7 that made the cut
Josh Donald’s recommendations:
1 Best knife for vegetarians Fujiwara maboroshi no meito 195mm nakiri; $374 Forged by master smith Fujiwara Teruyasu, this classic Japanese vegetable knife gets sharper than just about anything in the shop with a minimum of effort and cuts beautifully. You’ll get the cleanest julienne ever.
2 Best step up for serious home cooks and professionals
Ashi Hamono 240mm gyuto; $265 For those who think they have good knives that work easily, this knife is a mind-blower. Its super-thin blade zips through food astonishingly easily, and its light weight makes it easy to use and to learn new techniques.
3 Best companion to your chef’s knife Ohishi aogami super 150mm petty knife; $150 This utility knife holds its edge for an extremely long time and is an absolute powerhouse. It’s great for small veggie work (shallots, garlic, mushrooms), cutting fruit, trimming small steaks and any task that requires curved cuts.
4 Best knife to make your chef friends jealous Yoshikane SLD 210mm gyuto with suminagashi kurochi; $464 This is a stunning knife with a hand-forged Damascus steel blade. The swirling nickel and stainless pattern is highlighted with a black finish from the forge and complemented by a handle of enju wood and buffalo horn.
5 Best knife if you’re interested in learning how to sharpen your own
Wakui stainless-clad white-steel santoku; $158 A relative newcomer to the Western knife market, Toshihiro Wakui makes sleek white-steel knives that cut super-smoothly and sharpen to a razor’s edge. Shaved fennel will take on a new meaning.
6 Best knife to replace the one you got as a wedding gift in 1982
Ohishi VG5 210mm gyuto; $120 The Japanese equivalent of the classic 8-inch chef knife, this knife is made of forged stainless steel. It gets amazingly sharp and is easy to maintain on a steel or stone.
7 Best knife for kids
Mac 105mm paring knife; $25 This is the knife that Bernal Cutlery uses when it partners with organizations that offer kids’ cooking classes. Designed in the 1960s as a modern paring knife, it has an offset handle, which provides a good angle for small hands to chop, and the blunted tip adds a degree of safety.