The Best Chef’s Knife (2024), Reviewed by Our Experts

One thing’s for certain: A good chef’s knife is one of the most indispensable kitchen tools there is for beginners and professional chefs alike, right up there with a trusty skillet and a durable cutting board. But which chef’s knife is the best chef’s knife? That’s not so clear-cut. The truth is, the quest for the best chef’s knife can be a highly personal one. There are a million things to consider, from shape, size, and material of the blade and handle (do you prefer a Japanese- or Western-style knife? A sword-like 12-incher or a petite 6-inch blade?) to price point (are you willing to drop hundreds on the right model, or are you after a budget blade, even if you’ll need to replace it after a few years?) This is a tool you’ll use practically every time you cook, whether you’re mincing garlic and dicing veggies for your weekly meal prep, or carving a chicken at your next dinner party—so you’ll want to think carefully about which one you choose.

• Top tested chef’s knife: Mac Professional Hollow Edge 8-Inch Chef’s Knife, $144 on Amazon
• BA Test Kitchen's favorite chef's knife: Global Classic Chef’s Knife, $100 on Amazon
• The pro ‘s favorite chef’s knife: Moritaka 8.25" Aogami Super Carbon Steel Gyuto, $240 at Cutlery and More
• A great budget option: Victorinox Swiss Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $61 on Amazon

If this all sounds overwhelming, don’t worry—we’re here to help you make sense of the infinitely vast world of chef’s knives. If you’re looking to start your knife shopping journey here, we’ve got recommendations for great knives at a range of price points from three different types of industry pros. Want to do a bit of research on your own and find that just-for-you knife? We’ll also equip you with the knowledge you need to set forth and seek out the knife that best suits your personal preferences.

This knife from Japanese brand Mac checked all of the boxes in our sister brand Epicurious’s in-depth product test: It’s sharp enough to glide through food and produce paper-thin slices, lightweight enough to allow for nimble movements, and comfortable enough for you to make your way through a mountain of onions without your hand cramping up. It’s also extremely well priced considering its high quality—take good care of a Mac knife and it’ll last you for years to come.

This is a hybrid style knife, which means it combines the best qualities of both Western and Japanese chef’s knives: Its blade shape sits somewhere between the rounded edge of a Western-style model and the more straight-sided blade of a Japanese one, and its material makeup strikes a balance between the more durable type of steel typical of a Western-style knife and the sharper, more brittle steel used in Japanese knives. The result? A knife that’s highly versatile and at once super-sharp and less likely to chip. With a 50/50 double bevel (meaning both sides are sharpened to the same angle), this knife is also relatively easy to maintain.

Pat Alfiero of Philly butcher counter, sandwich shop, and restaurant Heavy Metal Sausage Co. uses a custom-made knife nowadays (more on his top picks below), but he’s owned Mac knives in the past and is a fellow fan of the brand. While he tends to opt for styles with a smooth surfaced-blade, you’ll notice that the one we’re recommending here based on our testing has dimples running along each side. These are what make it a “hollow” or “Granton” edged knife, and they’re there to help prevent whatever you’re slicing from sticking to the blade.

One thing to note about the Mac chef’s knife is that its relatively high carbon composition makes it more prone to rusting and discoloration. This means you’ll want to dry it especially thoroughly after hand washing.

NOTE: To read more about the testing process that went into this selection, along with the other knives we tested from brands like Zwilling, Victorinox, Miyabi, Shun, Wusthof Classic, and Mercer, head over to The Best Chef’s Knife, Tested and Reviewed on Epicurious.

Blade Length: 7.88 inches
Weight: 6.5 ounces
Material: Stainless steel with black Pakka wood handle
Style: Hybrid, double-bevel

“After years of cooking with a set of multicolored Ikea knives of questionable quality, I got my first real-deal chef's knife, made by Global, from my uncle for college graduation—the result of him having seen Anthony Bourdain cook with a similar model on TV,” says associate food editor Kendra Vaculin. She has since built out a full-fledged Global knife set, and their Classic Chef’s Knife remains her top category pick. “I love how malleable Global knives feel in my hand despite their size,” she says. That balanced malleability is due to the fact that, instead of a full tang (a blade that runs the full length of the hand), the knife’s hollow ergonomic handle is filled with just enough sand to perfectly offset the weight of the knife blade. While it’s technically heavier than the Mac, the Global knife feels lighter because of that perfectly balanced weight distribution. “It feels like an extension of my arm—in a good way, not a super villain way—and has made everything from weeknight dinners to big dinner parties easier to tackle,” says Vaculin.

It’s worth noting this knife also earned top marks in Epicurious’s testing, ranking on par with the Mac—and it rings in cheaper, too. Unlike the Mac, the steel blend of the Global’s blade is relatively resistant to rusting and staining. If you want a quality knife that offers supreme stability while cutting and the ability to make super thin, delicate slices, this is the one for you.

Blade Length: 8 inches
Weight: 7.8 ounces
Material: Stainless steel
Style: Hybrid, double-bevel

Pat Alfiero of Heavy Metal Sausage Co. is very particular about his knives—that’s why he now uses custom knives made in Philly by knife maker Steve Pellegrino. If you’re serious—and I mean very serious—about knives and want to make a significant investment to get the high-end knife of your dreams, know that the custom route is always an option, though prices over $1000 are not out of the question. For most home cooks, opting for a high-quality ready-made knife is the way to go.

So we wanted to know what Alfiero used prior to going custom. His chef’s knife of choice for eight years running was from Moritaka Cutlery—a Japanese brand that’s been around for over 700 years (!). For Alfiero, versatility is key when it comes to chef’s knives: “Most of the kitchens I've worked in are short on space, so I try to find something that can be a slicer and a prep workhorse just to cut down on the amount of knives I need.” Other features he looks for are “aggressive pointed tips” (which he does admit to inevitably breaking at one point or another), simple octagonal Japanese-style handles, and a decent amount of heft that’s balanced right where the blade meets the handle. “When I have a light knife, I feel like I have to smash through things,” he says. “If it’s heavier I feel like I can just let the knife do it.”

Moritaka knives check all of Alfiero’s boxes and then some. He notes that they’re particularly easy to sharpen because of their 50/50 grind and large bevels—i.e., because the blade is sharpened at the same angle on both sides and the bevel’s degree is a rather large one, it’s a cinch to figure out the right angle at which to sharpen each side whenever your blade starts to dull.

“They are carbon steel,” notes Alfiero, “so they do need a little bit more care.” Like the Mac knife, you’ll want to fully dry a Moritaka before putting it away to prevent corrosion. Alfiero also cautions against stashing these knives in a drawer with, say, spoons fresh out of the dishwasher—any residual water may turn into steam, creating a humid environment that may discolor the knife’s carbon steel blade.

Blade Length: 8.25 inches
Weight: 5.6 ounces
Material: Hand-forged Aogami Super blue steel
Style: Hybrid, double-bevel

Also called German-style knives, these are double-beveled (meaning both sides are angled inward, meeting at the blade’s edge) and originated in Western Europe. German knives’ curved blades lend themselves to a rocking motion in which the tip of the blade does not leave the cutting board. The blades are also typically thicker than those of Japanese knives, and most are beveled at the same angle on both sides, which makes them easier to sharpen. That’s particularly advantageous because these knives are typically made of a softer steel than their Japanese counterparts, which makes them less brittle and more durable—but also means you’ll need to sharpen them more often. They also tend to be more heavy duty, which some people think makes them feel more stable, but is really a point of personal preference.

Traditional Japanese knives are mostly single bevel (one side is straight while the other is angled), feature thin blades made of carbon steel, and are often used by professional restaurant chefs. They’re ideal for people who value sharpness and precision due to their lightweight nature and hard blades, which hold their edge for longer and require less frequent sharpening. The straighter shape of that edge means these knives lend themselves to an up-and-down slicing motion rather than the rocking technique you’d use with a Western-style knife.

Then there are Western-style Japanese knives like the ones featured here: These are double bevel, made of a more durable steel that’s simpler to maintain, and versatile. Some hybrid knives, though not the ones featured here, have asymmetrical edges, sharpened to two different angles, which contributes to the sharp blade. Two common shapes in the U.S. are the gyuto (which means “beef sword”) and the shorter santoku knife.

Alfiero likes and uses both single and double bevels, but his chef’s knives, paring knives, and butchering knives are all 50:50. “It’s just easier to maintain and sharpen,” he says. He also notes that it can be harder to learn to cut straight with a single bevel, particularly for vegetables: “You always have that angle pushing you backwards. Your knife kind of wants to go with that big hard bevel, so I prefer 50:50 for that stuff.”

Once you’ve found your perfect chef’s knife, show it the respect worthy of a prized kitchen tool. You can get your knives professionally sharpened, of course, but we’re of the opinion that you should only do so once a year, max—think of a professional sharpening as a haircut, whereas sharpening at home is more of a trim. A professional sharpener will remove more steel from the cutting edge than you would at home, which can affect the longevity of your knife. What tools do you need to maintain that new knife’s sharp edge at home, you might ask? Two things: A honing rod and a knife sharpener. And no, they are not interchangeable.

A honing rod is used to keep an already-sharp knife in tip top shape by aligning the existing edge of your blade. Step right this way for more about honing rods.

A knife sharpener—ideally a whetstone—is used to remove some of the blade’s steel through friction to create a new, sharper cutting edge.

Looking to brush up on your knife skills? Head right this way. And if you’re looking to expand your kitchen knife collection even further, check out our favorite nakiri knives and bread knife.