Years ago, when I was a 16-year-old prep cook in the banquet kitchen for a country club, the chef taught me how to grasp a chef’s knife properly. As he showed me the way to pinch the flat of the blade between my thumb and forefinger, he mentioned that one day he’d let me use his personal knives, if I wanted: “It doesn’t get better than a Wüsthof, but they’re expensive.” I took those words as gospel and set my sights on a Wüsthof knife set as an indicator that I had finally made it in life. However, the number of readily accessible, quality knife brands has greatly expanded since I was a teenager and there’s more to consider. Nimble, precise Japanese knives have become incredibly popular, and new American bladesmiths have seemingly popped up everywhere.
With that broader selection of knives comes a broader set of price points, leaving many people wondering: How much should I spend on a kitchen knife?
There are plenty of $50 knives that will perform similarly to $300 knives right out of the box, but a knife won’t have its brand-new factory edge forever. So pricier options that can be sharpened more effectively are a worthwhile long-term investment. However, not everyone has the same budget for knives, nor are they experts in metallurgy. Don’t worry: We’re here to help.
If you’re getting ready to buy a knife, here are some things to think about.
The big drivers of knife cost
Steel
The biggest contributor to a knife’s performance and longevity isn’t blade shape or even sharpness—it’s steel type. Steel is an alloy made from a mix of iron and carbon, and different types of steel will have different elements and minerals added to give them different properties. For example, stainless steel has the addition of chromium to add rust resistance, while alloy steels might add nickel, copper, or aluminum to serve as construction material. For knives, however, it’s all about the percentage of carbon content.
High carbon content helps steel harden. By heating steel and then rapidly cooling it in room temperature oil or water, the molecules inside the metal realign into a harder version of the same material—that’s what keeps a knife’s edge sharp and prevents it from denting or rolling over from use.
Not every steel has the same features, though. The best steel for easy sharpening and edge retention is what’s referred to as carbon steel, named for the high percentage of carbon in its makeup—at least 0.6% and up to 1%. That doesn’t sound like much, but the addition of a little carbon can go a long way. However, while the addition of carbon helps knives stay sharp, it also makes them susceptible to rust and corrosion if they aren’t washed and thoroughly dried after each use.
If you look at the specs of our favorite chef’s knives, you’ll notice that they all have something in common: They’re made from high-carbon stainless steel.
