6 Best Chef Knife Under $100 of 2023

A knife for a chef is what a bat is for a cricketer. There are no two ways that the first skill that a chef is tested on is their knife skills. But, there is one problem that the majority of the newbie chef encounters – Budget.

Chef knives come in a wide price range, but it is a notion that the best ones are costly. To break this myth, we have sorted out some of the best chef knives under $100.

Even with an affordable price range, every single one of these knives ensures precision cuts and clean work. Be prepared for your mind to be blown!

Try one of these apple slicers.

Best Chef Knife Under $100

1. J.A. Henckels International CLASSIC Chef’s Knife

Best Overall

For the chefs out there who don’t want to compromise on comfort and ease of use when it comes to their kitchen knife, the J.A. Henckels International CLASSIC Chef’s Knife is one of the best available options.

Crafted with a sleek German design, this 8-inch knife comes with a relatively flat edge, unlike anything else. The combination of the thick bolster and the riveted handle ensures versatile use – be it for filleting a fish or even for butchering chickens. The design provides such incredible control, making it easier for finely chopping vegetables without any hassle.

The German stainless steel material with the full tang design makes the blade extend through the handle. It ensures better grip, ease of use, and precise control while chopping and cutting. The handle length of 4.72-inches also provides a very comfortable grip.

The satin-finished blade quality with long-lasting sharpness ensures that you wouldn’t have to sharpen it every other day. It assures faster and smoother work in the kitchen, especially during the prep time.

The stain-resistant carbon steel used for this knife ensures forged durability and thus labels it as one of the best chef knife under $100 for the kitchen. The knife itself weighs 11.2 ounces, which again is one of the positive traits of the knife. The comfortable pinch grip of the handle further makes it easier for you to work with this knife.

For the cleaning and maintenance of this chef’s knife, all you have to do is use some mild soap and handwash it. It is entirely safe for the dishwasher too.

The J.A. Henckels International CLASSIC Chef’s Knife comes with a lifetime warranty over the defects of the material as well as the overall craftsmanship. The issues the warranty covers include the wood parts, any form of inflicted damage with use, and such. You can send it back to the company with a list of the issues you’ve been facing to get it fixed or repaired making it one of the best chef knife under $100.

J.A. Henckels International CLASSIC Chef’s Knife is Suitable for:

If you are someone who has been looking for a good quality chef’s knife that would last for years in your kitchen, this is hands down one of the best. The forged blade and the bolstered design make it a suitable option for anyone with mediocre to professional knife skills.

2. Santoku Knife – MAD SHARK Pro Kitchen Knife

Best Overall Runner Up

Finding the best chef knife on a budget can be a struggle if you don’t know what you are looking for. The Santoku Knife – MAD SHARK Pro Kitchen Knife is one of those that can help solve your queries for good.

For the price that it comes for, it most definitely does pack in a lot of surprises. This 8-inch professional knife comes with a hollow design with oval-shaped hollow divots that prevents the food from being stuck to your knife while you are chopping. It is one of those brands that provide versatile use. You can use this knife in the kitchen to chop, dice, or even slice through your chunk of meat.

The knife is made with German technology, so if you were expecting Japanese expertise, this is not the one. It is assembled in RPC. The high carbon stainless steel material ensures to keep it protected from rust and dust through the tides of life.

The knife itself comes with a certified Rockness Hardwell Score of 56-58, which again is mind-boggling. It makes it stand out amidst the wide range of available professional knives that you will come across in the market.

As for the comfort of the handle, it is made with military-grade high polymer ergonomic handle that ensures better ease and convenience of use. The durability of this kitchen knife is assured with the Mosaic Rivet design, which again is why you need to use it without further questions.

The ergonomic shape of this handle not only enhances the control but also helps maintain the balance and prevents you from feeling tired or numbing sensation after a long time. The sharpness of the knife does last for some time, assuring you that you wouldn’t have to repeat making it one of the best chef knife under $100.

Santoku Knife – MAD SHARK Pro Kitchen Knife is Suitable for:

Apart from the professional chefs who can use this in their kitchen, we suggest this is more suitable for the individuals looking for an excellent knife to polish their skills. Since the price point is relatively low, it makes for a good investment on your part.

3. Victorinox 6-Inch Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife

Best Value

For the professional chefs or even the worthy homemakers who have been seeking the best chef knife under $100, the Victorinox 6 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife is one of the best available options in the market.

This 6-inch design with a tapered stainless steel material ensures long-lasting use with no complaints. The tapered design also provides precision cuts with improved efficiency. The high carbon stainless steel is not just durable but rust resistant and comes with improved longevity. The material is extremely sharp and strong enough to ensure smooth and accurate cuts, unlike anything else.

The pointed tip design of this chef’s knife helps you cut through the rinds and the skin of the vegetables that you might have been struggling with. The slight curve to the design helps quicken your pace of cutting and chopping all the while keeping your fingers safe.

This versatile kitchen knife is suited for any type of job that you have. The blades have been laser tested and are super sharp to cut down your chopping time by half. The ergonomic handle is made from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) that provides a non-slip grip.

The knife is also weighted and balanced for comfortable use and secure handling. The knife is 6-inches long and weighs just 3.2 ounces, making it one of the most lightweight options in the market. It is also entirely safe for you to use it in a dishwasher without any hassle at all.

It is one of those chef’s knives that come with a lifetime warranty over the material and the craftsmanship. In case you are experiencing any issues, you can return it to them and get the problems fixed in no time at all making it one of the best chef knife under $100.

Victorinox 6-Inch Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife is Suitable for:

If you are looking for a multipurpose knife to start your professional career with, this is the one. It is also suitable for the people who are looking for a “professional grade” knife for home use.

4. Wusthof 4582-7/16 CLASSIC Cook’s Knife

Best Value Runner Up

Wusthof might not be as big of a brand as Henckels international is, but the Wusthof 4582-7/16 CLASSIC Cook’s Knife does make it one of the best options for you. This classic 6″ knife has its blade made of stainless steel.

Even this knife comes with an all-purpose use, be it for chopping the vegetables or cutting through the meats. The best feature about this chef’s knife that makes it such a fantastic option is the full tang design.

The triple-riveted handles provide improved grip and better balance, so you have a lot better control while chopping the vegetables or the meat. Have you tried these boning knives? It is one of those best selling kitchen knives that satisfy the needs of every professional chef or even a home cook.

The knife also comes with a full bolster and finger guard to ensure maximum safety while using it. This German-made design and material of the knife make it a long-lasting requisite in your kitchen without any complaints at all. It also ensures to prevent the risks of fading and discoloration, which is typical for a knife of this price range.

The Wusthof 4582-7/16 CLASSIC Cook’s Knife is forged from a single block of stainless steel, which is then tempered down to 58 degrees HRC. The same also comes with the Precision Edge Technology that makes the blade 20% sharper and imposes the sharp edge retention twice, unlike the other options available in the market.

The blades have been laser tested for their sharpness. The high carbon stainless steel is pure and doesn’t contain any form of alloy in it. It comes with the warranty for any kind of material defects and issues with the craftsmanship.

The brand is also conscious of the environment, which means that they do support sustainability. They ensure better optimization of the process, ensuring that you wouldn’t have to worry about hurting the situation in the process making it one of the best chef knife under $100.

Wusthof 4582-7/16 CLASSIC Cook’s Knife is Suitable for:

It is one of those best chef knives that you can purchase if you want a slightly heavier and more balanced knife for your day to day use. The perfect pinch grip with the bolster is exceptionally comfortable for use.

5. Kutt Chef Knife Set

Best Budget

When it comes to picking out the best chef knife under $100, the Kutt Chef Knife Set is an ideal pick. Apart from the fact that it comes for a very affordable budget, the knife itself comes with an entire kit that a professional would need.

The combination of the perfect balance and high-grade stainless steel is what makes this a winner. It has been designed to get anything done in your kitchen, be it chopping, cutting, dicing, or even slicing.

The 8-inch professional chef knife that you get with this kit is something you will be proud of using even with the years passing. The thinner blade design, along with the curved spine, makes this an ideal option for those who don’t like rough edges and uneven pieces while chopping.

This model’s quality of high-carbon German stainless steel is one of the best things that you will come across. It holds its edge with precision and doesn’t slip out from your grip while you are using it.

Since comfort is one of the most critical factors for cooking and chopping, this ergonomically designed knife and the whole set ensure that you never regret its purchase. The full tang and the Pakka wood handle contribute to the excellence of this product.

This 8-inch quality chef’s knife weighs just 1.45 pounds, which is probably one of the lightest in the market. The finger protector and the odor removing soap that you get with this knife set is a boon in disguise. Not only does it keep your fingers safe, but it also ensures to prevent any sort of risks associated with keeping it functioning for an extended period.

The packaging of this knife is so premium that you can even gift it to your chef friend to support them on their journey to making good food making it one of the best chef knife under $100 and a great gift.

Kutt Chef Knife Set is Suitable for:

It is one of those fantastic chef’s knives that are suited for high-end professionals. The kit is affordable but at the same time, one of the best in terms of quality, so you wouldn’t have to compromise on either.

6. Sky Light Chef Knife

Best Budget Runner Up

Sky Light is a very well known brand when it comes to kitchen essentials, especially knives. Their 8-inch chef knife is one of the bestsellers and all for the right reasons. If you want a professional-grade knife with bolstered features and functions, this is hands down the one.

The brand has a vision of bringing back the old craftsmanship with the chef’s knives that they sell, and that is what this one is all about. Every single product that they manufacture undergoes a strict process of inspection to ensure that the customers get only the best of the best.

The one thing about this chef knife that makes it a credible option is that it comes hand-polished by expert craftsmen. Every single knife has been spent some time on, to make it the best in the market. Unlike the mechanized ones, this has a touch of imperfection but doesn’t lack the precision of the cuts it makes.

The blade is made of German quality high carbon stainless steel that provides a premium experience of use. It is rust-proof and water-resistant and comes with an extended-lasting property that every professional chef would love investing their money on.

The knife blade can be resharpened pretty quickly, and it is straightforward to clean and maintain. The full tang ergonomically designed handle further improves the balance and ease of use. The triple-riveted handle helps you have a very comfortable grip as well.

The knife also comes with a lifetime warranty on the works of craftsmanship. It ensures that you don’t regret your purchase, and you can invest your money accordingly without further thoughts. It also provides the money-back guarantee, so in case this doesn’t work out well with you, you can send it back to get a refund making it one of the best chef knife under $100 and good for an experiment.

Sky Light Chef Knife is Suitable for:

It is a generic chef’s knife and doesn’t stand out with its features. It can be a boon for the sous chef who is into planning everything and chopping out portions for the prep time. If you want a knife for butchering big chunks of meat, this is not it. It is not that sharp.

What Should You Consider Before Buying a Chef’s Knife?

When it comes to purchasing a chef’s knife, there are several factors that you need to tick off the checklist. Apart from the design and the handle, there are some underrated traits that many people fail to cross-check.

Tang Designs

The first thing to consider is the tang designs. You want to ensure that you get one that you feel comfortable holding. For the most part, experts suggest buying a full tang design instead of the partial tang.

A full tang is the one that comes with two separate portions of the handle that are attached with a rivet or pin. It covers the entire handle and provides a much more comfortable and better grip in comparison to the partial ones.

The stub tang or the partial grip is the one which is a lot narrower and often covers one side of the knife. The steak knives come with a design like that.

Weight and Dimensions

There is no universal knife that you can use for every single work in the kitchen. While some are used for cutting and chopping, some are used for butchering meat.

While buying a chef’s knife, you need to be sure of its purpose. Once you know what kind of knife you are looking for, deciding on the dimensions becomes a lot easier.

When it comes to weight, you must get a balanced weight knife. It distributes the weight evenly, making it comfortable for you to use without feeling your hands go numb after some time.

Also, make sure to check the quality of the handle as that matters just as much. You want something with a comfortable and sturdy grip.

Sharpness

There is no point buying a chef’s knife if you don’t even check the sharpness. This is the pivotal check. You want a knife that can more or less cut through anything without any resistance. The sharpness of the knife is what decides the versatility, so keep that in check without any questions asked.

What Brands of Knives Do Professional Chefs Recommend?

While there is an abundance of chef’s knives  available in the market, there are a few that stand out.

Every chef has their preference and likings, which is the reason why there is no standard option when it comes to recommendations. One of the most popular brands that stand out among chefs is the J.A. Henckels International. They offer a wide variety of chef knives that you will take a liking to.

Aside from that, Global Santonku, which manufactures Japanese inspired chef’s knives, is also a close second in the list. They have some of the best sushi and sashimi knives that you might have been looking for.

What Knife Does Gordon Ramsay Use?

When it comes to buying professional knives for your kitchen, you want to get inspiration from one of the top chefs in the world. And, who is better than the one and only Gordon Ramsay, right?

If you have followed Gordon’s videos carefully, you would know that he swears by the fantastic Victorinox /Forschner chef’s knife. It is one of those knives that has become quintessential to his kitchen needs.

Aside from that, the Gordon Ramsay knife set by Royal Doulton is again one of the best available options that you can try out.

Gordon Ramsay also does suggest the use of the Henckels brand knives, which come in varying sizes and precision.

Final Verdict

Even though every single one of these steel blade knives that we have mentioned above is top-notch, it goes without saying that there is only one winner out of them all.

Indeed, you can’t beat Henckels when it comes to professional kitchen knives. This brand has been here for quite some time now and provides the quintessential kitchen knives that every professional chef would be on the lookout for.

The J.A. Henckels International CLASSIC Chef’s Knife packs in everything that you could want in your knife. It is made out of the best grade stainless steel and comes with a very comfortable handle that ensures precise and clean cuts.

The versatility of this knife is a reason why it has cemented its spot as the best. The only downside is possibly the weight of the knife, but then again, the weight is balanced out, which means that you wouldn’t feel the burden of using it.

If you have been on the lookout for a one-stop multipurpose knife that will last you through years, this is the one we would suggest you use. The size is perfect, and even the finishing is beautiful.

We hope this article does provide you with a better guide on the best chef’s knives available in the market. It is essential that you check, assess, and then buy one.