Choosing the right size
Most chef’s knives have an 8-inch blade and that’s a pretty safe bet if you’re not sure what size to get. Depending on your skill level and the size of your hand, you might want a slightly longer or shorter blade for a good knife. There are chef’s knives as short as 6-inches but you likely don’t want to go shorter than 7-inches. You can also find blades as long as 9- or 10-inches, but those will be a bit more difficult to control and are not generally recommended for a beginner home cook.
The most common size for a chef’s knife blade is 8 inches but there are plenty of larger and smaller knives available, too.
Consider the blade and handle materials
You can find chef’s knife blades in alternative materials, including ceramic, but some composition of steel, often high carbon stainless steel, is the preferred material of 99.9% of knife makers the world over. For this list, we’re only testing steel blades, of which there are a lot of different grades. In general, a softer steel blade will be easier to sharpen but may not last quite as long. For an amateur home cook, the difference in durability is negligible and the ability to sharpen it should take priority for a quality knife.
Blade hardness is measured using the Rockwell scale, a method for determining the hardness of materials, particularly metals, by measuring the depth of indentation caused by a controlled load on a specific indenter. While we didn’t perform the Rockwell test on any of the blades, we’ve listed the Rockwell hardness of each and take them into account when making our selections.
The makeup of your knife handle is perhaps the more critical decision. Chef’s knife handles are made from a wide range of materials, including wood, bone, carbon fiber and steel. Wood and certain poly blends may be a little softer to the touch. There are also handles with contoured and ergonomic shapes, while some — namely Japanese knives — feature a more linear design. Hence, an ergonomic handle will depend on your personal choice.Â
The materials from which your chef’s knife is crafted are worthy of careful consideration.
Difference between forged and stamped knives
A forged knife is made from one block of steel while a stamped knife is punched out of a sheet of metal. Forged knives are traditionally sturdier and more expensive. I’ve read some hot takes that modern knife-stamping technology has caught up to forged models and that there’s not as big a difference as there once was. I’ll be honest, I can feel when I’m wielding a stamped knife versus a forged one. In general, forged knives seem better balanced and they’re often (but not always) stronger, meaning they’ll last longer and keep their edge better.Â
Knife style: Western (or German) knives vs. Japanese
German-style knives are generally heavier, with thicker blades and more pronounced bellies (the curve of the blade). This shape and weight are conducive to a rock chop motion which makes cutting large amounts of vegetables easier. German or Western knives are typically sharpened to a 20-degree angle, which makes them less prone to chipping.
Japanese steel knives are generally lighter with thinner blades, making them a bit better for intricate slices, trims and push-chops. While it’s certainly not necessary, I like having one of each at my disposal to use for certain tasks. Japanese steel is usually harder on the Rockwell scale but their sharp angled edges make them more prone to chipping or breaking. These knives won’t give you the steady rock chop you’ll get with a Western-style knife so long bouts of chopping or dicing may feel like more of a chore.
Many modern knives combine elements of Western and Japanese knives — known as hybrid knives. We recommend a hybrid knife for anyone who plans to own just one chef’s knife to do all their kitchen prep. To help decide between these two styles or whether you might want both at your disposal, here’s more on the difference between a Western and Japanese chef’s knife.
A good, sharp chef’s knife should slice through tomatoes with ease.
How heavy should a chef’s knife be?
This really depends on personal preference, experience level and what you intend to do with the knife. In general, Japanese-style knives are lighter and thus better suited for very precise chopping, mincing, dicing and the occasional chiffonade. German-style chef’s knives are often thicker and heavier and might be a better choice if you’re doing more basic chopping and dicing or breaking down bone-in chickens and such.
Knives range from around 5 ounces to more than 12. If your wrist tends to tire easily when cooking, choose a lighter chef’s knife under 7 ounces, whether it’s Western, Japanese or hybrid.