The 8 Best Chef’s Knives of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Mac Knife 8-Inch Hollow Edge Chef's Knife

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4/5
• Size
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

Mac Knives have a long-standing reputation for quality Japanese craftsmanship, so it's no surprise the Professional Series 8-Inch Hollow Edge Knife was the top overall choice in our testing. The hollow edge is the standout feature of this knife. It's balanced, easy to use, and cuts well, thanks to its lightweight design (6.75 ounces) and thin 2.5-millimeter blade and bolster. Plus, its Pakkawood handle offers a comfortable grip.

We tried the knife on a number of items, including garlic, onion, tomato, and a piece of paper. There was no tearing on the tomato, and the knife was able to slice very thinly with ease. It also smashed garlic easily and minced well. The knife's sharp hollow edge helped it glide through an onion, and it only experienced a slight drag when cutting butternut squash. It even sliced through paper twice with only minimal tearing on the second run.

Though the knife doesn't come with a sheath, which we would have preferred, it was easy to hand wash with no remaining residue or streaks after cleaning. In terms of long-term performance, customers say that it holds its edge well (and recommend Mac Knife sharpeners for when you do need to resharpen the blade). This knife is not dishwasher-safe, but follow the care instructions carefully and it should last you years. While it may not be the cheapest, its versatility and durability make it worth the cost.

Price at time of publish: $95

Blade Length: 8.25 inches | Material: Alloy steel | Handle Length: 4.25 inches | Handle Material: Pakkawood | Weight: 6.75 ounces

Best Budget

Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Design
  5/5
• Size
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

If the Victorinox name seems familiar, that's probably because it's the manufacturer of the very popular Swiss Army knives. Like those knives, this one is made in Switzerland. The 8-inch blade on this knife is made from high-carbon stainless steel that will maintain its super-sharp edge. The blade is straight with a gently curved tip that encourages a rocking motion, so it’s also great for slicing meats. Though the knife's appearance is very utilitarian, a winning combination of price and efficiency helps make it a great value pick.

We love how this knife came seriously sharp right out of the box and maintained its edge well during our testing. Garlic cloves were easily smashed and neatly minced. The Victorinox also cut through and cubed a heavy butternut squash without any issues. Although it didn't feel as nimble as more expensive knives, we were able to cut through an onion skin comfortably. While slicing a tomato, the first slice was fine with no tearing, though further clean slices were tougher to get.

The handle is made from the proprietary Fibrox material that is textured to provide a nonslip grip, and it's designed to provide an ergonomic feel. When cleaning, we also discovered the blade to be a bit streaky and spotty after being washed, but noted that for the price point, it's still a good choice.

Price at time of publish: $33

Blade Length: 8.25 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Handle Length: 5.5 inches | Handle Material: Fibrox | Weight: 5.6 ounces

Best Japanese

Shun Classic Chef's 8-Inch

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Design
  5/5
• Size
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

The popular Japanese knife brand Shun calls its classic chef's knife the "one knife you simply can't be without"—and it's easy to see why. This fully forged knife is beautifully designed with an ebony Pakkawood handle, a full tang for balance, and 34 layers of Damascus steel enveloping each side of the blade. In terms of quality and durability, all Shun knives are made with a proprietary VG-MAX cutting core that lends extra strength and corrosion resistance.

Furthermore, the ergonomic D-shaped handle provides a comfortable hold, although left-handed chefs may not like it as much as right-handed folks. It's meant to be "rocked" (the curved belly is better suited for this motion than straight chopping).

We loved the Damascus steel and found the knife to be a comfortable weight to hold, but noticed that it may be a tad short for someone with really big hands. The knife was perfectly balanced and the blade was super sharp. The paper slice test yielded super smooth cuts both times it was performed, and on tomatoes, the Shun sliced beautifully with minimal effort and had no dragging or skin tearing. On garlic, the knife rocked nicely to crush cloves with ease and had great balance and precision when it came to mincing.

Dicing an onion was quite smooth, and even hefty butternut squash was cut with little effort (though some of the squash stuck to the blade a bit). We also noted that the knife cleans nicely, and the Damascus steel hides water spots.

Price at time of publish: $170

Blade Length: 8 inches | Material: 69 layers of Damascus steel | Handle Length: 4.75 inches | Handle Material: Pakkawood | Weight: 6.75 ounces

Best Ceramic

Kyocera Ceramic Revolution Series Chef's Knife

4.6

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4/5
• Size
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Cleaning
  4.5/5
• Value
  5/5

Ceramic knives are becoming increasingly popular: They're a lightweight option that's great for people who fatigue easily. While ceramic blades can shatter or break when dropped, they’re completely resistant to acids, salts, or oils, and they’ll never rust or corrode. The blade on this knife looks professional and is precision-ground by the manufacturer for a super-hard and extremely sharp edge. To keep that edge, the knife can be sent back to the manufacturer for resharpening. For home maintenance, the Kyocera electric knife sharpener for ceramic blades is recommended.

During testing, this knife was perfectly sharp without being flimsy, despite its light weight. And unlike steel blades that seem to have some give, this one felt inflexible in comparison. It cut butternut squash cleanly and cut completely through our paper tests directly out of the box.

There was no tearing while cutting tomatoes and we were able to able to slice them very thin. While we don't recommend this knife for smashing garlic because of the ceramic material, it did mince garlic cloves nicely. Cutting an onion required slight pressure to cut through and there was some drag when cutting the skin of a butternut squash—though it made up for that by chopping through the flesh with ease. Cleaning the knife was easy, but there were some streaks and some darker spots that couldn't be removed.

Price at time of publish: $95

Blade Length: 8 inches | Material: Ceramic | Handle Length: 5 inches | Handle Material: Plastic | Weight: 3.6 ounces

Best Mid-Range

Material The 8-Inch Knife

4.6

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Our Ratings

• Design
  5/5
• Size
  3/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

Aesthetes will appreciate that Material Kitchen's chef's knife has a handle that comes in three colors, but it's more than just a pretty face: The blade is 8 inches of layered high-carbon and corrosion-resistant stainless Japanese steel. The tang extends into the handle for balance, and the handle is made with a comfortable grip. Designed to be low-maintenance, this chef's knife is affordable and high-quality.

We found this knife to be very good at most cutting tasks, leaving a pretty edge. However, the handle may be somewhat awkward to hold for those with smaller hands. It's a bit longer and straighter than similar knives, which had the end of the handle bumping into our forearm.

On the initial sharpness test, this knife cleanly cut the paper both times. Tomatoes were also sliced very thin with ease, and the tomato was cored with the tip of the knife as easily as if it were a paring knife. Mincing garlic required work to reach a consistent size, but cutting an onion was very easy and accurate. Butternut squash was cut easily and smoothly, as well. When cleaning the knife, there were spots, streaks, and scratches left behind. Still, overall, the knife performed well, had good balance, and is a good value.

Price at time of publish: $75

Blade Length: 8 inches | Material: High-carbon Japanese stainless steel | Handle Length: 5 inches | Handle Material: Composite | Weight: 7.6 ounces

Best for Beginners

Misen 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

4.5

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4.5/5
• Size
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Cleaning
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

Any chef will tell you that a sharp knife is a safer one. That's because dull knives require more pressure and force to cut, which can cause the knife to slip and cause an injury. A knife that starts out sharp and stays sharp for longer also requires less maintenance and promotes proper grip and cutting techniques, definitely an added plus for those who are just getting started in the kitchen. This 8-inch chef's knife from Misen is a great budget-conscious choice with high-quality construction and materials (like pro-grade Japanese stainless steel with 2.5 times more carbon than similar blades) that rival much more expensive knives. It also comes in four different handle colors to help match your aesthetic.

We tested this knife long-term and were super impressed with the continued sharpness of the blade and the shape of the bolster. Even after 18 months of heavy use with regular honing, it was still just as sharp as when it first came out of the box. The knife finds a sweet spot between flexible and firm, so it's strong enough to tackle tough jobs like chopping pumpkin, yet precise enough to handle more delicate tasks like thinly slicing onions and even cutting chocolate pie. Although we did notice some water spots forming around the blade, that's an easy fix as long as the knife is dried immediately after handwashing.

Price at time of publish: $85

Blade Length: 8 inches | Material: AICHI AUS-10 stainless steel | Handle Length: 5.5 inches | Handle Material: Composite | Weight: 8 ounces

Best All-Metal

Global 8-Inch Chef's Knife

4.3

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Our Ratings

• Design
  3/5
• Size
  4/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Cleaning
  5/5
• Value
  4.5/5

Unlike knives that have an attached handle, this entire knife is made from stainless steel, with no joints, rivets, or corners where food could accumulate. To provide a better grip, the handle has dimples that create a textured surface. The knife is designed to be lightweight (despite being made entirely from metal), so it’s easy to wield. Made from molybdenum/vanadium stainless steel, the blade is razor-sharp and will retain its edge, and it comes with a lifetime warranty against breakage.

The most unique feature of this knife is its design: one solid piece of metal with a dimpled handle. Initially, we thought the handle would be less ergonomic and uncomfortable to use, but actually found the no-frills design appealing, balanced, and lightweight after testing. It performed beautifully on the paper slice test, leaving clean cuts both times. Tomatoes were easy to cut, even into thin slices.

The knife was easy to maneuver to crush garlic cloves and then mince them. Cutting onions was smooth and easy, too. While cutting the butternut squash, we were able to make smooth cuts, though thought a slightly heavier knife would have required less effort. This knife cleaned easily with very few spots.

Price at time of publish: $95

Blade Length: 7.5 inches | Material: Cromova 18 stainless steel | Handle Length: 5 inches | Handle Material: Metal with divots | Weight: 5.9 ounces