(Part 2) Best santoku knives according to redditors

> Are Wüsthof and J.A. Henckels much better than the Victorinox knives?

They mostly (if not always) use the same steel. Wüsthof and Henckels take it to a slightly higher hardness, but the main gains are, if you prefer them, a thicker forged blade, a full-length bolster all the way to the heel (at least for many models), and a full-tang handle with riveted grip slabs.

> Are there any obscure Japanese knifemakers I should know of that make exceptional Santoku knives?

There are many, but they tend to have exceptional price tags to match. One very nice santoku: https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Hayate-ZDP-189-Stainless-Santoku/dp/B00BCOXWDK/

Well-known Japanese makers make quite good santoku knives at a reasonable price. For example:

If you want a Western-style handle: https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Santoku-6-7-17cm/dp/B000UAPQEA

If you want a Japanese-style handle: https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-Finished-Shiro-ko-Kasumi-Santoku/dp/B000UAQORS/

A little bit more expensive, but better steel: https://www.amazon.com/Santoku-All-Purpose-Kitchen-Aogami-Kurouchi/dp/B014H28508/

A little bit bigger: https://www.amazon.com/Santoku-Kitchen-Aogami-Kurouchi-Double/dp/B019ESUG34/

I'm a huge Kenji fan myself. I've cooked nearly half of the Food Lab book, and dozens of his recipes from the website, great stuff!

My thoughts on gifts

Lavatools PT12 Javelin

A Nice carbon steel wok

A good Dutch Oven

A torch for searing, or Creme Brulee

An awesome knife

Another awesome, but cheaper and well rounded knife

The list could go on, and on, and on....just some thoughts though.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Forschner-Fibrox-Chefs-Knives/dp/B008NDY7KA

Probably

Any 8" french chef knife with decent steel and a comfortable handle (for your hands) will be a prep cook's workhorse.

I addition to the Global edit in my original post, I looked at a couple knives in The Food Lab: These Are My Knives.

The only one I could really compare was the Misano UX-10 18cm: 155.19 USD and 13,273 JPY (117.16 USD)

TK Maxx do some great knives. We got Taylor's Eye Witness ones and a Cordon Bleu one. The ones with ridges on the sides are great.

Le Cordon Bleu P500142 Large Santoku Knife, 170 mm, Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GFVYMLG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MJg5CbS5EJX66

>Oh seriously? It's really quite a lot of fun to slice, slash and squish things with knives. Like anything the more you do it the better and faster you get at it (ignoring the possible smutty jokes).

A good knife anyway.

And good knives don't need to be expensive if you take care of them. I bought the knife below from Amazon, it was basically a knife-changing experience.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013KZDYJ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's amazing how much a good knife makes cooking much easier and enjoyable.

I got this knife for myself while I was employed as a cook at a local vegan restaurant. My first "real" kitchen knife! Of course I am the way I am and needed to personalize it for my own use, so I sanded and refinished the handle, had my friend scribble a little bit on the saya before it was coated with polyurethane. Then I lost the plastic saya pin, and crafted a replacement out of a chunk of black locust tree. The thin string is spyderwire braided super line used for fishing, and the sageo rope is just a piece of synthetic silk. The blade used to be less refined, but many many sharpenings and use of small natural stones have brought it to a nice finish.

Yoshihiro Mizu Yaki Aogami Super Blue High Carbon Steel Kurouchi Santoku Chef’s Knife (7'' (180mm) & No Saya) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006DNK93Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_f5T-BbBTZCW96

https://imgur.com/gallery/amTH5t1

https://imgur.com/gallery/yN3lsj1

Thanks for looking.

*edit the knife is apparently 180mm not 185mm

There are different levels of quality. There are Henckels that cost more than a Wusthof.

If I were going to buy 1 knife and 1 knife only, I'd probably go with a santoku like:
http://www.amazon.com/Zwilling-J-Henckels-7-Inch-Santoku/dp/B0000DDVFV/ref=sr_1_15?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1318273256&sr=1-15

or
http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-7-Inch-Hollow-Ground-Santoku/dp/B0001WVZ10/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1318273369&sr=1-5


For the most part, more expensive means the steel is going to be higher quality. It'll keep the edge longer and resist wear/tear better. But there are a lot of factors.

If you have a Bed Bath & Beyond nearby, go there and ask to talk to someone in the kitchen area. They will get knives out and let you hold them and tell you about them. You can see what styles you like and maybe even find the knife you want. If you want spend less, go home and order that particular knife or set off amazon ;-)

Alright, so this one thats a little over 80 dollars with shipping or am I wrong?

The steel in the victorinox is definitely softer. Here's my current suggestions for people thinking about buying cheaper knives.

(Copy and pasted from something I've posted before, but with some updates)


TL;DR: In the category of budget knives. For longer lasting edges, Tojiro DP Santoku or Gyuto for $43 and $52 (now $62) respectively, or the Augymer for $30. For easier maintenance, Kai 6720C or Henckels Forged Synergy for $32 and $35, respectively.



As a caveat, budget knives of all sorts are not going to have the fit and finish of higher priced knives. For Knives that are easy to obtain lump you into two categories that have pros and cons, German hardness and Japanese hardness. Which is mainly a trade off between sharpness/edge holding vs durability/ease of maintenance. Although you can sharpen really soft metals to be stupid sharp and a really acute angle, it will not last long at all. But when the edge gets rolled over from a cutting session, it can be easily honed back into place. Harder knives can still be honed back into place, but techniques and tools are slightly different--I would never touch my harder knives with a grooved steel.

German hardness is usually around 56-58 hrc. Hard enough to hold an edge for a bit, but soft enough to not chip and easily steel/hone back into place.

The Victorinox Fibrox at about 55 hrc used to be suggested all the time when it was $20 and even when it was about $35. But now that it is $40-45, that's just too much for what is a very cheap knife.

A couple knives still in this range, which are better quality than the fibrox anyway are:

Kai 6720C Wasabi Black Chef's Knife, 8-Inch at 57-58 hrc for $32

https://www.amazon.com/Kai-6720C-Wasabi-Black-8-Inch/dp/B000YL4NY4


So this one is actually made with Japanese steel by the same company that makes Shun. But, because it's hardened to only 57-58 hrc, I'm lumping it in with the german steel category.

and The Henckels International Forged Synergy 8-inch Chef's Knife at about 57-58 hrc for $32

http://www.amazon.com/HENCKELS-INTERNATIONAL-Forged-Synergy-8-inch/dp/B000FMVS4A

Henckels International (not regular Henckels) used to be really bad because they made their knives to 53-55 hrc, which is way too soft to hold an edge to get through a cooking session without nearly constant honing. I've heard their international classics are still being made w/ the crappy steel.


So your choice between these two are having that big bolster (which I'm not a fan of) and general aesthetic.

Japanese hardness is usually at least 59 hrc, with a good chunk in the 60-62 range. This means potentially better, longer lasting cutting performance between honing/sharpening. The tradeoff is that it becomes more difficult to get to this stage without specialty tools or sending it to a professional sharpener. At this point I personally don't even consider knives under 59 hrc, unless it's something that really takes a beating.

For the cheapest price point, while still having quality. I would really only recommend the Tojiro DP at 60-61 hrc. It used to be about double the prices, but the grinds also used to be more even. Either way, it's still a great buy.

The chef/gyuto is $52 (now $62 hopefully it'll come back down soon)

http://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS/

And the Santoku is $43

http://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Santoku-6-7-17cm/dp/B000UAPQEA/

So the main difference here is whatever knife shape you prefer (and the price). I've gotten some cheaper harder steel knives, but I've had to do way too much touching up to be recommended.

There's also the Augymer 8" "Damascus" for $30 allegedly hardened to 62 hrc:

https://www.amazon.com/Augymer-Japanese-Professional-Stainless-Sharp-Damascus/dp/B01H6KWUWC/

I'd be really afraid of fit and finish problems, and generally lower tolerances throughout the process of making this knife. You can even see the uneven grind on the Amazon page. I'd also assume that the hardness is a tad lower than specified (maybe 60 hrc), but it should still be a pretty good knife if you want to pinch your pennies. This could be a great knife with some TLC, especially if you send it to someone who knows what they're doing.

This is rad, thanks for putting it together!

One thing I'd like to say is that I personally prefer lighter knives. Bought this Misono in Japan and couldn't be happier. The santoku knives tend to be a touch smaller and a lot lighter in my experience, but the caveat is that you need to get used to sharpening them in their assymetric way. I have chronic wrist problems (tentonitis/carpal tunnel) so repetitive motions with heavy utensils can be a challenge.

My house has about a dozen cast-iron pans (mostly pre-WW2 griswolds), but I spend most of my time on a good ol' Lodge and a ceramic-coated cast iron dutch oven (le cruset-style,but kirkland brand). The cast irons are also great for baking pizzas in! They're all a bit heavy for me, but I think the advantages of them more than make up for it.

I personally would not recommend a set because they always have something you don't need and won't use. I have somewhere around 20 different kitchen knives. These are the ones that get the most use:

• DUE BUOI Knives carving knife
  
• Cold Steel serrated utility knife
  
• Wustof Santoku
  
• Victorinox serrated paring knife (I have 8 of these. Use them instead of steak knives).
  
  ​

I haven't used this particular one but knives of this type of construction are generally pretty good for what they are. Rough around the edges (literally) but thin and hard and functional. Initial edge may or may not be very sharp but it'll have to be sharpened eventually anyway. Stainless steel blade and pakka wood handle is probably better than the more "traditional" reactive steel and wood handle for the average first-timer.

I definitely recommend these Nuvita Knives

I bought these beauties when I moved and they're a decent price, but stay super sharp and cut well. I cook lots and you can never have too many knives in my opinion.


As for my add on, there's a couple that I'd really like getting, but pick one and surprise me.

I have my favorite gel eyeliner on there (The Maybelline Drama Gel Eyeliner) and I'm running low on it.

Also, I have the Knock Knock Mental Notes on there, which would be great because I've been stressed and I get scatterbrained when I'm stressed.

>This well regarded budget knife is at its lowest price right now on Amazon. Normally between $42-$55.
>
>Link: Victorinox 10 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife
>
>Edit: Another discount atm is the 7" Santoku Knife by Global - $80 from $125

The knife you linked is a great allround shape which can be used for almost everything youd need, and those plastic grips are very comfortable in use but i find them to be a bit too lightweight for my personal preference. I personally like knives with this kiritsuke shape or this santoku shape because they allow me to scoop and chop better than a regular chefs knife.

Maybe some of these might interest you.

1

2

3

4

The [Forschner](Victorinox Forschner Fibrox 8" Chef's Knives with Blade Guard Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NDY7KA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_H01AxbX5R48ZS) it's currently out of stock but it's a great knife.

Global isnt bad or yaxell. I also got a lot of victorinox knifes bit i dont know if they have santoku..

http://www.amazon.com/Global-G-46-inch-Santoku-Knife/dp/B0006A03QA

A Japanese style Santoku like this Mercer? Or a set of Forschners.

What do you consider inexpensive? Budget?

This is my favorite that I have, which isn't the most expensive one I have, but still my favorite. Probably more than you want to spend though?

Santoku

I use this everyday. I keep it like a razor.

I just used it tonight to carve my roasted chicken.

It's got a nice grip and good clearance on the handle. And a full tang.

Your link is an Amazon referral link, which is automatically blocked by reddit. Change it to "https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EHV1BCI/ref=asc_df_B01EHV1BCI5255836" and I'll approve this post. If you reply to this comment once done I can respond quicker.

Hi. I was going to pick up a Wusthof Ikon when a buddy of mine told me that the Victorinox Fibrox was gonna be almost as good for 1/4th the price. After doing some more research, I saw a lot of people preaching the superiority of Japanese knives in that price range. Rather than settle for the Fibrox, I decided to keep my original budget but look for a better knife. After reading the wiki, I settled on the Masakage Yuki Gyuto 240mm, which the guide said was $180.

Unfortunately, the Masakage Yuki Gyuto has gone up in price quite considerably since that guide was written. At $260, it's no longer in my budget, and I'm wondering if it's even worth that much (compared to other knives in that range). So I thought I'd post here and look for further input.

1. I'm not experienced in either style, but I like the Japanese aesthetic. I'm definitely more used to Western handles though.
   
2. Any
   
3. D-Shaped or Round preferred
   
4. Either
   
5. 180mm to 240mm max
   
6. All-purpose, entry level (or slightly above entry level) knife. Gyutos seem to fit that bill, much like the Western "Cook's" or "Chef" knife.
   
7. Honing
   
8. $120 - $200
   
   Since reconsidering the Masakage, I've been looking at these options:
   
   Tojiro DP (https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UANWIC)
   
   Gesshin Stainless (https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/products/gesshin-240mm-stainless-gyuto)
   
   Something by Yoshihiro, I like this Santoku but it doesn't seem as "all-purpose" as a Gyuto (https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Aogami-Carbon-Kurouchi-Santoku/dp/B006DNK93Q)
   
   Another by Yoshihiro, in my price range (https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Layer-Hammered-Damascus-Japanese/dp/B00D6DVTM6)
   
   ​
   
   I also have no idea where to start with purchasing a honing rod. Building a computer was actually easier than this, haha.
   
   Thanks! Your input is really appreciated!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075R4HNYQ/

This is the one, reasonably priced I think.

A sharp knife makes everything easier. But unless you are trying to process enormous quantities of food, an 8” chef’s knife is overkill. It it hard to be precise with that kind of overhang.

My 5” Santoku knife from Wusthof was a revelation. Light, nimble, and very sharp.

Then, a tiny ceramic paring knife, with an incredible edge and pointed for deconstructing fresh tomatoes. Cheap, precise, and expendable.

The few times that you need a bigger knife are easily handled by the stamped steel offerings of Victorinex Fibrov . They routinely beat out more expensive knives in consumer tests.

One of the best things to do is to find a way to test how the knives feel in your hand before you make any other decisions.

Go to local stores and try them out.

Whatever you buy you'll need some way of keeping them sharp. You can pay to have them sharpened, you can get a mechanical/electric knife sharpener or one of those V things. I recommend getting roughly a 1000 grit sharpener, maybe get one of those double sided ones with 1000/2000 or 1000/8000, or probably better ~200-500/1000

If someone gives you a priceless knife you don't want to use an electric knife sharpener, but 10 times out of 10, a sharp knife cheap knife is better than a dull 200EUR knife.

There are also knife sharpening systems which I personally like. https://www.knifeworks.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/k/n/knifework-kmekfd.jpg

Sadly it's very difficult to tell how good, for instance, a kitchenaid santoku knife is compared to one knife from another brand, to one of the more expensive knives from that second brand.

In the end there's little to go on more than a company's reputation, and even that you have to be careful about because of cost cutting.

Here's

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Asian-Collection-Santoku/dp/B001EN6D62/

Mercer's a brand that has a run of the mill reputation and good prices.

If you're looking for a set with matching handles it may be hard to find an asian round wood style bread knife

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Renaissance-7-Inch-Santoku/dp/B002AH0LEG

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-7-Inch-Santoku/dp/B000IBVD4I

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-8-Inch-Forged/dp/B000IBQN5C

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Cutlery-Genesis-8-Inch-Carving/dp/B000IBU9JI

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis%C2%AE-Utility-No-stain/dp/B01B3NLDNU/

Some cheap asian brands you might look for

Winco

Kiwi

I can't find the maker of the cheap beech wood handled knives made in japans on amazon.

You might try getting a ceramic santoku if you don't mind being very careful with it. You don't need a razor sharp bread knife, and you'd probably use the santoku more than the utility knife. The tradeoff with ceramic knives is that they're very fragile, and they seem to be pretty unpopular, but you don't worry about sharpening them. If you go with that route, go with a knife that's got great reviews and a good return policy, and one that's not too expensive. If, after a year or five it's not cutting tomatoes well there's not a lot to do other than replace it.

Just find a set of knives you like that have a good reputation. Remember that the cheap knives from good brands are often subcontracted from china or some place, so make sure that if you're buying cheap knives from a good brand that you check that that product line of knives has a good reputation.

People really do like the victorinox knives. They're cheap, light, and sharp.