Five of the Best Knife Brands used in Kitchens by Chefs

When working in a professional kitchen, it is imperative to have the right equipment for the job. No chef would contemplate starting to prepare food without having good knives at his disposal.

Whether chopping onions, dicing meat or cutting up fruit, they need to know which are the best knife brands for chefs before adding to their collection.

A chef has plenty to consider when looking for a knife including sharpness, ease of use, ease of re-sharpening, how the knife is made, and durability.

Here we detail five of the best knife brands for chefs focusing on an example of each brand’s chef’s knives for reference.

1. Wusthof

Wusthof is a specialist knife-making company based in Germany. Independent consumer organisations and cookery magazines highly rate its Classic and Grand Prix series of knives.

They have a series of ranges, most of which are precision forged and made from one piece of steel with a specific hardness rating. The Classic range, for example, is forged with full-length bolster and tang.

They have triple-riveted polyoxymethylene handles. The Classic range includes knives for all kitchen food preparation purposes. Celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Martha Stewart have all endorsed the Classic range.

2. Henckels

Based in Solingen, Germany – just like Wusthof – Henckels is a large manufacturer of kitchen knives. They forge their knives, including the Professional S Chef Knife 8 inch, from one piece of high carbon stainless steel.

Forging is a process designed to make sure that the knives are as balanced, durable and reliable as possible. This steel is dipped into liquid nitrogen to prevent staining.

These knives have a perfect 30-degree angle designed for excellent cutting performance and have been designed by renowned architect and designer Matteo Thun.

3. MAC

MAC knives are manufactured in Japan and individually finished by expert craftsmen. The company produces a range of knives for chefs including the MTH-80, which is versatile enough for all kinds of use in the kitchen.

The blade is just 2.5mm thick and has dimples which help chefs slice through sticky food. These knives are renowned for being incredibly sharp, comfortable to use and long-lasting. MAC knives are easy to sharpen and are among the favorites used by professional chefs on a day-to-day basis.

4. Messermeister

The meaning of the word Messermeister is "knife master", and it seems wholly appropriate. Few companies continue to hammer forge their knives but Messermeister, which values its links with traditional knife-making, is one of them.

That process guarantees that knives like the Meridian Elite Chef Knife are durable, sharp and resistant to corrosion and staining.

They are individually assembled, fitted and finished by hand. Despite maintaining traditional values, it was Messermeister that pioneered 15-degree knife edges in Germany, and they were the first to design a knife with effortless re-sharpening in mind.

5. Victorinox

Victorinox manufactures their knives in Switzerland. While they might be well known for making Swiss army knives, chefs know that their kitchen knives are just as practical and versatile.

Their Fibrox range of chef’s knives is ergonomic and dishwasher safe. Their design is more straightforward than some other chef’s knives, but they are ultimately reliable and offer outstanding value for money.

Victorinox uses softer metal than some other manufacturers; this means they can go blunt quicker, but it means re-sharpening is quick and easy.

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