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Best chef's knives 2024
The best chef's knife can be used for almost every kitchen cutting task. We've tested the most popular chef's knives from well-known brands, including Global, Lakeland, ProCook and Robert Welch, costing from £5 upwards.
After much chopping, slicing and dicing, we can reveal the best kitchen knife at cutting through tough foods, even after regular use has dulled some others, and which are the most comfortable to handle.
Three of the knives we tested stand out and earn our Best Buy recommendation. And if you're on a tight budget, one is also a Great Value knife and costs less than £20.
The best chef's knives
Only logged-in Which? members can view the chef's knives test results below.
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| Knife | Price | Score | Comfort | Ease of use | Sharpness out of the box | Durability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations. Unlock tableFirst month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time Already a member? Log in | 98% | |||||
| 93% | ||||||
| 90% | ||||||
| 88% | ||||||
| 83% | ||||||
| 78% | ||||||
| 74% | ||||||
| 74% | ||||||
| 74% | ||||||
| 68% | ||||||
| 64% | ||||||
| 59% |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations.
Unlock tableFirst month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time
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Date tested: January 2024. Page last checked: October 2024. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
See what we rate the best knife sets.
The chef's knives we tested
All the chef's knives we tested are listed alphabetically below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best chef's knives from our test.
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Global GS-3 Stainless Steel Cooks Knife
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Available from Harts of Stur (£83.95) and Nisbets (£95.99)
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Blade size we tested 13cm – also available in 11cm, 16cm, 18cm
Need to know 114g, not dishwasher-safe
John Lewis Classic Cook's Knife
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Only available in store (£30)
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Blade size we tested 20cm – also available in 15cm
Need to know 163g, dishwasher-safe
Kitchen Devils Control Large Cook's Knife
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Available from Amazon (£16.79)
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Blade size we tested 20cm – also available in 12cm
Need to know 101g, dishwasher-safe
Lakeland Precision Chef's Knife
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Blade size we tested 20cm – no other sizes available
Need to know 285g, not dishwasher-safe
Mercer Culinary Millennia Chef's Knife M22608
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Available from Amazon (£15.18) and Nisbets (£29.99)
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Blade size we tested 20cm – also available in 22cm, 25cm, 30cm
Need to know 176g, not dishwasher-safe
ProCook Chefs Knife
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Available from ProCook (£5)
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Blade size we tested 15cm – no other sizes available
Need to know 97g, not dishwasher-safe
ProCook Nihon X50 Chefs Knife
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Available from ProCook (£39)
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Blade size we tested 15cm – also available in 20cm
Need to know 177g, not dishwasher-safe
ProCook Professional X50 Chefs Knife
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Available from ProCook (£19)
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Blade size we tested 20cm – also available in 25cm
Need to know 192g, not dishwasher-safe
Robert Welch Signature Cook's Knife
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Blade size we tested 16cm – also available in 12cm, 14cm, 18cm, 20cm, 25cm
Need to know 175g, dishwasher-safe
Sabatier Ideal Chef's Knife
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Available from Knives and Tools (£99.50)
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Blade size we tested 20cm – also available in 15cm, 25cm
Need to know 169g, not dishwasher-safe
Victorinox Fibrox Chef's Knife
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Available from Kitchen Knives (£20.99) and Nisbets (£22.99)
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Blade size we tested 15cm – also available in 13cm, 19cm, 20cm
Need to know 81g, dishwasher-safe
Vogue Soft Grip Chef's Knife
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Available from Nisbets (£28.99)
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Blade size we tested 20cm – also available in 25cm
Need to know 223g, not dishwasher-safe
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How we test chef's knives
We choose the bestselling chef's knives at UK retailers to test. We buy all the knives we test and assess them on the factors below to find the best chef knife.
After testing knives for a few years, we now place slightly more importance on comfort and ease of use than we did when we first started testing. This is because our repeat testing has found that there can be variations in sharpness out of the box and after use.
We regularly revisit the chef's knives on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do.
- Comfort A panel of testers use each of the knives to slice up carrot batons and rate how comfortable the handles on the chef's knives feel when chopping.
- Ease of use Each knife is used to dice half an onion, mince one garlic clove, julienne half a large carrot and slice through a butternut squash. They are rated on how easy they are to use for each task.
- Sharpness out of the box Before chopping, we measure the sharpness of each knife out of the box using a sharpness tester scale.
- Durability After the cutting tasks are complete, we measure the sharpness of the knife again using a sharpness tester scale. We calculate the difference between sharpness out the of box and sharpness after use to assess how durable the knife edge is.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
What is a chef's knife used for?
A chef's knife is a large, general-purpose kitchen knife, usually 12cm to 20cm long, with a blade that curves upwards along its length and ends in a narrow point.
How do you use a chef's knife?
As pictured above, your thumb and index finger should be on opposite sides of the blade, closest to the bolster, while your remaining three fingers should be loosely curled around the handle.
This grip, mainly through the thumb and index finger, gives you extra control over the blade.
Your other hand (not holding the knife) is called your guiding hand. It has the job of holding food in place to keep it from sliding around on the chopping board.
Keep your fingers safe by tucking them into a claw grip: fingers curled inwards, gripping the food with your fingernails. The side of the knife blade should rest against the first knuckle of your guiding hand.
Anatomy of a kitchen knife
- Blade These come in a variety of shapes and sizes, often named after the specialised tasks they've been designed for.
- Spine The top edge of the blade is the spine. Usually the thickest part of the blade, the spine provides strength and weight for the knife.
- Bolster This is the balancing point between the blade and the handle. It provides support, balance and protection for your fingers.
- Cutting edge This is the part of the kitchen knife that does the cutting.
- Tang This is the portion of the blade enclosed by the handle. A full tang runs the length of the handle and should mean a knife has better balance and durability.
- Handle This is the part of the knife you hold. Most handles are designed to be held in either hand. It should be comfortable to grip.
Japanese vs European knives
Japanese knives:
- Have thinner blades
- Often don't have bolsters
- Are made of harder steel
- Have a blade that's usually straighter and therefore more suited to slicing
- Are normally light and well-balanced (neither too light or heavy).
European (also known as German) knives:
- Have thicker blades
- Are considered more robust, especially towards the bolster, which they're more likely to have
- Normally have softer steel than Japanese knives
- Are normally heavier than Japanese knives
How to look after your chef's knife
The best way to maintain the cutting edge on your chef's knife is to sharpen it regularly.
Use a Best Buy knife sharpener for easy and effective sharpening – see our reviews of the best knife sharpeners.
What should I look for when buying a chef's knife?
When choosing a chef's knife, look for one that feels comfortable in your hand so that you feel secure when chopping. A lightweight knife with a deep bolster should be a good fit for most. We use testers with different sized hands, as well as left-handed and right-handed testers, so we can ensure our recommendations will be suit most people.
Our testing also found that chef's knives can vary in sharpness out of the box, so we'd recommend buying a knife sharpener to go alongside it.