The ten best chef knives

Spend any time at all researching the finest chef knives around and the name Wusthof pops up with a frankly alarming frequency. And for good reason. The German knifemaker has been making high-end knives for over 200 years, and remains one of the most prestigious names in the game. Of all Wusthof’s knives, this 20cm classic blade is the brand’s most beloved model: versatile enough to chop through pretty much anything, but also durable (made of chip-resistant carbon stainless steel) and comfortable to hold. A slightly heavier knife, with Wusthof you know you’re getting a blade of lasting, established quality.

A lot of chef knives look great – until you see the astronomic price tag. That’s where a knife like BravEdge’s eight-inch blade comes into its own. No, this doesn’t have the insanely high level of craft of most of the others in this list, but it’s still an everyday chef’s knife that does its job exceptionally well. A stainless steel blade with an ergonomic, non-slip handle and a sleek modern design, BravEdge is even safe for cleaning in a dishwasher. And all for under 20 quid! Simply a steal.

We know that not everyone can afford a mega-expensive, super-high-end chef knife – and the middle market, while more affordable, can be plagued by crappy, easily-blunted blades. Mercer dominates the best of that range, crafting good-but-less-pricey alternatives with German steel and proper heat-treatment. The Genesis eight-inch is a balanced, resilient and sharp model: it’s the best of its price range and, honestly, if you aren’t a knife expert, you likely won’t find many differences between this and the most esteemed on this list.

Hast is the knife brand to watch. The New York-based firm makes minimalist, exceptionally stylish knives (so stunning they actually won a design award) that are also, thanks to a special patented ‘Matrix powder’ steel, especially sharp and tough. A true combo of style and substance, Hast’s eight-inch chef knife features a Japanese-style blade that is thin, light and supremely comfortable. At the mo, you do have to ship them over from America, but they’re certainly worth it. We simply HAST to have ‘em.

If you’re looking for a slightly lighter German-style blade, this Twin Pollux 20cm knife from Zwilling J. A. Henckels is a stellar alternative to the Wusthof. In a lot of ways, Zwilling’s knives are similar to Wusthof’s: the two companies are both old German knifemakers (even based in the same city, Solingen) that make robust, versatile blades. The Twin Pollux is slightly cheaper than most high-end knives, but that doesn’t mean it skimps on quality. Not. At. All. This thing is still ice-hardened, stylish, and primed for long-lasting, fatigue-free chopping.

If you can’t decide between Japanese and German knife styles, why not try a hybrid of both? That’s sort of what you get with Miyabi, a German-owned company that makes Japanese-style knives. Miyabi’s 5000 FCD range are all made in Seki, Japan, from carbide steel, so they’re hard, corrosion-resistant, balanced knives that are great for precise, easy cooking. And on top of all that, the knife’s 46 layers of Damascus steel (a metal renowned for its watery patterns) leave mesmerising imprints on the side of the blade.

Savernake’s mantra is that they don’t believe in the perfect knife but your perfect knife. The UK-based knifemaker has an online knife configurator for you to customise your ideal blade. And we mean really customise. Savernake has over 44,000 possible options in its configurator, from different length blades and handles to knives with specialist functions. Obviously, such a bespoke service doesn’t come cheap – but Savernake is, more than any other knifemaker on the list, almost certainly your best bet for a totally perfect knife.

Even if you know nothing about knives, there’s a decent chance you might’ve heard of Kuhn Rikon. Kuhn Rikon made Nigella Lawson’s iconic leopard-print knife, and while that model is currently not in production, the company has plenty of other fab chef knives in its range. We particularly like the Colori, a non-stick, Japanese-style blade with few frills but a lot of usability.  Sure, it’s nowhere near as much of a fashion statement as Nigella’s famed chopper, but it’s still sharp, simple and very affordable.

Thirty years after it was first unveiled, Global’s sleek, curvy, entirely stainless steel design still looks like it’s from a distant future. It’s one of the most famous knife designs in the world, but Global is also tremendously usable and a favourite of top-tier, Michelin-starred sous chefs. The GH272 SAI Santoku knife is a thin, light and immaculately-balanced Japanese-style blade with a firm, pebbled handle, and it’s a great example of Global’s classic combination of iconic design and peerless practicality.

The knives of Japanese company MAC are damn hard. We’re talking a Rockwell hardness of 59-61, which is exceptionally – borderline ridiculously – tough. MACs are masters of clean cutting knifework, essentially turning everything to butter and making easy work of pretty much anything you might want to cook or eat. The ‘Mighty MSK-65’ is a typical MAC and one of the finest Santoku knives around, a blade that makes all chopping, dicing and slicing so bloomin’ easy you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.