TL;DR: Santoku knives have become popular worldwide, with both Western and Japanese knife makers selling the traditional Japanese knife. When picking out a santoku knife, consider what the blade is made out of, the blade length, and if it’s Japanese style or Western style.

I’ve been building my collection of kitchen knives for over a decade, but it's just a natural extension of the interest in knives I’ve always had. I learned how to cook and bake as I grew up, so my two interests naturally intersected.

I have a Western-style santoku knife that I use for a variety of tasks, like cutting up a whole chicken, prepping vegetables like carrots and onions, and slicing roasts. The heavy blade makes it durable, so it’s excellent for hard vegetables, frozen food, and other tasks I’m reluctant to use my Japanese chef’s knife for.

Are you unfamiliar with santoku knives? Don’t hesitate to reach out to a Curated Kitchen Expert! Every Expert on Curated is an enthusiast — they love to talk about their area of expertise, and they’re highly knowledgeable. This service is free and part of our guarantee that you’ll love whatever you buy from us.

What Is a Santoku Knife?

Santoku knives are a traditional type of Japanese knife that has caught on with Western audiences. They have a long, flat blade, giving them a lot of cutting surface, and curve at the end of the spine.

As they have neither a pointed tip nor a curved blade, they aren’t great for deboning, nor can they do a rocking chop motion. But their stiff, sharp blades are excellent for slicing, chopping, dicing, and mincing.

What to Consider When Buying a Santoku Knife

A santoku knife is an all-purpose type of kitchen knife, making it a useful addition to any repertoire. I use mine in addition to my chef’s knives, as I find the longer cutting surface makes it excellent for slicing, and, as I have a Western-style santoku, the heavy, stiff blade makes it ideal for cutting through joints. Here are some questions to consider when picking out your own santoku knife.

Japanese or Western Style?

While santokus are Japanese in origin, there are many Western companies that manufacture them. Japanese knives and Western knives are both well-regarded, but there are differences in their construction that make each better at distinct tasks.

• Japanese: Santokus that are Japanese style prioritize being lightweight and the sharpness of the blade. This is achieved by using a very hard steel and hammering it to be thin. That both cuts down on weight and allows it to hold an extremely keen edge. The drawback is it makes the blade relatively brittle, so it’s easier to chip. If you plan to use your knife on frozen foods, bones, or joints, you probably don’t want a Japanese-style blade.
• Western: While Western knives can be plenty sharp, Western manufacturers prioritize durability. That means that they use a softer steel, allowing it to be both thicker and slightly more elastic. That makes these blades much harder to chip, as well as able to be used on joints, frozen foods, and hard vegetables.

Blade Length

As with chef’s knives, santoku knives can vary quite a bit in length, but the two most common sizes are 5.5 inches and 7 inches. Here are some of the sizes you’ll find and what they’re best for.

• 5.5 inch: This is likely the second most common size for santokus. A blade this length can handle the majority of veggies and fruits, like onions, cucumbers, and zucchini. The smaller blade gives you a lot of maneuverability and control over the knife.
• 6 inch: As with a 6-inch chef’s knife, a santoku this size can take care of the majority of cutting tasks involving vegetables, meat, or fish but may struggle with larger tasks like melons or large cuts of meat.
• 7 inch: Probably the most common size for a santoku.** **In most cases, a knife this size can fill in for an 8-inch chef’s knife. It can take care of harder veggies like carrots and can tackle bigger pieces of meats or even larger fruits like melons.

Blade Material

What the blade is made out of affects how well the knife performs and how well it can hold an edge. Here are the materials you’ll likely encounter.

• Stainless steel: In the late 1800s, scientists discovered that mixing chromium with iron created a steel that didn’t rust. Stainless steel is the most common material for knife blades because of its durability, corrosion resistance, and affordability.
• High carbon stainless steel: Sometimes just called high carbon steel, this alloy is looking to shove stainless steel aside. All it means is that there’s a higher carbon content, which allows the metal to be harder. A harder steel can hold a sharper edge for longer.
• Carbon steel: This alloy has fallen out of favor because it gets rust spots if you leave it to air dry. Despite that, it’s still used for specialty high-end knives because it's extremely hard without being brittle. That allows for carbon steel knives to be incredibly sharp and rarely need resharpening.
• Damascus steel: What makes something Damascus steel isn’t an alloy but a forging process. Damascus steel harks back to the ancient city of Damascus, which was known for its smithing. Steel is folded over itself and hammered into shape, resulting in beautiful patterns on the blade from the folds.
• Ceramic: The type of ceramic used for knife blades is harder than steel, which means that the knives can hold a razor edge for a long time. Ceramic is akin to glass, though, in that it’s very hard but fragile. Ceramic knives are highly vulnerable to chipping or breaking, especially on the tip or sharp edge.

What Are the Different Types of Santoku Knives

Santoku knives come in two different blade shapes. Standard santoku knives are much more common, with almost every manufacturer offering one. Rocking santokus are newer and have fewer options, though both Western and Japanese knife makers offer them.

Standard Santoku

The standard santoku has a flat blade with a curved spine, giving it a lot of cutting surface. These knives are best for slicing, but they’re also great for mincing, chopping, and dicing. The stiff blade makes it easy for it to slide through veggies, meat, and fish.

Rocking Santoku

These knives are a fusion of a regular santoku and a chef’s knife. Rocking santoku knives have an upward curve on the end of the blade that allows for a rocking chop motion. They sacrifice some of their cutting surface to make it more ergonomic for those who prefer to chop that way.

Features to Look for When Buying a Santoku Knife

Almost every knife company offers a santoku, which means that picking out the best knife for you can feel a bit overwhelming. Here are some features to look for when selecting a good santoku knife.

Full Tang

A knife consists of two parts: the blade and the tang. The tang of the knife is the metal part that attaches to the handle. A full tang extends all the way to the end of the handle. Having that extra length of metal gives the knife better balance (ideally, it should balance where the blade meets the handle) and makes it more durable.

Alternatively, a knife can have a partial tang, which would only extend partway into the handle. The upside to this is that knives with a partial tang are lighter in weight.

Granton Edge

A Granton edge is common on santoku knives. It’s a series of divots on the side of the blade near the cutting edge that create air pockets so that what you’re slicing is less likely to stick to the blade. A hand-hammered finish has the same effect, like this rocking santoku.

A Granton edge isn’t necessary for a good santoku knife, as there are a lot of high-end brands that don’t have one. But it does make the knife a bit easier to work with.

How to Pick the Best Santoku Knife for You

Selecting the right santoku knife can take a lot of time and research. In order to give you a head start, I’m going to describe three different people and what products I’d recommend they buy.

Megan: New Cook Looking to Improve Her Equipment

Megan has been cooking for a few years and has heard from some of her more experienced friends about santoku knives. She’s not sure how much she’ll end up using the knife, as she already has a chef’s knife, but she wants to try it out. She wants a good knife that won’t cost too much money, just in case she doesn't like it.

Features Megan should look for:

• Mid-range brands so the knives will be well-made but affordable
• Synthetic handles for easy care

Recommended products: Misen Santoku Knife, Cangshan TS Series Santoku Knife and Wood Sheath Set

Jonathan: Experienced Cook Looking to Branch Out

Jonathan has been cooking for more than a decade and has developed good knife skills. He’s intrigued by the idea of a santoku knife, but he’s been unsure about buying one since he uses a rocking chop motion when cutting up vegetables. He’d like a good, long-lasting knife but nothing too flashy so it’ll match with the rest of his knives.

Features Jonathan should look for:

• A rocking santoku so that he can use a rocking chop motion
• Plain styling so that the knife won’t stand out

Recommended Products: Zwilling Pro Hollow Edge Rocking Santoku Knife, Miyabi Evolution Rocking Santoku Fine Edge

Mitch: Knife Enthusiast Looking to Expand His Collection

Mitch has been collecting high-end knives for a while and has decided to treat himself to another one. He wants a knife that can hold an edge well and is useful but also beautiful. He doesn't have a high-end santoku knife, so he’s looking to add one to his collection.

Features Mitch should look for:

• Premium brands to ensure quality and an excellent warranty
• Wooden handles for comfort and beauty

Recommended products: Zwilling Twin 1731 Santoku Knife, Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Santoku Knife

Find the Right Santoku Knife for You

A good santoku knife will last you the rest of your life, which means that you shouldn’t be afraid to carefully consider your selection. Here are Curated, we offer a free service that allows you to chat with a Curated Kitchen Expert. Our Experts are well-versed in what makes a good knife, how to care for them, and pricing. Any one of them would be happy to answer your questions or make suggestions — all you need to do is start a chat!