Kitchen Knives

Explore the best chef's knives handpicked by Chris—find your perfect blade for a superior culinary experience in our expert reviews.

There's no one perfect knife—but we'll help you find the best one for you.

In this guide, I break down the 21 most common types of kitchen knives. You’ll learn about each knife’s design, uses, pros, cons, and more.

Including picks under $50!

This guide is for the inquisitive home cook to learn about the most common types of kitchen knives and their uses. Upgrade your tools, and it might seem like anything is possible in the kitchen. Maybe you’ve just purchased a kitchen knives set and realized you don’t actually know what each is meant for. Maybe you’ve had a knife set for a while, and you’re starting to wonder how the ones you never use might make your life easier. Either way, understanding the different types of knives and how…

Japanese kitchen knives have developed from simple, heavy blades (similar to Deba), which come in many well-thought-out forms used for precisely determined tasks. The great classic trio are Deba, Usuba and Yanagiba, which are especially useful for traditional Japanese cuisine. But, we will start with the knives that are most commonly used, and continue with more task-specific knives. GYUTO (Chef's knife) Japanese version of a Western-style main kitchen knife (chef's knife). The major…

Traditional Japanese knives are divided into two classes: Honyaki knives are made from true-forged high-carbon steel, while kasumi knives are made by forging high-carbon steel and soft iron together. Here, learn the names of a wide variety of Japanese knives and how to use them.

American walnut meets German craftsmanship. Messermeister has been making knives in the German tradition for over 30 years, and remains one of the only companies to finish their blades using the ages-old hot-drop, hand-hammered technique. Each knife is high-quality, heritage, and handmade. These knives combine a stunning, smooth American Walnut handle with a German-made stainless steel alloy blade. Walnut is favored for its strength and stamina, and it ain’t too shabby looking, either! The…

After years of working in restaurants — and spending a significant chunk of my time testing out some of the best kitchen goods — you could say I know how to fill my home with tried-and-true culinary must-haves, from some seriously delicious gluten-free pasta to my favorite cookware. One of my dearest testing adventures lies in my commitment to finding easy-to-use, comfortable-to-hold, stunning-to-behold knives.