The best chef’s knives
One good knife does more for dinner than a drawer full of blunt ones.
Most home cooks only need one really good knife: a 17–20cm chef’s knife or santoku that handles veg, meat and herbs. A sharp knife is also a safer one, because it goes where you aim it rather than slipping.
Japanese-style knives use harder steel and a finer edge for precise slicing; German-style knives are a little tougher and easier to keep sharp.
What matters
- 20cm is the all-rounder size; 17cm santokus suit smaller hands.
- Harder steel stays sharp longer but needs a whetstone.
- A comfortable, grippy handle matters as much as the blade.
- Hand wash and dry any good knife.
Photos are illustrative. We may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
Best overall
#1 of 5
9.5/10
Victorinox Swiss Classic Santoku Knife (17cm)
£47.00 RRP
From the makers of the Swiss Army knife: a light, dimpled santoku that makes quick work of veg prep and never feels like hard work to hold.
- 17cm santoku blade
- Fluted edge stops food sticking
- Only 107g
- Ergonomic handle
What owners say: A favourite knife for many owners: sharp, holds its edge, and balanced and comfortable to use, especially for veg prep.
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A closer look: The dimples along the edge let a little air in between blade and food, so slices of potato or cucumber fall away instead of clinging. At 107g it’s light, and the wide blade doubles as a scoop to carry chopped veg to the pan. A good pick for anyone who finds a big chef’s knife unwieldy.
Best for: Everyday veg prep and anyone who likes a light knife
- Style and blade
- Santoku, 17cm
- Steel
- Swiss stainless steel
- Handle
- Ergonomic synthetic
- Sharpener included
- No
- Gift box
- –
Best budget
#2 of 5
9.3/10
MasterClass 20cm Chef’s Knife with Sharpening Sheath
£ Under £15
A full-tang chef’s knife that sharpens itself a little every time it goes back in its sheath. Very hard to beat for the price.
- 20cm blade
- Sheath with built-in sharpener
- Full tang
- Dishwasher safe
What owners say: Excellent quality for the money and stays sharp, handling meat, veg and bread with ease. Owners love the sharpener sheath.
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A closer look: The sheath has a sharpener built in, so the edge gets a light touch-up each time the knife is put away. It’s listed as dishwasher safe, though a quick hand wash keeps any knife sharper for longer. A tidy first proper knife for a student or a first flat.
Best for: A first proper knife, or a spare for a holiday let
- Style and blade
- Chef’s, 20cm
- Steel
- Stainless steel
- Handle
- Plastic
- Sharpener included
- Built into the sheath
- Gift box
- –
Best Japanese-style
#3 of 5
9.2/10
SHAN ZU 20cm Japanese Chef’s Knife
£29.13 RRP
Hard Japanese steel with a fine 12° edge, so it glides through tomatoes and thin slices of meat like a knife costing several times as much.
- 20cm blade
- Japanese 10Cr15MoV steel, 62 HRC
- 12° edge each side
- Pakkawood handle
What owners say: Performs like a high-end knife and stays sharp, with a comfortable, well-balanced wooden handle. Great value.
Heads up: Hard steel like this is best sharpened on a whetstone, and should be hand washed and dried.
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A closer look: The edge is ground to 12° on each side, finer than most Western knives, which is why it slips through soft tomatoes without squashing them. Harder steel holds its edge for longer but prefers a whetstone to a pull-through sharpener. Wash it by hand and dry it straight away to keep the blade looking good.
Best for: Keen cooks who want a razor edge for fine slicing
- Style and blade
- Chef’s, 20cm
- Steel
- Japanese 10Cr15MoV, 62 HRC
- Handle
- Pakkawood
- Sharpener included
- No
- Gift box
- –
Best gift
#4 of 5
9.1/10
PAUDIN 20cm Chef’s Knife
£32.85 RRP
High-carbon German steel that arrives razor sharp, in a gift box. The one knife that makes cooking feel easier.
- 20cm (8-inch) blade
- High-carbon German steel
- Pakkawood handle
- Gift boxed
What owners say: Beautifully made, holds its edge and slices through everything. Well worth the money.
Heads up: Hand wash and dry it to keep it at its best.
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A closer look: Cut on a wooden or plastic board, as glass and stone worktops blunt any edge quickly. Store it in a block, on a magnetic strip or back in its box rather than loose in the cutlery drawer, where the edge gets knocked about. Paired with a whetstone, it makes a thoughtful present for someone who’s just got into cooking.
Best for: Giving: it arrives sharp and gift boxed
- Style and blade
- Chef’s, 20cm
- Steel
- High-carbon German stainless
- Handle
- Pakkawood
- Sharpener included
- No
- Gift box
- Yes
#5 of 5
9.0/10
MOSFiATA 20cm Chef’s Knife with Sharpener
££ £15–£40
A sturdy German-steel chef’s knife with a Micarta handle, boxed up with a sharpener so it arrives ready to give.
- 20cm (8-inch) blade
- German EN1.4116 steel
- 16° edge each side
- Micarta handle
- Sharpener and gift box
What owners say: Well made and very sharp, beautifully balanced and lighter than it looks. Owners say it cuts meat and veg with ease.
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A closer look: The edge is sharpened to 16° on each side, a slightly sturdier angle that suits bigger jobs like butternut squash and joints of meat. The pattern on the blade is laser-etched decoration rather than true Damascus steel, which the maker is upfront about. The Micarta handle copes well with wet hands.
Best for: Heavier chopping: squash, roots and joints of meat
- Style and blade
- Chef’s, 20cm
- Steel
- German EN1.4116
- Handle
- Micarta
- Sharpener included
- Yes
- Gift box
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1Victorinox santokuBest overall | #2MasterClass 20cmBest budget | #3SHAN ZU 20cmBest Japanese-style | #4PAUDIN 20cmBest gift | #5MOSFiATA 20cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 |
| Price | £47.00 RRP | £ Under £15 | £29.13 RRP | £32.85 RRP | ££ £15–£40 |
| Style and blade | Santoku, 17cm | Chef’s, 20cm | Chef’s, 20cm | Chef’s, 20cm | Chef’s, 20cm |
| Steel | Swiss stainless steel | Stainless steel | Japanese 10Cr15MoV, 62 HRC | High-carbon German stainless | German EN1.4116 |
| Handle | Ergonomic synthetic | Plastic | Pakkawood | Pakkawood | Micarta |
| Sharpener included | No | Built into the sheath | No | No | Yes |
| Gift box | – | – | – | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Everyday veg prep and anyone who likes a light knife | A first proper knife, or a spare for a holiday let | Keen cooks who want a razor edge for fine slicing | Giving: it arrives sharp and gift boxed | Heavier chopping: squash, roots and joints of meat |
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