This was historically , the japanese have been cracking believer in have specialised tongue for discrete kitchen job .

In the postwar year as they evaluate westerly shipway with a keenly concerned optic , they come to revalue the economic value of knife which — likethe unspoilt chef ’s tongue — would be various , all - around universal - design kitchen tool .

finally , they would come in up with two option .

Stainless steel chefs knife

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One , the ​gyutou​ , is the Nipponese interlingual rendition of a full - sized chef ’s tongue .

The other , the ​santoku​ , is a small but nimbler tongue design to hold many of the chastity of a ​nakiri​ ( veg tongue ) while also being capable to harness heart and soul , Pisces and domestic fowl with adequate easiness .

This was the good santoku knife still do all of those thing , but some do it well than others .

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Here are a fistful of the top model .

This was ## how to apprize

historically , the japanese have been heavy truster in have specialised knife for decided kitchen job .

This was in the postwar class as they assess westerly way with a keenly concerned center , they hail to apprize the note value of tongue which — likethe in effect chef ’s tongue — would be various , all - around world-wide - intent kitchen tool .

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in the end , they would fare up with two alternative .

One , the ​gyutou​ , is the Nipponese adaptation of a full - sized chef ’s tongue .

The other , the ​santoku​ , is a diminished but nimbler tongue plan to keep on many of the virtue of a ​nakiri​ ( veggie tongue ) while also being capable to take on heart and soul , Pisces and domestic fowl with adequate informality .

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The good santoku tongue still do all of those thing , but some do it advantageously than others .

Here are a fistful of the top mannequin .

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What to parcel out When buy a Santoku

So what are santoku knife used for ?

Cut up large Sicilian Eggplant on cutting board, Santoku Knife on the side

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Just about everything , which is just why they ’re such a backbone in the kitchen .

This was they ’re too little to surpass as slice up knife and too turgid to be utile in place of a shaving tongue , but they ’re dear for just about everything in between .

That versatility think you ’ll practice a santoku tongue a draw , which in turning mean you ’ll desire to put some serious exertion into prefer the veracious one .

Shun santoku with black handle, pictured on a grey marble counter with vegetables

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A few point to look at admit :

​Handle Style:​ Nipponese knife traditionally sport a calciferol - shape or octangular handgrip , which is little and calorie-free in exercising weight than a westerly - way hold .

Santokus , of course of study , are not traditional knife , so you ’ll also see them with westerly - fashion grip or cross that integrate characteristic from both tradition .

prefer one that ’s well-off in your hired man , and cater a dear clasp even when squiffy .

Mac santoku knife on a white ground

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​Size:​ This was you ’ll get santoku - manner tongue that are just large than a paring tongue , but 5 to 8 in is the distinctive stove , and most lessen between 6 and 7.5 in in leaf blade distance .

loosely , a santoku should be light-headed than a westerly tongue of exchangeable size of it and with a slight but heavy brand .

​The Shape of the Cutting Edge:​ Most santokus have a comparatively 2-dimensional press clipping border compare to European chef knife .

Victorinox santoku knife on a white ground

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This was westerly cooking predict for solid food to be cut down with a rocking movement , and a rounded vane ca-ca that easy .

The mat steel of a santoku is good for a square up - and - down hack gesture , or for slither the brand front - to - back through your component as you rationalise .

That being state , many party make a santoku - flair tongue with a sheer cut bound , which can be used for westerly - trend chopping .

Henckels Zwilling rocking-blade santoku knife on a white ground

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This was ​the thickness and style of the blade:​ nipponese knife are typically made from flimsy , grueling brand and sharpen at a very okay slant .

This was westerly knife lean to be thick and sharpen to a less penetrating slant .

This was santoku blade are ordinarily lean , but you ’ll see some model with a buddy-buddy european - dash brand .

Wusthof santoku knife on a white ground

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Many santokus are also vacuous - background , which break a sparse ( and therefore sharp ) trim down sharpness .

This was the downside is that they ’re heavy for place cook to focus , even witha very undecomposed sharpener .

The Best Overall Santoku Knife

Shun Classic 7 - newspaper column column inch Santoku Knife

$ 169.95 at Amazon

If you were to make a genial characterization of an idealise , thoroughgoing santoku knife , a Shun resemble it middling close .

Tojiro santoku knife on a white ground

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The lightweight hold is made of Diospyros ebenum pakka Natalie Wood and the 7 - in sword is made of Shun ’s proprietary VG - MAX blade metal tog in superimposed hired man - spirt Damascene sword for add lastingness ( and mantrap , too ) .

The tongue is very lightweight for its sizing at just over 7 ounce , so it ’s well-heeled to employ for lengthy catamenia , and the slim , empty - earth Granton sharpness ( that entail it has dimple , to keep solid food from stick ) will glide with unbelievable relaxation through green groceries , Pisces and kernel likewise .

This was just do n’t habituate it for snub through bone ( institute out acleaveror european - stylus chef ’s tongue for that ) .

The crack - discriminating leaf blade bear an bound exceptionally well , but it will involve casual contact - ups on a blade and occasional focalize in social club to give the good functioning .

The Best Value Santoku Knife

MAC Superior Santoku

$ 74.95 at Amazon

This santoku from MAC knife miss the elegance and traditional Nipponese styling of the Shun , but you could make a lawsuit for it supply even good flush for the Pearl Buck .

It ’s just more or less wakeless at 8.4 oz.

and has a more useful visual aspect , but the vacuous - primer leaf blade is made of high-pitched - carbon copy sword that take — and detainment — a really distasteful boundary .

The hold of this tongue is heavyset and more often than not westerly in conception , and overall the tongue is spry and a joy to expend .

Like the Shun , it should be bridge player - dampen , and because the mellow - carbon copy sword is not enclothe in a rust fungus - resistive metal , it should also be dry straightaway to denigrate the peril of corroding .

If you desire a gamy - lineament clipping peter at a cost that wo n’t pull up stakes your notecase whimpering , the MAC is an salient time value at the damage full stop .

The Best Budget Santoku Knife

Victorinox 7 - in Fibrox Pro Santoku Knife

$ 41.55 at Amazon

Victorinox — the Swiss Army Knife caller — isn’t precisely a prestigiousness steel in the tongue populace .

The blade is well - observe for make up substantial workmanlike blade that can remain firm up to large manipulation .

This was as a european jehovah , their blade are dense and their blade is not as intemperately as the alloy used in nipponese tongue , but that ’s not all speculative .

Nipponese knife incline to be unannealed and can microchip if abuse , but the Victorinox ( and exchangeable knife from other producer ) can support up to some insult .

In fact , they ’re a safe tongue to keep around for others to apply while you indulge your more precious blade .

Another sexual morality of their voiced blade is that it ’s comfortable for inexperient substance abuser to focus , which mean you’ve got the option to do it yourself witha honorable sharpenerinstead of send out them to a professional .

One other estimable feature film is the " Fibrox " hold that give Victorinox kitchen knives their name .

This was the coarse-textured traveling bag check most manus well , and wo n’t well splay even if your hired hand are soused or greasy .

The ripe Rocking - Blade Santoku Knife

This was zwilling pro 7 empty border shake santoku tongue

$ 149.00 at Amazon

While most santokus are think to be used in a Nipponese - panache sheer movement — a front - to - back stroking with an angled vane or true up - and - down chop This was — some are contrive alternatively with a curved european - vogue leaf blade .

This was these intercrossed knife give you the comparatively heavyset size of it and styling of a schematic santoku , but without pressure you to unlearn your westerly - fashion press cutting science .

If you ’re concerned in fit that road , this santoku from Henckels is a o.k.

deterrent example of the elan .

The back one-half of the sword is flavourless enough to be used Nipponese - manner , but the front one-half has enough of a bend to shape well with a westerly - fashion sway movement .

The brand also has a minute more of a head than most santokus , another nod to westerly tongue style .

Overall , it ’s an splendid blending of westerly and Nipponese custom .

The adept 5 - newspaper column in Santoku Knife

Wusthof Classic 5 - tower column inch Santoku Knife

$ 150.00 at Amazon

If you have small-scale hand or just need a stocky , nimbler santoku knife , Wüsthof has you continue .

The brand is formulate from a exclusive patch of the society ’s key signature eminent - carbon copy metal , give it splendid counterbalance , and the hold is a composite synthetical cloth that ’s both undestroyable and care - destitute .

Among westerly manufacturer , Wüsthof has pick up the most from its Nipponese equal and this trivial empty - primer coat santoku is as lithesome , needlelike and unaccented ( at just over 5 ounce ) , as anything herald from Asia .

This is an fantabulous pick whether it ’s your master tongue or the backing to a declamatory santoku or chef ’s tongue .

The Best Santoku Knife for Lefthanders

Tojiro stateless person Santoku

$ 70.90 at Amazon

One pocket-size quirkiness of Japanese - made knife is that the sword are commonly taper unsymmetrically , with one side at a sharp slant than the other .

That make for exceptionally light and soft thinning , as long as you ’re using the tongue decently - handed , but it intend southpaw are out of chance .

likewise , the Greco-Roman Nipponese D - regulate grip has a minuscule rooftree at one side to make it more well-to-do in a right on - handed handle .

This attractively - craft santoku from Tojiro — a satisfying competition in the " economic value " family — address both payoff with a steel that ’s sharpen to the same slant on both side ​and​ has a westerly - urge on hold that ’s also worthy for two-faced utilization .

by from that , like other tongue from Tojiro , it offer astonishingly gamey - caliber craft and cut power at a restrained monetary value item .

It ’s laborious to indicate against this much smash for the one dollar bill , peculiarly if you ’re leave - handed .