The santoku and chef knife are very popular kitchen tools used daily, both knives can perform a wide range of cooking tasks; making them versatile, sometimes they can be mistaken for the other.
When you take a closer look, you will find they differ in their design and performance and by this I mean they differ in their blade, handle, and material. To clear this misunderstanding of the santoku vs chef knife, I and my team have taken time to make things easy on the unique differences of the santoku vs chef knife.
WHAT IS A CHEF’S KNIFE USED FOR?
A chef’s knife is one of the most popular knives used daily by professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Some people prefer to call the chef’s knife a cook’s knife as they mean the same thing.
A chef’s knife is used for dicing, mincing, dicing, and chopping various types of food items including meat, potatoes, onions, parsnips, and other vegetables.
Most chef’s knives have a finely pointed tip, long ergonomic handles, and a broad blade with a straight edge while wide across the heel.
The Chef knife is a must-have in your kitchen because it can be used for almost every cutting task, from chopping to cutting, etc.
A good and perfect chef’s knife performs 80% to 90% of cutting tasks in the kitchen without getting blunt. In fact, the sharpness lasts for ages.
When purchasing a chef’s knife, go for a very well-built knife with a tang that extends both the full length and height of the handle giving it a nice heft.
READ ALSO: VEGETABLE KNIFE VS CHEF KNIFE
READ ALSO: NAKIRI VS GYUTO
SANTOKU VS CHEF KNIFE
The Santoku and chef knife are both great knives and are useful for a variety of kitchen tasks like mincing, dicing, chopping, and slicing food items like meat and vegetables.
At a glance, you might think they look similar but food enthusiasts and Professional chefs do know that they are also different. Below are the differences between santoku vest chef knife;
| SANTOKU KNIFE | CHEF KNIFE |
| Santoku knife has a rounded design at the spine. | The Chef knife is designed with a sharper point which makes it a better solution for piercing food with a hard shell. e.g Lobsters. |
| Santoku knife is a lot thinner than the Chef knife and better for cutting less food which requires less force. | The Chef knife has a thicker spine than the Santoku knife. |
| Santoku’s primary cutting style is an up and forward motion that is why they are designed lightly. | The chef knife is a sturdier knife than the Santoku knife making it a great workhorse for smaller bones and food. |
| Santoku knife has a straighter and lighter profile so they are sharpened at a lower angle. Having a sharper performance than the chef knife. | Chef knife has a curvier blade profile which makes them less tiring for your hand, supported with a heavy balance point. |
| Santoku knives are usually between 5 – 7 inches in length, with a blade angle between 12 and 15 degrees per bevel which is not ideal for most Professional cooks. | Chef knives are usually 6 – 14 inches in length. |
| Food stick more on the Santoku knife than on a chef knife because the Santoku knife is a thinner and straighter knife having less splitting effect. | Chef knife is heavier than the Santoku knife giving them an edge to go through tough food. |
| Since the Santoku knife has a thin and light blade, the result is a less sturdy knife and not ideal for a heavy workload. | The chef’s knife has a higher angle because it has more impact on the cutting core due to its weight and curved profile. |
| The Santoku knife is perfect for chopping delicate food items if you want thin slices. | The Chef knife is perfect for chopping lots of root vegetables. |
WHAT IS A SANTOKU KNIFE USED FOR?
The Santoku knife is a multi-purpose support chef utility knife that is perfect for slicing, cutting, chopping, preparing meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, or even cheese. They are usually 5 – 7 inches in Length.
The Santoku knife is suitable for both home and restaurant kitchens. It has been proven to withstand the rigors of tough restaurant use.
The Santoku knife was created to be an alternative to the classic Japanese version of a vegetable cleaver, but it ended up being much more multi-purpose than that.
Finally, the Santoku knife uses more of an up-down chopping method because of its flat blade (with no part of the knife in contact with the cutting board between cuts).
RELATED: WHAT IS A BONING KNIFE USED FOR?
BEST SANTOKU KNIFE
There are various brands of Santoku knives available today and they all can perform kitchen tasks fast and without stress.
These Santoku knives were selected based on sharpness, durability, value for the price, ease of use, and maintenance.
Let’s see below some recommended Santoku knives that are affordable;
IMARKU 5 INCH SANTOKU KITCHEN KNIFE
The iMarku 5-inch Santoku knife is recommended as one of the best Santoku knives because the blade is made of German high carbon stainless steel that resists rust, corrosion, and discoloration.
It also has a unique anti-stick food design on the blade that can reduce cutting resistance and effectively prevent food from sticking to the knife blade.
The imarku 5-inch Santoku knife has a professional hand-polished edge up to 15-18 degrees per side, which makes this Japanese knife be sharper than other chef knives.
The thickness of this best affordable Santoku kitchen knife is 2.3mm. Providing excellent sharpness and durability to get the job done perfectly.
The Pakkawood handle minimizes wrist tension while providing a secure, comfortable grip no matter your hand size or where you grip. Even after prolonged use, your palm and wrist will not fatigue. Ideal for both people who cook frequently and those who just like preparing snacks.
MAC KNIFE PROFESSIONAL HOLLOW EDGE SANTOKU KNIFE 6-1/2-INCH
Mac Santoku Knife offers the best mix of quality, build, cutting edge, blade longevity, weight, heft, and price of any type of knife manufacturer.
Macs Santoku knives are extremely sharp and stay that way for a long time. They are comfortable to hold and have the right weight – lighter and more maneuver than European knives but with just enough substance to handle any job.
The Wusthof Santoku knife and the Messermeister knives are among the best European knife makers but the Mac Santoku knife is sharper than them all.
Another premium Santoku knife is the Shun Santoku knife and the Global Santoku knife. They are excellent knives but more expensive than the Mac Santoku Knife.
While we recommend you give as gifts Dexter Russell and Victorinox knife because they are budget-friendly.
This knife is very light and maneuverable but most importantly holds a very keen edge in spite of continuous use. It has Sub-zero tempered steel that retains its edge better than the original steel.
Hand wash is recommended Not dishwasher safe and proudly made in Japan.
Make the Mac Santoku dimpled knife an addition to your kitchen. Perfect for cutting fruits, vegetables and meats. Features sub-zero tempered steel and comes with a standard bolster.
Mac recommends using their roll sharp knife sharpener for sharpening the knife.
BEST CHEF KNIFE
Below are examples of the best-recommended chef’s knives:
YTUOMZI CHEF’S KNIFE WITH ERGONOMIC HANDLE
If you’re looking for a very sharp kitchen knife, the Ytuomzi chef’s knife blade is quite sharp with a cutting edge of 14° and can last sharpness for at least 6 months.
The knife handle is balanced with an ergonomic design and lets you cut sushi, fish, meat, vegetables, and fruits effortlessly.Â
This knife is for both home and professionals. It can solve the problem of kitchen size and it’s suitable for all kinds of cooks to use.
This chef knife is perfect for chopping and cutting.
SANCOOK CHEF KNIFE 8 INCH KITCHEN KNIFE
This chef knife is super sharp and it’s made of high-quality German stainless steel with 58 Rockwell hardness that resists discoloration, corrosion, and rust.
It is well-balanced, very comfortable, and allows you to cut sushi, fish, meat, vegetables, and fruits.
Sancook chef knife is a double-edged blade design, so it’s suitable for right-handed and left-handed people.
The solid, sturdy ergonomic handle minimizes wrist tension while providing a secure, comfortable grip no matter your hand size or where you grip.
WHAT SIZE SANTOKU KNIFE IS BEST?
The popular Santoku knife sizes are the 5 inch, 6 inch, and 7 inches. Food enthusiasts prefer the 5 inches because the short blade has stronger maneuverability making the cutting force converge at the edge of the blade to achieve the best cutting accuracy and realize ultra-thin cutting.
DO YOU NEED SANTOKU AND CHEF KNIFE?
The santoku and chef knife is used in many homes and is popular among chefs, having both knives in your kitchen will guarantee a smooth meal preparation as they are both good at performing multiple kitchen tasks.
Both knives have their unique ability and when combined will do wonders in the kitchen, so if you love your meal to have the desired result then yes you need a santoku and chef knife.
CAN A SANTOKU KNIFE REPLACE A CHEF’S KNIFE?
Every type of knife has its own peculiarities, its weakness, and strength as highlighted above in tabular form on the difference between santoku vs chef knife.
It will be difficult for the Santoku to replace the chef’s knife because the Chef’s knife can handle a more rigorous workload than the Santoku knife though they are both used by the Butcher and somewhat have similarities.
ARE SANTOKU KNIVES USE FOR ALL PURPOSES?
If it is for the simple purpose of mincing, cutting, chopping, and slicing vegetables and meat for home or restaurant use then the Santoku knife is a good option.
CAN YOU USE A SANTOKU KNIFE TO CUT MEAT?
To know if a santoku knife can be used to cut meat, first, we must look at its origin. The santoku knife is of Japanese origin. The name SAN means 3 in one knife, this means it can be used to cut fish, vegetables, and meat.
Most santoku knives are designed without a bolster and a pointed tip. This is what makes it unique and versatile in the kitchen. They also come with two sharp edges which are ideal for chopping and slicing meat.
