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Shun Classic here. My brother bought me the three-piece starter set on sale somewhere a decade ago. Took me until covid to get comfortable using them and now I have collected up several more! Love them
I have one of those Japanese knives. I only use it with vegetables. I never submerge in water when washing. The guy who made it was a national treasure in Japan and his apprentice who sharpened the knife was 78 when I bought it. Probably both dead now as I’ve owned for 10 years or so. Their signatures are engraved on the blade.
I have 7 Miyabi knives, all from Kaisen and Artisan series. The choice was purely based on the shape of the handle. Bought the first one over 10 years ago and slowly built my collection. For 'guest chefs' in my kitchen, I provide Ikea VG-10 series, which are quite amazing for the price but it won't break my heart if they get mishandled. Never use dishwasher, always wash by hand and wipe dry immediately. They still look brand new.
Agreed. I was surprised he never covered Miyabi. My Birchwood Nakiri is my favorite knife. If I could afford it I would have all Miyabi knives, but I've settled on Shun Classic for the rest.
I have to confess that I am addicted to the Shun line of knives. I have had several of them for 12 years and they still work wonderfully for my style of homecooking.
Most of my knives are NSF certified, so I have no issues when I take them to work. They also have my initials engraved on the blades. I prefer the handle end to be heavier as it doesn't aggrevate my arthritis. The other thing is that most of my knives are quite cheap but workable. Otherwise knives miraculously disappear. At home I have basically cheap knives but they are nice to work with. My favorite is a Chinese chef's knife that is 7 inches long by 4 high. I found it on a Chinese website and its NSF certified. Cost me $25. My favorite utility knife is a carbon steel bought at a grocery store in the 70s. I avoid full bolster knives like the plague. I want easy sharpening. I do like Choice from restaurant stores and also Mercer knives. I do own a 12 inch chef's knife from Dalstrong. It cost me $90 and looks a bit like a pirate cutlass. It screams derranged serial killer, which is part of its charm. I have it to go though melons, pineapple and other harder items. Biggest thing for me is that the knives are sharp as possible, easy to use with my very small hands and foster straight up and down chopping. Rocking chops cause my hands to swell up ans become useless along with severe pain. If this was happening when I was a teenager, imagine how much worse it would be now that I'm in my late fifties. On the wooden handles... Its very easy to buy a small can of food grade marine varnish than give them a coat or two.
Thank you for the review. One note: my Cangshan Helena set came with an 8", 9.0 oz Western Style chef's knife more comparable to your other selections than the rocking Santoku style you featured. I am very pleased with the whole set/block.
Just get a 12" Dalstrong Crixus like I did. LOL Honestly, a video could be done just on Dalstrong 8" chef knives, since they have so many models. Kind of kidding about the Crixus, though. It's more of a hybrid chef/scimitar/cleaver. I bought it for both practical and personal geeky reasons. But the 8" version could be a versatile knife to have in your kit.
My chef's knife is an Imarku ( a $70 Japanese/German hybrid style 8 inch knife ) and I LOVE it! Like the Wusthof Classic, it's back heavy but only by a 1/2 inch from the blade and I actually really like this because I have large hands so it works great for me. It keeps a fantastic edge, but I can tell by the amount of work that it takes to require a sharpening that the hardness is around 58 ( hardness specs are 57 +-2 ) which is fine because I butcher whole chickens a lot and getting through the joints for leg quarters and wings isn't good for a super hard knife.
Great review. I have two Shun Classics that are at least 15 years old and have enjoyed them. They have held up very well. Price has increased significantly since I bought mine. Global was very popular for a time, but I hated the feel of it in my hand when I was shopping knives. I would like to try some of the others you reviewed, like the MAC, but when the novelty of buying a new knife has faded it is hard to justify the expense. Beyond keeping the edge sharp I have far more important things to worry about in kitchen than another knife. Keep up the reviews.
this video is great and super helpful!! i would like to point out that most of the knives referred to as "forged" are not forged, at least no in a way more people think of as a forged. they stamp the knife out of rolled steel then forge on the bolster. look up how wusthof or zwilling are made
Great review! I have to disagree with you about the Zwilling 4 Star. Of the variety of knives we keep the 4 Star is the most used and the middle hardness steel is the perfect balance between durability and edge retention. My favorite hands down, though, is the Wusthof Ikon.
Ugh. Pretty much the same as a Dexter. Commercial kitchens use them because they're nearly as cheap in bulk. When you buy one, you pay a premium just for the name. Their Grand Maitre, however, seems to be a quality knife. Still probably not worth that price either, though.
Ugh. You're paying for the name that brought a cheap, Swiss workhorse into restaurants, having stronger-than-Chinese steel. Mine have wooden handles and I have no complaints using them every day.
@@redarrowsmk3 I'm talking about the ones with the fibrox plastic handles. I compared them to the Dexter's because I used them both for years in a dining hall kitchen, and there's essentially no difference. They are not worth the $48 retail price for a single knife. I did say the top tier ones looked good.
why does no one test Dexter Russell knives??? I've owned them and used them when I was a Chef and I do all the cooking in my house, i have used and own Cutco and have used and given Japanese knives(Shun Classic) and Wushhof to my son!
IIRC, America's Test Kitchen included Dexter Russell in their chefs knife review. They also included the kitchen safe Victorinox chefs knife, which is the next model upscale from the cheapie one in this video. I prefer the Victorinox plastic handle texture to the rough anti-slip texture used on Dexter Russell commercial kitchen knives. That is why I went Victorinox on the chefs knife. My 4" paring knife is a Dexter Russell. Amazing value for money.
Many years ago, we bought a butcher block set of Henkel's knives, and you are spot on. They SUCK at holding an edge and need constant sharpening. And even with sharpening, the edge never gets super sharp, so if you're wanting to cut Tomatoes, you're screwed. I purchased a small serrated knife that will cut tomatoes like a hot knife through butter. Thank you foe your time and effort to bring us this video. It is extremely helpful. You brought up points I'd never think of, but will be extremely helpful when I go to buy my next Chef's knife.
This is a great video!! I prefer santoku blades and have been trying to pick one forever... I'd love to see the same comparison with a santoku blade. Thank you for your hard work and great info!!
Honestly my go-to are mostly the cheap Victorinox. Lightweight, cut well with the thin blade, good shape, and I am not at all afraid to abuse them. Sure you have to sharpen more often, but I use a ceramic rod and strop after every use, so not that bad (plus, I actually enjoy sharpening my kitchen knives, it is kinda therapeutic, lol). I will say I have used my mom's Wusthof, and they are definitely awesome and probably worth it, but I can't justify spending that much for a blade when the Victorinox work so well for what I need with no worries.
Well done! I'm a professional sharpener and I couldn't agree more with your recommendations. When asked about knives for Wedding or bridal presents I go to Misen.
Nice video, thank you. I totally gave up on western style kitchen knives, handles are too heavy, too bulky for me ... i have like 20-30 of them sleeping in the drawers. I prefer japanese style, i only use pinch grip with push cut and chopping. I only use the handle to store it. I have now 20 of them. You don't have to worry much about damaging your Oishya, VG10 is quite tough even with a heat treatment of 62 instead of 60. I have Sukenari gyuto ZDP189 at 65-67 HRC that should have around the same toughness and never had any chipping (i'm a home cook though, no heavywork). The cutting board is very important for your edge you need to invest in a good wood cutting board with end grain or a rubber one like Asahi and Hasegawa. And of course, no cutting hard stuff that your own teeth would not be able to chew. For me nothing beats japanese knives in 100-350 euros in value, performance and availability. Ton of choices. Then above 350 euros you are starting to have custom knives from blacksmiths in USA and Europe that uses great steels like Apex Ultra, AEB-L (in 62-64 hrc), MagnaCut, 52100 (65 hrc), CPMs ... but the availability is very bad, the number of knives produced is very low. I hope to see you test classic japanese steels like Shirogami 2, Aogami 2, Aogami Super, Ginsan and then the more modern ones like SG2, HAP40, ZDP189, SKD, SLD ... Your Oishya is very expensive, VG10 is more an entry level steel that is very well balanced that you usually see in knives in 60-200 euros. You are paying the extra for the higher heat treatment and also the handle. Handles are expensive ... more than people think. European maple burl would be like 100-150 euros i think. Because of this a lot of japanese knives even high quality stuff have a simple magnolia/ho wood handle with buffalo horn to keep the price down (50 euros for this handle). For 380 dollars you could have bought a knife that has both the toughness of a western knife and the edge retention of a japanese knife in HAP40/REX45, Magnacut, SKD/A2, AEB-L/14C28N and 52100 with high Heat treat (62-65hrc). Of course the knive geometry stay the most important factor to consider. Take a look at knifesteelnerds website for infos on steels if you are interested. Bye !
Thank you for watching and for all of this insight. There are so many knives I still need to test, so expect a part 2 and 3 of this video in the future :)
This guy knives. Once you start falling down the rabbit hold of Japanese smiths and custom makers it's basically game over. Too many amazing knives and not enough time and money to try them all out. Then you start nerding out about different steels and there's no going back. I've acquired quite the collection and really do love every single one, was even lucky enough to get my hands on a Tinker Tank recently. Although a Konosuke Fujiyama FM is proving exceptionally difficult to track down. I guess part of the fun is in the search, but I wouldn't complain if a Takamura Uchigumo Hana dropped itself off on my doorstep.
1. If you can afford it, the Zwilling/Henckles or Wustof forged knives made in Soligen with the traditional composite riveted handles are almost certainly your best choice. They work well, last forever and in my experience are guaranteed. I once lost track of my Wustof serrated knife. I found it a week later under the bottom oven element with the handle melted off. For $5 shipping, the store let me walk out with a brand new one. Your grand kids will be using them. I know, because I have a couple I inherited. 2. There are excellent Japanese knives. But the vast majority of Americans don't know how to use them or understand that they have different use cases than western knives. If you cook a lot and understand what you are getting, they are a great choice. But if you are buying them because you saw them on a cooking show or TikTok, you may be very disappointed. 3. The super vast majority of commercial kitchen knives are likely most similar to the Victorinox Swiss Classic, except possibly the steel. Most commercial kitchens do not use high-end knives. Instead, they use very utilitarian knives that are replaced 2-3 times per week by a knife service. 4. Wood handles look nice, but the only German forged knife I've had utterly fail was a 50 year old paring knife with wood handles. Sure, you could have the scales replaced or even send it back for replacement (if they still do this), but why? As the wood swells, it will be uncomfortable and unable to be properly sanitized long before it totally fails. 5. You should NEVER wash your knives in a dishwasher and you should never soak you knives in a sink. Yes, commercial kitchens do. But they aren't their knives and they aren't expected to last decades.
I ended up kickstarting the Mizen, and it's a pretty good knife for the price I ended up paying. I still kept and use my previous one though, which was one of the very last Chicago Cutlery knives made in the US. The handle is cracked and the tip is worn down to a nubbin, but I'm a bit sentimental I guess. It still sharpens and does the job.
I liked this comparison but I’m surprised that other knives weren’t considered. Low end Cuisine art Kitchen Aid Sani-safe (Dexter Russel) it’s an industry standard for a reason Higher end Global Rhineland Cutlery
There are many great kitchen knives. Opinions and preferences vary. It depends on what you want to do. All that being said, Miyabi is always & should always be in the discussion for the top level knives. Because they are.
I’ve used cold steel kitchen classics for over ten years great edge retention and super comfortable. Very affordable. Same steel as Henkel but for much less. I am a professional chef and stand behind cold steel products.
Nice, informative video. I got one of the Misan knives and was generally impressed with it. My one complaint about it is that the edges of the spine of the blade just in front of the bolster were too sharp. I use a pinch grip and the sharp edge was very uncomfortable where it pressed against the base of my index finger while I was working with the knife. I had to use a metal file to round off the sharp edges a bit to make the knife more comfortable to use. I think they need to do a bit more finishing on this knife. Otherwise I think it is excellent for the price.
Wusthof is my favorite all around. The super gou yaxell is the one that should have been on the list and I don’t use it because it’s just way to nice lol 😂
As a pro, I'll keep the Forshner. They have served me well for decades. Professional knives are like cars, either they are workhorses or they are bragging rights, but usually not both at the same time. Also, a shout-out to Mercer Knives, very cheap and dependable. Great for the newbies just starting out.
Excellent, although fast description and information. Great job! I have subscribed. I currently use a 30+ year-old Henckles 8" chef's knife. It's time to move on!
I have two (2) 8” chef knives. The first one is a ZWILLING 31701 knife purchased in the late 1970s or early 1980s, probably closest to the ZWILLING 4 star knife of today. I have always disliked that knife. For one thing, it never seems to hold its edge very well. A few years later I purchased a Chicago Cutlery chef knife, which i like much better and cost quite a bit less. I use the Chicago Cutlery knife, while my husband uses the ZWILLING knife.
Love my Kramer Chef’s knife so far. Still getting used to it. It’s so pretty…. I still go to some older knives here and there but man I love it. I’ve got Shun, Whustoff, Enso, Henckels, Dalstrong etc so … variety… I still go to an old Costco Henckle set because I’m less worried about beating it up and it’s in the middle for a chef’s knife in almost all respects but a little soft. Would like to see enso on there though out of curiosity.
Love mine! They have thin, tough blades that make slicing easier, stay sharp, and are very easy to sharpen. They're not made to impress yuppy guests; they're made to get dinner on the table.
I recently purchased 2 Meglio knives in CPM-MagnaCut steel and they are amazing. Dramatically better edge retention than European knives and equally better toughness than Japanese. Any chance the big brands will switch steels?
I'm curious just based on edge retention, how much would it affect day to day usage/performance, to opt for a knife that has a better steel like rhe sandvik, vg10 or poweder steel in a home that cooks daily
Thanks for the video. You should have included the popular Mercer Genesis 8 inch . Very good knife for the price. I like the full bolster. Have you ever used this knife?
Great knife - I tested it a while back but gave it away, which is why I didn't include it. I should have included it with just the photos. Here's my review: prudentreviews.com/mercer-knives-review/
Victorinox, fibrox pro. Cheap, durable, made for a working kitchen. I throw these in the dish washer daily. Sharpening/honing steel bring them back to life when needed. How many of the other knives handle a home dishwasher?
I cannot confirm what you said about the Zwilling 4Star. I am a professional Chef here in Germany and i got my 4Stars at the Age of 15 (1997) when starting Apprenticeship and still got them(the exact same Knives! most of them😅) and love them. Pinch Grip is not good for all Purposes. Your Cutting Technique you show here many Times shows me that you are not professionally trained to do this daily, so your Opinion isnt that heavy to me 😅. So that must be said because you insulted my loved 4Stars. 😉
@@PrudentReviews I will probably start with the lower priced Victorinox. Budget. Ah, well, in modern Chinese transcription, there is no Chinese word CANG. It would be KANG if there is a K sound. So I don't know how the company pronounces its product or why it would be spelled that way on the product. For sure I don't know everything :)
Although you do emphasize that comfort is an individual thing, your bias toward handles with a small circumference is clear. I suspect you have smallish hands and/or shortish fingers. You refer to bigger handles as "bulky." You dislike the Zwilling Four Star for several reasons, but the "bulky" handle is clearly an important one. For me it's much more comfortable than either the Wustof classic or Zwilling pros, which are simply too small in circumference for a guy with large hands and/or long fingers. I hear you about the bolster and the blade-heavy balance. It seems almost impossible to find a knife that suits me in all the important ways. I'd like the Four Star handle with the Pro bolster and the the Professional S balance and blade profile. I'm surprised you didn't review the Mercer Renaissance, which is remarkably similar to the Wustof Classic (half bolster) for a fraction of the the price. Just like with the Wustof, the handle isn't ideal for me, but if I'm going to compromise, I don't want to pay Wustof prices.
Buy 3 return 2? How brilliant! That's why people buy things and complain about receiving the packages previously opened, and also part of the reason why knives and other merchandise is so costly.
You completely neglected Mercer Culinary. Guess they wouldn't pay you with an affiliate link. They have multiple lines from budget to forged at decent prices.
I’m a fan of Mercer but I have the knife away and (stupidly) didn’t capture video footage of it first. Here’s my review prudentreviews.com/mercer-knives-review/
why was Mercer knives not included in your pick they have the same german steel x50 cr mo v15 as wusthof and i feel that make a great knife they are all nsf certified, I gave away my 15050$ wusthof 8 in pro, Mercer makes a better product at a fraction of the cost 90% of culinary schools use mercer products for good reason
if you need to use knife everyday, don't use the knife HRC under 63, the sharpness retention doesnp't keep long,VG series is ok for some veg chopping job, but after 1-2 weeks working still need to sharpen again.😆
I've had two Dahlstrong that would bend and not spring back. Dahlstrongs are a joke. I can't remember what was wrong with my Shun, but it was so bad I will never co sider another.
I think about $150 is the sweet spot for a very good knife. You can buy crap for that price, but less than that, it won't be the functional art I like to reach for in the kitchen. Oh, gyuto for just about everything
Which one can cut a pumpkin? Show me. A chef's knife that has a warning on the packaging, forbidding any attempt to cut pumpkin - is a chef's knife that declares itself not of merchantable quality. Perhaps I should look for a chef's hatchet or machete?
Dont care about the type of steel, I can sharpen any of my knives in a couple minutes. I have many very hard japanese knives and some fun cheap soft ones that I enjoy but sharpen more often but quicker……and hate western bolsters.
Carbon steel knives are unbelievably sharp, but you have to fuss about keeping them dry. I love mine but it can chip near cartilage or bone. The ultimate material if you mostly cut vegetables. Keep a sturdy knife nearby.
Very dismissive of the Cutco knife. No test cutting and not displayed among the other knives. The handle is comfortable for me and has served me well for more than a decade.
Most of these are pretty bad knives for the price, from highly marketed brands that get shilled a lot - Dalstrong especially is overpriced Chinese trash. All the German branded knives tend to be way too heavy and use extremely outdated, cheap steels like X50CrMo14, which are finished too soft (~56HRC). All of the integral Damascus blades shown in the video are mass-produced blade blanks welded onto mono-steel bolsters - try etching the bolster and you will quickly see a welding line. For anything approaching and exceeding the $300 mark, just get a custom or small batch production knife with a stainless PM super steel (e.g. CPM MagnaCut, M390, Vanax) or a proper Japanese knife with great craftsmanship. Pay attention to edge grind and blade geometry, and check the choil. On the cheap end of good knives just get a Tojiro DP. Mercer and Dexter-Russell are comparable alternatives to Victorinox but at a much lower price point. If you're really hurting for money get a Kiwi kitchen knife and maybe consider re-handling it later down the line.
Im a fan but I gave it away to a newsletter subscriber months ago so didn’t have it for the video. Here are my thoughts: prudentreviews.com/mercer-knives-review/
@@PrudentReviews balance front to back + or - maybe. If it has a zero balance it’s perfect, but if it’s +1 it’s slightly blade heavy if it’s -4 it’s really heavy in the handle. 🤷🏻♂️
This is like… really bad. If you’re looking for your first, Shiro kamo, Tojiro, kyohei shindo, Munetoshi, Sakai Takayuki 33 layer. All better than these knives and the makers are successful enough they don’t have to pay influencers to lie about it. The handle doesn’t really matter if you use the proper grip and shouldn’t be the main reason you buy a knife- high end j-knives have replaceable handles so you can just stick whatever you want on it.
No Global? No Füri? No Sabatier? No Kitchen Devils? Why? Also Wüsthof is not pronounced "Woost-hof" it is pronounced "Veerst-hof". Try a little education before you post.
The video would be HOURS long if he included EVERY other knife that everybody else is whining about not being included. Who knows, he also may not have even been able to ACCESS all the brands to test and evaluate anyway. Now, with all that said, how about you take your unproductive comment, *_go and get yourself some MANNERS, and create your own product review channel to 'educate' the rest of us._*
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Shun Classic here. My brother bought me the three-piece starter set on sale somewhere a decade ago. Took me until covid to get comfortable using them and now I have collected up several more! Love them
I have one of those Japanese knives. I only use it with vegetables. I never submerge in water when washing. The guy who made it was a national treasure in Japan and his apprentice who sharpened the knife was 78 when I bought it. Probably both dead now as I’ve owned for 10 years or so. Their signatures are engraved on the blade.
I believe his name was Hattori Hanzō and he made a sword for Uma Thurman as well while she was seeking revenge against Bill.
I have 7 Miyabi knives, all from Kaisen and Artisan series. The choice was purely based on the shape of the handle. Bought the first one over 10 years ago and slowly built my collection. For 'guest chefs' in my kitchen, I provide Ikea VG-10 series, which are quite amazing for the price but it won't break my heart if they get mishandled.
Never use dishwasher, always wash by hand and wipe dry immediately. They still look brand new.
Agreed. I was surprised he never covered Miyabi. My Birchwood Nakiri is my favorite knife. If I could afford it I would have all Miyabi knives, but I've settled on Shun Classic for the rest.
I have to confess that I am addicted to the Shun line of knives. I have had several of them for 12 years and they still work wonderfully for my style of homecooking.
Surprised that Global got no feature or the Kramer Zwilling.
I've worked 19 years as a butcher and have used a Victorinox for years. I only have to sharpen the knife once a week with 7+ hours on the block daily.
Most of my knives are NSF certified, so I have no issues when I take them to work. They also have my initials engraved on the blades. I prefer the handle end to be heavier as it doesn't aggrevate my arthritis. The other thing is that most of my knives are quite cheap but workable. Otherwise knives miraculously disappear.
At home I have basically cheap knives but they are nice to work with. My favorite is a Chinese chef's knife that is 7 inches long by 4 high. I found it on a Chinese website and its NSF certified. Cost me $25. My favorite utility knife is a carbon steel bought at a grocery store in the 70s.
I avoid full bolster knives like the plague. I want easy sharpening. I do like Choice from restaurant stores and also Mercer knives. I do own a 12 inch chef's knife from Dalstrong. It cost me $90 and looks a bit like a pirate cutlass. It screams derranged serial killer, which is part of its charm. I have it to go though melons, pineapple and other harder items.
Biggest thing for me is that the knives are sharp as possible, easy to use with my very small hands and foster straight up and down chopping. Rocking chops cause my hands to swell up ans become useless along with severe pain. If this was happening when I was a teenager, imagine how much worse it would be now that I'm in my late fifties.
On the wooden handles... Its very easy to buy a small can of food grade marine varnish than give them a coat or two.
really great reviews! love that the best feature is what feels best in you hand. that’s not highlighted in other people’s reviews
Thank you!
Thank you for the review. One note: my Cangshan Helena set came with an 8", 9.0 oz Western Style chef's knife more comparable to your other selections than the rocking Santoku style you featured. I am very pleased with the whole set/block.
Another outstanding mega review! Love these!
Thank you!!
Just get a 12" Dalstrong Crixus like I did. LOL Honestly, a video could be done just on Dalstrong 8" chef knives, since they have so many models. Kind of kidding about the Crixus, though. It's more of a hybrid chef/scimitar/cleaver. I bought it for both practical and personal geeky reasons. But the 8" version could be a versatile knife to have in your kit.
My chef's knife is an Imarku ( a $70 Japanese/German hybrid style 8 inch knife ) and I LOVE it! Like the Wusthof Classic, it's back heavy but only by a 1/2 inch from the blade and I actually really like this because I have large hands so it works great for me. It keeps a fantastic edge, but I can tell by the amount of work that it takes to require a sharpening that the hardness is around 58 ( hardness specs are 57 +-2 ) which is fine because I butcher whole chickens a lot and getting through the joints for leg quarters and wings isn't good for a super hard knife.
Great review. I have two Shun Classics that are at least 15 years old and have enjoyed them. They have held up very well. Price has increased significantly since I bought mine. Global was very popular for a time, but I hated the feel of it in my hand when I was shopping knives. I would like to try some of the others you reviewed, like the MAC, but when the novelty of buying a new knife has faded it is hard to justify the expense. Beyond keeping the edge sharp I have far more important things to worry about in kitchen than another knife. Keep up the reviews.
The Mac is an excellent knife, but like you said, tough to justify if you already have two Shun’s that are in good shape. Appreciate you watching!
I have a wustof trident set of knives for 30 some years..nuff said !!!!..worth every dollar spent
Bob Kramer x Zwilling knives are a pure delight
this video is great and super helpful!! i would like to point out that most of the knives referred to as "forged" are not forged, at least no in a way more people think of as a forged. they stamp the knife out of rolled steel then forge on the bolster. look up how wusthof or zwilling are made
Great review! I have to disagree with you about the Zwilling 4 Star. Of the variety of knives we keep the 4 Star is the most used and the middle hardness steel is the perfect balance between durability and edge retention. My favorite hands down, though, is the Wusthof Ikon.
Thanks for adding 5he link to the Mercer review. And really appreciate the nod to grip types as i find i prefer pinch gripping.
I have several "chef knives" but the one I most often reach for is my Victorinox Classic (mine is old enough that it bears the Forschner name).
Ugh. Pretty much the same as a Dexter. Commercial kitchens use them because they're nearly as cheap in bulk. When you buy one, you pay a premium just for the name. Their Grand Maitre, however, seems to be a quality knife. Still probably not worth that price either, though.
Ugh. You're paying for the name that brought a cheap, Swiss workhorse into restaurants, having stronger-than-Chinese steel. Mine have wooden handles and I have no complaints using them every day.
@@redarrowsmk3 I'm talking about the ones with the fibrox plastic handles. I compared them to the Dexter's because I used them both for years in a dining hall kitchen, and there's essentially no difference. They are not worth the $48 retail price for a single knife. I did say the top tier ones looked good.
I use all Lamson knives because they are made in the USA with a lifetime warranty
why does no one test Dexter Russell knives??? I've owned them and used them when I was a Chef and I do all the cooking in my house, i have used and own Cutco and have used and given Japanese knives(Shun Classic) and Wushhof to my son!
IIRC, America's Test Kitchen included Dexter Russell in their chefs knife review. They also included the kitchen safe Victorinox chefs knife, which is the next model upscale from the cheapie one in this video.
I prefer the Victorinox plastic handle texture to the rough anti-slip texture used on Dexter Russell commercial kitchen knives. That is why I went Victorinox on the chefs knife. My 4" paring knife is a Dexter Russell. Amazing value for money.
Many years ago, we bought a butcher block set of Henkel's knives, and you are spot on. They SUCK at holding an edge and need constant sharpening. And even with sharpening, the edge never gets super sharp, so if you're wanting to cut Tomatoes, you're screwed. I purchased a small serrated knife that will cut tomatoes like a hot knife through butter.
Thank you foe your time and effort to bring us this video. It is extremely helpful. You brought up points I'd never think of, but will be extremely helpful when I go to buy my next Chef's knife.
Thank you for the additional insight and support! Glad you found it helpful!
... Henckels* knives
This is a great video!! I prefer santoku blades and have been trying to pick one forever... I'd love to see the same comparison with a santoku blade. Thank you for your hard work and great info!!
That’s a good idea! Most of these chef’s knives also have a santoku version
As a professional cook, Mac knives are well made, stays sharp, lightweight and overall easy to manuveur. My favorite brand.
Honestly my go-to are mostly the cheap Victorinox. Lightweight, cut well with the thin blade, good shape, and I am not at all afraid to abuse them. Sure you have to sharpen more often, but I use a ceramic rod and strop after every use, so not that bad (plus, I actually enjoy sharpening my kitchen knives, it is kinda therapeutic, lol). I will say I have used my mom's Wusthof, and they are definitely awesome and probably worth it, but I can't justify spending that much for a blade when the Victorinox work so well for what I need with no worries.
Well done! I'm a professional sharpener and I couldn't agree more with your recommendations. When asked about knives for Wedding or bridal presents I go to Misen.
Miyabi Birchwood is my go-to. It's perfectly balanced and 63 on the Rockwell scale it keeps its edge for so long.
Pay attention to the plunge grinds. For example, the Lamson Premieres and Zwilling ProChef leave no room for sharpening.
Nice video, thank you. I totally gave up on western style kitchen knives, handles are too heavy, too bulky for me ... i have like 20-30 of them sleeping in the drawers. I prefer japanese style, i only use pinch grip with push cut and chopping. I only use the handle to store it. I have now 20 of them.
You don't have to worry much about damaging your Oishya, VG10 is quite tough even with a heat treatment of 62 instead of 60. I have Sukenari gyuto ZDP189 at 65-67 HRC that should have around the same toughness and never had any chipping (i'm a home cook though, no heavywork). The cutting board is very important for your edge you need to invest in a good wood cutting board with end grain or a rubber one like Asahi and Hasegawa. And of course, no cutting hard stuff that your own teeth would not be able to chew.
For me nothing beats japanese knives in 100-350 euros in value, performance and availability. Ton of choices. Then above 350 euros you are starting to have custom knives from blacksmiths in USA and Europe that uses great steels like Apex Ultra, AEB-L (in 62-64 hrc), MagnaCut, 52100 (65 hrc), CPMs ... but the availability is very bad, the number of knives produced is very low.
I hope to see you test classic japanese steels like Shirogami 2, Aogami 2, Aogami Super, Ginsan and then the more modern ones like SG2, HAP40, ZDP189, SKD, SLD ...
Your Oishya is very expensive, VG10 is more an entry level steel that is very well balanced that you usually see in knives in 60-200 euros. You are paying the extra for the higher heat treatment and also the handle. Handles are expensive ... more than people think. European maple burl would be like 100-150 euros i think. Because of this a lot of japanese knives even high quality stuff have a simple magnolia/ho wood handle with buffalo horn to keep the price down (50 euros for this handle). For 380 dollars you could have bought a knife that has both the toughness of a western knife and the edge retention of a japanese knife in HAP40/REX45, Magnacut, SKD/A2, AEB-L/14C28N and 52100 with high Heat treat (62-65hrc). Of course the knive geometry stay the most important factor to consider.
Take a look at knifesteelnerds website for infos on steels if you are interested. Bye !
Thank you for watching and for all of this insight. There are so many knives I still need to test, so expect a part 2 and 3 of this video in the future :)
This guy knives.
Once you start falling down the rabbit hold of Japanese smiths and custom makers it's basically game over. Too many amazing knives and not enough time and money to try them all out. Then you start nerding out about different steels and there's no going back.
I've acquired quite the collection and really do love every single one, was even lucky enough to get my hands on a Tinker Tank recently. Although a Konosuke Fujiyama FM is proving exceptionally difficult to track down. I guess part of the fun is in the search, but I wouldn't complain if a Takamura Uchigumo Hana dropped itself off on my doorstep.
1. If you can afford it, the Zwilling/Henckles or Wustof forged knives made in Soligen with the traditional composite riveted handles are almost certainly your best choice. They work well, last forever and in my experience are guaranteed. I once lost track of my Wustof serrated knife. I found it a week later under the bottom oven element with the handle melted off. For $5 shipping, the store let me walk out with a brand new one. Your grand kids will be using them. I know, because I have a couple I inherited.
2. There are excellent Japanese knives. But the vast majority of Americans don't know how to use them or understand that they have different use cases than western knives. If you cook a lot and understand what you are getting, they are a great choice. But if you are buying them because you saw them on a cooking show or TikTok, you may be very disappointed.
3. The super vast majority of commercial kitchen knives are likely most similar to the Victorinox Swiss Classic, except possibly the steel. Most commercial kitchens do not use high-end knives. Instead, they use very utilitarian knives that are replaced 2-3 times per week by a knife service.
4. Wood handles look nice, but the only German forged knife I've had utterly fail was a 50 year old paring knife with wood handles. Sure, you could have the scales replaced or even send it back for replacement (if they still do this), but why? As the wood swells, it will be uncomfortable and unable to be properly sanitized long before it totally fails.
5. You should NEVER wash your knives in a dishwasher and you should never soak you knives in a sink. Yes, commercial kitchens do. But they aren't their knives and they aren't expected to last decades.
Henckels*, Wüsthof*
You can get the traditional chef knife version for the Zwilling Pro that doesn’t have the high tip.
Good call - best of both words. Sloped bolster and traditional blade profile
You left out the BEST PINCH GRIP KNIFE !!!! ZWILLING with the ANGLED BOLSTER .
I talk about Zwilling Pro and how it’s the best for the pinch grip at 7:31
I ended up kickstarting the Mizen, and it's a pretty good knife for the price I ended up paying. I still kept and use my previous one though, which was one of the very last Chicago Cutlery knives made in the US. The handle is cracked and the tip is worn down to a nubbin, but I'm a bit sentimental I guess. It still sharpens and does the job.
thank you ....
I liked this comparison but I’m surprised that other knives weren’t considered.
Low end
Cuisine art
Kitchen Aid
Sani-safe (Dexter Russel) it’s an industry standard for a reason
Higher end
Global
Rhineland Cutlery
Honestly whatever has the thinnest geometry is what I'll take. Rada is amazing for that, made in USA, and inexpensive.
There are many great kitchen knives. Opinions and preferences vary. It depends on what you want to do.
All that being said, Miyabi is always & should always be in the discussion for the top level knives.
Because they are.
I’ve used cold steel kitchen classics for over ten years great edge retention and super comfortable. Very affordable. Same steel as Henkel but for much less. I am a professional chef and stand behind cold steel products.
... same steel as Henckels* (Henkel = (cup/pot) handle in German)
New Missen with AUS-10 is clearly the best value. Been using Missen for years but the AUS-10 would make it perfect
Nice, informative video. I got one of the Misan knives and was generally impressed with it. My one complaint about it is that the edges of the spine of the blade just in front of the bolster were too sharp. I use a pinch grip and the sharp edge was very uncomfortable where it pressed against the base of my index finger while I was working with the knife. I had to use a metal file to round off the sharp edges a bit to make the knife more comfortable to use. I think they need to do a bit more finishing on this knife. Otherwise I think it is excellent for the price.
That’s a common issue and I totally agree with you. Lamson does a nice job smoothing out the spine on its Premier Forged knives.
Misen* knives
Wusthof is my favorite all around. The super gou yaxell is the one that should have been on the list and I don’t use it because it’s just way to nice lol 😂
Any yaxell except Mon should be on this list
... too* nice. But it's made for using, so do it. You would not own a horse just to keep it in the stable.
Bob Kramer fanboy here in carbon steel 52100.
I love my Wustof classic chef knife
As a pro, I'll keep the Forshner. They have served me well for decades. Professional knives are like cars, either they are workhorses or they are bragging rights, but usually not both at the same time.
Also, a shout-out to Mercer Knives, very cheap and dependable. Great for the newbies just starting out.
Excellent, although fast description and information. Great job! I have subscribed. I currently use a 30+ year-old Henckles 8" chef's knife. It's time to move on!
Thank you! All the info is in this article if you missed anything: prudentreviews.com/best-chefs-knife/
I have two (2) 8” chef knives. The first one is a ZWILLING 31701 knife purchased in the late 1970s or early 1980s, probably closest to the ZWILLING 4 star knife of today. I have always disliked that knife. For one thing, it never seems to hold its edge very well. A few years later I purchased a Chicago Cutlery chef knife, which i like much better and cost quite a bit less. I use the Chicago Cutlery knife, while my husband uses the ZWILLING knife.
Which of these does Global most resemble in performance? I love mine.
Global is unique with its steel handles, but I think the closest is the MAC MTH-80. Both are lightweight with shorter handles.
Love my Kramer Chef’s knife so far. Still getting used to it. It’s so pretty…. I still go to some older knives here and there but man I love it. I’ve got Shun, Whustoff, Enso, Henckels, Dalstrong etc so … variety… I still go to an old Costco Henckle set because I’m less worried about beating it up and it’s in the middle for a chef’s knife in almost all respects but a little soft. Would like to see enso on there though out of curiosity.
It’s funny how we tend to use our less expensive knives more often :)
@@PrudentReviews yup. I do that for many things. lol
I have an older 6” Kramer made before Shun took over. Sees constant use.
@@nyohaku I just got the paring knife for a good price. I’d love a utility or 6” chef too. It never ends.
$22 Mercer that I strop every few months has been a great buy for me.
Great value
What about the Victorinox Fibrox? I have that one and really like it.
It’s very similar to the Victorinox Swiss Classic. They tweaked the handle design slightly.
Love mine! They have thin, tough blades that make slicing easier, stay sharp, and are very easy to sharpen. They're not made to impress yuppy guests; they're made to get dinner on the table.
Sad to not see the Bob Kramer knife here. My absolute best knife in my kitchen!
It will be included in Part 2 for sure. Which one do you have?
I recently purchased 2 Meglio knives in CPM-MagnaCut steel and they are amazing. Dramatically better edge retention than European knives and equally better toughness than Japanese.
Any chance the big brands will switch steels?
I don’t have any insider info but this industry moves really slow so we’ll see.
I'm curious just based on edge retention, how much would it affect day to day usage/performance, to opt for a knife that has a better steel like rhe sandvik, vg10 or poweder steel in a home that cooks daily
Thanks for the video. You should have included the popular Mercer Genesis 8 inch . Very good knife for the price. I like the full bolster. Have you ever used this knife?
Great knife - I tested it a while back but gave it away, which is why I didn't include it. I should have included it with just the photos. Here's my review: prudentreviews.com/mercer-knives-review/
Thanks for the Mercer review link. I hope to buy one soon.
Nice review but I can't believe you don't have Miyabi in your collection. Best knife you can buy for price and you will have them forever.
I know you can’t review all knives. However I think the Henckel Classic Series is much better then the Solution knives you reviewed.
Bob Kramer is by far the best
Victorinox, fibrox pro. Cheap, durable, made for a working kitchen. I throw these in the dish washer daily. Sharpening/honing steel bring them back to life when needed.
How many of the other knives handle a home dishwasher?
I love MAC; my Dad had a classic MAC, so I'm biased. 😊
It’s an awesome knife 👏
Should've looked at MKC
Good video, though I wish you could have included the edge angle out of the box.
Thank you - appreciate the feedback
Have you ever done a review of high carbon vs stainless knives? I have a nogent knife from France which is the sharpest knife I have ever used.
Not yet, but that's a topic in the queue
I cannot confirm what you said about the Zwilling 4Star.
I am a professional Chef here in Germany and i got my 4Stars at the Age of 15 (1997) when starting Apprenticeship and still got them(the exact same Knives! most of them😅) and love them. Pinch Grip is not good for all Purposes.
Your Cutting Technique you show here many Times shows me that you are not professionally trained to do this daily, so your Opinion isnt that heavy to me 😅.
So that must be said because you insulted my loved 4Stars. 😉
I know some people love the four star. To me it feels unbalanced. But I get why people like it.
Interesting, and I can't wait to buy a new knife. BTW the Cangshan--pronunciation like 'songshahn.'
Which one are you thinking about getting?
Is that right? Cangshan pronounces it "Cang-shan" in all of their own youtube videos.
@@PrudentReviews I will probably start with the lower priced Victorinox. Budget. Ah, well, in modern Chinese transcription, there is no Chinese word CANG. It would be KANG if there is a K sound. So I don't know how the company pronounces its product or why it would be spelled that way on the product. For sure I don't know everything :)
Wusthof Classic is the only clear choice 😎
No Global?
Although you do emphasize that comfort is an individual thing, your bias toward handles with a small circumference is clear. I suspect you have smallish hands and/or shortish fingers. You refer to bigger handles as "bulky." You dislike the Zwilling Four Star for several reasons, but the "bulky" handle is clearly an important one. For me it's much more comfortable than either the Wustof classic or Zwilling pros, which are simply too small in circumference for a guy with large hands and/or long fingers. I hear you about the bolster and the blade-heavy balance. It seems almost impossible to find a knife that suits me in all the important ways. I'd like the Four Star handle with the Pro bolster and the the Professional S balance and blade profile. I'm surprised you didn't review the Mercer Renaissance, which is remarkably similar to the Wustof Classic (half bolster) for a fraction of the the price. Just like with the Wustof, the handle isn't ideal for me, but if I'm going to compromise, I don't want to pay Wustof prices.
thisss is valueeee
Thank you!!
Buy 3 return 2? How brilliant! That's why people buy things and complain about receiving the packages previously opened, and also part of the reason why knives and other merchandise is so costly.
Interesting. But it'd have been helpful if cost was mentioned as part of the spoken analysis.
You completely neglected Mercer Culinary. Guess they wouldn't pay you with an affiliate link. They have multiple lines from budget to forged at decent prices.
I’m a fan of Mercer but I have the knife away and (stupidly) didn’t capture video footage of it first. Here’s my review prudentreviews.com/mercer-knives-review/
why was Mercer knives not included in your pick they have the same german steel x50 cr mo v15 as wusthof and i feel that make a great knife they are all nsf certified, I gave away my 15050$ wusthof 8 in pro, Mercer makes a better product at a fraction of the cost 90% of culinary schools use mercer products for good reason
if you need to use knife everyday, don't use the knife HRC under 63, the sharpness retention doesnp't keep long,VG series is ok for some veg chopping job, but after 1-2 weeks working still need to sharpen again.😆
I've had two Dahlstrong that would bend and not spring back. Dahlstrongs are a joke.
I can't remember what was wrong with my Shun, but it was so bad I will never co sider another.
I think about $150 is the sweet spot for a very good knife. You can buy crap for that price,
but less than that, it won't be the functional art I like to reach for in the kitchen.
Oh, gyuto for just about everything
No Bob Kramer???
No Global, no Mercer?
….no Tojiro???
@@tedmccauley9319 Good addition, right.
Which one can cut a pumpkin? Show me. A chef's knife that has a warning on the packaging, forbidding any attempt to cut pumpkin - is a chef's knife that declares itself not of merchantable quality. Perhaps I should look for a chef's hatchet or machete?
The best is the most expensive.
No Gunter Wilhelm?
I never use knives to cook and to eat. I have two hands.
Dont care about the type of steel, I can sharpen any of my knives in a couple minutes. I have many very hard japanese knives and some fun cheap soft ones that I enjoy but sharpen more often but quicker……and hate western bolsters.
Cangshan 苍山 is pronounced as TS-ang Shan, not Kang Shan. just want to point that out.
What, no global knife? Geez!
It will be in part 2 for sure. I reviewed it over a year ago and gave it away. Here are my thoughts: prudentreviews.com/global-knives-review/
Carbon steel knives are unbelievably sharp, but you have to fuss about keeping them dry. I love mine but it can chip near cartilage or bone. The ultimate material if you mostly cut vegetables. Keep a sturdy knife nearby.
Wait! What? No Global?
Very dismissive of the Cutco knife. No test cutting and not displayed among the other knives.
The handle is comfortable for me and has served me well for more than a decade.
Most of these are pretty bad knives for the price, from highly marketed brands that get shilled a lot - Dalstrong especially is overpriced Chinese trash.
All the German branded knives tend to be way too heavy and use extremely outdated, cheap steels like X50CrMo14, which are finished too soft (~56HRC).
All of the integral Damascus blades shown in the video are mass-produced blade blanks welded onto mono-steel bolsters - try etching the bolster and you will quickly see a welding line.
For anything approaching and exceeding the $300 mark, just get a custom or small batch production knife with a stainless PM super steel (e.g. CPM MagnaCut, M390, Vanax) or a proper Japanese knife with great craftsmanship. Pay attention to edge grind and blade geometry, and check the choil.
On the cheap end of good knives just get a Tojiro DP.
Mercer and Dexter-Russell are comparable alternatives to Victorinox but at a much lower price point.
If you're really hurting for money get a Kiwi kitchen knife and maybe consider re-handling it later down the line.
Why didn't the stupid algorithm pick that shot of you holding a bunch of big knives as the thumbnail?
Where did you see that? That’s not the thumbnail
@@PrudentReviews No! My complaint is they DIDN'T use that shot.
@@lisaboban hmmm interesting - I may have to test that! :)
Why no Globals to this list?
Does anyone make a knife for left handed people
Most handles are symmetrical, but the D-Shaped ones (like Shun Classic) are more comfortable for righties
No Mercer.
Im a fan but I gave it away to a newsletter subscriber months ago so didn’t have it for the video. Here are my thoughts: prudentreviews.com/mercer-knives-review/
Balance is important to me, but you didn’t put anything about balance in the chart.
I agree - I mentioned it several times. What metric would you use to rate it?
@@PrudentReviews balance front to back + or - maybe. If it has a zero balance it’s perfect, but if it’s +1 it’s slightly blade heavy if it’s -4 it’s really heavy in the handle. 🤷🏻♂️
This is like… really bad.
If you’re looking for your first,
Shiro kamo, Tojiro, kyohei shindo, Munetoshi, Sakai Takayuki 33 layer. All better than these knives and the makers are successful enough they don’t have to pay influencers to lie about it. The handle doesn’t really matter if you use the proper grip and shouldn’t be the main reason you buy a knife- high end j-knives have replaceable handles so you can just stick whatever you want on it.
No Shun? No Miyabi? Pfft.
Maitre pronounced more like MET-ruh
That Keller knife is criminally overrated & overpriced. 😖
No Global? No Füri? No Sabatier? No Kitchen Devils? Why? Also Wüsthof is not pronounced "Woost-hof" it is pronounced "Veerst-hof". Try a little education before you post.
The video would be HOURS long if he included EVERY other knife that everybody else is whining about not being included. Who knows, he also may not have even been able to ACCESS all the brands to test and evaluate anyway.
Now, with all that said, how about you take your unproductive comment, *_go and get yourself some MANNERS, and create your own product review channel to 'educate' the rest of us._*
Thank you!
You missed the Bowie Chef by Mattia Borrani Cutlery! Americas first culinary blade shape and no review?? Not very prudent