When it comes to knives, one thing is for sure. That the Japanese chef knives are the best to use. It is made from high-quality metal and is sharp and durable.
However, when it comes to buying a Japanese chef knife, you need to know which one you should buy to get value for money. This is what this guide is all about. To make it easier we are giving you all the information needed to choose the best chef knives. These are also the reviews of the best japanese knives set.
Best Japanese Knives Set 2023
1. Shun Cutlery Premier 8” Chef’s Knife
The Shun Cutlery Premier 8 inch chef’s knife is one of the best Japanese knives on the market. If you don’t want the 8 inch knife, you can also choose the 6 inch knife. The quality is the same, but the length of the knife is different. With the 6 inch knife, the sharpener is included. There is the 10 inch chef’s knife if the 8 inch is too small.
The blade is made from stainless steel and is brown in color. The handle is a walnut color and the material is PakkaWood. It has a plain blade edge. The handle is comfortable to handle and the grip is preventing you from cutting your hand. The blade is razor-sharp and is perfect for dicing, slicing, and chopping any type of food.
The knives are handcrafted in Japan and it takes 100 steps to finish a knife from start to finish. The premier knife has intricately layered Damascus that looks rustic and sophisticated. It also ensures a stronger and sharper blade. It isn’t known if the knives are dishwasher safe or not.
Pros
- Different lengths available
- Layered Damascus
- Stainless steel
Cons
- Not dishwasher safe
2. Sakai Takayuki 45 Layer Damascus Wa Gyutou
Another great Japanese chef knife is the Sakai Takayuki 45 layer Damascus Wa Gyutou. This is a 9,4inch blade or 240mm blade. The blade is made from Alloy Steel. The handle is also made from Alloy Steel. The thing that is making this knife unique is the fact that it is lightweight and well-balanced.
The knives have 45 VG10 Damascus steel layers. Making the knife not only durable but razor sharp as well. The handle is known as a magnolia handle for comfort, durability, and protection against getting cut. The knife is also hand hammered and hand finished. Making this a beautiful knife, and not only a sharp chef’s knife. The knife weighs a total of 8 ounces
The color the knife’s handles are black and it has a smooth blade. The whole idea about this knife is to have a sharp, durable knife that is also looking great. A knife that is handmade from high quality material and that has a total of 45 layers.
Pros
- Light well-balanced
- Hand hammered knife
- 9,4inches
Cons
- Only one size is available
3. KYOKU Chef Knife – 8″- Shogun Series
The KYOKU chef knife is an 8 inch blade from the Shogun series. A great Japanese knife that is all about durability, sharpness, and quality. This isn’t just a normal Japanese knife. This is a knife made from a Japanese V10 steel core, and a hammered Damascus bladed knife.
It has a plain blade and is made from highly durable alloy steel. One thing that is essential to know about this knife is that it comes with a life-time warranty. The steel core contains cobalt for increased durability and easier sharpening of the blade. The blade is a 10 steel cutting core at 58 to 60 HRC. Ensuring long-term durability and sharpness.
Another important thing to know is that the blade consists of 67 layers of Damascus steel cladding. This is to protect the valuable VG10 steel. The knives are beautifully laminated and have wave patterns on the blade. The handle is an Ergonomic G10 handle that is highly impervious to heat and moisture. The G10 material feels like a strong fiberglass material. The knife is perfect for slicing, dicing, cutting, and mincing. Perfect for professionals and home cooks.
Pros
- Hammered Damascus blade
- For professionals and home cooks
- High quality material
Cons
- Only comes in one size
4. Global 8″ Chef’s Knife
The Global 8 inch chef’s knife is a Japanese chef knife that is designed to last. You can purchase the knife as is, or you can get it custom engraved. The brand of the knife is Global knives. The knife is 8 inches in length or also known as the 20cm knife. The color of the knife is silver, from the handle to the blades.
The material of the blade is made from Carbon and the handle is made from stainless steel. This is a plain blade edge knife. The knives are made for durability and to be as lightweights as possible. The edge of the blade retains razor sharpness for a long time. Sharpening can be done with a knife.
The handle is molded with stainless steel to ensure comfort and to ensure a safe grip when cutting. You are getting a lifetime warranty against defects and breakage. The edge of the knife is sharp to make cutting precisely easier. These knives are used by professionals and home cooks. It isn’t known if you should only hand washes the knife and if you can put it in a dishwasher without causing any damage.
Pros
- Multipurpose kitchen knife
- Lightweight and durable
- Professional or home cook
Cons
- Not dishwasher friendly
5. DALSTRONG Nakiri Knife
When you are choosing a DALSTRONG Nakiri knife, you can choose between a large variety of knives. From a boning knife to a Nakiri vegetable knife, or even a chef and fillet knife. The sizes of the blade vary between 6 inches to 10 inches. You can choose the perfect knife from DALSTRONG. This is also one of the cheaper types of Japanese chef knives that you can purchase on the market.
The blade is made from high carbon steel. This is steel that is actually known as AUS8 steel. With a black Spanish pekkawood handle. The edge of this knife is different from the rest. This is a hollow blade edge knife. Known as a powerhouse knife. This Japanese knife is known to be a statement knife. Unique in refinement, beauty, and purity.
The knives are sharp and stay sharp for a longer time than other knives. This is because of the carefully tempered blade. There is one thing that is making this knife different from other Japanese knives. It is forged from a single piece of ice-tempered steel at 58+ Rockwell hardness.
Pros
- Different sizes to choose from
- Aus8 high carbon steel blade
- Razor sharpness
Cons
- Hard to choose the right knife
What are the best Japanese knives?
What is a Japanese knife and why is this so different from other knives? A Japanese knife is made from a special material and is normally hand crafted. It can be used in the kitchen for food preparations. The knives can dice, peel, cut, slice, mince and carve. There are even some Japanese knives that can debone poultry and meat.
With Japanese knives, there are different makes, models, and sizes. Different sizes have different purposes. You also need to make sure that you are really purchasing a legitimate Japanese knife, before you just go purchasing the first knife you can find, telling you that this is a Japanese knife.
How to choose the best Japanese knives?
When you are choosing and buying your first Japanese knife, there are a couple of things that you need to know. Especially if you want to make sure that you are buying a high quality, and legit Japanese knife. These are everything you need to know about choosing the right knives.
Knowing the style you want
This is the first thing you need to consider when you are choosing the best Japanese knives. The style of the knife. Do you want to purchase a knife for vegetables, meat, or for deboning? Each knife has a different purpose and style. If you are looking for an all rounder, you should consider the Gyuto or a Santoku knife.
The material that the Japanese knife is made of.
Another important thing to consider is the material that the knife is made of. You need to consider the material of the blade and the handle. The stronger the material, the longer lasting the knife will be. Don’t settle for a cheaper knife that is made from cheap material and that won’t last very long.
The sharpness of the blade
If you are looking for a truly Japanese knife, you need to look at the sharpness of the knife. Japanese knives are extremely sharp and keep their sharpness for a longer time than other knives. Not only should you look at the sharpness of the blade, but also look if you can sharpen the blade if needed.
You should test the sharpness of the blade before you just purchase it. Especially, if you are looking for a sharp knife. If the knife isn’t sharp, it isn’t a real Japanese chef’s knife.
The type of blade
You can get different types of blades when it comes to a Japanese knife. And, you should make sure that you know what type of blade you want. Different types of blades have different purposes. And, normally the plain knife blade is sharper than the serrated knives.
The plain knife blades are also easier to sharpen after a couple of months. If you are unsure about which blade you should purchase, you need to do research beforehand. To ensure that you know that you won’t waste money in purchasing something you don’t want.
Maintaining and washing the knife
Another important thing you need to consider before you are buying your Japanese knife, is how easy it is to maintain the knife and how to wash the knife. Most people prefer buying knives and cutlery that is dishwasher safe. If you can’t use the dishwasher for your delicate knives, you might end up damaging the knives.
However, if you want to use the dishwasher, you need to look at the package to see if the knife can be put in the washer or not. If you don’t know, we recommend that you rather hand wash your knives.
Handle and grip of the knife
The last thing you need to consider before buying your Japanese chef’s knife is to make sure about the handle and grip. The handle needs to be made from a high-quality material that will ensure durability and comfort. You should not consider buying a knife that will slide in your hands while using it. This can cause serious cutting and damage done to your hands.
Any high quality knife with quality blades will have a quality handle that is durable and long-lasting.
Conclusion
When buying a Japanese chef’s knife, you need to make sure that you are aware of all the features of a Japanese knife. This is a very sharp knife, mostly hand crafted and made from durable material. And, this is something you need to make sure about before you just go and purchase the first knife you can find.
When it comes to Japanese knives, you will see that these knives are more expensive than other knives. This is mostly because it is more durable and higher in quality. With spending more money, you will be able to get the highest quality knives for your home. Even if you are a professional chef.
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