The Best Santoku Knife For Your Kitchen: Top 5 List (2022)

The Santoku knife is a popular kitchen knife that you will see in many restaurants and food stalls. It is an excellent tool that you can use to do many things in the kitchen, such as dicing, slicing, and mincing. Even a homeowner like yourself should have the best Santoku knife. If you add this knife to your kitchen, you will never regret it.

Despite the fact that the Santoku knife’s quirky name is Japanese in origin, it is fast becoming a favorite kitchen tool of Western gourmets. This is because its wide-blade construction provides more flexibility.

The edge of the blade is extremely thin and sharp, which means it can cut slim, thin strips easily. It is, therefore, a perfect choice for cutting sushi, fish, and vegetable cuisines. In addition, the blade has two variants: the Granton and the smooth edge.

Fortunately, you don’t need to become an expert to get a good Santoku knife, as the market today offers a lot of these knives. But, of course, we all know that only a few of them are worth your money. Do you want to know which brand of Santoku knife really makes the cut? If so, then keep on reading this article!

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Santoku Knife Buying Guide: Top 5 List

These are the five Santoku knives that really impressed us. Among the dozens of units that we tested, only these were able to satisfy the gourmet inside us. Of course, we will tell you the reasons why. So just sit back and relax! We’ve got it covered!

Best Santoku Knife: Full Review

1. Wusthof Classic 7-Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife (4183)

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You will certainly love the capacity of this knife to cut through things. It is so sharp that you have to be careful while using it! This is an excellent choice if you want to dice, slice, and chop the tough flesh of meat and vegetables. Moreover, it doesn’t have any rough edges, so you won’t spend too much time on food preparation!

The Wusthof 4183 Santoku Knife is also ergonomic. It comes with alternative holes on the side of the blade, so the sliced food won’t cling to the knife! The blade itself is very robust as it was forged from high-carbon stainless steel.  This ensures that it won’t crack or dent, even if you use it regularly.

On the other hand, the blade’s handle is made of polypropylene. Therefore, it is tough but convenient for your hands, and the three rivets in the handle improve the stability of the knife’s handling.

Pros

• Made in Germany.
• The blade is tough and sharp (made from high-carbon stainless steel).
• Easy and comfortable to handle.
• Its intuitive design helps to ease food preparation.
• Available in several sizes.

Cons

• Needs to be sharpened regularly.

2. Mercer Culinary Genesis 7-Inch Forged Santoku Knife

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The Mercer Culinary is a giant in the kitchen utensil industry. Even in the production of Santoku knives, this brand is relentless. Their Genesis knife will amaze you. Just like the Wusthof 4183 Santoku Knife, the Genesis uses a high-carbon stainless steel blade. You can, therefore, guarantee both its sharpness and its resistance to corrosion and rust.

The knife also has an ergonomic bolster that improves the blade’s strength and durability. The latter also contributes to the balance and stability of the knife while you are cutting. Fortunately, the bolster is available in a short version as well! Meanwhile, the Santoprene handle of this blade can give you the utmost comfort while handling the knife. It will also prevent it from slipping, even if your hand is wet! The handle won’t break when you expose it to kitchen fluids and extreme temperatures.

The Genesis has a taper-ground edge, which improves the stability and sharpness of the blade. It also enhances the lifespan of the blade, however much it is used. We can guarantee that the blade of this Santoku knife is easy to hone!

Pros

• A highly stable, rugged knife.
• The blade is sharp and tough.
• The bolster has two versions (the standard and short model).
• The handle has an ergonomic and robust design.
• It comes with a taper-ground edge.

Cons

• We noticed that it has a thin spine, which is quite rare for forged knives.

3. DALSTRONG Santoku Knife – Shogun Series

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The Shogun Series of DALSTRONG is beautifully designed, which is maybe one of the reasons why we are so attracted to this tool. When you see the knife personally, you’ll see what we mean. But don’t worry, this Santoku knife is not all about aesthetics. Otherwise, we would have dropped it.

The craftsmanship of the Shogun Series is certainly appealing and the sharpness of its blade is almost unrivaled and unreal. It has a cutting-edge design that enables it to have 8 to 12-degree angle finish. Moreover, the blade has undergone nitrogen cooling to improve its sharpness and durability. With all these preparations, you can be certain this is no ordinary Santoku knife!

Meanwhile, the blade of the Shogun Series is made out of VG10 Japanese steel, an ultra-hard material that exhibits excellent robustness and retention. Moreover, the blade has several layers of high-carbon stainless steel. You won’t find this type of premium construction on most of its competitors!

Pros

• Extremely durable, sharp blade.
• Beautifully designed for modern kitchens.
• Engineered for edge retention and sharpness.
• It has a non-stick property.
• Immune to extreme temperatures and moisture.

Cons

• No drawbacks.

4. Zelite Infinity 7-Inch Santoku Knife

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The Zelite Infinity Santoku Knife is also an excellent choice for your cutting needs. It possesses the same articulate design as the Shogun Series, but is also made from premium materials that will ensure your satisfaction in the kitchen. The blade is so sharp you won’t feel any resistance while slicing.

The Zelite Infinity Santoku Knife is made out Japanese Takefu VG10 steel. It also incorporated several layers of high-carbon stainless steel and there are hollow structures on the side of the blade to stop the things you are slicing from sticking to it. In addition, it underwent liquid nitrogen tempering to make it immune from rust or staining.

Meanwhile, the blade’s handle has a round shape and triple rivets. The grip of the handle works perfectly as well. In fact, it won’t slip in your hands even if they are wet!

Pros

• Premium design and construction.
• The blade is ultra sharp and tough.
• Food doesn’t stick to the sides of the blade.
• Highly stable and comfortable to use.
• The edge doesn’t roughen quickly.

Cons

• Some people don’t like the pattern sculpted on the blade.

5. Victorinox 7-Inch Fibrox Granton Edge Santoku Knife

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Another good option is the Victorinox Fibrox Granton Edge. This one has a decent design that prevents food sticking on the blade. It can also effectively do basic knife duties, such as slicing, mincing, and dicing. However, the best-selling feature of this tool is its combination of the features of a meat cleaver and Granton edge. As a result, it can make extremely thin slices consistently.

The top-notch blade is made from high-carbon stainless steel to ensure maximum rigidity, sharpness, and retention. Despite its simple design, this Santoku knife underwent precise engineering to ensure its lifespan and immunity against extreme temperature and other detriments.

Pros

• Simple design makes it easy to use.
• The handle is comfortable.
• It has excellent stability and balance.
• The blade is sturdy and offers edge retention.
• It can make fine, thin cuts.

Cons

• The handle is made out of plastic (and is light).
• The handle is noticeably thin as well.

Santoku Knife Buying Guide

The Santoku knife is a unique tool in its own right. Because it is of Japanese origin, you might expect it to have intricate details and capacities. The English translation of “Santoku” is “three virtues”. Of course, the reason for that is obvious. This knife can do three things in the kitchen: dicing, chopping, and slicing.

Although it is true that a Santoku knife is similar to a chef’s knife, there are still a number of differences that separate the two. 

• Specifically, a chef’s knife is ideal for general applications.
• On the other hand, a Santoku knife is perfect for detailed work and fine tasks, such as cutting thin slices.

Using a Santoku knife requires a little familiarity and practice. It’s worth it, however, because you can only create those thin slices if you learn the techniques.

Thickness of the Blade

Because the Santoku knife’s primary task is to create lean cuts, it is a given that the blade should be slim and sharp as well. In addition, it should have an acute angle so that it can penetrate through any layers and surfaces it cuts.

You also have to remember that you have to cut in an “up-and-down” manner when using it because the knife doesn’t have any serrations to do horizontal cuts.

Blade Strength

The strength of the blade is necessary for any knives. But for Santoku knives, the strength of the material used in the blade is its lifeline. Some types of knives (e.g. a bread knife) have a sturdy but flexible construction. That’s a big no for a Santoku knife, however, as it must be stable and fixed at all times.

Therefore, we highly recommend that you get a Santoku knife with a high-carbon stainless steel blade  as this type of material can provide extra durability and strength. If you want a stainless steel model, then make sure that it has been fully forged. Unlike conventional method of stamping, forging makes the stainless steel strong and robust.

Some of the Santoku knives out there use ceramic blades. Although these blades are sharp and don’t bend, they are too brittle for the tasks meant for a Santoku knife.

If you insist on using a ceramic blade, then you should complement it with a good cutting board with a wood or plastic construction. They are easier to work with compared to marble and glass boards.

Length of the Blade

Do not forget that the length of the blade is essential for Santoku knives. This particular feature is important for various reasons. 

• First of all, you need the blade to be longer than the food that you are cutting. Otherwise, you won’t be able to create those thin slices that you want.
• Secondly, a lengthy blade allows you to slice seamlessly.

You have a better chance of cutting thin cuts if you slice in a single motion. If the blade is too short, then you are prone to doing repetitive cuts and the meat or the vegetable that you are cutting will have jagged surfaces, as a result.

Hollowed Edge

If you are familiar with Santoku knives, you may have noticed that its edge have dimples or hollowed parts, which we call the Granton Edge. The concave shapes on the edge provide the knife with non-stick properties. As a result, the knife won’t stop due to food sticking to it.

Is this feature really important? Yes, it is! Most of the time, you will use your Santoku knife on sticky, juicy food (such as sashimi, peppers, and chives). So you need this intricate detail to ensure that you can easily deal with these ingredients.

Our Ratings

Final Verdict

Overall, a Santoku knife will always have a place in your kitchen, even if you have a “complete” set already. This one knife alone will triple the versatility of your food preparation by offering you the precision and sharpness that you won’t find in other types of knives.

My Best Pick

We, therefore, deem that the Shogun Series of DALSTRONG is the best Santoku knife out of all the products we’ve featured. From its intricate design down to its sophisticated construction, this knife will offer you a premium and long-lasting performance!

Although it comes at a price, it still a cost-efficient choice, as it requires less maintenance, less sharpening and it is pretty immune to cracks or any other kind of damage.

However, we suggest that you try each of the knives that we listed here, as you will never know which one satisfies your preferences if you just stick with the one option. So try each of them out and see which one suits your preferences!

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Did you learn from this article? Which of these Santoku knives do you like the most? Tell us your answers in the comment section below!