Chef's Knives, Inexpensive
Our test kitchen is stocked with premium knives that cost $100 or more. These knives are pretty good—and for that price, they ought to be. But could we find a decent knife for less than $50? To find out, we rounded up nine 8-inch chef’s knives (the best size for most cooks) and headed into the test kitchen.
STRENGTH MATTERS
Just because a knife is cheap doesn’t mean that it should feel cheap. When we cut butternut squash in half, some of our test knives felt dangerously flimsy. Others managed this task but cut crookedly as the blade bent. A few knives completed this task without a hitch and immediately soared to the top of the ratings.
ROUNDED IS RIGHT
We chopped onions and minced parsley with all nine knives. These tasks were much easier to perform if the cutting edge was curved rather than perfectly straight. Try this test to understand why: Start with the knife tilted up on its tip, with the heart of the blade sitting on the food to be cut. From there, slide the knife forward while lowering the handle until the knife sits flat on the cutting board. If the edge is rounded, the knife almost “rocks” back to the starting position when you lift it; a flat blade falls to the board with a rhythm-breaking thump and doesn’t “rock” back up.
BALANCE IS KEY
Some say a heavy blade does some of the work for you. We think a heavy blade is awkward. A handle-heavy knife is no better and can quickly tire your elbow and wrist. The weight should be equally balanced between the handle and blade.
SHARPER IS BETTER
All of the knives started out sharp enough to slice a ripe tomato. At the end of testing, the same could not be said for several knives. Our recommended knives remained sharp throughout our tests.
A SURE GRIP IS SAFER
Smooth, polished handles became dangerously slick when we tried cutting up a chicken, but textured handles helped us keep a good grip, even when our hands were greasy. Blades on some knives were so narrow that our testers’ knuckles kept crashing into the cutting board. At the store, hold the knife in your hand. If the handle is too smooth or if there doesn’t seem to be enough clearance room for your knuckles, move on to another knife.
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EQUIPMENT
Chef's Knives -
EQUIPMENT
Flexible Cutting Mats
- Good:
- ★★★
- Fair:
- ★★
- Poor:
- ★
- N/A:
- ----
| Product Tested | Performance | Comfort | Price* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highly Recommended | ||||
 |
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: FlexibleThe nonslip grip and narrow, straight blade let testers remove the smallest bones with precision and complete comfort. Perfectly balanced with enough flexibility to maneuver around tight joints. The low price was a bonus. |
★★★ | ★★★ | $19.95 |
| Recommended | ||||
 |
Wüsthof Classic Boning KnifeHefty in weight, this knife was a solid performer when removing poultry bones, and the handle was easy to grip, even when covered in chicken fat. Piercing silver skin was a challenge since the tip wasn’t sharp enough and the long narrow blade produced slightly jagged cuts. |
★★ | ★★★ | $99.95 |
| Recommended with Reservations | ||||
 |
Mundial Boning Knife: FlexibleThe sharp tip performed well when removing silver skin, but it was too flexible when maneuvering around poultry joints, leaving testers feeling a lack of control. The heavy handle was slightly unbalanced and became slippery once covered in poultry fat. |
★★ | ★★ | $19.95 |
| Not Recommended | ||||
 |
Shun Gokujo Filet KnifeDesigned to replicate a samurai blade, this expensive knife was a disappointment. It struggled to pierce the silver skin, although long cuts were smooth and even. Minimal flexibility and extreme curve got in the way when maneuvering around joints. The smooth handle was hard to grip and slippery. |
★★ | ★ | $179.95 |
 |
MAC Boning Knife—Chef SeriesThe large, cumbersome handle reminded testers of an outdoors knife for fishing and hunting. The blade was too wide to maneuver around joints and it struggled to pierce silver skin. Unlike other knives, this boning knife could only slice in one direction, making intricate cuts around joints difficult. |
★ | ★★ | $34.95 |
 |
Messermeister San Moritz Elite Flexible Boning KnifeThe blade was so flexible it led to erratic cuttings; testers said the knife was hard to control. The blade was not sturdy enough to maneuver around joints and the lightweight handle felt flimsy and unbalanced. |
★ | ★ | $53.60 |
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