10 best brands of kitchen knives

At the time of the blacksmith’s development, the forging of knives was full of art and an extreme practical necessity. Their division into classes did not take place immediately, but the prerequisites began to appear almost immediately. So, hunting models received a more massive blade with optimal balancing and a wide blade. The first similarities of stationery knives, on the contrary, were miniature and were used to pen pen or cut paper. However, kitchen knives have become fully detached. The variability of such models was already apparent at that time, but was due not to its own purpose, but to the intention of the manufacturer. A clear division of knives for universal, for cutting meat, bread and other types was made much later, under the pointer of professional culinary and the requirements of the rules of aesthetics.

To date, dozens of famous and little-known companies are engaged in the production of kitchen knives, supplying a high-quality (and sometimes not very good) product to the market. In connection with such diversity, which takes place in the segment, it is very difficult to choose one of the options, even if you have basic knowledge of key parameters. In this regard, we have prepared for you a ranking of the best brands of kitchen knives, which are very popular among users all over the world. The following characteristics were chosen as criteria for evaluating firms:

• the number of positive feedback from consumers on the forums and thematic sites;
• overall product quality, expressed in hardness, sharpening level and usability;
• the degree of reliability of products;
• price specifications.

Best cheap kitchen knives

Useful video - how to choose the right kitchen knife

5 Tojiro

The Japanese company Tojiro belongs to the circle of developers who relies on the classic look of kitchen knives. Possessing standard profile views, these models are perfectly in the hand and do not have any extra “frills” that often interfere with the normal use of the knife. The basis for the manufacture of blades of Tojiro knives is the use of a chromium-nickel metal alloy that is strong enough and does not require frequent sharpening.

An example of Tojiro home knives is the PRO series, a characteristic feature of which is a metal corrugated handle. Thanks to the use of steel VG-10, the need for frequent sharpening the blade in the models of this series disappears. Similar characteristics have a more standard version of the knives Tojiro Zen, the blade of which is made of the same steel (VG-10) forged in 3 layers. Instead of a metal handle, a standard wooden lining is used here, the ergonomic qualities of which are at a height.

4 Arcos

Classic budget knives from the Spanish company Arcos - a real find for the unpretentious lovers of home cooking. Absolutely the whole range here is “packed” in classic wooden and plastic handles - somewhere a bit slippery, but on the whole very comfortable. The mechanical characteristics of the blades also do not fail: the majority of knives have good metal viscosity and hardness in the region of 53-58 HRC.In some cases, consumers complain about the need for frequent sharpening knives, but this is the exception rather than the established rule.

As part of the Arcos brand series, you can highlight the classic model of the Latina knife, with a wooden handle and stainless steel blade with a hardness of 53-56 HRC. In essence, the same, but in a different set (with a polyoxymethylene grip) are the Clasica and Universal lines. They perfectly “sit” in a hand, possess high quality and incommensurably small cost.

3 Mikadzo

The established slogan of the Mikadzo company: “Japanese quality at an affordable price” - as well as possible reflects the specifics of the manufacturer and the main advantages for the domestic consumer. The hardness of their knives rarely drops below 57 HRC, and therefore it is extremely rare to sharpen them. The second significant feature of the company is experimentation with different variants of appearance, which clearly reflects on the brightest representatives.

The Mikadzo Damascus series is a masterful job of creating the original Damascus pattern on the blade and the wooden handle of the knife family. This design fits almost any kitchen design, and by purely mechanical parameters it has no equal at all. Joke or not, but official sources report that the hardness of the blade of these models is close to 60 HRC. The Mikadzo Imari series manifests itself slightly worse in terms of parameters, but in terms of design it can be called one of the most interesting. However, its essence lies not so much in the “picture” as in its ergonomics - the plastic handles are very comfortable in the hands.

2 Rondell

The assortment of inexpensive kitchen knives produced by Rondell is present in a much wider variety in the materials used, mainly in various alloyed steels. The peculiarity of this manufacturer lies in the fact that at very reasonable prices the technical base makes it possible to produce on the market an exceptionally high-quality product suitable for regrinding and having sufficient hardness.

A striking example of Rondell products is the low-end Cascara knife series, made using the standard X30Cr13 (corrosion resistant) alloy blade. The hardness of the blade part here rarely drops below 55 HRC. Another representative of the company - Rondell Langsax - uses steel X50CrMoV15 as the material of the blade, used to create top-class knives. The only complaint from consumers to all products is a poor balance, which leads to hand fatigue with prolonged use.

1 Global

One of the many grandees of the Japanese production of knives, whose products meet the high quality requirements of luxury kitchen appliances. It has one very curious feature inherent in the units of global manufacturers: the handle of Global knives is always performed monolithically with the blade. At the same time, the inner part of the handle remains hollow for fine balancing by sleeping inside the fine sand.

If you do not take into account similar manufacturing methods, then the products of the company, in general, are very diverse and always have a pleasant appearance. So, one of the Global flagships - the Standart range - has a porous handle and a classic smooth blade surface. Against him, the Japanese grand made a Sai series with a corrugated surface of the blade part and a smooth transition to an elongated and “twisted” handle. In these cases, X50CrMoV15 alloy steel with a hardness of 56 HRC is used as the material for the blades; its conditions make it easy to cope with the cutting of a hard product.

The best kitchen knives of medium and premium segment

5 Kyocera

Unlike most competitors who rely on the external parameters of knives, Kyocera chose a slightly different path of development.While others widely use heavy enough metal glories with the addition of vanadium and molybdenum, this Japanese grande uses zirconium with a slight addition of alloying elements. As a result, the world gets very expensive, but high-quality knives with high rates of corrosion resistance, hardness and lightness.

The flagships of Kyosera's kitchen knives for several seasons have been the Revolution series (with plastic trim) and Elite Pro (with patterned coating on the blade part and wooden handle). The former conquer consumers with extreme ease of use, and the latter with elegance and long-term preservation of external conditions.

4 Wusthof

The German company Wusthof became the next participant in the ranking, the main feature of which was the production of products with a thin transition of the handle to the blade part. It seems to be a trifle, but in the world there is not a single manufacturer, the knives of which would be distinguished by a similar execution. What advantages does it give? First, sophistication allows you to more accurately guide the knife, which is useful for fine cutting. Secondly, the ergonomic shape of the handle does not burden the hand, so working in the kitchen can be long and productive.

Examples of Wusthof products include the Classic and Silverpoint knives. The perfect observance of proportions and the traditional fusion of the handle with the blade are combined with the high strength characteristics of the alloy used. According to users, the steel blades of both knives are very resistant to blunting and the flow of various corrosion processes.

3 Fissler

The German Grand Knife was ranked by the cold calculation and practicality of its own products. Unlike the Japanese masters who are used to creating a miniature work of art in each single blade, Fissler does not pursue exclusivity, introducing knives to consumers for everyday work.

As a material for the blade, the German company most often uses alloys with the addition of vanadium and molybdenum: for example, X50CrMoV15. Blades of this steel are characterized by increased hardness (on average 58 HRC), do not need frequent sharpening and can last for a very long time with proper care. A striking example: Passion and Professional knives, which are the flagship of the company. Yes, they are deprived of the extravagance that Kai and Samura knives provide, but they are much cheaper ... and they are not corny.

2 Kai

Like the main competitor in the face of the company Samura, Kai loves and widely uses a three-layer sandwich with the addition of Damascus steel as a metal for the blade. It turns out expensive, elegant, and very high quality - however, no one expects another from this manufacturer.

Despite the large number of in-house developments, such as AoGami Blue Paper San-Mai exclusive steel, the popular metal in Japan, VG-10, is used as the base metal in Kai knives. On its basis, such series as Shun Premier and Shum Kaji, externally summed up to the appearance of Damascus blades, were developed (due to the use of lining from the corresponding steel). The nominal hardness of such models is 60-62 HRC, which allows the use of knives for a long time without regrinding. As for the differences, in addition to the profile of the blade part in this category you can write the handle, in one case made of lacquered walnut, and in the other - from a more budgetary polymer.

1 Samura

For a long history of existence, the Japanese company Samura managed to gain fame as a manufacturer of high-quality and inexpensive knives.However, it was not enough reached peaks, and the owners urgently began to look for opportunities to reach the rank of premium brands. And, it is necessary to recognize, they succeeded in this business very much: it helped not only the introduction of new technologies, but also the decision on the unique finishing of future blades.

So, one of the most popular themes of Samura was imitation (and in some cases, bringing to real conditions) Damascus steel. A similar approach was implemented, for example, in the Samura Sakai series of knives with an expensive mahogany handle. The role of the base metal of the blade here is played by the alloy VG-10, lined with Damascus steel to give the appearance and noticeable hardening. As a result, the hardness of the knife on the blade is a whopping 62 HRC - such a sample will ask for sharpening extremely rarely.

Popular vote - who is the best manufacturer of kitchen knives?
We vote!

Kyosera

Wusthof

Samura

Kai

Fissler

Mikadzo

Tojiro

Arcos

Rondell

Global

Total voted: 579

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