I Tested 19 Santoku Knives to Find the Best for Slicing, Dicing, and Breaking Down Chickens

I’ve tested many knives for Serious Eats and among the coterie of Japanese blades (nakiri, gyuto, and deba, to name a few) santoku is one of the most approachable and versatile styles. It’s adept at slicing and dicing produce while also providing the agility to de-bone pieces of meat, like chicken thighs. Overall, it’s a home cook-friendly blade, which jives with its origin story. 

“The Japanese modified the Western chef knife to become the gyuto, or ‘cow sword.’ Professional cooks who were preparing Western-influenced yoshoku food readily adopted the gyuto, but home cooks did not,” says Josh Donald of Bernal Cutlery. “It was too big and too different from the nakiri, deba, and yanagi home cooking setup. Knife-makers' response was to make a knife that would be more acceptable—smart and modern but not too much of a diversion from their mother's knife kit.” And thus the santoku knife was born. “Santoku were named either bunka-bocho (‘cultural knife’) or santoku (‘three virtues’) to give them a more respectful 'traditional' Japanese feel that wouldn't offend grandma,” Donald says. 

To find the best santoku knives, I tested 19 of them by using them to slice tomatoes, dice carrots, mince chives, and break down chickens. 

The Winners, at a Glance 

The Best Santoku Knife

Mac Knife Hollow Edge 6.5-Inch Santoku

$129 $120 at Amazon $14 at Walmart View on Cutleryandmore.com

Balanced handle, sharp blade, easy cutting motion—this knife had it all. It was the winner the first time we tested santoku knives, and its quality and precision held up. I also think it’s reasonably priced for being a fantastic knife. 

Another Great Santoku Knife

Wüsthof 4183 Classic Hollow Edge Santoku Knife

$170 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma

This santoku is in the same Wüsthof line as our favorite Western-style chef's knife, and it's similarly very good. I love the petite, balanced handle, and the blade is super sharp and precise.

The Best Budget Santoku Knife

Tojiro 6.7 Inch Santoku Knife

$92 at Amazon

This sub-$100 knife competed with aplomb. I’ve long been a fan of Tojiro knives because of their nimble, sharp blades and compact handles, and their santoku knife was no exception. 

Another Good Budget Santoku Knife

Mac Knife Superior Santoku Knife, 6.5-Inch

$90 $80 at Amazon

This was a great knife, even though it wasn’t quite as sharp as other winners. It performed admirably when breaking down a whole chicken and didn’t slip on the rubbery skin. 

The Best Carbon Steel Santoku Knife

Morihei Hisamoto Hagane 185mm Santoku Carbon Steel Pakka Handle

View on Bernalcutlery.com

This perfectly balanced carbon steel blade cleaved through tough carrots and squeaky tomato skin alike with grace and ease. 

The Best Splurge-Worthy Santoku Knife

Made In Japanese Damascus Steel Santoku

View on Made In Cookware

Sure, the pretty Damascus finish is eye-catching, but this knife is more than just a looker: It slices very well, too. I loved the compact handle and short, slightly curved blade that made chopping and dicing easy. 

Another Great Splurge-Worthy Santoku Knife

Misono 7-Inch Santoku Knife

$202 $159 at Amazon View on Korin.com

Sleek and nimble, the Misono dispatched carrots, chives, and tomatoes without splitting or mashing. Its thin blade cleaved neatly between joints when I used it to break down a chicken, too. 

The Best Santoku Knife for Knife Nerds

Sakai Kikumori 180mm Wa Santoku Shirogami

View on Bernalcutlery.com

If you (or someone you know) nerds out about knives, this is the knife to buy. It's lightweight with a large but agile blade that was as adept at slicing vegetables as it was carving up a bird. It sports a replaceable Japanese-style wooden handle with horn ferrule that your friends who are into knives will “ooh” and “aah” over.

The Tests

• Sharpness Tests: I used the Edge-On-Up Professional Edge Tester to find the average sharpness reading of each knife before testing. (This is measured in grams of force needed to cut through a synthetic thread.) I then cut a piece of printer paper vertically with each knife to get an anecdotal idea of sharpness. I also recorded the average sharpness of the knives post-testing. 
• Tomato Test: I used each knife to cut a tomato, noting if the blades sliced neatly through the skin. 
• Chive Test: I minced a bundle of chives using each knife, noting if they crushed the tender herb or cut clean little rounds. 
• Carrot Test: To examine how the knives handled hardier produce, I used each one to dice a carrot. Some wedged into the root vegetable and cracked it, while others diced neat cubes. 
• Chicken Test (Winners Only): I used my favorite santoku knives to break down a whole chicken, noting their ability to cut through slippery chicken skin and to see if they could do detail work around the joints. 

What We Learned 

What Is a Santoku Knife, and What’s It Good For? 

Santoku knives are everyday choppers. They’re great for slicing lean meats and cutting up produce. What makes them different from, say, a gyuto or chef’s knife is their length (often between five and seven inches long) and their sheep’s foot form (which is a sloped tip that meets the bottom edge of the blade). 

The bottom edge is also often straighter than a Western-style chef’s knife, lending itself to a push-cut motion rather than a rocking chop. Santoku also have a shallower blade angle than Western knives: 10 to 12 degrees is typical for a santoku, versus 15 to 20 degrees on a Western chef’s knife. And, as Donald explains, santoku also often have a right-hand bias, which is something to consider if you’re a lefty. 

“Santoku, like other ryoba (‘double-bevel’) knives, often have a right-hand bias either at the edge or on the face of the blade, but are not strictly right- or left-handed,” Donald says. “Asymmetrical blades (if they match the handedness of the user) will help the user do fine work, as the knife is hugging closer to what is being cut away from, but can lead the knife to pull to the inside while cutting something large. If you are lefty or will share it with a lefty, make sure there is not too much right-hand bias.” 

Blade material varies among santoku knives. I tested carbon steel and stainless steel options, and choosing between them depends on your comfort level with carbon steel blades, and how much maintenance you’re willing to do yourself (read: sharpening with a whetstone). 

Look for a Slightly Curved Blade 

While santoku knives are hardly as curved as a Western-style chef’s knife, I found the best ones did have a slightly curved blade. This gentle slope made the push-cutting motion feel more smooth and organic, while pin-straight blades, like on the Lamson, clunked against the cutting board. However, there’s such a thing as too much curve: The Miyabi Artisan Rocking Santoku Knife felt less like a santoku and more like a pizza-cutting mezzaluna.

Slim, Light Knives Were Best 

Chopping produce shouldn’t dramatically tire your wrist and forearm. But some of the knives I tested were so heavy and thick that even slicing chives felt like more of a workout than a kitchen prep task. Although it was sharp, the All-Clad weighed nearly nine ounces, while the Lamson was close to 10. Both knives were far too heavy and unwieldy and made cutting feel clunky. Instead, my favorite santoku knives were often between five and seven ounces and had thin blades that felt balanced with the handle. I felt in control with each slicing stroke. 

The winning Mac was a middleweight of six ounces, providing enough heft so I didn’t feel like I was cutting with a feather, while also being nimble and balanced. 

Carbon Steel vs. Stainless Steel Santoku Knives

Whether you spring for a high carbon steel blade or stick with ol’ reliable stainless steel is up to you and how much care you want to put into your santoku. Carbon steel often starts out sharper and is easier to sharpen, but is more brittle than stainless and needs to be thoroughly dried and rubbed with mineral oil to prevent rusting. Stainless is softer and more prone to rolling, but that can be ironed out with a few swipes on a honing rod and the blade won’t get splotchy after washing. I liked knives made of both materials so long as they were sharp, balanced, and not too heavy. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Santoku Knife 

A santoku knife should be balanced, with a thin blade and overall weight ideally between six and seven ounces. Any heavier and the knife felt awkward and uncontrolled. I preferred knives with slim, grippy handles over slippery, bulbous ones, and I found a slightly curved blade made for the most organic cutting stroke. Conversely, blades with super straight edges thudded into produce and cutting boards alike. I found fantastic examples of both carbon steel and stainless steel santoku—choose whichever you’re more comfortable with. 

Our Favorite Santoku Knives

The Best Overall Santoku Knife

Mac Knife Hollow Edge 6.5-Inch Santoku

$129 $120 at Amazon $14 at Walmart View on Cutleryandmore.com

What we liked: This fantastic little knife comes with the word “mighty” on one side, and it lives up to that moniker. It has a slightly curved, dimpled blade that cuts through hardy carrots and squeaky tomato skin without a hitch. Weight-wise, it hit the sweet spot at six ounces, providing both an assertive cut as well as the dexterity to core a tomato or slice between joints on a chicken. I think it’s reasonably priced, too. 

What we didn’t like: The handle was larger and smoother than I preferred, but it was still balanced with the blade. 

Key Specs 

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 52 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 50 grams
• Weight: 6 ounces
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Handle length: 4.5 inches
• Materials: ​Sub-zero tempered steel 
• Care: Hand-wash and dry 

Another Great Santoku Knife

Wüsthof 4183 Classic Hollow Edge Santoku Knife

$170 at Amazon $150 at Williams Sonoma

What we liked: Everything about this knife was fantastic—it was sharp and agile and weighed a balanced 6.6 ounces. It cut through carrots without wedging into them, and slicing tomatoes was akin to cutting silken tofu. In addition to being sharp, it was also nimble and let me deftly curve around joints when cutting up a chicken.

What we didn't like: Some may find the handle small for their liking, but I loved its compact shape.

Key Specs

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 58 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 78 grams
• Weight: 6.6 ounces
• Blade length: 6.75 inches
• Handle length: 4.25 inches
• Materials: ​Stainless steel
• Care: Hand-wash and dry 

The Best Budget Santoku Knife

Tojiro 6.7 Inch Santoku Knife

$92 at Amazon

What we liked: I’ve loved many a Tojiro knife (namely their bread knife and petty knife), and their santoku didn’t disappoint. It’s sharp, reasonably priced, and the blade is slightly curved making it good for various cutting styles. It’s a solid, durable knife that can tackle prep tasks big and small. 

What we didn’t like: It felt blade-heavy and wasn’t quite as nimble as the Mac Professional Santoku. 

Key Specs 

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 53 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 60 grams
• Weight: 6.8 ounces
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Handle length: 4.75 inches
• Materials: ​Stainless steel
• Care: Hand-wash and dry 

Another Good Budget Santoku Knife

Mac Knife Superior Santoku Knife, 6.5-Inch

$90 $80 at Amazon

What we liked: This stocky little knife was sharp and agile, cutting smoothly through chicken joints and skin and slicing a tomato without any slipping. Plus, it’s less than $80—a good deal if you ask me. 

What we didn’t like: The handle was thick and slippery. It also wasn’t quite as sharp as some of my other favorite santoku.  

Key Specs 

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 97 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 95 grams
• Weight: 5.8 ounces
• Blade length: 6.5 inches
• Handle length: 5 inches
• Materials: ​Stainless steel
• Care: Hand-wash and dry 

The Best Carbon Steel Santoku Knife

Morihei Hisamoto Hagane 185mm Santoku Carbon Steel Pakka Handle

View on Bernalcutlery.com

What we liked: This was a perfectly balanced knife with a lovely, slim handle. It was super sharp, shaving off slices of tomato like butter; I had no issues cutting against the rubbery skin. It dispatched tough carrots with equal poise, dicing neat cubes. I liked the slightly curved blade, which worked well with push-slice and rock-chop cutting motions. 

What we didn’t like: It needs careful post-washing attention: a thorough drying and a rub with mineral oil. Since it’s made of carbon steel, it’s more brittle than stainless. It also hitched slightly on chicken skin and dulled quite a bit after testing, though it’s still overall sharp. 

Key Specs 

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 65 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 90 grams
• Weight: 5.6 inches
• Blade length: 7.25 inches
• Handle length: 4 inches
• Materials: Carbon steel
• Care: Hand-wash and dry, rub with mineral oil  

The Best Splurge-Worthy Santoku Knife

Made In Japanese Damascus Steel Santoku

View on Made In Cookware

What we liked: I was skeptical at first, but this Damascus blade from Made In wasn’t just a pretty face; it did quite well in my tests. The blade had a nice curve to it that made it easy to use with both a push-slice and rock-chopping motion, and the thin handle ensured good grip. It performed quite well, cutting through bone, sinew, and slippery skin and meat easily. It felt nimble and not blocky or heavy. Overall a nice knife!

What we didn’t like: It’s expensive and was a smidge less sharp than some of the other winners. The rounded handle was slippery when wet. 

Key Specs 

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 68 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 72 grams
• Weight: 7.1 ounces
• Blade length: 6.75 inches
• Handle length: 4.5 inches
• Materials: ​Damascus steel, VG-10 core
• Care: Hand-wash and dry 

Another Great Splurge-Worthy Santoku Knife

Misono 7-Inch Santoku Knife

$202 $159 at Amazon View on Korin.com

What we liked: This compact, slightly curved knife was a tidy and swift slicer. It was a sturdy 6.8 ounces, and the blade felt balanced with the petite, grippy handle (one of my favorites). It excelled at most cutting tasks, but it really stood out when I diced a thick carrot; it cleanly cut through the woody root veg without wedging into it. 

What we didn’t like: It wasn’t quite as sharp as the winning Mac and it costs much more, too

Key Specs

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 75 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 115 grams
• Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Blade length: 7.25 inches
• Handle length: 5 inches
• Materials: ​Stainless steel
• Care: Hand-wash and dry 

The Best Santoku Knife for Knife Nerds

Sakai Kikumori 180mm Wa Santoku Shirogami

View on Bernalcutlery.com

What we liked: This knife is far from demure: It’s got a gorgeous magnolia wood handle gilded with a horn ferrule (read: ring) and rustic kurouchi finish on the blade. And its good looks aren’t just smoke and mirrors. In my tests, it was a highly capable santoku that sliced through tomatoes, swiftly minced chives, and easily broke down a whole chicken. It’s also incredibly lightweight at a mere 5.2 ounces, yet still had the heft to cleave through carrots without cracking them. If you want to splurge on a knife that looks as fantastic as it slices, I’ll nudge you toward this one. 

What we didn’t like: This is a high-carbon blade that requires thorough drying after washing and a rub of mineral oil. (The handle could use a spot of it, too.) It’s also quite pricey.

Key Specs

• Out-of-the-box blade sharpness average: 78 grams
• Post-test blade sharpness average: 73 grams
• Weight: 5.2 ounces
• Blade length: 7.5 inches
• Handle length: 5.25 inches
• Materials: ​Iron clad Shirogami 1 steel, magnolia wood handle with horn ferrule
• Care: Hand-wash and dry, rub with mineral oil

The Competition 

Also Good

• Cangshan Maya Santoku Knife: I loved this knife's faceted dark wood handle, which provided a good grip. It was sharp, too, though perhaps a little too much so: With each cutting slice, the blade stuck into my wooden cutting board. 
• Misen 8-inch Santoku: This was a sharp blade with a grippy handle, and it performed well in my tests. However, I found the blade a little too long and tall for a santoku knife—at eight inches long, it’s more akin to a chef’s knife. The heel kicked out enough that it got in the way while chopping. 
• Zwilling Pro Le Blanc Santoku Knife: While the blade was more flat than curved, this was still a sharp and agile knife—if a bit pricey.
• Shun Hikari Santoku: I love the Shun Hikari petty knife, and this santoku model was equally sharp and effective at chopping and slicing. However, I found the blade a bit too tall, which made the cutting motion awkward. 

Not Recommended

• Mercer Culinary M20707 Genesis 7-Inch Santoku Knife: While this knife was our previous budget pick, this time around it struggled in a few tests, particularly cutting carrots. Instead of cleanly slicing through, the blade wedged into the carrot, splitting it.
• All-Clad Santoku Knife: This knife had a thick blade and heavy handle. I struggled to slice carrots lengthwise with it, and it thudded through them crosswise.  
• Miyabi Artisan Rocking Santoku Knife: The blade was too curved, which made it difficult to control. It was like trying to chop with a mezzaluna pizza cutter. 
• Shun Premier Santoku Knife: The thick, bulbous handle was slippery and unpleasant to hold. 
• Lamson 7″ Premier Forged Santoku Knife: This thing thudded through my tests. It was a leaden 9.8 ounces, the heaviest in my lineup.
• Made In 7-inch Santoku: This blade was disappointingly dull and the rounded handle was slippery. 

FAQs

What's the difference between a chef's knife and a santoku knife?

A chef’s knife has a curved belly and can range between six and 14 inches in length. Santoku knives are shorter, stockier, and often have straighter blade edges that make them adept at a push-cut chopping motion. 

What are the dimples on a santoku knife?

Also known as a hollow edge or Granton edge, the dimples help food slide off the blade after each stroke. Our favorite knife from Mac has this edge, which helped it glide through food without anything sticking. 

Can you use a santoku knife to cut meat?

Santoku are multipurpose knives and yes, you can use them to cut meat (both cooked and raw). However, if you’re looking to cut the back out of a chicken, it’s best to use a pair of poultry shears instead. Santoku aren’t meant to cut through bone. 

How is a santoku knife different from a nakiri knife?

Santoku knives have a sheep’s foot shape: The top of the blade curves down to meet the bottom edge. Nakiri, on the other hand, has a rectangular shape and boxy tip. Nakiri are specifically vegetable knives, though they can be used to slice meat, while santoku are meant to be more versatile. 

How should you sharpen a santoku knife?

We’ve long held that a whetstone is the best way to sharpen any kind of knife, and that applies to santoku knives as well. 

Why We’re the Experts 

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Serious Eats. 
• She has been testing kitchen gear for almost four years. 
• She was a prep cook and manned the garde manger station in restaurants—so she knows a thing or two about cutting up stuff. 
• To test the santoku knives, Grace used them to slice tomatoes, mince chives, dice carrots, and break down whole raw chicken. She measured their sharpness using the Edge-On-Up Professional Edge Tester before and after testing. 
• Grace interviewed Josh Donald of Bernal Cutlery in San Francisco to learn more about santoku knives.
• Daniel Gritzer previously tested santoku knives in 2018, and the Mac Hollow Edge Santoku Knife came out on top then, too.