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Santoku Knives | 5 or 7 Inch Cutlery Knife Sets

Santoku knivesIt’s easy to ignore new ideas. I walked past Kiwi fruit in the grocery for fifteen years before I tried one, and if someone hadn’t pushed a santoku into my hands I’d still be using a chef’s knife for everything. The santoku isn’t new in Japan, but it took the world by storm only recently here in the West. If you don’t have one, you should get one.

You’ll still need your chef’s knife for heavy work, but for slicing vegetables you’ll never use another kind of blade once the santoku is on hand. The thin blade and delicate edge make a difference you really can feel — less friction, less work, less fatigue, and more accuracy. The characteristic that’s most noticeable is the granton, that row of small hollows ground in the sides of the blade just above the edge. Many higher grades of santoku don’t include it — it’s the thinner steel and the acute edge that are most important.

What happens when the santoku slides through a veggie is that less blade actually contacts the work. It’s easier to slice things because you’re not forcing a thick piece of steel through them. Pieces do still stick to the blade regularly — even though many swear the hollows magically release slices, that doesn’t always happen. What matters to me is that the work goes faster and easier with this knife. It’ll make you wonder why nobody on this side of the Pacific figured it out on their own.

Some of Our Favorites

Our pick for the Best Santoku Knife is Kershaw’s Shun Classic. Made in Damascus steel, it offers the reduced friction of the granton without the reduction in strength. Traditional looks disguise innovative improvements in an already excellent design.

Yoshikin Global’s all-steel santoku comes with granton or in the older traditional smooth blade. Either way, you get perfect balance and a better edge than the European standard.

At the low end of the price range but still high in quality, the R.H. Forschner Santoku gives western chefs a familiar knife style with efficient Japanese improvements.

See All of Our Santoku Knife Reviews Below


Wusthof Classic 2 Piece Asian Knife Set

Paring & Santoku w/ Granton Blade

Posted by JT Hats

Wusthof Classic 2 Piece Asian Knife Set | Paring & Santoku w/ Granton Blade

This Asian santoku and paring knife set comes from the Wusthof Classic series of hand-forged cutlery. The Classic Santoku combines traditional German craftsmanship with the light and efficient santoku pattern from Japan. Use the seven-inch santoku for fine slicing of vegetables and meats and the three-inch paring ...




Wusthof 6 Piece Knife Block Set

Japanese Classic Santoku Granton

Posted by JT Hats

Wusthof 6 Piece Knife Block Set | Japanese Classic Santoku Granton

This Wusthof Classic Santoku 6-Piece Block Set switches the classic European chef's knife for the classic Japanese santoku -- which more and more of us are discovering to be the real workhorse of the modern kitchen. More specialized than the versatile cook's or chef's knife, the slimmer and more efficient ...




Wusthof Gourmet Asian Knife Set

Granton Edge Full Tang Molybdenum 2 Piece

Posted by JT Hats

Wusthof Gourmet Asian Knife Set | Granton Edge Full Tang Molybdenum 2 Piece

Though this isn't the forged pattern many expect from the established German knifemakers like Wusthof, there's quality here of a different kind. Streamlined methods and improved steel alloys create knives which are lighter and thinner than the old builds. One piece of chrome molybdenum vanadium steel makes both blade and ...




J.A. Henckels Twin Select Santoku Knife

Forged Granton Blade

Posted by JT Hats

J.A. Henckels Twin Select Santoku Knife | Forged Granton Blade

This Henckels Twin Select Santoku with a granton blade shows the company's idea of what a good knife should be, and does not exactly copy the familiar Japanese design. Some of the good ideas from both cultures are expressed in this high quality knife.

With a heavier forged blade ...




Yoshikin Global Japanese Santoku

7 Inch Stainless Steel Slicing Knife

Posted by JT Hats

Yoshikin Global Japanese Santoku | 7 Inch Stainless Steel Slicing Knife

Global's 7-inch Santoku brings modern one-piece forged design to an old Japanese pattern, and is closer in appearance to the original santoku knives than the more familiar hollow ground versions most of us now own. Global knives are the favorites of many top chefs including Anthony Bourdain, and depend ...




Pure Komachi by KAI Santoku Knife

7 Inch Japanese Vegetable Knife

Posted by admin

Pure Komachi by KAI Santoku Knife | 7 Inch Japanese Vegetable Knife

One might take a look at these knives with their buoyant colors and whimsical flourishes and assume these knives are children's toys. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

KAI, makers of the well regarded Shun knives, have produced a knife which performs quite well, despite the unusual appearance. ...




Wusthof Classic Santoku Knife

7 inch Stainless Steel Cutlery | Hollow Edge

Posted by admin

Wusthof Classic Santoku Knife | 7 inch Stainless Steel Cutlery | Hollow Edge

The Japanese translation of Santoku means "three virtues". The name refers to the idea that the santoku is meant for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables. While true that the santoku is the Japanese equivalent of a utility infielder, it's not as well suited to any of these purposes ...




Forged Santoku

Kanetsune Cutlery Chef’s Knife | VG-10 Damascus Blade

Posted by admin

Forged Santoku | Kanetsune Cutlery Chef’s Knife | VG-10 Damascus Blade

If you hang around Williams-Sonoma, you're sure to know about the Shun Classic Santoku knife. If you hang around professional kitchens for a while, you'll get to know some lesser-known Japanese brands that are just as good.

Kanetsune makes their knives with similar materials as the Shun -- it's got a 33-layer Damascus-patterned blade ...




Global Santoku Knife

7-Inch Hollow-Ground, Granton Edge

Posted by admin

Global Santoku Knife | 7-Inch Hollow-Ground, Granton Edge

While most other knife makers are watching and mimicking each other, Global stands by its unique design.

They were the first to introduce razor-sharp, lightweight Chef's knives to Western kitchens nearly twenty years ago. In doing so, they've gained something of a cult following.

Couple that with design features you won't find on ...




J.A. Henckels Santoku Knife

Twin Four Star | 7-Inches Hollow, Granton Edge

Posted by admin

J.A. Henckels Santoku Knife | Twin Four Star | 7-Inches Hollow, Granton Edge

You'll see some great reviews of this knife out there. Ignore them.

There's nothing inherently wrong with it -- it's made of decent high-carbon stainless steel and a black polypropelene non-slip grip. The blade has granton edges which help -- a little -- in keeping food from sticking.

There's no heavy bolster in ...




Mundial 5100 Series 7-Inch Santoku Knife

Posted by admin

Mundial 5100 Series 7-Inch Santoku Knife

Santokus have become wildly popular over the past several years. Perhaps it's the novelty of using an Asian-style blade. Or perhaps it's the celebrity chefs that push them at every turn.

Truth is, they are versatile knives that belong in every kitchen. What they're not is an all-purpose knife that should ...




Best Santoku Knife: Kershaw Shun Classic

Hollow Ground or Plain Edge

Posted by admin

Best Santoku Knife: Kershaw Shun Classic | Hollow Ground or Plain Edge

We named Shun Classic Knives our best $500 kitchen knives a while back, and for good reason.

Shun took kitchen cutlery to the next level when they introduced their Classic series a few years back. The Classics feature a VG-10 Japanese "super steel" that is incredibly hard and, as a result, ...




Wusthof Classic Ikon Santoku Knife

Stainless Steel Hollow Granton Edge

Posted by admin

Wusthof Classic Ikon Santoku Knife | Stainless Steel Hollow Granton Edge

My, how far Wusthof has come. Once wedded to the idea of creating full-bolster, thick-bladed, somewhat-dull kitchen knives, they've now come full circle.

Take this Classic Ikon Santoku. Years ago, Wusthof would not have dreamed of making a thin, sharp, light knife in a traditional Japanese form.

But this Santoku is exactly that.

It's ...




MAC Professional Santoku Knife Review

MSK-65 | Granton Edge

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MAC Professional Santoku Knife Review | MSK-65 | Granton Edge

Hang around OnlyKnives for a while and you'll start to get to know MAC knives. They're fantastic knives and they tend to be about 20% less than other "big name" knives.

We recently reviewed the Mac Superior Santoku knife and gave it an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

This Santoku is part of the ...




R H. Forschner Santoku Knife

Victorinox 7-Inch Stainless Steel Blade | Black Fibrox Handle

Posted by admin

R H. Forschner Santoku Knife | Victorinox 7-Inch Stainless Steel Blade | Black Fibrox Handle

These Forschner knives really are exceptional. OnlyKnives named them the Best $50 Kitchen Knife Set a while back, and Cook's Illustrated has lauded them many times as well.

The Santoku fits right in. For thirty bucks, you get a very sharp blade, a non-slip fibrox handle and a dimpled granton ...




KitchenAid Santoku Knife

7 Inch Stainless Steel | Black or Red Handle

Posted by admin

KitchenAid Santoku Knife | 7 Inch Stainless Steel | Black or Red Handle

A lot of Westerners have fallen in love with the idea of the Santoku.

It's a nice idea -- you've heard about high-end Japanese knife brands and maybe you've even heard about razor-sharp Japanese steel. Why not try a Japanese style blade as well?

There's only one problem with that -- the Santoku was ...




MAC Superior Santoku Knife

#SK65 | Best Budget Santoku

Posted by admin

MAC Superior Santoku Knife | #SK65 | Best Budget Santoku

If you spend much time on OnlyKnives, you'll know that we love MAC Knives. We raved about both the Superior and Professional series earlier.

But today, we're going to focus on a single knife -- the Superior Santoku.

It's an amazing value -- you will not be able to find another knife ...




Wusthof Grand Prix II 7 Inch Hollow Ground Santoku Knife

Posted by admin

Wusthof Grand Prix II 7 Inch Hollow Ground Santoku Knife

Wusthof making Japanese-style knives? Alert the media!

Actually, Wusthof has come a long way recently in redesigning its knives to meet needs of today's chef.

This knife is a good example. The full bolster that prevented re-sharpening is gone. The shape is a departure from the traditional German styling and the ...




Furi Rachael Ray Gusto Grip 3-Piece Knife Set

Posted by admin

Furi Rachael Ray Gusto Grip 3-Piece Knife Set

Warning: I'm about to say something bad about Rachael Ray. If this review ends abruptly, you'll know that the lawyers got to me!

Okay, here goes: You can (and should) get better knives than these for the same money. Regular readers of this blog know that our favorite inexpensive knife set ...




Chicago Cutlery Santoku 7″ Forged Chef’s Knife

Centurion #1064061 Granton Edge

Posted by admin

Chicago Cutlery Santoku 7″ Forged Chef’s Knife | Centurion #1064061 Granton Edge

This Santoku is a seven-inch Japanese style chef's knife. Chicago Cutlery specializes in delivering high value knives. When I say value, I mean that you get more than what you pay for, not that this is the highest-end knife out there. I'll link to a slightly higher-grade knife below as well so you ...




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