Contents
- Editor’s Choice
- Top 10 cheap kitchen knives in 2022 according to KP
- How to choose inexpensive kitchen knives
Professional chefs have a mystical, almost religious attitude towards their knives. They are willing to pay any price for a chef’s knife with the qualities of a samurai katana. For home cooking, such an accessory is not necessary, but a good inexpensive knife dramatically increases the quality of food and the joy of cooking. The editors of the KP have researched offers on the market for inexpensive kitchen knives and invites readers to get acquainted with our findings.
The main criterion for choosing a kitchen knife is the quality of its blade, the ability to stay sharp for a long time, and the ergonomics of the handle. The famous Japanese knives serve as a benchmark, but they cannot be cheap by definition. The same article presents models from different manufacturers worth up to 1000 rubles.
Editor’s Choice
Santoku Nadoba Keiko, 12,5 cm
The main kitchen knife of the “santoku” type is an analogue of the European chef’s knife for home cooking. The high quality stainless steel blade has air pockets above the cutting edge in the form of holes or notches. They prevent food from sticking when cutting. Round black plastic handle with stainless steel bolster.
The instrument has a pronounced Japanese design, strict and concise. Made in the Czech Republic. But the quality is quite Japanese.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 125 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 235 mm |
| The weight | 50 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
Top 10 cheap kitchen knives in 2022 according to KP
We recommend that you pay attention to the following kitchen knives with the best value for money.
1. QXF, R-5128
The utility knife is made of 50Cr15MoV stainless steel with a hardness of 56-58 HRC, aka “Rockwell hardness”. The technique for measuring hardness is that the blade is struck with a certain force by a diamond point, and then the depth of the notch is measured. The deeper it is, the less hardness. There are hardness tables for different materials.
Sharpening is double-sided, European. The blade is integral with a handle made of stabilized kappa (a growth on the trunk of some wood species). The blade is polished. The handle is beautiful, the pattern of wood and even its aroma is preserved. The knife is not only convenient, but also aesthetically pleasing. This is a vivid example that even an inexpensive knife can decorate the kitchen and make work much easier.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 200 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 330 mm |
| The weight | 115 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
2. Mayer & Boch 28032 Damascus
Carving knife made of forged Damascus steel with high cutting properties. Hardness 58 HRC. Designed for cutting hard vegetables, meat, large fish, poultry. The thoughtful design of the wooden handle allows you to hold it securely in the palm of your hand. The blade and handle are made of environmentally friendly materials and do not absorb odors. Damascus steel has been famous for centuries for a reason.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 150 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 286 mm |
| The weight | 184 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
3. Chef-knife Walmer Titanium W21005201
This model is suitable for most kitchen operations. The blade is made of 2Cr13 steel with a hardness of 57 HRC. The surface is laser engraved over an antibacterial coating. It prevents the cut pieces of food from sticking to the blade.
The ergonomic wooden handle is coated with Soft-Touch, thanks to which the knife does not slip in the palm of your hand. In general, the tool is convenient, functional and simply beautiful.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 190 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 310 mm |
| The weight | 136 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
4. Santoku GIPFEL 8475
The blade is made of 3CR13 stainless steel. The side surfaces are covered with an anti-adhesive coating. The plastic ergonomic handle has an anti-slip Soft Touch surface. Proper balancing ensures the convenience and safety of using the knife. The hand practically does not get tired, the risk of cuts is minimal. The shape of the blade has been worked out for centuries and in itself already facilitates culinary operations.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 180 mm |
| The weight | 166 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
5. Carving knife TRAMONTINA Dynamic
The blade is forged from AISI 420 anti-corrosion steel. The thickness of the blade is 1,2 mm, which allows the blade to bend around irregularities and separate meat from bones, cartilage or skin as completely as possible. The sharpening is double-sided. Overlays of a direct handle from a natural tree. Washing in the dishwasher is not recommended.
Razor sharpening requires a special skill when working with a flexible blade.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 125 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 235 mm |
| The weight | 80 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
6. Utility knife Nadoba Marta
Appointment: cutting of any products from meat to bread. The blade is made of X45CrMoV15 steel. The forged stainless steel handle has an anti-slip coating for safe operation. The materials of the knife do not absorb odors, it can also be washed in the dishwasher. Sharpening lasts a long time, it can be corrected with ordinary musat.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 125 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 240 mm |
| The weight | 166 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
7. Ceramic knife “Dobrynya” DO-1112D
The blade and handle are all-cast from high-quality ceramics. The handle is coated with rubber. The blade is resistant to food acids and does not become magnetized, and the products cut with it do not acquire a metallic taste. The shape of the blade prevents food from sticking. The knife can be washed in the dishwasher. When working, special care must be taken, the blade is sharp as the edge of a glass shard.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 150 mm |
| The weight | 170 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
8. Ceramic knife Pomi D’oro K1548 Arco Nero
The blade of the carving knife is made of Kerano nano-ceramic. The material is chemically neutral and does not contain impurities characteristic of stainless steels, as well as perfluorooctanoic acid, a carcinogen contained in Teflon, which can be coated on an inexpensive steel knife blade.
The handle is rubberized and fits snugly in the palm of your hand. The knife can be washed in the dishwasher. It must be protected from falling on hard surfaces, it can break. If notches appear, then sharpening will have to be restored on a special stone with diamond chips.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 120 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 280 mm |
| The weight | 110 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
9. Ceramic knife “Simple”
A versatile knife with a ceramic blade designed for preparatory work in the kitchen. In particular, cleaning vegetables and fruits, cutting and chopping them. The material is chemically neutral, does not absorb or transmit odors, and is not magnetized. The orange plastic handle has a Soft Touch anti-slip coating. Thanks to him, the knife is firmly held in the palm of your hand.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 125 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 300 mm |
| The weight | 88 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
10. Chef’s knife “MAESTRO”
With this knife, the chef can cut or chop any food. Ceramic coated stainless steel blade. It is chemically neutral and protects the blade from corrosion. The ergonomic handle has plastic inserts. They provide a secure grip. Can be washed in the dishwasher. Steel is not subject to corrosion and does not distort the taste of cooked dishes.
Technical specifications
| Blade length | 200 mm |
| Knife length with handle | 300 mm |
| The weight | 180 g |
Advantages and disadvantages
How to choose inexpensive kitchen knives
It is better to look for inexpensive models of knives in the lines of well-known brands than to buy in a supermarket for 100 rubles and change every month. A good knife is not cheap. But it is quite possible to find a good budget option that will last a long time and will not cause much trouble.
Speaking about budget knives, it is worth noting that these are mainly universal models that are suitable for cutting different products. If you want to master the virtuoso performance of haute cuisine, then you will need professional knives – each with its own purpose.
When choosing a knife, pay attention to the quality of the steel. Stainless steel blades are considered a budget option. They dull quickly, but at the same time they do not require special care and are easy to sharpen. These knives need to be sharpened once a month. Carbon steel is more expensive and harder to maintain, but it does not require frequent sharpening. Ceramics is much more expensive and cannot be sharpened at home, besides, it requires careful handling due to its fragility.
Popular questions and answers
Maxim Sokolov, an expert at the VseInstrumenty.ru online hypermarket, answers the most frequent questions from readers.
Inspect the handle – it should be solid, it is desirable that the metal part be a continuation of the blade. Inexpensive kitchen knives can have both a metal handle and lining – made of plastic, wood, rubber. The main thing is that it should lie comfortably in the hand and not slip out.
On the one hand, this is good – it is easy to work with a knife and not get tired. But if he does not have enough weight, then it will be difficult to cut raw vegetables, which will require a lot of effort when chopping. In this case, the knife does not cut food, but shreds. It is unlikely that they will be able to cut beautiful slices, straws and slices.
You can also find low-quality polymer knife handles, which wear out over time, absorb dirt and become sticky. Nothing can wash them off. It’s not just about aesthetics – holding such a knife is inconvenient, which affects the quality of the cut and the pleasure of the cooking process as a whole.
Harmful components may be contained in the handle material. Cheap Chinese knives with a plastic handle can be easily identified by sight and even smell – toxic plastic materials have no place in the kitchen. You should also be careful with inexpensive knives that have a wooden handle. If a strong smell comes from it, then it is better to refuse the purchase.
There is a risk that the wood has been treated with harmful impregnations.