prone to chipping if you use it on hard
ingredients like bones or frozen food. The Oishya Gyuto is by far the
most expensive knife I've tested, but it's also the most beautiful. It's
hand-crafted in Japan with a hammered finish and a European maple burl handle that's dyed
green. This knife is lightweight and razor-sharp, and the octagonal handle is the perfect size
for my hand. The one problem with this knife is that it's so expensive and so beautiful that
I don't want to use it. The wood handle can scratch and dent and the hard steel is prone
to chipping. This knife is great if you're willing to take extra care of it, but it's not
a knife you can neglect without feeling guilty. That was a lot of information, so let’s look at
all the knives side by side. A couple callouts: Cangshan Helena, Wusthof Classic Ikon, and
the two Lamson forged knives are the heaviest. Henckels Solution, Oishya, and Victorinox
Swiss Classic are the lightest. I measured the circumference at the middle
of the handle, and the Ninja Foodi Premium, Zwilling Four Star, and Victorinox
Grand Maitre have the bulkiest handles. Caraway and Victorinox Swiss
Classic have the thinnest handles. Dalstrong Shogun, Oishya, Cangshan, and
Thomas Keller have the hardest steel. And Henckels Solution, Wusthof Gourmet,
and the two Victorinox knives have the softest steel. In general, harder
steel retains its sharpness better, but softer steel is more durable
and less prone to chipping. So, which of these chef's knives are
worth buying, and which should you avoid? My favorites are Lamson Vintage and Misen
on the low end of the price range, Made In and Dalstrong Shogun in the middle, and Wusthof
Classic, MAC MTH-80, and Oishya on the high end. The only knives I wouldn't recommend
are Henckels Solution, Caraway, Dalstrong Phantom, and Zwilling Four Star. So why did I pick these chef's knives? It has nothing
to do with the sharpness, edge angles, or cutting performance and has everything to do with the
handle design, weight, balance, and overall feel. That's because all of these knives are sharp, they can all cut through ingredients with no issues, and they all eventually dull and
need to be re-sharpened. Yes, some have sharper factory edges than others,
and some hold their edge a bit longer. But what really matters when choosing a chef's knife is how it feels in your hand
— and that is entirely personal. The best chef knife for you will depend
on your hand size, how you like to grip the knife, and your personal preferences
in terms of weight, balance, and design. My best advice is to pick three that
you think you'll like, order them, hold them for a while, get a good feel for them, keep the one you like the most, and return
the others. Some retailers will let you try them out in store. That's the only real
way to know for sure which chef's knife is the best for you. If you want to learn more about these
knives, I'll link to the comparison chart with additional information I
couldn't fit on screen in the video description. I'll also link to websites that
sell each knife. Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click
and buy, but at no extra cost to you. If this was helpful, check out this video,
where I break down the differences between Wusthof and Zwilling. And for more videos
like this, click the logo to subscribe to the channel. Thanks for watching;
we'll see you in the next video.
