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These knives are a cut above the rest.
Chew on this: Americans are cooking more. Indeed, four out of five meals that Americans eat are now prepared at home, according to data released in 2018 by research firm The NPD group, which is an increase from a decade ago. But while we may be cooking more, many of us still have no idea where to turn for a decent kitchen knife. (The No. 1 most recommended knife brand by the chefs we spoke to? Shun, which is available here on Amazon.)
So MarketWatch asked about a dozen professional chefs from around the country what their go-to knife brands were, and a handful of brands got multiple votes. Here are the details:
Shun Knives. These knives were the most-often recommended among the chefs we talked to. “I’ve tried many knives, but my absolute favorite is Shun,” says private chef and caterer Tirzah Love. “The handle is very easy to hold, and it is very durable and easy to sharpen.”
- You can check out the myriad Shun Knives available on Amazon here.
And among the Shun Knife family, certain knives get lots of love. Rich Vellante, the executive chef at Legal Sea Foods in Boston, says that the Shun Chef’s Knife is “my go-to knife” thanks to its “nice handling and weight” and “good blade.” And James Beard 2019 Finalist Isaac Toups, chef and owner of Toups South and Toups’ Meatery in New Orleans, adds that: “When it comes to knives, I always go for the Shun Classic Pro 10-1/2-inch Deba style. It’s really comfortable in my hand.” These knives tend to run roughly $80 to upwards of $200 on Amazon.
Mac Knives. This brand got multiple votes from pro chefs too with Chef Brian Howards of Las Vegas’ Sparrow + Wolf noting that he’s used Mac Knives for about 15 years: “They have the perfect weight balance, hold an edge and maintain a laser sharp quality with proper care.” And Chef de Cuisine David Wang of Boleo in Chicago notes that the knives are “so light in weight” which makes them “perfect for those full days spent cutting and prepping for service without making my arm and wrist tired from holding them.” These knives tend to run roughly $50 to $150 on Amazon.
- You can check out the myriad Mac Knives available on Amazon here.
Glestain Knives. “I personally love knives by Glestain,” says James Beard winner Chef Gerard Craft, who owns multiple restaurants in St. Louis including Cinder House, Sardella and TasteBar. “My favorites are the 140mm petty knife, which I use for all small tasks like shallots, garlic, and other small vegetable tasks; the Honesuki, which I use for butchering all poultry; and my 210mm Gyutou which I use for almost everything else.” And Maximus Combs, chef at NYC-based &pizza, likes Glestain’s boning and butcher knives. These knives tend to run roughly $80 to upwards of $200 on Amazon.
- You can check out the myriad Glestain Knives available on Amazon here.
Though these knife brands are pricey, you will also likely have them for years — if you take care of them correctly. “Knives should always be hand washed, the heat from a dishwasher can untemper the steel and make the knife malleable which in turn will make it lose its edge,” says Robert Cantu, the executive chef at Grand Tavern by David Burke. And to sharpen knives, a number of chefs recommend using a whetstone.
If these pricey knives aren’t in your budget, some chefs say you can get away with spending less. “I personally use a $15 knife from IKEA (of all places),” says Christian Flores, the executive chef of Roundabout Grill in Reno. “I’ve had it for seven years, and it has not failed me yet,” he says.
