Best Santoku Knife Chef Knives of 2025

Rebecca Cantu Avatar
Rebecca Cantu
Last Updated: Jan 7, 2025

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Santoku Knife Chef Knives are a versatile and essential tool for any kitchen. These Japanese-style knives feature a shorter, wider blade with a flat edge, making them perfect for slicing, dicing, and chopping. The sharp and precise stainless steel blade ensures effortless cutting, while the ergonomic handle provides a comfortable grip. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, Santoku Knife Chef Knives are designed to enhance your culinary experience and make food preparation a breeze. Upgrade your kitchen arsenal with these high-quality knives that combine style, functionality, and durability.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

HOSHANHO 7 Inch Japanese Chef Knife Cover #TOP 1
HOSHANHO 7 Inch Japanese Chef Knife
ftb score rating icon 9.8
SHAN ZU 7 Inch Santoku Chef Knife Cover #TOP 2
SHAN ZU 7 Inch Santoku Chef Knife
ftb score rating icon 9.7
SHAN ZU 14C28N Santoku Knife Cover #TOP 3
SHAN ZU 14C28N Santoku Knife
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Santoku Knife Chef Knives

HOSHANHO 7 Inch Japanese Chef Knife

7 inch Santoku Knife
Silver
HOSHANHO 7 Inch Japanese Chef Knife Cover
HOSHANHO 7 Inch Japanese Chef Knife, Ultra Sharp High Carbon Stainless Steel AUS-10 Kitchen Knife, Professional Santoku Knives with Ergonomic Pakkawood Handle

HOSHANHO Chef Knife is a high-quality kitchen knife made of ultra-tough stainless steel. Its blade is forged with triple-layer laminated steel, providing durability and resistance to cold, heat, and corrosion. The blade is made of high-end Japanese steel AUS-10, which is two times harder than other knives in its class. The unique design of the knife includes a frosted finish and a hand-sharpened 15° blade angle, allowing for thinner cuts and more precise tasks in the kitchen. The double-side groove design reduces cutting resistance and prevents food from sticking. The knife also features an ergonomic Pakkawood handle, ensuring optimum comfort, control, and agility. With its versatility, this Santoku knife is suitable for both home and professional use, making it perfect for chopping, slicing, dicing, and cutting various ingredients. The knife comes packaged in a luxurious gift box, making it an ideal gift for any cook or knife enthusiast.

What We Like
Ultra-tough stainless steel blade
Unique and fashion design
Ergonomic Pakkawood handle
#TOP 2

SHAN ZU 7 Inch Santoku Chef Knife

SZPCS-2017-004
Silver
SHAN ZU 7 Inch Santoku Chef Knife Cover
Chef Knife, Kitchen Knife SHANZU Santoku Chef's Knife 7 Inch Multifunction Kitchen Knives Damascus Stainless Steel & Ergonomic Fiberglass G10 Handle Best Sharp High-Carbon Knives

The SHAN ZU Santoku Knife is crafted with a core of AUS-10 Damascus Japanese steel, ensuring exceptional sharpness and durability. This knife's real Damascus design is achieved through multiple layers of carbon steel, resulting in a stunning and functional blade. With 67 layers of steel, it offers impressive resistance to wear and rust, making it a reliable kitchen companion. The ergonomic G10 handle provides a comfortable and secure grip, enhancing your cutting experience and allowing for precise control during meal preparation.

What We Like
Exceptional sharpness
Durable and long-lasting
Comfortable ergonomic handle
Real Damascus craftsmanship
#TOP 3

SHAN ZU 14C28N Santoku Knife

SZHW-2023-019
European Style
SHAN ZU 14C28N Santoku Knife Cover
SHAN ZU Kitchen Knife, Swedish Steel 14C28N Santoku Knife High-Class Professional Europe Style 7 inch Cooking Meat Vegetable Kitchen Knives, Ultra Sharp Chef Knife with Upgraded Two-tone G10 Handle

The SHAN ZU Santoku Knife is a top-quality kitchen tool crafted from Swedish steel, known for its exceptional sharpness and durability. With a hardness rating of 62 HRC, this knife can handle tough cutting tasks with ease. The upgraded G-10 handle provides a comfortable grip while ensuring stability, preventing issues like cracking. Its unique blade design features grooves that help food slide off easily, making your cooking experience smoother. Plus, its ergonomic shape allows for balanced handling, so you can chop and slice without discomfort, even during extended use.

What We Like
Ultra sharp Swedish steel
Durable G-10 handle
Food-release blade design
Ergonomic for comfort
#TOP 4

Mercer Culinary 7-Inch Santoku Knife

M23590
Santoku Knife
Mercer Culinary 7-Inch Santoku Knife Cover
Mercer Culinary M23590 Renaissance, 7-Inch Santoku Knife

The Mercer Santoku Knife is expertly crafted from high-carbon German cutlery steel, ensuring it remains sharp for a long time. Its ergonomic handle is not only lightweight but also designed to reduce wear, providing you with a comfortable grip while you chop and mince. This knife excels in tasks like dicing onions and crushing garlic, making it an essential tool for any kitchen. To keep it in top shape, simply wash it by hand after use, ensuring its longevity and performance remain intact.

What We Like
Long-lasting sharpness
Comfortable ergonomic handle
Versatile for various tasks
Easy to maintain
#TOP 5

Sunnecko 7-inch Damascus Santoku Knife with VG-10 Steel Blade

Sun-E-S-003
Santoku Knife
Sunnecko 7-inch Damascus Santoku Knife with VG-10 Steel Blade Cover
Sunnecko Santoku Knife 7 inch, Damascus Chef Knife VG-10 Steel Blade Japanese Knife, Sharp Kitchen Knife with Solid Handle Chopping Knife Perfect for Professional Home Use Cutting Knife

The Sunnecko Santoku Knife boasts a VG-10 steel blade, making it durable and long-lasting while also being resistant to rust and stains. With a comfortable handle that offers a perfectly balanced grip, this knife is easy to control and handle. The 67-layers damascus steel blade has a natural pattern that is the result of the artisanal forging process. Its razor-sharp edge is sharpened by experienced craftsmen at the ideal angle of 12° - 15°, making it perfect for chopping, slicing, and dicing. Whether you are a professional or home cook, the Sunnecko Santoku Knife is a must-have in your kitchen.

What We Like
Durable and long-lasting VG-10 steel blade
Comfortable handle with a perfectly balanced grip
67-layers damascus steel blade with a natural pattern
#TOP 6

MITSUMOTO SAKARI 7" Japanese Santoku Chef Knife

Gray
7 inch
MITSUMOTO SAKARI 7" Japanese Santoku Chef Knife Cover
MITSUMOTO SAKARI 7 inch Japanese Santoku Chef Knife, High Carbon Stainless Steel Kitchen Cooking Knife, Professional Hand Forged Chef's Knives (Rosewood Handle & Sandalwood Box)

The MITSUMOTO SAKARI Japanese Santoku Chef Knife is a hand-forged, high-quality cooking chef knife made of 3 layers of top-grade 9CR18MOV high carbon steel with precision quenching and vacuum cold nitrogen treatment. The knife features an ultra-thin sharp blade that can keep the ideal ripeness of fruits, vegetables, and meat. The solid rosewood handle is ergonomically designed to minimize wrist tension, providing a secure, comfortable grip. This knife is perfect for both home cooks and professional chefs, and it comes in a professional gift box, making it an ideal gift for family and friends.

What We Like
Hand forged using traditional Japanese methods
High-quality 3-layer laminated steel blade
Ergonomically designed solid rosewood handle
Ultra-thin sharp blade for precise cutting
Comes in a professional gift box, making it an ideal gift choice

DDF iohEF Kitchen Knife

DDF-XW-001
Silver
DDF iohEF Kitchen Knife Cover
DDF iohEF Kitchen Knife, Chef's Knife In Japanese Stainless Steel Professional Santoku Cooking Knife, 7 Inch Non-slip Ultra Sharp Knife with Ergonomic Handle

The DDF iohEF Knife is a premium stainless steel chef's knife that is perfect for all your kitchen needs. Made from professional German stainless steel with high carbon content, this knife is incredibly sharp and durable. The double-edged blade design makes it suitable for both left-handed and right-handed individuals. The well-balanced knife ensures superior comfort and minimizes fatigue, making it ideal for frequent use in the kitchen. With its 7-inch size, this multifunctional cooking knife can easily handle tasks like chopping, cutting, dicing, and slicing vegetables, fruits, meat, and cheese. The DDF iohEF Knife offers 100% satisfaction, providing you with a high-quality tool for all your cooking needs.

What We Like
Premium stainless steel
Double-edged blade design
Well-balanced and comfortable handle
#TOP 8

ENOKING 7 Inch Santoku Knife

EK-MHRSD-13
ENOKING 7 Inch Santoku Knife Cover
ENOKING Japanese Santoku Knife, 7 Inch Chef Knife 5 Layer 9CR18MOV Clad Steel for Meat Cutting, Super Sharp Kitchen Cooking Knife with Ebony Bolster African Rosewood Handle -Wooden Box

The ENOKING Santoku Knife is crafted with a 9CR18MOV core, surrounded by four layers of softer steel. This design offers you outstanding sharpness and durability, ensuring that your food retains its natural flavors. Its traditional hand-forged construction not only enhances its unique appearance but also provides anti-rust and non-stick properties, making it easy to clean. With a perfectly balanced blade and handle, this knife minimizes strain on your wrist and arm, allowing for comfortable and efficient cutting. The premium African rosewood handle adds a substantial feel, enhancing your control while preparing meals.

What We Like
Exceptional sharpness
Durable and rust-resistant
Comfortable grip
Easy to clean
#TOP 9

SHAN ZU 7 Inch Damascus Chef Knife

Chef Knife
SHAN ZU 7 Inch Damascus Chef Knife Cover
SHAN ZU Damascus Chef Knife Santoku Knife 7 Inch Professional Multifunction Kitchen Knives, 67 Layers Damascus Stainless Steel 10Cr15CoMoV Super Sharp Cooking Knife with G10 Handle/Gift Box

The SHAN ZU Santoku Knife features a high-carbon Damascus steel blade, providing exceptional sharpness and durability for all your kitchen tasks. The robust full tang design ensures that the blade and handle remain securely attached, giving you confidence while cutting. Its 67-layer construction not only enhances strength but also adds a beautiful, unique pattern. Additionally, the ergonomic G10 handle offers a comfortable grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended use. This knife is perfect for effortlessly slicing, chopping, and dicing fruits, vegetables, and meats, making it an essential tool for both home cooks and professional chefs.

What We Like
Exceptional sharpness
Durable full tang design
Ergonomic non-slip handle
Versatile for multiple tasks
#TOP 10

OXO Mini Santoku Knife

OXO
23081
Black/Silver
OXO Mini Santoku Knife Cover
OXO Good Grips Mini Santoku Knife,Black/Silver,Small

The OXO Mini Santoku Knife, also known as the OXO Santoku Knife, is a versatile Asian-style knife designed for mincing and scooping. With its sturdy stainless steel blade, this knife offers durability and strength. The sharp Japanese stainless steel blade is hardened to ensure long-lasting sharpness. The compact size of this knife makes it ideal for precision cutting tasks. Whether you're chopping vegetables or slicing meat, the OXO Mini Santoku Knife provides the convenience and control you need. It is easy to clean with warm, soapy water and dries quickly. Upgrade your kitchen arsenal with the OXO Mini Santoku Knife and enjoy the benefits of its precise cutting abilities.

What We Like
Versatile
Durable
Precision cutting
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do chefs use Santoku knives?

Home cooks and professional chefs alike use both santoku and chef's knives for a variety of cutting tasks. Both types of cutlery have their places in a kitchen knife set, but there are important distinctions. Learn more about santoku vs.

2. What is a santoku knife best used for?

The best uses for a Santoku knife Best used for: Cutting meat. Slicing cheese. Slicing, chopping or dicing fruits, vegetables and nuts.

3. Which is better Santoku or chef knife?

Chef's knives are much better at chopping vegetables, mincing garlic, and slicing meat because the blade is wider and thicker than a santoku knife which makes it better-suited for these tasks. A santoku knife cannot cut food as easily as a chef's knife, especially vegetables with small bones such as celery or broccoli.

4. Can a santoku knife replace a chef's knife?

Nope! Santoku and chef knives are meant to complement each other rather than replace each other. It's great to have both so you can take advantage of the unique advantages each offers.

Editor's Notes

During our santoku knife chef knives research, we found 24 santoku knife chef knives products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 58,593 customer reviews through our big data system to write the santoku knife chef knives list. We found that most customers choose santoku knife chef knives with an average price of $30.70.

The santoku knife chef knives are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of santoku knife chef knives, including HOSHANHO, SHAN ZU, Mercer Culinary, Sunnecko, MITSUMOTO SAKARI. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 545 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.

Written by
Rebecca Cantu Avatar

Rebecca Cantu grew up in a family-owned retail store for home and kitchen products. She worked online and gave assistance to people to buy ideal products for their sweet home after graduating from Northwestern University with a marketing degree. She has been writing content for online shopping guides since 2011 with her professional knowledge and natural sensitivity of appliances.