Making restaurant-esque food items at home is achievable, providing you have some cool kitchen gadgets in your arsenal. That is why choosing the best sushi knife is so important. It’s highly useful when making a tasty sashimi platter or some mouth-watering sushi.
Well, the most prominent sushi knives in the market are over $200, home-chefs or small establishments may not want to blow that much.
We have this buying guide for those of you looking for budget but good functioning knives. Here are our top 5 picks for the best sushi knife on the market:
Sashimi Sushi Knife 10-Inch
The knife by Lucky Cook is perfect for slicing and cutting sushi or sashimi. The 10-inch blade can slice very easily through any amounts of flesh with quite precision. The size of the blade is ideal for slicing and filleting any of the large, moderate or normal-sized fish. The blade is asymmetrical in shape to allow the chef to slice the flesh in one stroke with ease and minimal strength.
The blade of Sashimi Sushi Knife by Lucky Cook is made with high-quality stainless steel that is bound to last long. The premium quality steel used allows the knife to be efficient in slicing through with sharpness along with being immune to rust.
It is also dishwasher-safe that gives it an edge over the other sushi knives in its category. The blade has the Lucky Cook brand label which is embedded in elegant font and style to look premium as well as sleek. The length is also apt for making a variety of seafood and sushi with an array of fish.
The handle of the Sashimi Sushi knife is made of good and durable wood that is comfortable for holding the knife for an extended period. The wooden handle also lends a form of firm grip and balance that can be crucial when cutting through the minute areas of a fish to create exquisite sushi.
The sturdiness is also great for a sushi knife handle that will ensure you face no-slip ups while slicing through the items.
Another USP for this knife is the box it is delivered in. The box is stylish and sleek, with high-quality finishing touches to make the knife look high-end.
The gift box option for both beginner and professional chefs makes the Sashimi Sushi 10-Inch knife a great gifting option. All in all, the Sashimi Sushi knife fares well on every aspect of a beginner sushi knife and thus is a great choice.
The Pros
- The carbon steel blade is sturdy
- Best for beginners
- Budget-friendly
The Cons
- The knife is a bit heavy
Yoshihiro VGYA240SH Sushi Sashimi Japanese Knife
- This knife delivers Hongasumi grade high carbon steel sharpness and edge retention with stainless steel durability and ease of care
- VG Stainless steel blade with HRC 62-63 combines exceptional sharpness and optimal edge retention with stain resistance. Knife will become extremely sharp with whetstone sharpening and will glide through any type of fish with no pressure
- 9.5 inch (240mm) single edged blade with a traditional grind. Completely flat ground on front (SHINOGI), concave ground (URASUKI) with flat rim (URAOSHI) on the back
The Yoshihiro VGYA240SH is a Yanagi knife that sports a high carbon knife blade. The blade on the Yoshihiro Sushi knife is Hongasumi-grade and the steel used is its making boasts of providing a sharp edge along with ensuring ease of use and durability.
Minimal strength and pressure is actually required by a chef to glide through a fish when working with the Yoshiro VGYA240SH. The application of pressure needed is perfect in making thin fillets for sushi.
The blade is single-edged with a traditional grind that has a concave flat rim on the backside while it is flat ground in the front. It comes ready-to-use and pre-sharpened be put to functioning right out of the box. Carbon Steel used makes the blade stain and rust-resistant ensuring its longevity along with consistency.
One of the significant features of the Yoshihiro knife is its handle. The Rosewood Shitan handle is handcrafted in Japan, and its octagonal shape makes it a stunning piece of craftsmanship.
Although shaped specifically for the right-handers, the handle is ergonomically designed to ensure comfort while holding the knife. A double ebony bolster that is lightweight and sturdy is a great addition for superior balance and handling.
The Yoshihiro VGYASH240SH is 100% handcrafted in Japan with every aspect of the knife curated by artisans using centuries-old techniques of Japan swordsmiths. This is a major reason for its extremely high-quality, albeit at a high price.
The beauty and usefulness of the magnolia wood sheath in which the knife can be kept to maintain its cleanliness can also not be understated. It is lacquered to prevent any stains or odors in effect highlighting the gorgeous natural wood grain used in its making.
Overall, the Yoshihiro Sushi knife is a high-quality knife that promises great performance and vivid experience.
The Pros
- 100% Handcrafted in Japan
- Lifetime warranty
- Ergonomic design
The Cons
- Handle best shaped for right-handers only
- More sharpening recommended
Sashimi Sushi Knife, Pro 8 Inch
- Multipurpose Sahimi Knife: faster and easier to cutting, slicing, dicing, carving, mincing, and even removing bone with the Yehua versatile chefs knife. Great for vegetables, cheese, meat, fillet, sushi, fish,and so on.
- Ergonomic D-shaped wooden handle
- Ultra Premium Stainless Steel: This grade gyutou knife is made of German High Carbon Stainless Steel and damascus pattern (7CR17MOV), which is durable and good-looking.
- Keep Original Taste: with Single-edged design of this Santoku knife is easy control on slicing thin pieces of raw fish, sashimi, sushi and rice roll, and not damage the quality and alter the taste. Best sushi knife, highly recommended.
This sushi knife from Yehua is not just a sushi knife as it can be used for multiple other tasks such as dicing vegetables and carving a turkey, deboning fish, and more.
A classic Japanese-style 8″ sushi knife, it is the perfect length to slice through a sushi roll and other delicate products. We like that the blade being narrow but thick in its back as this helps in separating meat without much effort needed to pry them apart.
This knife has a right-sided single bevel which is necessary to cut thin pieces of raw fish, sashimi, sushi. The good part is the sharpness will not damage the quality or taste of the meat.
Having an ergonomic handle is essential when the blade is quite long as you should be able to hold the knife comfortably for longer. That’s why we are happy with Yehua’s wooden handle. As it is light and provides an adequate grip so that it doesn’t slip and hurt you.
Made from German High Carbon Stainless Steel, this knife will not rust easily or dull quickly. It also features a Damascus pattern which is quite different other japanese knives.
If you are very nit-picky like us and appreciate details, you will notice that this knife comes in a beautiful box which makes it an excellent gift.
The Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Multi-purpose in usage as you can slice, dice and raw fillet fish, sashimi, sushi and rice roll, and vegetables and fruits, etc.
The Cons
- The tang rises about 1mm above the wooden handles which can be annoying to some users
Tatara Santoku Knife
- PROFESSIONAL:- Our 8 Inch Knife Is Made From High Carbon Stainless Steel Giving You A 55+ Rockwell Hardness. This Gives You The Professional Performance & Resistance You Want While Being Durable & Easy To Maintain.
- PRECISE:- Our 8-12° Degree Cutting Edge Enables You Yo Glide/slice Through All Foods With Laser Precision Thanks To The Full Tang Triple Riveted, Nitrogen Cooled Slicing Knife. This Gives You The Hardness And Flexibility You Require In The Kitchen.
- ERGONOMIC:- Military Grade G-10 Handle Thats Allows You To Maintain A Sturdy Confident Grip In All Conditions No Matter The Environment. Giving You The Comfort & Agility When Slicing & Dicing For Extended Periods.
With 67 Damascus layer and a VG10 stainless steel blade, the Tatara Santoku knife is not just ultra-sharp but is also really sturdy and easy to care. It is nitrogen cooled to add more hardness and flexibility than the similar sushi knives.
What you get out of the extreme craftsmanship is an extra-hard and sharp blade that has an edge capable of cutting paper-thin while also being resistant to any form of stain and rust. Even the Granto edge has a purpose as it prevents food for stinking to allow for precision cutting and filleting.
The blade is fastened to a military-grade G-10 handle which with three rivets to provide stability and grip no matter how greasy or wet the filleting gets. The handle also gives the knife a classy look with its ergonomic design and textured surface.
The cutting edges and Tatara logo on the flashing blade also ensure that the Tatara Santoku knife gives off a highly-professional and classy vibe.
The materials, steel, and other items sourced from Japan, but the actual knife is curated and made in China. Some people who feel that this might lead to a lack of quality, as well as inauthenticity, can rejoice as the Tantara Santoku is made by following all the traditional Japanese techniques.
The knife is also a great gifting option as it comes in a sleek black pinewood box which has velvet-like material lined inside. A polishing cloth is also included for free to ensure that you can clean the knife to keep it shiny and sharp at all times.
What is also a major standout with the Tantara Santoku is the 1-year money-back guarantee it comes with. You can get a full refund if you decide that the knife is not the right fit for you within a whole year.
In a nutshell, the Tartara Santoku is a quality knife that can handle whatever you can think of when it comes to delicious sushi.
The Pros
- Nitrogen-cooled
- Granton edge on the knife
- The handle is ergonomic and military-grade
Kai Wasabi Black Yanagiba Knife
- Japanese style santoku (meaning 3 virtues) knife, used for slicing, dicing and chopping
- Made with Daido 1K6 high-carbon, stainless steel for superior edge retention
- Embellished with the japanese character for wasabi
- Blades are bead-blasted to an attractive finish, handle is sturdy, clean polypropylene blend
This Kai Wasabi Knife is best suited for slicing super-thin slices for sushi and sashimi. The Kai Wasabi Yanagiba knife is a standard 50/50 grind and is suited for both right-handed and left-handed folks!
Made from high-carbon stainless steel, this knife is pretty lightweight and can boast of superior edge retention. This is a single bevel knife which makes it sharp and also reduces food sticking.
It is a traditional knife but has some modern components such as the polypropylene handle blended with bamboo powder.
As for cleaning, the knife is easy in the dishwasher but we recommend that you wash it by hand to enhance its life. The blade is coated with an antibacterial agent, so food safety should not be a concern.
We think the knife is a bargain for its price and is best suited for beginner sushi chefs, for preparation and home users.
The Pros
- Affordable-priced
- Made in Japan
The Cons
- It will take you some time to get the hang of sharpening the knife
Now, that we’ve reviewed our finalists, here are some factors you should keep in mind while buying one.
Sushi and sashimi knives buying guide
Blade length
Sushi knives need to be at least 6 inches in length, and anything lesser will not help you cut through fish with a clean edge. We would recommend that you go for a sashimi knife of 7 to 12 inches in length as this can help you cut fish from heel to tip without a ripping or jagged motion.
Single bevel
Usually, blades in the West are double bevel which means that they are sharpened from both sides to create a point in the middle shaped like the letter V. While these blades are strong, they are not the sharpest and can be hard to maintain.
Sushi knives, on the other hand, are single bevel. This means that the back of this knife is concave and the blade is pointed on one side. This shape reduces drag and helps fish to slide off easily. Strength is not the goal, and these knives are sharp and will do the job without needing force.
Material
Most sushi knives are made from carbon steel as this material is sharper than stainless steel. However, they will need regular sharpening and are prone to rust. So you should dry your knife thoroughly after washing it.
And if you’re storing it away and won’t be using it for a while rub a little oil into the blade and wrap it up well in some newspaper.
The handles are usually wooden handle in either D-shaped or hexagonal/octagonal as this can make the knife comfortable to hold for an extended period.
Brands & Manufacturing
When it comes to the kitchen, we would not want you to experiment a lot with brands, especially when sharp things are involved! It’s best to go with a popular or established brand such as the ones we have covered above.
There is no doubt that the best sushi comes from Japan, and in such a case, the best sushi knife is also found in the country. They are renowned for making thin, sharp knives which lasts longer.
Plus there is something about authenticity that just lends a different flavor to food. Some of the brands we have reviewed source their knives from Japan so they would definitely be a right choice.
There you go. We hope we have provided enough information for you to make the perfect choice of a sushi knife. Of course, this depends on your priorities and budget, and we would suggest going with Tatara or Yehua if you’re a beginner but if you’re looking to make the perfect sushi, go for the other ones.
