Santoku vs chef’s knife: which should you buy?

The short answer

If you mostly chop vegetables, slice meat and fish, and like a straight up-and-down cutting motion, choose a Santoku. If you prefer to rock the blade back and forth through herbs and garlic, choose a Western chef’s knife. Either can be the only knife you need.

What “Santoku” means

Santoku is usually translated from Japanese as “three virtues”, referring either to slicing, dicing and mincing, or to meat, fish and vegetables. It became popular in Japanese home kitchens in the twentieth century as an all-rounder, and is now one of the most popular knife shapes in the world.

Key differences

• Profile — a Santoku has a flatter edge and a rounded “sheepsfoot” tip; a chef’s knife curves up to a sharp point.
• Cutting motion — the flat Santoku edge suits push-cuts and chopping; the chef’s knife belly suits rocking.
• Weight and thickness — Japanese-style Santokus are usually thinner behind the edge, so they glide through firm vegetables with less effort.
• Food release — many Santokus, including the Kiri, have hollow-edge dimples that stop slices of potato or cucumber sticking to the blade.
• Length — Santokus are often shorter than chef’s knives; the Kiri Santoku is a generous 8 inches (20cm), close to a standard chef’s knife.

Who a Santoku suits best

Home cooks who do a lot of vegetable prep, anyone with a smaller chopping board, and people who find a long pointed chef’s knife intimidating. The straight edge keeps full contact with the board, so slices cut all the way through instead of staying joined at the bottom.