Santoku knives are the Japanese equivalent of the Western chef’s knife. I’ve written before about the best way to find your next Chef’s knife and why a chef’s knife and a paring are really the only two essential knives in your kitchen. Since then, I’ve used several Santoku knives and have come to love their lightweight, versatile nature. So now I’m here to say that if you don’t need 10 inches of blade and 7 inches or less is enough for you, you might want to give some serious thought to this sharp upgrade. And to help, I’ve put together some of the top-rated Santoku knives you can find on Amazon.
With an ergonomic handle and textured finger points for slip-resistance, this will become your workhorse knife. It’s made from a single piece of high-carbon, stain-resistant Japanese steel.
The fully-forged construction of this German steel knife means you get a durable blade and a seamless transition to the handle. It’s dishwasher safe and honed to stay sharp longer.
Victorinox, maker of the Swiss Army Knife, knows how to do knives and has an extensive line of kitchen cutlery. And in the Fibrox Santoku they’ve really instilled an extremely lightweight take on the everyday knife that slices things with ease and has become my partner’s favorite. It’s got a 4.6-star average rating from more than 800 reviewers and its Granton edge is designed to keep food from sticking to it (and actually does). The non-slip grip will stay firmly in your grasp even if it’s covered in water.
The most affordable option on this list is made from German high carbon stainless steel and resists rust (though you should still dry it after washing it). Fifty reviewers leave it a 4.6-star average rating. The pakkawood handle is designed for comfortable handling and its styled pattern gives you an aesthetic to match your own and elevate your kitchen a bit.
More significant in weight than the Fibrox, the rosewood handle and forged steel design of this Santoku really appealed to me. I find it much lighter than a chef’s knife and so objectively still felt like I was barely holding anything. And yet, its fluted edge and study build left me feeling more confident as I cut. Not to mention, this knife is gorgeous and a lot of fun to hold through an hour or so of workday evening cooking.
DALSTRONG gets real serious about its cutlery and that’s certainly true for this Santoku knife, the top-selling Santoku on Amazon. The super hard Japanese steel is comprised of 67 layers of high carbon stainless steel and the forged build means extra precision in your hand. With a 4.5-star average rating from more than 550 reviewers, your cutting board will find itself in good company.
I’m a huge fan of Sasaki’s paring knife so can only presume its Santoku knife is likewise a great choice. Helping me is a 4.6-star average rating from nearly 100 reviewers. Sixty-seven layers of Japanese AUS-10 Stainless Steel makes up the blade and Sasaki added into the steel molybdenum and vanadium to help resist wear and maintain a sharp edge. Further assisting in that department is a sheath specifically built for the Santoku that’s included.
It would be hard to talk Santoku without mentioning Shun. But they’re also giving us a second reason to ramble about them: They’re offering a highly-rated blade that’s 5.5 inches long rather than seven. And that tempts me even further. After all, I rarely need lots of length when I’m cooking at home. Even when I spread out a bunch of parsley or kale, I’m usually pushing it together to help me chop it up. Shun makes it own steel with chromium to enhance its durability and resist corrosion and wear. And besides that, the brand itself is a classic choice for knives.
Another classic cutlery brand, Wusthof brings us a top-rated Santoku that’s even shorter. The 5-inch blade here is forged and triple riveted for extra precise handling. More than 150 reviewers left it with a 4.8-star average rating, a fairly uncommon average. Dishwasher-safe and also boasting high carbon stainless steel, you’ve got a really charming and low-profile knife for lightweight use however you need it.
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