If you are buying one good knife, it will almost certainly be a chef's knife or a santoku. Both are all-purpose knives that slice, dice, and mince, and both will handle nearly everything a home cook does. They just do it with a different motion.
A chef's knife has a curved edge and a pointed tip, and it is built for rocking the blade through food. A santoku has a flatter edge and a rounded, dropped tip, and it is built for chopping straight down and pushing forward. Which one feels better depends on how you already cut, how big your hands are, and what you cook most.
This guide covers the real differences, what to check when buying either, and where a third option, the nakiri, fits in.
| Chef's knife | Santoku | Nakiri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical blade length | 8 inches (6 to 10 common) | 5 to 7 inches | 5 to 7 inches |
| Edge profile | Curved belly | Mostly flat, gentle curve | Flat |
| Tip | Pointed | Rounded, dropped tip | Squared off |
| Main cutting motion | Rocking | Push cut and chop | Straight up and down |
| Good for | Everything, including large cuts of meat | Vegetables, boneless proteins, fine slicing | Vegetables only |
How the Two Knives Differ
Shape and motion
The chef's knife's curved belly lets you keep the tip on the board and rock the blade up and down, which is fast for mincing herbs and garlic. The santoku's flatter edge meets the board along more of its length, so it favors chopping straight down or pushing the blade forward and down through food. Rocking a santoku works poorly because there is little curve to rock on.
Length and weight
Chef's knives are most commonly 8 inches, and Western-style ones tend to be heavier, which helps them power through squash and large cuts of meat. Santokus are usually shorter and lighter, which many people with smaller hands, or smaller boards, find easier to control.
The tip
A chef's knife has a sharp point useful for detail work like scoring or trimming. The santoku's tip curves down to meet the spine, sometimes called a sheepsfoot, which is less useful for piercing but keeps more of the edge in contact with the board.
Edge and steel
As a general pattern, Japanese-style knives, including most santokus, are often thinner and sharpened to a more acute angle than traditional Western chef's knives, which makes them feel sharper but can make the edge more prone to chipping on hard foods. This varies widely by maker, so check the specific knife's stated angle and steel.
The dimples
Many santokus have a row of oval hollows along the blade, called a granton or hollow edge. They create small air pockets that can help slices of potato or cucumber release from the blade. They help a little, not a lot.
Where the Nakiri Fits
A nakiri is a Japanese vegetable knife with a rectangular blade and a completely flat edge. It cuts straight up and down, so every chop goes all the way through a carrot or cabbage with no uncut strings at the bottom. It has no point and is not meant for meat or bones. If you already own a chef's knife and cook a lot of vegetables, a nakiri is a more useful second knife than a santoku, because the two knives do genuinely different jobs.
What to Look for in a Chef's Knife or Santoku
Once you have picked a shape, these details decide whether it is a knife you reach for every day.
Blade length
Eight inches is the usual all-round chef's knife length. For a santoku, around 7 inches covers most jobs. Longer blades need a larger board, and a blade longer than your board is hard to use well.
Weight and balance
Hold it if you can. A knife that balances near the bolster, where the blade meets the handle, feels controlled. Heavier knives do more of the work on dense food, and lighter knives are less tiring over a long prep session.
Steel
Stainless steel is the low-maintenance choice. Carbon steel takes a very keen edge but rusts and discolors if left wet. Harder steels hold an edge longer but can be more brittle. The maker's stated steel and hardness are more useful than marketing words like surgical or premium.
Handle
The handle should fill your hand without pinching, with enough clearance that your knuckles do not hit the board when you chop. Western handles are usually heavier and riveted, and Japanese-style handles are often lighter and round or octagonal.
Care
Almost every good knife should be hand washed and dried right away, not put in a dishwasher, which dulls edges and damages handles. Plan to hone regularly and sharpen when honing stops helping.
Photo by Korie Jenkins on Pexels
Which Knife Should You Buy?
Match the knife to how you cut and what you cook.
8-inch Western chef's knife
If you rock-chop, cook a lot of meat, or want one knife for everything including cutting through a squash, the classic 8-inch chef's knife is the safest single choice. It is the knife most recipes and knife-skills videos assume you are holding.
Look for
- An 8-inch blade
- Balance near the bolster
- A handle with knuckle clearance
Watch out for
- Heavier knives tire some hands
- Needs a board with room for the full blade
7-inch santoku
Lighter, shorter, and usually thinner, a santoku is a pleasure for slicing vegetables, boneless chicken, and fish with a push cut. Many people with smaller hands or smaller kitchens find it easier to control than a full chef's knife.
Look for
- A blade around 7 inches
- A stated steel and edge angle
- A comfortable, lighter handle
Watch out for
- Poor at rocking
- Thin edges can chip on bones or frozen food
Upgrade Your Prep: Get the ROO Bundle
ROO is a silicone mat that sits under your cutting board. It grips smooth countertops so the board never slides, and its built-in 7-cup pouch catches peels and trimmings as you cut. The Bundle includes the mat, a rubberwood board, and a reusable storage bag. $64.99.
Shop the ROO Bundle →Nakiri
A flat, rectangular vegetable knife that cuts cleanly all the way through with a straight up and down motion. It complements a chef's knife rather than replacing it, and it is a joy for shredding cabbage or slicing onions.
Look for
- A dead-flat edge
- A thin blade for clean vegetable cuts
Watch out for
- No point and no use on meat with bone
6-inch chef's knife
A shorter chef's knife keeps the rocking motion and pointed tip in a smaller package. It suits small boards and small hands and is a good middle ground for anyone torn between a full chef's knife and a santoku.
Look for
- A curved belly for rocking
- A handle that suits smaller hands
Watch out for
- Less efficient on large vegetables and big cuts
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: The ROO Bundle
Both knives cut best on a board that does not move. The santoku's push cut and the chef's knife's rock both put sideways force into the board, and a board that shifts even slightly makes cuts uneven and knives harder to control. The ROO Bundle pairs a rubberwood board, which is gentle on edges, with a silicone mat that grips smooth countertops like granite, tile, and polished stone, and a built-in pouch that catches up to 7 cups of trimmings off the front edge. It is the simplest way to give whichever knife you choose a stable place to work.
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: Get the ROO Bundle
A gentle rubberwood surface, a board that stays put, and a pouch for every trimming. $64.99.
Check out the ROO Bundle →How This Guide Was Put Together
This guide is built from published material data, manufacturer care instructions, and the complaints that come up again and again in buyer reviews and cooking forums. It is not based on hands-on testing, and it does not rank brands, because a ranking without testing would be a guess. Blade lengths and profiles described here are typical ranges; individual knives vary, so check the maker's stated dimensions. Where ROO fits the job we say so, and where it does not we say that too.
Related Reading
- The Best Kitchen Knives for Home Cooks
- The Best Knife Sharpeners for Home Cooks
- How to Chop an Onion
- How to Chop Cabbage
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a santoku better than a chef's knife?
Neither is better overall. A chef's knife is more versatile and better for rocking and heavy jobs. A santoku is lighter and often more comfortable for push-cutting vegetables and boneless proteins.
What is a santoku knife best for?
Slicing, dicing, and mincing vegetables, boneless meat, and fish with a push or chop motion. It is especially good for thin, even slices.
Can I use a santoku knife to cut meat?
Yes, boneless meat, chicken, and fish are fine. Avoid bones, frozen food, and hard squash rinds, which can chip a thin santoku edge.
What is the difference between a nakiri and a santoku?
A nakiri has a rectangular blade with a completely flat edge and no point, and it is for vegetables only. A santoku has a gently curved edge and a dropped tip, and it handles meat and fish as well as vegetables.
What size chef's knife should a beginner buy?
Eight inches is the standard starting point. If that feels large in your hand or your board is small, a 6-inch chef's knife or a 7-inch santoku is easier to control.
What board works best with a santoku or chef's knife?
Wood or quality plastic, never glass or stone, which dull edges quickly. Make sure the board is longer than the blade and cannot slide, whether that means a damp towel underneath or a non-slip mat.
Buy a chef's knife if you want one knife for everything or you already rock-chop. Buy a santoku if you cook mostly vegetables, prefer a lighter knife, or have smaller hands. And if you already own a chef's knife, make the second knife a nakiri. Whichever you choose, give it a wooden board that stays put.