When we discussed the best 8-inch chef’s knives to own, we said, “chef’s knife is a true workhorse in the kitchen.” Irrespective of the task you throw at it, a fine chef’s knife will instantly simplify the meal prep experience for you. Another form of general-purpose knives that equals the chef’s knives in cutting, chopping and mincing chores are the Santoku knives.
shortshortOften thin in style and made from harder grade steel, the Santoku knives are different from chef’s knives primarily because of their origin (originating in Japan) and the shape of the blade (sheepsfoot blade curves down at an angle). Santoku translates to “three use”, which can be interpreted as dicing, slicing and mincing. Since these knives can do what the chef’s knife does, both are commonly used in professional and home kitchens depending on the chef’s preference.
Shun Premier 7-inch
The Japanese equivalent of the chef’s knife, this nimble and lightweight knife from Shin is designed to perform equally well on fish, meat and vegetables alike. Part of the Shun’s Premier series, which are a reminiscent of hand-forged ancient Japanese knives, this 7-inch blade has a narrow body and is handcrafted from fine grained, hard VG-MAX steel by skilled artisans. Despite its narrow form factor, the knife has a good knuckle clearance and precision edges. The razor sharp blade with layered Damascus cladding makes it ideal for a range of kitchen tasks.
Imarku 7-inch Kitchen Knife
An ultra-sharp Japanese chef’s knife that takes care of all the kitchen task, this is made from German HC stainless steel which is rust and corrosion resistant. It can be used for slicing, dicing, mincing and chopping all sorts of vegetables, meats etc. Designed for home chefs, the kitchen knife measures only 2.5m, it has a sharp polished edge and a pakkawood handle that is used to minimize wrist tension while offering a nice, comfortable grip.
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 7-inch
From the house of Swiss army knife pros, the versatile Victorinox Fibrox Pro is a 7-inch Santoku knife that has a unique shape making it possible to use the knife as spatula to flip what you’re cutting or mincing. The knife features granton edge to minimize friction and crate a smoothing chopping motion. The ergonomically designed with non-slip grip, the Fibrox Pro is easy to handle and has Victorinox authenticity to vouch for its quality.
Mac Knife MSK-65
All the other knives we’ve mentioned so far are 7-inch blades, this one from Mac is slightly shorter measuring 6.5-inches. This professional-grade Japanese knife, from the native manufacturer, is granton edged MSK-65 and comes paired with an attractive pakkawood handle for utmost comfort and better grip. The ultra-sharp knife weighs 9.6 ounces, which is slightly heavier for a Santoku, but it’s well balanced and carved in a manner to best facilitate chopping, dicing, mincing and more of all kinds of veggies and meats.
Mercer Culinary Genesis 7-inch
To wrap up the list we have another 7-inch Santoku knife conceived by Mercer Culinary. Made from high carbon forged German stainless steel (i.e. discoloration and corrosion resistant), the Genesis knife is graced with a Santoprene handle, which is equally impressive and comfortable as its pakkawood counterpart. Designed to negotiate all kitchen tasks with ease, the Genesis drops with taper-ground edge for more stability and enhanced efficiency while chopping, cutting or mincing.