Choosing the Best Santoku Knife for Your Kitchen (2021)

Santoku knives are general-purpose kitchen knives…

…based on ancient Japanese samurai swords.

The design is not traditional; it was created in the mid-1940s…

…when Japan adapted the traditional Western Chef’s knife for Japanese cooking.

By definition, “Santoku” means “three uses or virtues,”…

…and it refers to the knife’s ability to slice, dice, and chop.

“The term Santoku may refer to the wide variety of ingredients that the knife can handle: meat, fish and vegetables, or to the tasks it can perform: slicing, chopping and dicing, either interpretation indicating a multi-use, general-purpose kitchen knife. The Santoku’s blade and handle are designed to work in harmony by matching the blade’s width and weight to the weight of the tang and the handle.”

Wikipedia

A Santoku knife is smaller than the average Chef’s knife…

…but it is meant to be great at cutting through tough meats and vegetables.

We also have an article about what is santoku knife…

….to know more deeper about this.

Let me help you pick the best Santoku knife…

…for your home kitchen with today’s guide to 5 popular Santoku knives. 

Let’s cut to it!

But before that, let’s hear Ellen’s story…

I was so delighted to receive my new beautiful knife today!

Upon opening the package, I found a little cardboard sleeve wrapped in bubble wrap.

I did not give that too much thought.

My parents were envious when they saw my new santoku knife’s beautiful form

and extraordinary sharpness.   

So I hopped on Amazon and checked my order history to order the same knife for them,

so they can cook as happily as I do.  

Let’s jump right in!

A Guide to Choosing a Santoku Knife

Santoku knives typically measure 5 to 8 inches long…

…which is smaller than a Western chef’s knife.

To create a sense of balance, both the handle…

…and blade are the same length and weight. 

Cutting edges are extremely sharp…

…typically made from a denser metal than western knives.

During cutting motions, the handle is designed to allow space…

…for your knuckles and be comfortable to grip.

The Features of Santoku knives

Blade Shape and Features

Because the Santoku blade is shaped like a sheep’s foot…

…it lacks the sharp tip that most knives have – the tip and edge are aligned.

Having no sharp point reduces the risk of accidentally stabbing…

…or poking something, but it also makes it better at chopping motions than rocking.

Sheep’s foot blades have a straight blade with a slight curve at the false point.

Santoku knives traditionally have a chisel-tip…

…which means one side of the blade is sharpened. 

Blades are thin and wide, designed for clean, up-and-down cutting motions.

Santoku Blade Material

Because Santoku knives are made of heavier metal…

…their blades are thinner than other knives.

To forge durable blades, stainless steel is usually used…

…as well as (sometimes) ceramic or (more often) high carbon steel. 

Santoku knives are often made…

…from a combination of these materials to achieve the ultimate advantage.

Santoku knives and other Japanese knives are traditionally made from high carbon steel.

Despite not being as corrosion-resistant…

…as regular stainless steel, high-carbon steel blades maintain their sharpness…

…for a very long time.

Santoku Handle

A Santoku knife usually does not have a bolster between the blade…

…and handle, and its handles are made of wood. 

A common wood is pakkawood.

The material pakkawood is made up of wood fibers and plastic resin.

The handle is waterproof and still has the appearance…

…and feel of wood thanks to this combination.

Size

Santoku knives range from five to eight inches in length…

…shorter than the average Chef’s knife.

They are very light, which makes them ideal for quick cutting motions.

The Santoku knife has a delicate feel due to its perfectly balanced weight.

Perhaps you are wondering…

What’s the Difference Between a Santoku Knife and a Chef’s Knife?

In many ways, Santoku knives are similar…

…to their Western counterparts, the Chef’s knives.

Santoku knives and Western Chef’s knives are both general-purpose knives.

The design of each knife makes a big difference.

Chef’s knives have a sharp point (usually called a spear point)…

…which allows them to be cut by sliding or rocking (see video above).

A Santoku knife has a straight edge and a sheep’s foot tip…

…so it must be used in an up-and-down motion.

Although each of these two knives excels at certain tasks…

…they are both multi-purpose. 

The santoku knife, for example, makes extremely thin slices…

…and streamlines the food preparation process.

On the other hand, chef’s knives are used for more complex cuts…

…such as those that require rocking movements of the blade.

Both can be used to cut meat, vegetables, fruit, etc.

However, neither is recommended for chopping large portions of meat. 

Chef’s knives have a sharp point, which can be good or bad depending on the situation.

While the sharp point makes it easier to stab through tough meat…

…it can sometimes impede smooth movements.

Santoku knives have chisel tips, which means the point is essentially fake. 

In this way, the curved blade and spear tip do not interfere…

…with the knife’s smooth, quick movements.

But the main physical difference is their size…

…santoku knives are smaller, lighter, and have thinner blades.

This is useful for people with smaller hands…

…or those who are apprehensive about handling a big, intimidating knife.

By chopping a lot of vegetables and fruit for a week’s worth of meals…

…the lighter weight reduces hand fatigue.

Santoku Knife What is it Used For

Slicing

Santoku and chef knives are both excellent for slicing, but their applications…

…differ depending on what you’re cutting. A chef knife’s large, curved blade…

…helps it to quickly chop tiny objects like herbs and garlic with a rocking motion…

…(during which the tip of the knife stays firmly planted on the cutting board).

Santoku blades, like those found on many Japanese knives, are significantly…

…more flat. Most Santokus (like Made In’s Santoku Knife) have a little upward…

…curvature of the cutting edge towards the knife’s tip, although some…

…Japanese blades are completely flat the entire length of the blade.

This little curve makes slicing easier, but it’s not steep enough…

…to apply the rocking motion method. So, what does it all mean?

Rather than slicing with a rocking motion, Santoku users slice by lifting…

…the entire knife off the cutting board and pushing down and away…

…from them into the food item. Because greater attention must be used…

…in placing the knife’s blade, this technique is slightly slower than using…

…a Western style chef’s knife, but the tradeoff is that it enables…

…for the fabrication of fine slices.

Dicing

The Santoku is a kitchen knife with a smaller, more maneuverable blade…

…that excels at precision cuts like dicing (typically around 7 inches…

…which is shorter than a typical Western chef knife). Santoku knives also…

…have a blade angle of 10 to 15 degrees, which allows them to dice…

…more precisely than knives with a wide blade. A Santoku can dice more precisely…

…than a chef knife or a serrated knife. Chef knives, with their rocking motion…

…can dice a little faster than a Santoku Japanese knife, but this comes…

…at the cost of a little amount of prep time. Santoku knives, on the other hand…

…are superior mincing instruments than chef knives because they are more accurate.

It’s all about the situation when it comes to choosing…

…between a chef knife and a Santoku!

Chopping

Santoku knives were made for cutting. The sharpness of the knife’s blade…

…allows it to cut through foods rapidly, while the flatness of the blade allows it…

…to cut consistently through foods (due to the knife contacting the food…

…at multiple points simultaneously). To keep your kitchen knives in the…

…greatest condition, learn how to sharpen them, regardless of the type.

Chopping with a Santoku blade is similar to slicing with rapid…

…deliberate pushes rather than a back-and-forth roll. Chopping takes less…

…uniformity and precision than slicing, thus a Santoku, with its mobility…

…and swift up and down motions, can actually chop faster than…

…a Western chef knife (even though it typically slices slower than one).

Here’s the real deal…

Reviews of the Top Santoku Knives

Below are some of our favorite santoku knives:

Let’s take a closer look…

Wüsthof WU4182 Santoku Knife

The Wüsthof WU4182 Santoku Knife is available in either a 5-inch or a 7-inch size…

…I personally like the technology behind the blade of this knife.

Overall, it’s the best Santoku budget pick.

Aside from being made of high carbon stainless steel…

…it is also 20% sharper than other santoku knives…

…thanks to PEtec Precision Edge Tech.

With a full tang and bolster, as well as a finger guard…

…the knife has a well-balanced and balanced feel. 

Pros:

• Safety finger guard included
• Go-to knife for daily usage
• Easily cuts through tough food

Cons:

• German steel is not the same as traditional Japanese steel, which may be important to some users.

Shun Classic 7-inch Hollow Ground Santoku

Shun Classic 7-inch Hollow ground Santoku knife is one of the most…

…renowned santoku knives on the market…

…(and not just because it’s more expensive than many others).

This pakkawood handle fits any size hand smoothly…

…due to its 7-inch length and a bit longer than average.

It is made from a finely crafted hardwood…

…that gives the user control over the knife while providing a comfortable grip.

A new mixture of carbon, nickel, cobalt, vanadium, chromium…

…and tungsten makes up the blade…

…and is not found in any other knife on this list.

The super steel core is characterized by 16 layers of carbon steel…

…condensed into a thin, corrosion-resistant blade.

My favorite blade is by far this one because of its innovative design…

…and its water-resistant characteristics.

If left in water too long, many santoku knives will rust…

…but the Shun Santoku knife holds up better if you forget a few times.

In general, it’s my top Santoku pick if you have a larger budget.

Pros:

• Improves the efficiency of food preparation
• It doesn’t rust or stain for a long time
• This is a bit longer than the average santoku knife, which I prefer for general purpose cutting

Cons:

• A bit expensive, but a good buy
• Blade doesn’t feel the same as a traditional santoku made only of carbon steel

Keep reading…

Miyabi 34074-143 Santoku Knife

Miyabi 34074-143 santoku knives come in two lengths, 5.5 inches or 7 inches.

The blade is made of authentic SG2 micro carbide powder steel.

SG2 is a very fine type of stainless steel that makes the blade harder…

….while resisting rust and scratches. 

A traditional Japanese knife made with a complex three-step process…

…the Miyabi uses the Honbazuke process.

Sharpening the knife and honing it by hand requires great care and precision. 

Furthermore, Honbazuke also has a razor-sharp edge…

…that holds a very sharp 9.5 to 12 degrees. 

Pros:

• Making knives according to traditional Japanese methods
• Its construction is quite exquisite
• The dark wooden handle is sleek and comfortable

Cons:

• A bit more expensive than other options on the list

Go on…

ZWILLING J.A. Henckels TWIN 30738-183 Signature Hollow Edge Rocking Santoku Knife

The ZWILLING J.A. Henckels TWIN Santoku knife has a 7-inch…

…high-carbon stainless steel blade that has been ice-hardened.

In my opinion, this is an innovative way…

…to make a blade retain its sharpness for a longer period of time.

With its hollow, scalloped edge, this knife prevents food…

…from sticking to the blade by creating air pockets.

Designed for optimal efficiency and balance, the triple-riveted handle is ergonomic.

This knife also features a full tang design…

…which means the blade extends the full length of the handle.

Knife construction with a full tang is the strongest.

Pros:

• Easy to handle
• High-quality blade that is lighter than most knives yet just as strong
• Very resilient, can last a long time

Cons:

• The blade runs a bit wider than other knives
• The handle feels a little cumbersome to some users due to its larger size

Last, but not least…

Tojiro DP Santoku Knife

Another stain-resistant knife is the Tojiro DP Santoku.

This knife is inclusive, as its blade edge has been ground…

…so that it can be used right-handed or left-handed.

Blade construction is full tang, which increases the strength of the knife…

…because the metal runs from tip to handle. 

Tojiro’s santoku knife has a medium length of 6.7 inches…

…a good balance for a variety of hand sizes and grips.

A blade with an even edge and a 15-20 degree angle is quite sharp.

Pros:

• An attractive blade with Damascus construction
• The knife has excellent balance and ease of use
• At a reasonable price, it’s well-made and sharp

Cons:

• Due to the blade material, it may rust
• A few bumps on the sides of the handle give the grip an unusual feel for some users

Sum Up!

In contrast to basic kitchen knives that have the traditional finish…

…that does nothing for the eye, these ones have a decorative finish.

They are therefore ideal for food presentation and display.

Also, these knives feature a decorative…

…and functional design on the blade, which makes them nonslip.

A hollow texture allows air to fill the space between the food and the blade…

…allowing it to slide off.

All of these features together make the Best Santoku knife a worthwhile purchase.

Having knives that are worth your money is a bonus.

Conclusion

Any of these knives would be an excellent choice for your kitchen…

…if you need a well-rounded, flexible knife.

Professional chefs will appreciate some of these products…

…while everyday home cooks who want to simplify their lives will benefit from others. 

According to my personal preference…

…the best santoku knife is the Wüsthof WU4182 Santoku Knife.

This knife is a good compromise…

…between high-end santoku knives and cheaper brands.

This knife has the benefits of a quality santoku knife…

…sharpness, precision, light weight – while being accessible to everyone.

I would recommend the Shun Classic 7-inch Hollow Ground Santoku…

…if you have a larger budget.

Thanks to its razor-sharp edge, precise balance…

…and sticky-food-fighting scalloped edge…

…it will be a powerful workhorse in your kitchen for years to come.

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