Top 10 Santoku Knives For 2023

Made out of premium AUS-10 steel, the Misen Santoku knife offers the perfect balance between sharpness and durability and contains twice the amount of carbon as many other premium Santoku knives.

Aside from its top-quality, high carbon stainless steel construction, the knife is aesthetically very pleasing, featuring a uniquely sloped bolster designed to encourage the proper ‘pinch’ grip while providing good access to the entirety of the blade. Furthermore, while most western knives use 25-degree angles down the blade, the Misen Santoku knife uses 15-degree edges, making for a noticeably sharper cutting face.

So, while the Misen Santoku Knife and Imarku 7 Inch Santoku Knife With Pakkawood Handle are both affordable options with high-quality blades made from Japanese steel, the Imarku knife has a more ergonomic handle made from pakkawood, while this knife has a more classic, minimalist design.

If you’re looking for an excellent Santoku knife at a reasonable price, this seven inch model by Imarku is one of the best options around. Made out of top-quality, high carbon German steel, this knife keeps a sharp edge and has unrivaled resistance to both rust and staining, making it an excellent choice for those who don’t enjoy constant knife maintenance.

Besides everything mentioned above, this Santoku knife is equipped with two features that really separate it from the competition. First off, the 2.5 mm blade is fitted with scalloped indents, which allow it to effortlessly cut through anything from vegetables to tough meat without anything sticking. Secondly, the knife is fitted with a beautiful Pakkawood handle ergonomically designed to relieve wrist tension that commonly builds up from the constant up-and-down motion of slicing or dicing.

All-in-all, this offering by Imarku is perhaps the best Santoku knife in its price range, and it’s no secret why it occupies the runner-up position on our list. Comparing the Imarku 7 Inch Santoku Knife With Pakkawood Handle with another one of the best Santoku knives, the Shun Classic Blonde 7 Inch Full Tang Knife features a beautiful, minimalist design with a full tang and a blonde wood handle, while the Imarku knife has a more traditional design with a pakkawood handle.

If you’re looking for a luxury Santoku knife and don’t mind dishing out top dollar, this seven-inch model by Shun is well worth your consideration. Fitted with an elegant and ergonomic Pakkawood handle, this Santoku knife is hand-crafted in Japan and comes honed to a perfect 16 degrees right out of the box.

In accordance with the overall quality you would expect of a knife in this price range, this Shun product is full tang, meaning the blade material extends fully into the handle. What’s more, the knife cutting core is crafted using Shuns proprietary VG-MAX steel and cladded with a 34-layer Damascus pattern stainless steel on both sides, ensuring the knife is as durable as it is sharp.

So the Shun Classic Blonde 7 Inch Full Tang Knife higher-end option is more minimalist compared to the heavy-duty Fzkaly or Dalstrong we tested.

You will be hard pressed to find a better Santoku knife for the money than this one by Fzkaly. On top of offering excellent value, this knife is also NSF certified and comes fitted with a taper-ground edge, which means it stays sharper for longer.

One thing people may notice when first looking at the knife is that the triple-riveted handle is a bit shorter than most other knives within its size range. If you’re worried about this causing balance issues, no one would blame you. Fortunately, the full tang design ensures the knife is perfectly balanced.

Like other high-carbon steel blades, this mercer culinary product is very resistant to stains and corrosion and is known to keep a sharp cutting edge for much longer than other knives of similar price. For instance, pros love this knife that a blade made from German steel and a comfortable handle, while the Dalstrong knife has a blade made from high-carbon Japanese steel and a beautiful, ergonomic handle.

Dalstrong makes some of the best full tang Japanese knives around, all of which are crafted using imported high-carbon steel from Germany. This particular model features a hand polished 16-degree edge with scalloped dimples running down the blade face to ensure smooth movements regardless of what you’re cutting.

In addition, the handle comes triple riveted and is constructed out of G10 Garolite, ensuring an extremely comfortable grip. What’s more, the knife is NSF certified and is engineered to a 56+ Rockwell hardness.

So, compared to the first knife we tested, the Dalstrong 7 Inch Gladiator Series Santoku Knife and Misen Santoku Knife are both high-quality options with beautiful designs. However, the Dalstrong 7 Inch Gladiator Series Santoku Knife knife has a blade made from high-carbon Japanese steel and a beautiful, ergonomic handle, while the Misen knife has a minimalist design with a blade made from Japanese steel and a comfortable handle.

Most of the Santoku knives we’ve looked at so far have featured a seven-inch blade, which, although highly versatile, is not to everyone’s preference. If you’re looking for a professional grade five-inch Santoku knife and don’t mind dishing out a top dollar in the process, this offering by Wusthof is one of the better options around.

Like most Santoku knives that we tested, the blade is forged out of high-carbon steel and built to last. However, what really separates this knife from many others is the fact it comes with a 58 Rockwell hardness rating, meaning not only is it durable, but it also possesses higher than average blade retention.

Furthermore, the attention to detail is second to none. While it may not be visible to the naked eye, the Wusthof knife has a slightly curved blade which results in a much straighter edge. Finally, as the name implies, the blade is hollow edge and is honed to a steep 10 degrees.

Ceramic blades have many advantages over steel blades as per our evaluation, and their popularity has been rising significantly over the last decade. If you’re in the market for a Santoku knife with a ceramic blade, Kyocera makes one of the best around.

Aside from using an unconventional material for a Japanese knife, Kyocera decided to step even further out of the box and equip their knife with a six-inch blade, making it as versatile as it is unique.

One of the main advantages of ceramic blades is that they keep their edge much longer than steel blades and don’t fall victim to corrosion, rust, and staining.

If you don’t like ceramic knives but still want something that will retain its edge for a long time, this AUS-10 steel Santoku knife from Zelite might be just what you’re looking for. The first thing people notice upon viewing this knife is just how visually appealing it is, and while looks can sometimes be deceiving, this isn’t one of those times.

The blade core is made out of AUS-10 super steel and cladded in a total of 66 layers of Japanese Damascus steel, meaning it is as durable as they come and maintains its razor-sharp edge for much longer than average.

Furthermore, the handle is designed to provide a comfortable and secure grip whether you’re chopping vegetables or hacking through bone. All-in-all, this product from Zelite is an all-around excellent knife and will make a great addition to anyone’s knife collection.

When it comes to grip, preferences can vary widely. While some prefer a handle with a smooth, almost slippery finish, others prefer the feel of a non-slip grip. If you fall into the latter camp, you will love this product from MITSUMOTO, which features a heavily dimpled stainless steel handle, ensuring you have complete control of the knife at all times.

Beyond the handle, this knife also features a very impressive blade made of a high-tech blend of Vanadium and molybdenum, meaning it’s highly durable and will last several years. Furthermore, the blade is face ground with a larger than average taper, which as knife fanatics will know, helps keep the blade nice and sharp for long periods of time, making it great for chopping large portions of food at a time.

Not everyone wants to hand wash their knife after each use, and unfortunately, most Santoku knives are not dishwasher safe. Luckily, Zwilling makes a seven-inch, high-carbon stainless steel Santoku knife that can be safely placed in the dishwasher after each use.

Besides being dishwasher safe, it’s also a very good Santoku knife and even comes fitted with a hollow edge to prevent food from sticking to the blade.

Lastly, the blade comes with a Rockwell hardness rating of 57 and is precision honed to an edge angle of 10 degrees per side, meaning it can be used on either hand. While the item we tested is an overall great knife, some people may want something a little more flashy or aesthetically pleasing for the price.