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Here’s A Look At 6 Top Steak Knives For Cutting Up Your Meat.
There’s something special about eating steak. Whether a Black Angus tenderloin, Japanese Wagyu rib eye, or steak cuts from wild game you’ve harvested yourself, steak provides a luxurious dining experience that truly highlights the protein at hand. Often simply seasoned and seared to perfection at high heat, steak is presented to the diner on a plate, gleaming with juices. Then, to partake of that glorious meaty flavor, you slice off a glistening piece of meat to stuff into your piehole.
Enter the steak knife. This humble piece of cutlery has the important responsibility of fulfilling the last step in the steak dining experience — cleanly cutting slices of meat, while also dressing up place settings at the dining table.
Functionally, steak knives need to be sharp as well as comfortable and effective in use. When cutting your steak, you want your knife to cut cleanly through the meat with minimal tearing and shredding. You might have to contend with tough meats, hard crusts, slippery fat, and other foods like vegetables or bread. Additionally, the knife’s edge will be subjected to the abuse of cutting on hard ceramic plates instead of gentle cutting boards.
Moreover, with multiple steak knives to contend with during clean up, many people don’t treat their steak knives as well as they should, whether properly maintaining edges or even using a dishwasher as if their knives are common silverware.
It’s no surprise then that many manufacturers offer steak knives with synthetic handles for easy cleaning and serrated blades for long-lasting sharpness. Those willing to spend a little more time hand-washing their knives — as they should — as well as honing and sharpening the blades can enjoy the aesthetics of wood handles and the buttery smoothness of plain straight-edge blades.
Synthetic handles can still be attractive, though it’s hard to beat the charm and warmth of wood. The choice of a serrated versus non-serrated blade, however, can spark intense debate. Serrated blades are very effective for slicing and hold their edge well with the punishment doled out to steak knives. However, they’re difficult to sharpen and don’t cut as smoothly as their non-serrated brethren. Plain blades cut wonderfully (if they have a good edge), but they require deliberate maintenance. Also, consider how often you use steak knives; many households use them rather infrequently.
Fortunately, there’s a wide selection of steak knives on the market so you can choose a set that fits your needs and preferences. Here, we highlight a selection of steak knives that run the gamut in price from select chuck on up, with a variety of blade and handle styles.
Top Steak Knives
Boker 4-piece Arbolito Steak Knife Set
OAL: 7.9 inches
Blade Length: 4 inches
Blade Material: 440A stainless
Weight: 1.6 ounces
MSRP: $82 (set of 4)
URL: bokerusa.com
Boker makes a variety of steak knives; this Arbolito Steak Knife set is their value-priced offering made in Argentina. It features a classic profile, plain edge blade, and Delrin handle with full tang. It’s very compact and slim. Comes in a set of four; also available individually.
PROS:
- Blade is sharp and stiff. It slices through meat very smoothly, with good balance and handling.
- Doubles as an effective and handy paring knife
- Classic design with good craftsmanship
CONS:
- 440A stainless steel has high corrosion resistance but is on the softer side. Fortunately, it’s easy to sharpen, as you’ll want to maintain the Boker’s edge.
- Those with large hands may find the handle a bit too slim, and some testers felt the knife was rather small overall.
TOPS Knives Dicer 4 Steak
OAL: 8.5 inches
Blade Length: 4.5 inches
Blade Material: S35V
Weight: 4.9 ounces
MSRP: $235
URL: topsknives.com
A tactical knife company, TOPS Knives has a line of kitchen knives made with the same types of materials they use for their hard-use tactical knives. They boast premium CPM S35VN steel, a matte tumble finish, and two-toned G10 scales. The heavy full-tang knife has an extremely stout drop-point blade and a chunky handle, along with a matching black Kydex sheath. Made in the USA.
PROS:
- Sharpest blade of the bunch, though you may notice the thickness of the blade while cutting dense items. Cut very smoothly through meat.
- The overbuilt Dicer is great in the field. On a camping trip, we used it just once as a steak knife and during every single meal as a utility and paring knife for food prep.
- S35VN is a premium steel not often found in the kitchen. It’s tough, corrosion-resistant, and holds an edge, but it’s expensive.
- Contoured handle is very comfortable.
CONS:
- Thick handle and matte blade can look incongruous on a formal place setting.
- Quite heavy for a steak knife
- Outfitting a whole dining table with these knives would be quite pricey.
Cold Steel Steak Knife Set (Kitchen Classics)
OAL: 8.6 inches
Blade Length: 4.75 inches
Blade Material: 4116 cryo-quenched stainless
Weight: 1.5 ounces
MSRP: $75 (set of 6)
URL: coldsteel.com
Cold Steel’s Kitchen Classics line includes affordable knives for household use, from a chef knife to a boning knife to the steak knives shown here. The blade is a drop-point design with aggressive serrations, combining deep scallops with teeth. The handle has a rigid core made of Zy-Ex, wrapped with textured, nonslip Kray-Ex. Comes individually or in a set of six, so you can include your in-laws. Made in Taiwan with German steel.
PROS:
- Sharp, lightweight, and nimble, though the relatively thinner blade has some flex.
- Handle is very comfortable and grippy.
- Economical
CONS:
- While sharp, the aggressive serrations on the blade provide the roughest feel of the bunch while cutting meat.
- 4116 stainless is a value steel, but it has good corrosion resistance and is appropriate for the price point.
Outdoor Edge WildGame Steak Knife Set
OAL: 8.6 inches
Blade Length: 4.4 inches
Blade Material: 420J2 stainless
Weight: 1.4 ounces
MSRP: $25 (set of 4)
URL: outdooredge.com
Outdoor Edge’s WildGame steak knives are very affordable. The taper ground blade has a lightly upswept tip, with micro-serrations across its entire length. The polypropylene handles are contoured for a comfortable grip with a molded elk antler texture to prevent slipping. Comes in a pack of four and available in black or orange. Made in China.
PROS:
- Blade is sharp, and its micro-serrations strike a balance in cutting feel. Testers liked its shape, though it’s thinner than some others and flexes a bit.
- Light and agile, though some testers preferred a little more heft
- Extremely economical
CONS:
- Contoured handle isn’t very luxurious, but it’s comfortable and secure.
- 420J2 is a budget steel but expected for the low price point. It’s still tough and corrosion resistant.
Ontario Knife Company Agilite Steak Knife Set
OAL: 9.1 inches
Blade Length: 4.5 inches
Blade Material: 14C28N stainless
Weight: 2 ounces
MSRP: $190 (set of 4)
URL: ontarioknife.com
Ontario Knife makes a few steak knives; this four-piece set is part of their Agilite line of kitchen knives, which includes a chef knife, paring knife, and others. The Agilite steak knife’s thin, full-tang blade has a flat spine with a slight belly and a wide curve to the point. It’s serrated with wide scallops and teeth. The handle is comprised of hard polycarbonate that looks like amber fossil resin from the Jurassic era and tacky VersaFlex for a secure grip. Made in the USA.
PROS:
- Blade is sharp, and testers liked its shape, though it’s the thinnest blade of the group with more noticeable flex.
- VersaFlex on handle provides a nice grip, though additional contouring would be more comfortable.
- One of the longest knives in this roundup, which some testers preferred
CONS:
- Though very sharp, the serrated blade doesn’t cut as smoothly as some other knives in this group.
Buck Knives 4-piece Steak Knife Set
OAL: 9.5 inches
Blade Length: 4.4 inches
Blade Material: 420HC stainless
Weight: 3.2 ounces
MSRP: $210 (set of 4)
URL: buckknives.com
Buck’s steak knife is relatively hefty with a thicker full-tang blade and handle. The serrated blade features a straight spine and a bit of a belly that sweeps up to the tip. It also sports a distinctive hollow-ground bevel. The rosewood Dymalux handle has a lovely grain and deep color; you can also opt for dishwasher-safe black Paperstone handles for about 30-percent less hit to your pocketbook. Available individually or in a set of four. Made in the USA.
PROS:
- Sharp blade that cut the smoothest of the serrated blades. Testers liked the upswept profile of the blade.
- Attractive wood handle is infused with resin and water resistant with a glossy finish.
- Knife is very robust and handles very well, with a contoured and meaty grip that was comfortable for most of our testers.
- Longest knife in the group, which some testers preferred
CONS:
- One of our testers didn’t like the flared front of the handle. Also, the rosewood can be a bit slippery.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Carnivore Magazine Issue 8.
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