Compare different kitchen knives for daily use

Not every knife is the same, and not every knife is suitable for every cutting task. Choosing the right knives for your daily cooking routine will make you cook more efficiently, safely, and with more pleasure. In this article, we compare the most commonly used kitchen knives and the best brands per category.

The six most commonly used kitchen knives compared

1. Chef's knife
The most versatile knife in any kitchen. Length: 20-25 cm. Suitable for vegetables, meat, fish, herbs, and fruit. Its broad blade offers stability when cutting and can be used to scoop up ingredients. If you only buy one knife, buy a chef's knife.

Best choice at Kookgigant: Shinrai Knives Damascus chef's knife, Wüsthof Classic chef's knife 20 cm, or Global chef's knife 20 cm.

2. Santoku knife
The Japanese alternative to the chef's knife. Shorter (16-18 cm), with a wider blade and often with small hollows (Granton edge) that prevent food from sticking. Excellent for slicing vegetables and meat into thin slices. Lighter than a chef's knife, popular with home chefs who do more precision work.

Best choice at Kookgigant: Kai Shun Wasabi santoku, Shinrai Knives santoku from the 7-piece set.

3. Paring knife
Small and agile (8-10 cm). For peeling, trimming, removing cores, and any precision work too fine for a large knife. Always handy alongside a chef's knife.

Best choice at Kookgigant: Victorinox paring knife, Shinrai Knives paring knife from the sets.

4. Bread knife
Serrated blade of 21-23 cm. Not just for bread: also for tomatoes, citrus fruits, cakes, and any other ingredient with a hard exterior and soft interior. A non-serrated knife will crush these ingredients instead of slicing them.

Best choice at Kookgigant: Wüsthof Classic bread knife, Shinrai Knives bread knife from the 7-piece set.

5. Nakiri knife
Rectangular Japanese vegetable knife with a flat blade (16-18 cm). Ideal for slicing thin vegetables, fine chopping, and working with leafy greens. Popular in Asian cuisine but increasingly found in Dutch kitchens.

Best choice at Kookgigant: Kai Shun nakiri, Shinrai Knives nakiri from the Damascus sets.

6. Fillet knife
Thin, flexible blade of 18-20 cm. Specifically designed for filleting fish and separating meat from bone. Not suitable for vegetables or hard food.

Best choice at Kookgigant: Global fillet knife from the G-21138 3-piece set.

Japanese versus German: a direct comparison

Read more about the difference and which type suits you in our article: the best kitchen knives for home.

Brand comparison: the best knives per user goal

Which combination works best?

Most home cooks are best served with three to four knives:

• Chef's knife 20 cm: the foundation of everything
• Santoku or nakiri knife: for vegetables and fine cutting work
• Paring knife: for precision work
• Bread knife: for bread and soft peels

These four knives cover 95% of all daily cutting tasks. View the overview of knife sets and types of kitchen knives at Kookgigant for all available options.

Maintenance: how to keep your kitchen knives sharp?

• European knives: hone every one to two weeks with a honing steel, sharpen completely twice a year.
• Japanese knives: hone every few months on a water whetstone (#1000 for correction, #3000 for finishing).
• Bread knife: can be honed with a ceramic honing steel along the teeth. Sharpening is more difficult and is better left to a professional.

Read the full guide: how to sharpen kitchen knives.

Conclusion

The best combination for daily use is: a Japanese or German chef's knife as a base, supplemented with a santoku or nakiri knife, paring knife, and bread knife. Shinrai Knives offers the most complete solution in one set, with all necessary knife types including accessories. For separate Japanese precision, Kai Shun is the best choice. For European robustness, Wüsthof is unbeatable. View the overview on the kitchen knife brands page.