The Best Chef’s Knives for $75 or Less
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ธ.ค. 2023
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Our longtime favorite chef's knife is sharp, capable, and comfortable to hold. But is it still the best?
Buy our winning Victorinox Chef's Knife: cooks.io/3WZ7Kof
Buy the Mercer Renaissance Chef's Knife: cooks.io/3sJjOix
Buy the Mercer Millennia Chef's Knife: cooks.io/3G7j3mt
Learn more: cooks.io/46lUxsv
ABOUT US: The mission of America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) is to empower and inspire confidence, community, and creativity in the kitchen. Founded in 1992, the company is the leading multimedia cooking resource serving millions of fans with TV shows (America’s Test Kitchen, Cook's Country, and America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation), magazines (Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country), cookbooks, a podcast (Proof), FAST channels, short-form video series, and the ATK All-Access subscription for digital content. Based in a state-of-the-art 15,000-square-foot test kitchen in Boston’s Seaport District, ATK has earned the trust of home cooks and culinary experts alike thanks to its one-of-a-kind processes and best-in-class techniques. Fifty full-time (admittedly very meticulous) test cooks, editors, and product testers spend their days tweaking every variable to find the very best recipes, equipment, ingredients, and techniques. Learn more at www.americastestkitchen.com/.
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I think it could be good to mention that any knife is going to dull with time, so it could be beneficial to learn how to sharpen and hone a knife yourself.
That’s a good video idea.
A better idea is to use a honing steel before you use a knife every time and then when a knife truly needs sharpening take it to a pro and let them do it correctly. Properly honed and not abused a knife even with heavy daily use, like doing prep in a busy restaurant kitchen, won't need sharpening more than once every 6 months. Realistically a home cook who hones properly can go years without needing their knives sharpened. Spending money for the equipment to properly sharpen a knife and time learning how to do it for something you'll do that rarely is not a good use of your time.
Victorinox holds its edge really well. It's such a good knife at any price, and the fact it's under $40 is crazy
I don’t have their version of a chef’s knife, but I do have their boning knife and it’s fantastic. I’m extremely careful when I use it because it’s so damn sharp!
OK where can I buy it under $55, let me know.
Under 40? No.
@@GenericAccountVLR Mine is my Japanese Nakiri, but my Victorinox 6" chef is my second favorite. The 8" chef feels too big for most tasks for me, but that's personal preference.
This is $59 on Amazon
I watched this or another similar ATK video as I couldn’t find a decent knife for all that I was doing in the kitchen. So, I purchased the Victorinox as shown here. It quickly became my ‘Old Faithful’ for all the same reasons demonstrated in this video. Now somehow or other my Victorianox has multiplied as now every knife I have from paring on up is Victorianox ! Outstanding knives made by a company that produces high quality without demanding suitcases full of cash. I recommend these knives wholeheartedly!
I bought a Mercer set because it had the exact knives I wanted in it, and no bolster, so easy to keep sharp. They are very good, I can recommend.
I checked out the link for the "$31" Mercer 8" chef's knife and it was now $56.00. The "$38" Victorinox was $60.00. Gotta love that Amazon price gouging.
Typical Bezos
…probably noticed an uptick in hits from the release of this video.
Views on TH-cam are not the be-all, end-all. 🤦🏼♀ This segment was shot over a year ago for the current season of ATK TV on PBS and was first broadcast in late January 2023. The knife review itself was conducted around September 2021 and published in the July/August 2022 issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. It was updated in November 2023 (link in the description) adding two more knives to the lineup and that update includes the more current purchase/repurchase pricing.
lol. I was also confused.
It’s 69 bucks now!
I bought the Victornox on ATC recommendation the 1st time they reviewed years ago. It is my go-to. I have several much more expensive knives given to me over the years, but none compare. I have also probably gifted 10 or 15 over the years to friends. Especially if I am cooking at their house. Always a good gift. Thanks for the review.
Might I ask what your other knives are? The more expensive ones that is.
2 Xmas ago - Masamoto VG Gyuto
3 Xmas ago - Gunter Wilhelm 10" chef
Several HENCKELS, and Wüsthof over the years. all more expensive and in my opinion not as good.
I too have gifted the Victornox to friends.
I bought mine, among many other items, based on the ATK reviews, and I can't be more satisfied with it. Thank you guys! I love to see you together again.
As much as I like the Victorinox just fine, and it's a great knife for under $40 (most of the time), I love using my Misen, and really do consider it twice as good for twice the price. It is just so much more comfortable for me, and gives me confidence and precision in my knifework.
Based on your recommendation, I bought my Victorinox about 8 years ago. I absolutely love it! It holds its edge so well, with regular honing you rarely need to have it sharpened. One of the best investments in my kitchen!
So glad to see this video and get this recommendation. Was just shopping for knives again. Bought 2 in the last year and have been very disappointed. Found one online with Walmart on sale for $36! Thanks so much!
I bought a 10" victorinox chef's knife decades ago, and it's still my go to! I love that knife!
I have some expensive knives including a couple of Wustoff chefs knives, but the one I reach for most often is the Mercer Genesis 8" chefs knife. It's easy to sharpen, beautifully balanced, and it really stays sharp. It's great to see ATK add Mercer to its recommendation list.
I had one of those and absolutely loved it but gifted it to a coworker after I started using an even cheaper Mercer BPX. Same steel but finished differently. It's a featherweight so you might not like it if you prefer the heft of the Genesis, but I *adore* this knife. Pinch grip delight. I bought 3 of them so I can have one for the rest of my life.
I have the Genesis 6" chef's knife because I got it on sale for real cheap, a pure spur of the moment impulse buy, but it's become my go-to for quick meals because for me it hits the sweet spot between being handy but still packing enough heft for some heavy duty tasks.
The Dexter-Russel 8” offerings are also spectacular for around $30, with the sani-grip holding well with wet hands, and fully dishwasher safe. Many of Dexter-Russel’s knives are made in the USA, too, as an added bonus.
Victorinox and Dexter. Really hard to beat.
I bought a Henckels international chef’s knife. I love it. It just feels great in my hand.
I love Victorinox & Mercer knives both but another very affordable & functional knife is the Messermeister Pro Series 8” Wide-Blade Chef’s Knife. I have the 6" version & it has become one of my favorite & go to knife.
I have both the winner and the Mercer Renaissance, and I prefer the Renaissance. It's a little heavier and feels more substantial in my hand, and I like the grip better.
Mercer makes a helluva knife. I have one of Chinese chef's knives with the Santoprene grip, I love that knife. And extremely affordable
My daughter bought me a nice Misen Chef's knife. Misen is all the Chef will use in the high end sushi restaurant she manages. Best of all if you want the blade rehoned once a year or so it's only $14 to have them do it.
you guys should give the Dexter Russel Duo Glide a try.
I have both the Victorinox Fibrox and the Dexter Russel and honestly I love them both.
the handle on the Dexter is vero Ergonomic, it was designed for people with arthritis and the elderly which may struggle with grip.
the handle is further up the spine so it feels more precise like a shorter knife.
also because the handle is closer to the center. you can really get your weight behind it.
the handle also makes the knife perform like an ULU knife, very good at rocking.
it's also very reasonable $40, made in the USA, and Dexter Russel is a well established reliable brand similar to Victorinox.
Well as of December 16 - the date of this posting - Amazon in the link shown for the Victorinox knife shows $60 and not $39.
they probably sponsored this video and raised the price
@@EnochDarkif it was sponsored they'd legally be required to disclose that. ATL isn't risking a heavy fine and a likely strike from TH-cam for violating the law.
It's 40 at restaurant supply
Victorinox knives are rock solid. I've used them since ATK suggested them like a decade ago. They hold a good edge, they're affordable, and you can just throw them into the dishwasher. You don't have to treat them special or hand wash them. I get the kitchen gadget addiction of using a $200 damscus steel chef knife but in the end, we just cutting up an onion. It's nothing special.
down in my country Victorinox stuff is v expensive, but Mercer isn´t well known, so one store had the plastic handle fybrox style version of that knife and it was way more affordable, it was a massive upgrade from the usual homecook south american brands (Facusa, Tramontina, etc)
Dexter-Russell 10" Chef's Knife is by far my favorite knife. Inexpensive. Sharpens easily. Holds a good edge. Found in a lot of commercial kitchens.
Even a Winco will perform well, especially with someone who knows how to use a butcher steel
Over the past 12 years, I'm on my second Victorinox because it was sharpened to a point of replacement. They are so affordable, you don't mind using them everyday, sharpening them often and wearing them out. I use it way more often than my expensive knives
I retired my Victorinox in favor of that Misen you had on the board. It's been wonderful. Feels a bit more agile than the Victorinox.
I enjoyed my Mercer set that I bought for culinary school and it's a solid choice for the price.
Very interesting and helpful, thanks!
When I first moved out on my own I needed a good set of kitchen knives. It was the first thing I bought for my apartment. I didn't know anything about kitchen knives. Zwilling was what I settled on. They were at the top of my price range and they looked like what I saw a TV chef use so I got them. An 8" chef knife, a 6" vegetable knife and a 3" paring knife. I lucked out because they have been fantastic knives! They have performed every task I have ever attempted for them.
I have them too, and love them. The 7” chefs knife makes me love prepping anything
@@Techelet_Bseder Ah, the power of a quality knife.
I purchased the Victorinox several years ago on ATK’s recommendation and it’s wonderful. I’ll use it until I’ve sharpened it down to a nub.
Those good ol' Forschner blades are great for the price (that was their name before Victorinox fully engulfed the brand name as it was very well known to commercial kitchens and especially butchers). Messermeister makes a similar series that used to be called Four Seasons, but looks like it was renamed to "Pro Series". Their blade spines are a touch thicker to feel a bit more like a forged blade, but still have great geometry. They're a little bit more expensive due to economies of scale (they're a smaller company).
My absolute favorite chef's knife under $75 is the TwoSun TS999, but they're nowhere near as available as the other two as they barely have retail presence in the US. But it's a fully forged blade of Swedish 14C28N steel rather than the German X50CrMov15. Great geometry, tall blade and distal taper to the blade, and polished G10 handles that won't cause problems over the years like wood and cheap plastics can. They sell on average, about $45 when you can find them.
I just bought a 2nd Victorinox. Had a 19cm and added the 22cm, so it can double as a carver. It's not as thick a knife as most, but is easy to sharpen and holds an edge well. My Mundial costs a lot more, and is harder to keep sharp.
Wait... how old is this video? Published on TH-cam 4 hours ago but the prices via the links are about double the price than the video says??
I think this video was actually filmed a couple years ago. You can see a some workers in the background wearing masks.
I'm personally not a huge fan of the Victorinox chef, BUT I have two others by them that I could not live without. A 4 inch "boning knife" which for me is really like a large paring. I've had it and and a Victorinox bread knife for probably 25 years. They are awesome.
My personal favorite chef (and really, one should try before they buy) if I had to live with one is the 10 inch Zwilling I got several years ago. I also very much like my 8 inch Wustoff Classic.
My ex got me this knife a few years ago. I can say that it is quite nice in that it feels good to hold and stays sharp. My only complaint is I'm not a fan of the plastic handle. Aside from that, I consider this my "home" knife and have never brought it to work. In fact I've only ever brought a couple cleavers to work but unfortunately my particular jobs haven't really called for that.
About half of my knives are Victorinox Fibrox since I saw it winning one of the previous tests. The 15cm one seems to be most universal in the daily use. The one I really don't like from that range is the bread knife. Tefal seems to have nailed that specialty better.
ATK recommends the Mercer 10" bread knife. It's scary good.
I have used Victorinox for a very long time and was perfectly happy with them but then got gifted a set of zwilling pro which I find have a more comfortable weight/feel (albeit more expensive and I cannot say they are better or worse only that I worry more about damaging them).
LOVE my Mercer knives! Best value out there!
A friend works for a restaurant supply service. They also do the rental knives. I used to buy Old Hickory knives. Straight hi-carbon knives. SHARP, but they rusted easily. I now buy new stainless Tramontina knives from him. I do my own sharpening.
Wow you had a link from ATK and they're both double the price! Way to go Amazon.
I’m not crazy about Amazon for a number of reason but that is definitely one of them. I put the item on my watchlist and most of the time within a few weeks the price drops back down and I will purchase it at that point 😂
I don’t see the Mercer knife for close to the price the stated anywhere on the internet, it’s not just Amazon.
FWIW, it's super easy to round a knife spine. If you're not doing your own sharpening, ask whoever's doing that for you. Note that if you're right handed, you only really need to have the spine rounded on the right side as that's where the inside of your index finger pushes. And if you're not using a pinch grip 1) you should and 2) a squared off spine doesn't matter as you're not holding the knife there.
BTW/FWIW. Mercer has a stamped-steel chef's knife that's very similar to the Vic. Similar price and performance but I don't find the handle as secure as the fibrox when my hands are super greasy - I use these when breaking down a BBQed pig. Bright side: neither is so expensive that I have to keep an eagle eye on it so it doesn't wander off.
You should not be using any "finger" (index) to cut/press down the knife blade for use.
@@jettabartholomew1118sounds like you just hold the handle. Suit yourself, but if you walk into a commercial kitchen, look at anyone doing knife work. Chances are good that they're using a pinch grip.
I love this knife! I give it as bridal or wedding gift. It’s so practical!
And, it may come in handy at divorce time.
As a former chef those are good recommendations. Mercer is really the best bang for your buck if you don’t want to spend a lot of knives. Close in quality to wusthof but much cheaper.
I was gifted a copy of their magazine “cooks illustrated” 11 years ago and it was the issue where they tested knives. I’ve been using Victorinox chef knives ever since.
My dad was a meat cutter for 60 years. He swore by Victorinox. My Henckels 8" is much thicker at the handle. I hold the knife pinching the blade between thumb and fore finger. Tip is on the board. So I like a blade thicker near the handle. Mine is 25 years old and is an extension of my mind. It comes out of the block with my R hand, steel in the left hand.
Clicking the links I see these are now about $60.00. That didn’t take long.
69 now and only 20 left lol that's how it works. Same thing with synthesizers...
one of the best purchase that I've ever made since I watch the first chef knife comparison from ATK
We have been very pleased with all of our Victorinox knives for a # of years.
You really can't beat the Vic! Been using these for years.
Thanks so much
Julia has mad knife skills, or should I say "chops"?
Complete side note: love Julia’s shirt! In the total spirit of ATK: what is the brand and where can I get it? Thanks.
Been using mercer 9' for 3 years
Steel is hard enough to hold for daily prep
Yet soft enough so you won't spend alot of time on the Whetstone
The other only thing that make me choose it over Victorinox is the handle
If you can handle it choose Victorinox, if you want something with harder steel choose tojiro dp
Where in the world do you get the knives for the prices you quote? The link for the Victorinox goes to the one with the "thermoplastic" handle and the price is $69.00 not $31.00. The correct price for one shown in video (Pro version with softer handle) goes for $69.95. The Mercer Culinary Renassance goes for $56.06 not $31.00 that you quoted. I doubt the prices have changed that much in one day. Although I was looking at a product from an ATK video yesterday from a year ago and the price on Amazon had gone up 45%. If one of your listeners had scrolled down your page and clicked the buy button for either of these knives they would later have had a big surprise. What goes?
The prices jump when a popular review comes out naming them the best. Happens for basically everything. I bet the prices were accurate when they were filming.
Clicked on the links, both the Victorinox and the Mercer Renaissance are mid-50$ range.
It's easy enough to google them and find them cheaper else where Amazon prices fluctuate, I'd be amazed if the website didn't up the price pre Christmas as Chefs knives are often given as a gift. Also they hide the postage in the cost so that ups the price.
@wwaxwork those are the amazon prices. Maybe they filmed this 4 years ago before everythings prices doubled.
I just found out Adam is the chef that created the recipes for the Heroes Feast Dungeons & Dragons cookbooks. I've tried a few of the recipes and they're pretty good.
I'm curious how long the knives hold and edge and maybe how hard the steel is but other than that, good information
Interesting that the prices quoted are nowhere near the actual prices in the affiliate links. Amazon prices are almost double what they quoted in the video
I have Wustof, Henkels, Shun, but I keep going back to my Victorinox !
I've had my Victorinox for years and I still love it. Someone that I know who makes knives told me that it's a really great knife. It's still sharp 6 years later.
I got the All-Clad chef knife for maybe $45 during their factory seconds sale which is a hard deal to beat
I give the Victorinox 8" as a gift and it hasn't failed me yet!
It’s crazy how much this feels like a straight up victorinox ad 😂
I love all of my Victorinox knives.
Great video. I will buy myself the Mercer Renaissance as an upgrade to my Damashiro. It was a good enough knife for 4 years of cooking, but definitely a bit of a rip off.
The Made in USA Dexter Russell Sani-Safe 8" Chef's Knife is excellent too.
The differently handled SofGrip sibling of the SaniSafe was included in this test. ATK declared it DOA - dull on arrival - a deal-breaker in a test where knives were expected to be sharp from the factory. There were some qualities ATK liked and indicated that if the knife were sharpened, it might perform nicely. But because it arrived dull, they did not recommend it.
@@sandrah7512 Dexter Russell has both US made and Chinese made knives. The American made Sani-Safe Chef knives are better than the Victorinox as the handle is more comfortable and ergonomic and the blade holds it's edge just as long, both are thin stamped steel with similar blade profiles.
Bought the Victorinox 😊and I love it, love it, love it!
Not sure if you know but the link for the winning knife shows the price at $69 not $38.
Yes, I love my Mercer Renaissance knives.
Still under $75 but both knives are like $60 now.
I’m looking all over the place & I can’t find it for $32. Even Amazon has it for $42. Where can I find the best deal?
I love the victorinox knife, I’ve been using it for years and it’s still very sharp, and very comfortable to grip on. I loved it so much I bought one to my friends as a wedding gift. Its also a very value for money oriented product.
I've had a Chicago Cutlery that is about 35 years old. Stays razor sharp forever. My Henkels are good but don't stay as sharp as long.
Is your Chicago Cutlery knife carbon steel (aka not stainless)?
I’ve had a Chicago Cutlery set (stainless) for about 13 years. Bit of a fanatic about sharp knives, and it took me a while to find out the factory edge grind on these knives are 13 degrees. They don’t hold an edge like my Benchmade pocket knife does, but I use a steel hone on them regularly and I resharpen them to 13 degrees a couple times a year using a Workshop Ken Onion model with the blade grinding attachment. After finishing with a leather strop, the edge is super sharp so I’ve never felt the need to upgrade. I do wish the serrated bread knife was longer though.
About a rounded spine; I used to have a really cheap chef's knife where the corners of the spine were so sharp that I would cut myself on them all the time.
I also like my Misen chef knife. Looks like it was on the table.
Vitorinox pastry knife it always my go to
Hi, since you have tested 10 knives, can you tell us what the knife brands actually are? I did not see it in the video or in the description.
I got the Victorianox 3 years, great knife for a great price.
I have a full set of Forschner Victorinox knives that I've used and have lasted for over 30 years, it's the one set that I didn't have stolen in 25+ years in restaurant kitchens. I retired from Culinary in the mid 1990s, and have used them at home since, but they're the most reliable, low maintenance workhorse tools I've ever owned and worked just as well as my "fancy" knives I've owned. All my "fancy" knives, Henckel, Wusthof, Sabatier, Japanese Sushi/Sashimi knives, all stolen by sh!tbag cooks, but no better than Victorinox for real work.
I have a bunch of very expensive knives. 9 out of 10 times though, I use the Victoriox Fibrox Santoku which cost me a whopping 29 €.
Anyone know the difference between the 2 Victorinox 8" Chef knives? I only notice the end of the handles are slightly different and the price is different.
I have recently found fine knives for sale at garage sales. I buy them every time.
Victorinox also makes a very nice paring knife
Both the Victorinox and Mercer are priced over $56 on Amazon as of 12/16.2023. Unsure why the huge discrepancy in stated cost.
I have the Mercer, its a great knife for the money.
I’m the only one of my amateur cook group who splurged on knife sharpening stones instead of the knife, which is why I have an always sharp Victorinox, and they have blunt expensive knives. 😂
I own many Victorinox knives. I'm a bigger guy with a big hand and find myself preferring the 10 inch knife over the 8.
They appear to have jacked up the price since this video came out. The link now takes you to a Victorinox priced at $59.90
The best one is the one you keep sharp.
Well spoken, well said.
Dang, i wanted to see the blue handled one. Haaa!!! Good lil info for the newbies.
What’s the name of the Blue handle knife?
What about Serrated Knife vs. a Straight blade knife?
Also, how do you sharpen or hone a Serrated Knife vs. a Straight blade knife?
I have Victorinox chef’s in every size/style. Wouldn’t have anything else!
The links are wrong. They are sold by other parties and you can get them less expensive
I am surprised no mention of a Nikiri knife! $39 on Amazon
ATK you are so freaking good
Where’s the Dexter? Also country of origin would be good useful knowledge when trying to decide what to buy. Thanks for the video.
Not recommended, mainly because they arrived dull which ATK considers a deal-breaker. They did like aspects of their handle and blade designs. It was the dull comparison knife used by Julia in this segment.
How does the Victorinox hold up to repeated super hot dishwasher cycles? I'd be willing to buy several of these inexpensive knives for a volunteer job if they can survive, say, twenty or more super hot cycles. I am a volunteer cook at a family housing facility. Everything in the kitchens must (of course) go through the commercial dishwashers' sterilization cycles so (of course) none of us bring our personal knives. The available knives are (of course) unimaginably awful although I sharpen and hone before each cooking session. Is there perhaps another inexpensive knife manfucturer anyone can recommend for this specific situation? Restaurant supply shops are nearby. They carry the usual brands.
I do love my Victorinox. It’s almost as good as my $300+ chef’s knife… which for the price in fact makes it better than my fancy pants chef’s knife. Still love my fancy chef’s knife though lol
I wish the edge retention and ease of sharpening was compared. Comparing knives out of the box really doesn't tell us much. I have the victorinox and like it....but don't love it
Where are you finding these prices that are being mentioned? These knives are around 60$ where I've looked. Help! Lol
Nice advice. Though I was slightly disappointed in the cursory discussion about blade geometry.
There is more involved than what angle the blade is sharpened to. I have discovered the hard way, that some knives can be ground such that they are too thick near the cutting edge, making slicing hard vegetables a real challenge.
You can talk about the primary and secondary bevel, whether it has a distal taper, the thickness at the spine. And yes that may be a bit more detail than most people care about hearing about. But if those design factors are done badly, it does have an impact.
There are a surprising number of factors impacting how well a knife functions, beyond how sharp the blade is.