7 picks
Paring, Santoku and Utility Knives
Paring, santoku and smaller utility knives to sit beside the chef's knife.
The smaller knives that do the work around the chef’s knife: peeling, trimming, cutting fruit in the hand and slicing a shallot. Plain steel blades with handles riveted or moulded on, so nothing flexes or comes unstuck. Sharpen them like any other knife and they last as long as the big one.
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| Rank | Pick | Brand | Why it lasts | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wüsthof Classic 3.5-Inch Paring Knife | Wüsthof | Forged, full tang · Triple-riveted handle | Buy |
| 2 | Wüsthof Classic 2-Piece Set | Wüsthof | Forged chef's knife and paring knife · Full tang, triple riveted | Buy |
| 3 | Shun Classic 3.5-Inch Paring Knife | Shun | VG-MAX steel core · Free lifetime sharpening from Shun | Buy |
| 4 | Victorinox Swiss Classic 3.25" Paring Knife | Victorinox | High-carbon stainless steel blade · Non-slip Swiss Classic handle | Buy |
| 5 | Victorinox Fibrox 6 Inch Chef’s Knife | Victorinox | 6 inch, easier in small hands · Stamped high-carbon stainless | Buy |
| 6 | MAC Professional Santoku 6.5in | Mac Knife | Sub zero tempered steel, 2.5mm blade · Dimpled blade releases wet food | Buy |
| 7 | Victorinox Fibrox Pro 7-Inch Santoku | Victorinox | Stamped stainless blade · Moulded Fibrox handle | Buy |
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Product photograph, WüsthofWüsthof Classic 3.5-Inch Paring Knife
WüsthofA forged paring knife with a full tang and a triple-riveted handle, made in Solingen. Wüsthof covers it with a limited lifetime warranty.
- Forged, full tang
- Triple-riveted handle
- Wüsthof limited lifetime warranty
-
Product photograph, WüsthofWüsthof Classic 2-Piece Set
WüsthofThe chef's knife and the paring knife together, which is the honest answer to what a kitchen actually needs: two knives covering everything between them, both forged in Solingen with full tangs and both regrindable by the factory. Buying the pair costs less than the two singly.
- Forged chef's knife and paring knife
- Full tang, triple riveted
- Made in Solingen
- Factory regrinding service
-
Product photograph, ShunShun Classic 3.5-Inch Paring Knife
ShunA paring knife with a VG-MAX steel core and a D-shaped handle. Shun sharpens its knives for free for the life of the knife.
- VG-MAX steel core
- Free lifetime sharpening from Shun
- D-shaped handle
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Product photograph, VictorinoxVictorinox Swiss Classic 3.25" Paring Knife
VictorinoxThe paring-knife companion to the Fibrox chef's knife, built on the same high-carbon stainless steel and non-slip handle formula Victorinox has used for generations. It's cheap enough that losing one to a dull edge from years of peeling and trimming barely registers, but the steel holds an edge well enough that most owners never need to.
- High-carbon stainless steel blade
- Non-slip Swiss Classic handle
- Dishwasher safe
- Swiss made
- Spear point, serrated edge
-
Product photograph, VictorinoxVictorinox Fibrox 6 Inch Chef’s Knife
VictorinoxThe eight inch Fibrox chef's knife is the default, and this is the one for anyone whose hands or worktop make eight inches unwieldy. Same steel, same handle, same ability to be sharpened back from almost any abuse.
- 6 inch, easier in small hands
- Stamped high-carbon stainless
- Non-slip Fibrox handle
- Dishwasher safe
- NSF certified
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Product photograph, Mac KnifeMAC Professional Santoku 6.5in
Mac KnifeA 2.5mm blade in sub zero tempered steel, which is a heat treatment that converts more of the structure to martensite and buys edge retention you can feel after a year rather than a week. The dimples break the suction that makes wet potato cling. Thin, hard and sharpened at a steeper angle than a German knife, which is the trade: more care, more edge.
- Sub zero tempered steel, 2.5mm blade
- Dimpled blade releases wet food
- Pakka wood handle
- Takes a steeper edge than a German knife
-
Product photograph, VictorinoxVictorinox Fibrox Pro 7-Inch Santoku
VictorinoxA stamped stainless santoku with the same moulded Fibrox handle as Victorinox's chef's knife. There are no rivets or scales to loosen.
- Stamped stainless blade
- Moulded Fibrox handle
- Granton edge
- Product photograph, Wüsthof
Wüsthof Classic 3.5-Inch Paring Knife
WüsthofView on AmazonA forged paring knife with a full tang and a triple-riveted handle, made in Solingen. Wüsthof covers it with a limited lifetime warranty.
- Forged, full tang
- Triple-riveted handle
- Wüsthof limited lifetime warranty
- Product photograph, Wüsthof
Wüsthof Classic 2-Piece Set
WüsthofView on AmazonThe chef's knife and the paring knife together, which is the honest answer to what a kitchen actually needs: two knives covering everything between them, both forged in Solingen with full tangs and both regrindable by the factory. Buying the pair costs less than the two singly.
- Forged chef's knife and paring knife
- Full tang, triple riveted
- Made in Solingen
- Factory regrinding service
- Product photograph, Shun
Shun Classic 3.5-Inch Paring Knife
ShunView on AmazonA paring knife with a VG-MAX steel core and a D-shaped handle. Shun sharpens its knives for free for the life of the knife.
- VG-MAX steel core
- Free lifetime sharpening from Shun
- D-shaped handle
- Product photograph, Victorinox
Victorinox Swiss Classic 3.25" Paring Knife
VictorinoxView on AmazonThe paring-knife companion to the Fibrox chef's knife, built on the same high-carbon stainless steel and non-slip handle formula Victorinox has used for generations. It's cheap enough that losing one to a dull edge from years of peeling and trimming barely registers, but the steel holds an edge well enough that most owners never need to.
- High-carbon stainless steel blade
- Non-slip Swiss Classic handle
- Dishwasher safe
- Swiss made
- Spear point, serrated edge
- Product photograph, Victorinox
Victorinox Fibrox 6 Inch Chef’s Knife
VictorinoxView on AmazonThe eight inch Fibrox chef's knife is the default, and this is the one for anyone whose hands or worktop make eight inches unwieldy. Same steel, same handle, same ability to be sharpened back from almost any abuse.
- 6 inch, easier in small hands
- Stamped high-carbon stainless
- Non-slip Fibrox handle
- Dishwasher safe
- NSF certified
- Product photograph, Mac Knife
MAC Professional Santoku 6.5in
Mac KnifeView on AmazonA 2.5mm blade in sub zero tempered steel, which is a heat treatment that converts more of the structure to martensite and buys edge retention you can feel after a year rather than a week. The dimples break the suction that makes wet potato cling. Thin, hard and sharpened at a steeper angle than a German knife, which is the trade: more care, more edge.
- Sub zero tempered steel, 2.5mm blade
- Dimpled blade releases wet food
- Pakka wood handle
- Takes a steeper edge than a German knife
- Product photograph, Victorinox
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 7-Inch Santoku
VictorinoxView on AmazonA stamped stainless santoku with the same moulded Fibrox handle as Victorinox's chef's knife. There are no rivets or scales to loosen.
- Stamped stainless blade
- Moulded Fibrox handle
- Granton edge
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