10 Best Santoku Knives 2020 – Reviews & Buying Guide

When you first look at a Santoku Knife, you might not be able to find a lot of difference if you are not a chef. But then, you get into the detail and you will notice the hollow edges of the blade. This makes all the difference in Santoku Knife. It is a Japanese Knife and as a matter of fact, the Japanese are known for their blades. These knives have now found their way in markets across the globe and they have certainly gained a lot of popularity.

The reason why they are able to get this amount of popularity is the utility of these knives. Yes, they offer a higher utility than a regular kitchen knife.

So, let us now look into the benefits of the Santoku Knife so that you are able to understand the main difference between a regular knife and a Santoku Knife.

Santoku Knife Uses & Benefits

There are several uses and benefits of Santoku Knife. We have listed some of them below and here are the details.

• A Triad of Uses – From its name, the Santoku bōchō actually means ‘three uses’ in Japanese. Fittingly so, the capabilities of Santoku Knife is not just restricted to chopping or dicing. You can use this knife to chop, dice and even mince. The edge of the Santoku Knife is very sharp and that helps you in slicing through any material without having to put any pressure on the material.
• Easy Slicing – The advantage of hollow edges is quite evident while using the Santoku Knife. While you are slicing or chopping anything thinly, the material doesn’t stick to the knife. This is mainly because of the fact that the air is introduced between the side of the knife and the material. The air stops the material from being stuck with the knife.
• Better Grip – You get Santoku Knife in various sizes but one thing remains common among all Santoku Knife. The grip remains to be very comfortable and it is very easy to hold and navigate the knife in the kitchen. Even if you have small hands, you can easily use Santoku Knife.
• The Edge – The curved tip in Santoku Knife is absent and the advantage of this feature is that you can slice the material in just one downward motion without having to rock the knife back and forth. Moreover, the sharpness of the thin blade enables the user to get fine cuts.
• Other Uses – If you are thinking about the uses of Santoku Knife then do not worry as it can be used as a general purpose knife. You can use Santoku Knife to slice cheese, vegetables, nuts and fruits. You can also use Santoku Knife to cut the meat or to mince the meat and herbs. Apart from that, the flat edge of Santoku Knife can help you in scooping off the food from the edge. There is yet another use that we haven’t talked about. You can create fine slices of any type of material using the Santoku Knife and this is all because of the sharpness of the Santoku Knife.

This was all about the benefits and uses of Santoku Knife. You can go ahead and purchase one today but since there are many different types of Santoku Knife’s available in the market, it might be a little hard for you to find the right Santoku Knife for your kitchen. To overcome this confusion, simply check out the 10 best rated Santoku Knife of the year.

Best Buy Santoku Knife Reviews 2020

1. Kai Wasabi Black Santoku Knife, 6-1/2-Inch

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The first product on our list is from Kai and the good part is that you get a lot of options in the Santoku Knife offered by this brand. You can choose a length between 4 inches to 9 inches and there are a total of 6 options available. In addition to this, the knife is made of Daido 1K6 high carbon stainless steel. To give a proper finish the knife, it has been bead blasted which gives a very good polished finish to the blade.The most popular knife length here is 6.5 inches and the manufacturer offer a limited lifetime warranty on this product.

Key Features

• The knife is made of 1K6 high carbon steel which is very strong when we talk about the strength.
• The knife is polished using a process called bead polish which gives the shine to the blade without damaging the sharpness of the blade.
• As per the manufacturer, you get a limited lifetime warranty along with the knife.

2. DALSTRONG Santoku Knife – Gladiator Series

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Let us now look at this amazing Santoku Knife from Dalstrong. This is a part of gladiator series and it comes with a stunning design. The material used to manufacture this knife is a high carbon German Steel and it also has hand-polished sides. The hollow edge has an oval shape which looks very clean. There is special attention to the handle of this knife as it features a pakkawood handle to offer a better grip as well. Getting into more details, the knife has triple rivets for giving it more durability and it is also completely stain resistant. The edge angle of the knife is 16 to 18 degrees.

Key Features

• Another feature of the knife is that it is made of high-quality German steel which is stain resistant
• The knife has a Rockwell hardness and it has a full tang to provide a greater degree of strength.
• The knife comes along with a Sheath so if you do not have a wooden block then you can store it in the sheath.

3. Shun Cutlery Premier 7” Santoku Knife

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If you are looking for something really impressive then you must really check out this Santoku Knife. The design of this knife is just out of the world and it offers the best performance to the user. The knife is a little shorter but the quality of the knife makes it really the best. Another amazing part about the knife is that it is made of Damascus steel which gives the knife a very attractive looking patter because of the fact that it has 34 layers while it was being manufactured. The finish of the knife looks like a hammered tsuchime finish which provides a large number of hollow groves to the knife.

Key Features

• This knife is made of Damascus steel which is known for strength and for the beautiful layered pattern.
• The knife has a hammered finish which gives several hollow groves
• The handle is crafted out of the wood which is another important factor while considering this purchase.

4. Santoku Knife – MAD SHARK Pro Kitchen Knives

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Next product on our list is from Mad Shark and this Santoku Knife is sharp like teeth of a shark. The length of the blade is 7 inches which are optimal for Santoku Knife. In addition to this, the knife features hollow edges which also provides another added advantages to the knife. Apart from this, the knife features a High Carbon German Steel which is compiled with amazing craftsmanship to give you this product. The handle is designed from military grade polymer which is also very durable and offers a good grip. The brand offers a lifetime warranty on this product which protects you from the defects in the knife.

Key Features

• The material used to manufacture the knife is German Steel and the handle is made of a military grade polymer.
• The length of the blade is 7 inches and it offers good control over slicing and dicing. The overall length is 12.9 inches
• The knife also comes with a lifetime warranty to protect you from the defect.

5. Wusthof WU4182 4182 Santoku knife, 5″

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On number 5, we have a Santoku Knife from Wusthof. This knife is also available in sizes which are 5 inches and 7 inches. You can purchase the one as per your needs. If you purchase this from Amazon then you can also get custom text engraved on to the knife. Apart from this, you can choose the model with the blade guard as well. Talking about the material, the knife uses high carbon stainless steel and the tang has triple rivets to provide better control over the knife. The edge retention of the knife is also quite amazing and it is dishwasher safe.

Key Features

• This knife is manufactured using high carbon stainless steel and the edge is also very ergonomically in design.
• The edge uses Precision Edge Technology which makes the knife sharper and you do not have to sharpen the edge frequently.
• You can also choose the model with the blade guard and the knife is made in Germany.

6. Kessaku Santoku Knife – Samurai Series

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The next on our list is a knife from Kessaku Samurai Series. This knife is handcrafted and it certainly offers a great utility for anyone looking for a Santoku Knife. The material used here to construct the knife is High Carbon 7CR17MOV stainless steel and this material is highly resistant to corrosion as well. The handle is crafted out of the pakka wood and hence it is resistant to heat and moisture. As per the information available, the knife is also graded for Rockwell hardness of 58. You get a very stylish gift box with the knife and in addition to this, you also get a lifetime warranty for the knife.

Key Features

• The knife is made of high carbon steel and the length of the blade is 7 inches.
• The handle is crafted out of pakka wood which offers a very comfortable grip.
• The knife comes with a wooden box and a lifetime warranty.

7. Shun DM0702 Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife

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Everyone loves a Damascus look and this is major because of the layered texture that is given by the Damascus steel. If you are looking for a knife which offers something similar then you must surely check out this classing 7-inch Santoku Knife from Shun. The knife has a 7-inch blade and it is made of a high carbon stainless steel. The steel is 16 layer Damascus steel which makes the knife all the more appealing to the user. This is an actual made in Japan knife and moreover, you get a durable D shaped handle made of pakka wood.

Key Features

• The knife is made in Japan and it features Damascus steel with 16 layers.
• The handle is quite strong and it offers a natural grip while using the knife.
• The knife can retain the edge for a long period of time without the need for sharpening it.

8. Victorinox 7 Inch Swiss Classic Santoku Knife

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Victorinox is known for manufacturing high-quality blades and other such products. This knife in our list is from Victorinox so you must not doubt the quality of the knife. This Santoku Knife has thing hollow groves which make it all the more effective. The grip is slip resistant and it is made of fibre which is quite durable. The brand also offers a lifetime warranty to protect yours from any defect in the knife. Overall, this knife is durable and it is also very affordable.

Key Features

• The knife comes with a lifetime warranty and it is made of European steel.
• The knife features a fibre handle which is very good in terms of anti-slippery material.
• This knife has thin yet deep hollow groves on the edge which provides ease of use during slicing.

9. Kessaku Santoku Knife – Dynasty Series

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This is the second knife from Kessaku on our list and the knife is quite amazing in terms of quality. The material used to manufacture this knife is 1.4116 German Stainless steel and this makes the knife resistant from any corrosion. Apart from this, the handle is made of fibre resin which is another advantage of purchasing this knife. You get a gift box and a lifetime warranty if you purchase this Dynasty Series knife. Overall, the quality of the product is quite amazing and you will be happy with your investments in this knife.

Key Features

• The knife is made of German Stainless steel and it has a reinforced spine to offer better strength to the knife.
• The handle is made of glass fibre resin and this provides an amazing grip as well.
• There is also ample space for knuckle clearance and that is one of the reasons why it is preferred over other knives.

10. Calphalon 2023113 Santoku Knife

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The tenth one on our list is a knife from Calphalon. This knife is highly durable and it is made from high-quality German Steel. In addition to this, the tang is also made of the same steel which offers a lot of durability. The knife is so amazing that you get a lifetime warranty with the knife. The length of the knife is 14.75 inches and this is including the length of the grip. The grip is also designed very ergonomically so you get a good holding of the knife even when you are slicing through hard material.

Key Features

• The knife is made of German Steel and it uses a high carbon, no stain steel.
• The manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty on the knife
• The length of the knife is 14.75 inches and it is very affordable

 How to Choose The Right Santoku Knife 

Even after knowing which is the best Santoku Knife available in the market, it could be hard to make the choice. The reason is that you will find several variations in the product and the best one is certainly the one which suits your needs. So, let us look at some of the factors that you need to consider while purchasing the Santoku Knife.

The thickness of the Blade – This is quite an important factor. There will always be a trade-off between the thickness of the blade and the strength of the blade. Choose wisely and even though it is convenient to use a thin knife because of its slicing capabilities, we still recommend using a knife which is not very thin.

The grip of Knife – It is all about driving the knife with the cutting hand. You need to ensure that the grip of the knife is good enough for you to hold the knife properly. In addition to this, the grip should not be very small either. The centre of mass should be well balanced or else you might find it difficult to use the Santoku Knife.

Strength of Knife – Next thing is the strength of the knife. In the first point itself, we mentioned that there is a trade-off between the thickness and the strength. You will find some of the kitchen knives which are flexible but remember that Santoku Knife is not supposed to be flexible. They should be hard enough to not bend when they are put under stress

Length of Knife – Another important factor to consider while purchasing Santoku Knife is the length of the knife. You need to ensure that the length of the knife is not short and as a matter of fact, the longer knives have a higher utility and they are also easy to use. Purchase the Santoku Knife with a good length.

Hollow Edges – Next thing to check is for the hollow edges. This is what makes Santoku Knife distinct from rest of the knives. You need to ensure that the hollow edges of the knife are good enough to get material of the knife. The groves should not be deep enough to impact the structural stability and they should not be shallow enough as that would not make any difference.

Cost and Review – the Last thing that you need to check is that the knife is in your budget. Santoku Knife can be really expensive and this is especially true for the handcrafted Santoku Knife. Compare the prices across different portals and also check out the actual user reviews. You can find such user reviews of Santoku Knife on Amazon which will again help you in choosing the best knife for your home.

This was all about the buying guide. Let us now move on to the next section to check out the ways to use Santoku Knife.

 How To Use Santoku Knife Properly 

Here is a basic guide to using the Santoku Knife Properly. Using Santoku Knife is similar to using any kitchen knife except for the fact that you need to be a little more careful because of the sharp edge of the Santoku Knife. Our experienced editors have also written an in-depth article about the general considerations to use a kitchen knife properly.

• The first thing to do is to position the hand in order to hold the knife correctly. You must adopt a comfortable position which offers you the optimal grip.
• Ensure that you are using the cutting hand as well as the guiding hand. This would help you in positioning the knife properly and supporting the food while you are slicing through it.
• Slice through the material with a downward cut or you can also adjust the cut as per your need.
• Lift the knife back up and move the knife again to get a clean cut.

While it is important to use the knife properly, it is also important to ensure that you are taking care of the Santoku Knife properly. This certainly increases the life of the Santoku Knife. So, the first thing to take care of is that you need to hand wash the knife and always dry it with a soft towel. You must not toss your knife inside the dishwasher and for the storage, we recommend storing the knife in a wooden knife block.

For sharpening the Santoku Knife when it loses its sharpness, you can use a whetstone to sharpen it manually or an electric sharpener to sharpen it automatically. Remember that it is easier to sharpen the Santoku Knife when you are at an angle of 10 to 15 degrees. So just give you an idea, soak the stone in water and use the coarse side of the stone to sharpen the knife. Later, shift to the finer side and sharpen the knife again. Wash the stone and knife after the use.

Santoku vs. Chef’s Knife: Which Is Better?

The Santoku Knife:

The origin of this knife is from Japan. As the Japanese people include fish and soft vegetables in their diet mostly, this knife serves best for cutting such food items. Santoku knives have thinner blades with sharp cutting edge angles to cut the food items easier and finer. During the olden days, it was rarely found in the American Kitchens, but now it is much famous in such kitchens and all over the world.

The Chef’s Knife:

The Chef’s Knife is considered as the western knife, but its origin is from Europe. Most of the chef’s knives are made in Germany and they are much used by American Chefs. It has a larger blade that cuts tough meats and light bones.

Santoku vs. Chef’s Knife:

Type of Cuts:

Both of these knives do almost all of the cuts and thus, known to be the do-it-all solutions. Both the knives cut meat, veggies, fruits, fish, etc. One can slice, chop, mince, and dice the food items using any of these knives. Based on the type of cuts, both the knives do similar jobs.

Blade Weight:

As already said, the chef’s knives tend to have a thicker and bulkier blade. The chef’s knife has an additional metal that increases the overall weight. Such a design makes the user give a force in cutting the vegetables. But opposite to that, Japanese knives have a thinner and a light-weight blade for easy cutting. So, the user doesn’t have to give any pressure for cutting the food items using a Santoku knife.

Blade Shape & Length:

One can identify which one is a Santoku knife and which is Chef’s knife by looking at the shape of the blade. When you take the Chef’s knife, you will find a gradual curvature on both sides of the blade that joins to the pronounced point on the blade’s front side. But in a Santoku’s knife, the blade is horizontally on both sides.

Not only is the shape of the blade different, but there is also a difference in the length of the knives. The chef’s knife is longer in length of 8 inches, but in some cases, it will go still 12 inches. Contrary to this, a Santoku knife is smaller in size. The standard size is 7 inches and a mini version is 5 inches.

Edge Angle:

When you consider the Santoku knives, the sharp edge blades angled around 15 degrees. But with the western knives, the average of around 20 degrees, the blades angled to.

Grip or Cutting Motion:

Because of the length of a Santoku knife, it requires an up and down or down and forward chopping style motion. But with the chef’s knife, one has to use the rocking motion to cut the food items.

Which Is Best?

This depends on an individual’s comfort level to decide the right knife for cutting the food. People having little hands, can go with the Santoku knife, as it fits in their hands perfectly. Larger-handed people can use the Chef’s knife and it provides comfortable cutting for them. Realize the comfortable and go with choosing the right knife.

Bottom Line

This was all about the Santoku Knife along with the buying guide and other aspects of maintaining the knife. You can go ahead and purchase the knife from the local market or you can check out the products on Amazon as you will be able to find a better deal for yourself.

Ensure that you are going through the buying guide before making the purchase and in addition to this, you must also compare the price of the Santoku Knife on Amazon with the price offered by offline stores.