The 6 Greatest Knife Manufacturers for 2024, Based on Our Exams

With a status for high quality and merchandise that carry a lifetime guarantee, Wüsthof is amongst our most trusted knife manufacturers. The Wüsthof 8-inch traditional chef’s knife is one we’ve known as a workhorse following our intensive testing of the must-have kitchen staple, prizing this mannequin for its sturdiness and reassuring weight that permits it to slice by means of dense greens or break down a rooster with ease. We’ve additionally named Wüsthof’s traditional 10-piece knife set as our decide for greatest general knife set, beating out 41 different units with its cheap worth in relation to its high quality parts.  

Wüsthof has an intensive collection of knives, together with cleavers, boning knives, serrated knives, and a 7-inch santoku we’ve additionally fortunately reviewed. Staying true to their roots — a transfer we are able to all the time respect — Wüsthof’s restricted product line solely pertains to blades, from stunning reducing boards to shears to sharpening instruments. 

Miyabi is a line of Japanese-designed knives from the German model, Zwilling, which we’ll additionally get into under. These knives are made with precision — the model’s web site touts 100 steps and 42 days to make only one Miyabi knife — and the vary is spectacular. We’ve praised the Miyabi Kaizen 9.5-inch bread knife for its magnificence and extremely sharp, serrated blade; and we’re additionally followers of the Miyabi Koh chef’s knife, which has a gently curved blade that makes it excellent for rocking and chopping, but is light sufficient to slice by means of delicate tomato pores and skin with out squishing the fruit. 

With Zwilling’s distribution (and lifelong guarantee), Miyabi knives are broadly out there — but the standard and craftsmanship that Japanese knives are identified for should not compromised. These are some severely refined, high-performance knives.

Shun makes some actually eye-catching cutlery — simply take a look on the Gokuji 6-inch boning and filet knife — and is one in all our favourite manufacturers for Japanese knives. We named the Shun 8-inch traditional chef’s knife the most effective high-end chef’s knife after proving its capability to create paper-thin slices with its rust-, stain-, and stick-resistant blade. 

In case you’re up for a splurge on a full set of Japanese knives, Shun’s traditional knife block is a worthy funding. These are positively knives you’ll need to you should definitely care for correctly, together with washing by hand, drying totally, and honing commonly. As with different high knife manufacturers, Shun knives include a lifetime guarantee — however it gained’t cowl neglect.

Like Wüsthof, Zwilling knives are made in Solingen, Germany, however this model has been round even longer — since 1731. The total model identify is Zwilling J.A. Henckels and there’s an unlimited product vary of knives and kitchen merchandise designed for residence {and professional} use. 

We expect the Zwilling Professional 10-piece knife block set is a superb worth for the standard, hanging a pleasant stability between ultra-luxe and fairly priced units. There are three knife manufacturers that function underneath the Zwilling umbrella — Zwilling, the aforementioned Miyabi, and budget-focused Henckels — so the selection will be overwhelming for those who’re ranging from scratch. We choose Zwilling’s Professional line for constant high quality and sturdiness. 

We’ve been so happy with MAC knives throughout our testing that we’ve named the 8-inch hole edge chef’s knife the most effective general chef’s knife, in addition to the most effective on a regular basis Japanese knife. Meals & Wine’s personal editor-in-chief, Hunter Lewis, declared this MAC knife “evenly balanced between the burden of the blade and the deal with,” making it “really feel strong and good in my hand.” 

Whereas any good chef’s knife is flexible within the kitchen, MAC’s is much more so, due to its hole notches that assist cease meals from sticking to the blade. The Pakkawood deal with, in the meantime, feels safe and non-slip for limitless chopping. And whereas MAC doesn’t supply a lifetime guarantee like some opponents, they do again their knives for a beneficiant 25 years.

If the Hedley & Bennett identify sounds acquainted within the context of kitchen aprons, effectively, you’re proper — the model makes a few of our favorites. Once we realized that they’re now providing knives, we have been initially skeptical however shortly realized that Hedley & Bennett knives aren’t only a advertising ploy. The chef’s knife is a worthy competitor in a busy ring, impressing us with its snug deal with and a pointy blade that made fast work of each paper and tomatoes throughout our testing. 

We’ll control Hedley & Bennett as a knife model over the approaching months, however thus far? We like what we see.