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Basically the Japanese model of the chef’s knife, the santoku is an all-purpose blade that must be the primary one you attain for if you begin any recipe. The sunshine, sharp, and nimble santoku could make fast work of virtually something, from shredding cabbage for coleslaw to dicing dense root greens for cozy winter recipes.
In the event you’re used to a European-style chef’s knife, switching to a santoku could make your on a regular basis kitchen prep just a bit bit quicker. There are many choices on the market, and I examined 15 fashions to search out the very best santoku knives.
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The deeply rounded stomach on Zwilling’s rocking santoku blade seems fairly totally different from others, but it surely works simply the identical. What impressed me most in testing was simply how sharp this santoku is. It glided by way of every little thing and was the one knife that sliced right through a bit of steak in a single stroke. It chopped garlic effectively right into a paste and made peeling a candy potato a breeze.
That is the heaviest santoku I examined by a full ounce, which provides it a lot of energy, however the good weight steadiness and substantial deal with guarantee good management, too. The rivets and joints are completely clean, which is all the time an indication of high quality building.
Because the identify suggests, the Zwilling Professional Rocking Santoku is designed for chopping utilizing a rocking movement. The rounded blade supposedly makes nice chopping extra environment friendly, however I did not discover the form any higher than a extra conventional santoku — this knife’s excessive stage of sharpness is its secret. I really feel the identical means concerning the angled tip. It would not supply any finer management than the rounded suggestions of the opposite santokus I examined. From a purely aesthetic perspective, each options are putting, however neither makes a lot distinction in efficiency.
My solely actual downside with this knife in my assessments was how badly every little thing caught to its floor. Regardless of the hollow-edge divots which might be supposed to forestall this kind of factor, I needed to peel every slice of cheese off the blade with my fingers, and I needed to maintain sweeping all of the garlic again onto the reducing board each few chops.
Blade size:Â 7 inches |Â Blade materials:Â Chrome steel |Â Whole size:Â 12.3 inches |Â Deal with materials:Â Plastic |Â Weight:Â 8.8 ounces
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We’re huge followers of the Made In model right here at Meals & Wine, particularly its stainless-steel and nonstick cookware. The model’s Japanese Damascus Metal Knife Set has confirmed its worth, too, taking a prime spot in my nakiri assessments in addition to right here.
This santoku is attractive, with a swirling Damascus sample from 66 layers of metal. It proved as much as each process in my testing, standing out particularly nicely with candy potato, which peeled like I used to be utilizing a straight razor. It is on the heavier aspect, which helped cut up the dense potato, but I had loads of management to chop each the potato and the steak into very even cubes. It was additionally a pleasure to crush garlic cloves with clean, fast chopping. I did need to put in some further effort and sawing to get by way of the sticky mozzarella; the Made In wound up in the midst of the pack in that check, however on the prime for all the remaining.
The primary detrimental of this knife is its value. It was the third costliest santoku in my check. I say it is price each cent, however there are nice choices at a decrease price.
Blade size:Â 6.5 inches |Â Blade Materials:Â Chrome steel |Â Whole size:Â 11.75 inches |Â Deal with materials:Â Plastic |Â Weight:Â 7.2 ounces
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After the sub-$40 value, my second-favorite factor about Mercer’s Genesis santoku is its deal with. The delicate, rubbery Santoprene materials has an nearly sticky texture that is extremely safe to carry however rinses and washes off similar to the graceful plastic of different fashions. The knife is heavy sufficient to really feel substantial, but it surely’s nonetheless well-balanced. Mixed with the grip, that makes this a really agile santoku.
The place you sacrifice to avoid wasting price with this knife is in sharpness. It did…okay in my assessments, needing loads of drive to get by way of the candy potato and making fairly uneven slices of mozzarella. It sliced the steak and chopped the garlic effectively, although the elements did not keep on with the blade as a lot as with different knives.
The reality is that you would be able to get a better-performing santoku than this one — however you may need to pay at the very least thrice as a lot. The Mercer’s low value makes it a very wonderful worth.
Blade size:Â 7 inches |Â Blade materials:Â Carbon metal |Â Whole size:Â 12.25 inches |Â Deal with materials:Â Santoprene |Â Weight:Â 7.3 ounces
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The very first thing I seen after I picked up the Misono was how gentle it feels. The blade and deal with are each fairly customary in measurement and form, however this knife weighs 2 to three ounces lower than rivals’ knives. But it is nonetheless well-balanced, which makes it extremely agile. Santokus may be on the cumbersome aspect, however Misono’s mannequin is cell sufficient to peel and element like a paring knife or prep bowls of professional quality veggies.
The Misono santoku can be actually sharp. It chopped onion and garlic shortly and dealt with the butternut squash with out difficulty regardless of its gentle weight. I did not need to press on the backbone to get by way of the exhausting squash, one thing I typically needed to do even with heavier fashions. The one factor that places this knife behind the Zwilling Professional in efficiency is that it requires a second stroke to completely separate meat slices.
The opposite downside with the Misono is its value. It is a uncommon mixture of sharpness and agility, and you need to pay a great bit for it. However if you happen to can afford it and like a light-weight knife, this can be a good santoku.
Blade size:Â 7 inches |Â Blade materials:Â Chrome steel |Â Whole size:Â 12 inches |Â Deal with materials:Â Wooden composite |Â Weight:Â 5.5 ounces
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The place the Made In santoku stood out, reducing by way of a tough candy potato, the Miyabi Kaizen one impressed me most with the way it dealt with softer elements. It went by way of steak like a scalpel and was in a position to make paper-thin slices of cheese that did not keep on with the blade within the least. (Then again, it did not carry out so nicely with the candy potato, needing loads of further weight to cut by way of the dense flesh.)
It is on the heavy aspect, however this mannequin felt notably gentle in my hand, a testomony to its glorious design. The blade is a normal 7 inches, however the entire knife is longer than regular, due to an prolonged bolster. This leaves a lot of room to accommodate totally different grip types and reducing methods. The graceful oval deal with has no corners to dig into your palm, however will not spin round even in greasy fingers as a result of it isn’t fully round.
The Kaizen collection is the middle-of-the-road line from the high-end Miyabi model, which places this santoku’s value a bit above common. In the event you just like the rounded deal with type, it is an ideal alternative, although it is rather less sharp than my different winners.
Blade size:Â 7 inches |Â Blade materials:Â Chrome steel |Â Whole size:Â 12.5 inches |Â Deal with materials:Â Micarta |Â Weight:Â 7.6 ounces
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The artisanal knives from Wyoming-based New West are artistic endeavors, every with a one-of-a-kind design. This light-weight santoku encompasses a distinctive engraved define of the Teton Mountain Vary serving as each an anti-stick Granton edge and an homage to the model’s dwelling. There are eight colourful ombré deal with designs (plus a plain black) comprised of ultra-durable G10 epoxy, with completely flush, clean rivets. The development of this knife is completely impeccable. It seems nice and feels unimaginable to carry, safe, and beautifully balanced.
Sadly, the astronomically costly Teton Edge Santoku delivered common reducing efficiency in my assessments. It struggled a bit with steak, requiring some back-and-forth sawing to slice by way of the fatty sections. It did a nice job with slicing and chopping all of the veggies, however did not actually stand out. General, it is a good on a regular basis knife that appears — and is priced — like a collector’s merchandise.
Blade size:Â 7 inches |Â Blade materials:Â Chrome steel |Â Whole size:Â 13 inches |Â Deal with materials:Â G10 composite |Â Weight:Â 7.4 ounces
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The Victorinox santoku was a pleasing shock in testing, with a particularly sharp blade that carried out significantly better than I anticipated, given the sunshine weight and plain wood deal with. It chopped garlic totally and shortly, and it sliced meat into correct, even cubes with out a lot sawing.
The deal with is that this knife’s important weak point. It is uncomfortably slender, the rivet joints aren’t clean, and the wooden has a barely tough texture. It is also shorter than regular.
Briefly, the Victorinox santoku is an affordable knife that feels low-cost however cuts nicely. It will be my choose for finest worth if the even-cheaper Mercer above did not have such a snug grip.
Blade size:Â 7 inches |Â Blade materials:Â Chrome steel |Â Whole size:Â 11 inches |Â Deal with materials:Â Rosewood |Â Weight:Â 4.6 ounces
How I Examined Santoku Knives
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I’ve tried 15 totally different santoku knives throughout two rounds, testing most twice. Starting with general design, deal with consolation, and weight steadiness, I rated the blades throughout a spread of traits as I ran a collection of equivalent assessments.
- Onion check: As an general common efficiency check, I used the santoku knives to cube an onion. I famous how simply the knife sliced by way of the flesh and judged agility by whether or not I used to be in a position to reduce evenly sized items.
- Onerous produce check: I used every santoku to halve, peel, and chop a candy potato or butternut squash into cubes. Reducing by way of dense flesh was a great way to evaluate every knife’s energy and precision with heavy objects, and peeling helped assess the knife’s sharpness.
- Mozzarella check: To measure efficiency with delicate, sticky elements, I used every knife to slice a small ball of mozzarella. I famous how a lot effort and back-and-forth sawing it took to get by way of the cheese, how simply I may get skinny, even slices, and the way a lot the slices caught to the aspect of the knife.
- Garlic check: To charge chopping efficiency, I used every santoku to cut three peeled garlic cloves totally. I famous how effectively every knife reduce by way of the garlic and the way a lot effort and time I wanted to cut back it to a totally minced texture.
- Steak check: I used every santoku to chop 3 ounces of steak into cubes, noting whether or not any blades had hassle slicing by way of the meat and the way simply they produced even items.
- Cleansing: Between assessments, I hand-washed every knife, noting those who wanted further scrubbing on the blade or deal with, and any that have been particularly slippery when moist.
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Solely after finishing all my different assessments did I reveal the retail costs of the santokus to think about worth for cash. On the time of testing, the santokus ranged from $38 to $369, with a median of $155.
What I Appeared For within the Finest Santoku Knives
Blade Materials and Design
Metal — a mixture of carbon and iron — is by far the most typical materials used for knives of all types. Japanese knives, particularly, are sometimes comprised of carbon metal, which comprises extra carbon, making it tougher than customary metal and in a position to maintain a finer edge for longer. The drawback of carbon metal is that it is extra brittle and extra inclined to rust. Chrome steel is made with added chromium, which makes it shiny and rust-resistant, however softer and fewer sharpenable. There are lots of “recipes” for metal, every with totally different combos of properties, and a few knives additionally layer a number of steels to realize totally different results.
With the santoku particularly, the precise form of the blade is necessary. The knife’s edge must be rounded for a rocking reduce, however totally different fashions have totally different curves that work finest with totally different knife methods. A santoku’s broad blade provides it energy and is helpful for issues like crushing garlic cloves, however the form usually makes it heavy for its measurement — and every santoku is a bit totally different in peak, size, and weight.
One other design side to search for is a Granton edge. It is a collection of divots carved into the blade that create air pockets so meals would not stick. It is particularly useful if you happen to plan to slice loads of meat, cheese, or different moist or sticky elements.
Deal with Materials and Design
It would not matter how sharp the blade is; if a knife is painful to carry or slips out of your hand, it isn’t a great knife. There are lots of deal with shapes obtainable, and I discover that the very best ones are neither completely spherical nor completely sq.. Sharp corners are safe within the hand, however they don’t seem to be notably comfy. Round handles really feel good, however they’re slippery, particularly when moist. Spherical-cornered rectangles or ovals can each be very efficient, along with your favourite relying on the way you maintain your knife.
When it comes to deal with materials, wooden and plastic are quite common, together with composites like Micarta and Pakkawood, that are layers of wooden and different supplies bonded collectively in a plastic resin. Whatever the materials, it is best to have a look at the feel, which might vary from completely clean (straightforward to wash however doubtlessly slippery) to tough and sandpapery (good for grip however can maintain onto bits of meals). One other deal with design side to concentrate to is the rivets connecting the deal with and blade: ideally, they need to really feel completely clean, with no gaps the place corrosion can start to type.
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Weight and Steadiness
The santokus I examined had a pretty big weight vary, from 3.5 to eight.8 ounces, making for a noticeable distinction in really feel between fashions. A heavier knife would not supply as a lot management, however the weight helps reduce by way of robust or dense meals with much less effort. Lighter knives are extra agile however much less highly effective, and also you do need at the very least some quantity of weight to carry the blade securely in your hand.
Simply as necessary as general weight is weight steadiness. Ideally, the deal with and blade offset one another completely, which makes the knife as steady as attainable and offers you probably the most management whilst you maintain it. But when a knife is a bit unbalanced, it is higher if it is weighted towards the blade than towards the deal with. A heftier blade can really feel prefer it’s pulling itself by way of meals, whereas a knife that is balanced towards the deal with needs to tug the blade backward out of the meals.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
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What’s a santoku knife?
A santoku is an all-purpose knife that handles most on a regular basis kitchen elements. It has a design much like a European-style chef’s knife, however the blade is usually barely shorter and lighter, with a slight curve on the underside that permits a rocking, up-and-down chopping movement. The santoku combines design parts of three Japanese knife types: the nakiri, designed for greens; the gyuto, made for slicing meat; and the deba, supposed for filleting fish.
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What can a santoku knife be used for?
Absolutely anything. The identify means “three virtues” or “three makes use of” in Japanese, referring to its versatility. (Relying on which supply you ask, these three makes use of could possibly be meat, fish, and greens, or slicing, dicing, and chopping.) You should utilize a santoku nearly wherever you’d use a chef’s knife.
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How do you sharpen a santoku?
You may sharpen most santokus the identical means you’d sharpen any kitchen knife. Any whetstone, guide sharpener, or electrical sharpener ought to have the ability to deal with the blade form.
However some santokus are single-bevel, which means that they are solely sharpened from one aspect of the blade. (Most knives are double-bevel and sharpened equally from each side.) It is attainable to sharpen a single-bevel santoku at dwelling, but it surely requires extra superior methods. You are in all probability finest getting a single-bevel knife sharpened professionally.
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What ought to a santoku knife not be used for?
You should utilize a santoku and solely a santoku to make the vast majority of meals, however there are some duties it isn’t good for. As a reasonably light-weight blade, a santoku is not the fitting alternative for breaking down massive cuts of meat or something that requires hacking by way of bones. For that, you need a thick meat cleaver or hefty butcher knife as a substitute. For making skinny, correct slices of crusty bread and delicate uncooked tomatoes, a serrated bread knife is finest. For detailed, delicate work like reducing garnishes or sculpting a centerpiece, a small paring knife often is the proper alternative.
Different Santoku Knives I Examined
Sturdy Contenders
Cangshan Kuro 7-Inch Santoku Knife ($140 at Crate & Barrel)
I fairly appreciated the deal with of this knife, which is a safe, comfy oval in profile, with an angled butt finish that gives further room for big fingers. Its hefty weight provides energy, however the edge simply is not terribly sharp. If it had a discount value, it will be extra interesting, however this one is correct on the common.
MAC Knife Skilled Collection 6.5-Inch Santoku ($129 at Amazon)
MAC’s brief, light-weight santoku did a great job at a great value. It is a bit cheaper than common, and it did about common in testing. Its agility was useful for peeling candy potatoes, but it surely lacked the ability to cut by way of the entire tuber and wanted fairly a little bit of sawing to slice beef.
Masamoto HC Japanese Santoku ($219 at Amazon)
I felt full management over this knife, and it carried out fantastically in my assessments. The rationale it isn’t on my listing of winners is that it discolored fairly badly after a single rinse and wash. I washed all of the check santokus the identical means, and the Masamoto was the one one with this difficulty, so it is a lot much less forgiving than rivals relating to care. (Notably, a distinct Masamoto nakiri I examined didn’t discolor; the issue appears to be particular to the HC line.)
Meals & Wine / Jason Horn
What Did not Make the Listing
Not one of the santokus in my check stood out as an particularly unhealthy performer; the fashions not included above simply fell behind the remaining in both efficiency or worth. Most come from manufacturers that we belief and which have produced winners in different knife class assessments.
Our Experience
Meals & Wine senior author Jason Horn examined all 15 santokus for this roundup at dwelling. With a grasp’s in journalism and a culinary diploma, he is been writing about meals and drinks for 20 years, together with at Liquor.com, Playboy, and Severe Eats. Our resident knife-testing skilled has additionally examined and reviewed butcher knives, meat cleavers, oyster knives, and brisket slicers.
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