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Answer two questions and get one tested knife. Every pick comes from independent test results, mostly America’s Test Kitchen, plus Chef Tamás’s own notes where he has used the knife. Gerzsi tried to answer the questions by chewing on the options. Please use the buttons.
Two taps
What will you cut most?
A chef’s knife. How much do you want to spend?
A paring knife. How much do you want to spend?
A boning knife. How often will you use it?
A dull knife. How dull is it?
Spend less · ATK Best Buy
Mercer Culinary Millennia 8″ chef’s knife
America’s Test Kitchen’s Best Buy chef’s knife. It costs roughly half as much as their top pick and still performs well.
Under $25
Skip it if you can stretch to the Victorinox Fibrox Pro, the tested favorite.
Read the chef’s knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Best for most people · Chef Tamás’s pick
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8″ chef’s knife
America’s Test Kitchen’s favorite chef’s knife, praised for the blade and the grippy, comfortable handle. Reviewed found it kept pace with far more expensive knives.
Chef Tamás: This was the knife on his station for years. It gets knocked around and washed a hundred times, and it keeps working. If you are just starting to cook, this is the knife he would put in your hand first.
$50–100
Skip it if you want an edge that stays razor-sharp for months without maintenance.
Chef Tamás says this knife needs honing often. The rod for that: Idahone 12″ ceramic rod (ATK Best Buy).
Read the chef’s knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Heavier · Consumer Reports best overall
Henckels Forged Premio 8″ chef’s knife
Consumer Reports named it the best chef’s knife overall, and it was the only knife in their test that all four panelists rated positively.
Chef Tamás: He has worked with Henckels chef’s knives in professional kitchens, though not necessarily this exact line. They feel heavier and more stable than the Victorinox and hold their edge longer. After a long prep session, your forearms feel the weight.
$50–100
Skip it if you have small hands, wrist issues, or do long prep sessions and prefer something light.
Read the chef’s knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Spend less · ATK Best Buy · Reviewed Best Value
Victorinox Swiss Classic 3.25″ paring knife
America’s Test Kitchen says this cheap paring knife has proved its value again and again over the years, and Reviewed found the blade rivaled most pricier competitors.
Under $25
Skip it if you want the heft and stiffness of a forged blade.
Read the paring knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Best for most people · ATK winner
Mercer Culinary Renaissance 3.5″ paring knife
America’s Test Kitchen’s top paring knife: solid, well made and agile, and it did well at every task in their test.
$25–50
Skip it if you want the lightest knife possible. Forged blades are heavier.
Read the paring knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Heirloom · Reviewed Best Overall
Wüsthof Classic 3.5″ paring knife
Reviewed’s best overall, pulled ahead with its balanced handle and streamlined design. America’s Test Kitchen found it excelled at off-the-board tasks.
$50–100
Skip it if you are on a budget. The Mercer won ATK’s test for much less.
Read the paring knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Spend less · ATK Best Buy
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 6″ flexible boning knife
It hugged bones well in America’s Test Kitchen’s test, and the textured handle stayed easy to hold even wet or greasy.
$25–50
Skip it if you want the sharpest blade. It wasn’t as sharp as the winner, and some testers found the handle thick.
Read the boning knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Best for most people · ATK winner
Zwilling Pro 5.5″ flexible boning knife
America’s Test Kitchen’s winner: very sharp, flexible but not floppy, and it kept its edge through extra rounds of testing. The shorter blade gives finer control around joints.
$100–200
Skip it if you bone a chicken twice a year. Testers’ one gripe: the plastic handle could be grippier.
Read the boning knife guide → · Change my answer · Start over
Best for most people · ATK Best Buy
Idahone 12″ fine ceramic honing rod
America’s Test Kitchen’s Best Buy honing rod. It’s gentle on knives, still restores the edge well, and it’s long enough for good control.
$25–50
When honing stops working · ATK winner
Chef’sChoice Pronto 463 (15°)
America’s Test Kitchen’s winner for 15-degree knives. It quickly puts a keen edge on the blade.
$25–50
Skip it if you mind slight scratches on the blade sides. Even the winner left a few in testing.
Cheapest fix · ATK Best Buy
AccuSharp Gourmet 15°
America’s Test Kitchen’s Best Buy among 15-degree sharpeners: smaller, faster and cheaper.
Under $25
Skip it if you want a smooth edge straight away. It leaves a rougher edge that benefits from a few strokes on a honing rod.
Every knife pick on one page
Already know what you need? Here is the short version, one job per row.
| The job | Best for most people | Spend less | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chef’s knife | Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8″ ($50–100) | Mercer Millennia 8″ (under $25) | Guide |
| Paring knife | Mercer Renaissance 3.5″ ($25–50) | Victorinox Swiss Classic (under $25) | Guide |
| Boning knife | Zwilling Pro 5.5″ ($100–200) | Victorinox Fibrox Pro 6″ ($25–50) | Guide |
| Honing rod | Idahone 12″ ceramic ($25–50) | – | Guide |
| Sharpener | Chef’sChoice Pronto 463 ($25–50) | AccuSharp Gourmet 15° (under $25) | Guide |
One knife or a set?
Start with one good chef’s knife. It does most of the work in a home kitchen. Add a paring knife for small jobs and a honing rod to keep the edge going, and buy the rest only when a job calls for it.
Chef Tamás is testing seven budget knives he bought himself. Follow along in the 7-Knife Challenge. How we choose: How we pick.
Prices change often, so tap the button for today’s price. Gerzsi is a made-up beaver. The test results and Chef Tamás’s notes are real.
