Gear

The Best Kitchen Knives: 5 Excellent Blades Under $200

These exceptional blades that will help you carve, chop, slice, and chiffonade for years.

by Ian Centrone
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

As famed Japanese Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto once said, “a kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen.” He, of course, was not wrong. A good knife is the backbone of any good meal. Particularly important: a strong, durable chef’s knife, which helps with everything from dicing and scoring to smashing garlic and slicing pretty much anything. Every cook needs a chef’s knife; but a good chef’s knife doesn’t need to be a hand-forged masterpiece that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. In fact, there are many good knives available that will not only get the job done, but can also stand the test of time. So whether you’re an aspiring Bobby Flay, or more of a home cook amateur looking to step up your kitchen game, these kitchen knives will help you out.

The Best Kitchen Knives: 5 Blades to Consider

Essential Chef's Knife by Five Two by Food52

Old meets new with this vintage-inspired chef's knife. While its retro aesthetic looks awesome, under its chic exterior is a Japanese-forged, carbon-infused steel blade. While the polymer handle is nothing special, we did like the fact that it comes in a range of colors, ensuring daddy gets exactly what daddy wants.

$69
Classic Hollow Edge Santoku Knife by Wusthof

Heritage cutlery-maker Wusthof knows a thing or two about knives, as one would after 200 years, and the Germans know a thing or two about precision engineering. This German-forged blade is nimble at five inches of high-carbon stainless steel, and thanks to its construction, it will hold its sharpness longer than competitors (although it can also be sharpened as needed). Its contoured handle is also a joy to hold thanks to a perfect balance.

$120
ZWILLING Professional Chef's Knife
$116.40
Shun Cutlery Kanso 8-Inch Chef's Knife
$129.94
Mac Knife MTH-80 Professional Hollow Edge Chef's Knife, 8 Inch, Silver
$162

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