The Top Brands to Consider for Chefs Knives

Shopping for a new chefs knife isn’t easy. A ton of painstaking research can go into finding the perfect chefs knife. Plenty of companies make knives, some more adequate than others, but with so many digital retailers promoting their products, it can be a challenge to settle on the brand that makes top notch chefs knives.

When it comes to factors like sourcing high grade steel for the knives, and applying skilled craftsmanship to produce a well balanced knife, only a select few companies tend to rise up and meet the quality standards to produce chefs knives at the highest level. While it is possible to walk into into any kitchen store or visit any website and buy a knife on the spot, expect to be bombarded with an almost overwhelming dearth of options.

At the end of the day, chefs knives can be expensive, so it pays to invest in a knife from a well respected and established brand. After all, a well made chefs knife should last you decades. Here are a few of the brands that you should be considering when looking to purchase your next chefs knife.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels

Zwilling J.A. Henckels has been perfecting their craft since the 1700s, and trust us when we say that they really know knives. They have grown to become one of the largest knife manufacturers in the world, with an impressive track record and product list.

They produce over 24 different types of knives, with a prototype that benefits the chef of any skill level.

Wusthof

Wusthof is another major German knife maker that many pro chefs absolutely swear by. They consistently produce knives of the highest quality, and have done so for years. Over 200 years, in fact. 

Wusthof has been family-owned and run since its inception, so you can be sure that they know exactly exactly what they are doing when it comes to the craft of knife making. Both Wusthof and Henckels are manufactured in Solingen (along many other blade makers) which makes the town, and Germany, one of the knife-making hubs of the world.

Messermeister

Messermeister knives, also manufactured in (surprise, surprise) Germany, is another brand that sells high quality blades in the town of Solingen. While Messermeister is not as well-known of a brand as Henckels and Wusthof, they are no less celebrated for their fine quality of craftsmanship when it comes to their products.

They use a forging process for their blades (Meridian Elite is drop-hammer forged) that is classical in it’s style of manufacturing that give their knives a retro look with a high-quality performance and feel.

Global

Global, one of the newer companies on our list, revolutionized the kitchen-knife world in the 1980s by creating a series of high-performance knives that were (and continue to be) on the cutting edge of performance while remaining incredibly affordable.

Like traditional Japanese knives, they are extremely light to wield with a thin and razor-sharp edge. While aesthetically they resemble Japanese blades when it comes to the overall shape and design, they often owe as much to Western tradition and influences as they do to their Japanese stylings.

The Good Liver

We’re cheating a little bit here – The Good Liver is more so a general store type retailer than a brand actually making their own knives, but we just love their collection and superb eye for picking out top quality knives.

They cultivate the finest quality home and kitchen goods, and their cutlery collection is extremely impressive. This addition to our list is one of the newer brands, but they’ve made quite an impression. With a brick-and-mortar store in LA and a thriving online retail presence, rest assured that anything snagged from the Good Liver is truly top quality.

Savernake

Another new brand that’s burst onto the scene, Savernake was established in 2016 and has been consistently producing high quality chefs knives (among other varieties) ever since. This British company strives to reimagine the status quo when it comes to knife making.

Founded by a master knife-maker, they know their business well and deliver excellent knives that are beautiful, functional, and customizable!