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We all love having a perfect bite of sushi, but not all of us know the hard work and effort behind making that sushi roll well presentable.
Sushi Knives or Sashimi knives play a significant role in the overall presentation of sushi.
These knives are thin, sharp-edged knives mainly used to cut thin slices of fish that fit well in the sushi roll. You can cut slices of fish with a thin knife too, but what’s different about sashimi knives is the fact that they give you precisely thin layers of fish that other knives cannot.
The sushi knives are used in the making of restaurant-style sushi by many chefs and homeowners; no doubt, their demand increases day by day as people know more about these knives and how they can get the perfect sliced fish with the help of them.
Moreover, sushi/sashimi knives can also be used for many other purposes in daily life because of the precision they offer in cutting. These knives are extremely easy to handle and work with.
Sushi knives are available at reasonable rates, so if you wish to buy them, they won’t cost you much.
Best Sushi Knives 2020
In this review guide, we have included the best selling sashimi knives of 2020.
Every knife differs in features from the other so that you can buy the knife that best suits your needs and requirements. There’s something for everybody on our list.
Let’s not waste more time and get going towards our list of the best sushi knives.
1. Yoshihiro Japanese Sushi Chef Knife
Want to get the perfect sushi knife for getting that extra thin and finely sliced piece of fish? Well, this amazing set of three popular sushi knives is a real deal for the money. These knives have an epic design that inspires even the toughest and most professional cooks. You can get a beautifully made tuna with the sharp blades that the knives have. These knives offer you the ease of cutting by the strong grip they provide, cut safely, and delicately with peace of mind.
We love the design of these knives as they give an elegant and unique finish.
The set of these sashimi knives includes
● Yanagi
● Deba
● Usuba
These knives have a natural magnolia handle with water buffalo bolsters that enhances its looks even more. Both beginner and advanced level chefs can use these to make perfect sushi. The blade on these knives is made with blue or white steel and soft iron.
Features:
● The Yanagi is 10.7 inches (270mm). It is a Sashimi Knife.
● The Usuba Knife is 7.7″ (195mm). It can be used as a Vegetable Knife
● Deba is 7 inches (180mm) and is a Fillet Knife
● The blade material is made with Shiroko High-Carbon Steel
● Handle’s material is Magnolia
● Bolster material is Water Buffalo Horn. They may be in different colors
● Hardness Rockwell C scale ( HRC) is 62-63 /Saya
2. Enso Nakiri Knife
This Japanese Nakiri knife is crafted by VG10 stainless steel, cutting core for excellent edge retention. It has an elegant and sleek design.
It is very lightweight, which makes it very easy to handle and easy to cut with. This knife will give you the most beautifully cut fish to make a well presentable sushi! This Nakiri knife can be used by both beginner and professional chefs and is an absolute joy to use!
It has been handcrafted with pride in Japan; besides this, this sushi knife is also very easy to hold, which makes it a perfect choice for longer durations of cooking sessions.
Not only can you cut sushi with this knife, but you can also cut just about anything you like with the help of this knife. Be it your favorite vegetable or slices of your favorite fruits or even meats. You can also use it to cut your french fries if you like a detailed finish.
Personally, we like the quality of this knife and think its a kitchen must-have!
Moreover, it is impressive how both the design as well as the material on this product is so improved and enhanced.
The handle of this knife has a quality that speaks for itself; for instance, the handle construction is seamless, and it makes sure to provide you with maximum strength, durability, and balance.
When it comes to the blades, they are finally made to handle even the toughest of all materials that need cutting. The blades of this knife carry a double bevel (50/50) edge for both right and left-handed use. Easy right?! We think so too.
Features
● This Nakiri knife has a 6.5-inch blade (12 inches overall).
● It weighs 8.2 ounces (232 grams).
● This sushi knife has a 37-layer stainless Damascus blade with a hammered (tsuchime) finish.
● The Rockwell Hardness of this beautiful sushi knife is 61.
● It also has a black canvas micarta symmetrical oval-shaped handle for a similar look and feel, to wood without the worry of cracking.
3. Tatara Santoku Knife
This knife has looks, which makes it the best one to have in your kitchen. It perfectly complements your kitchen and helps you get the right piece cut into the thickness you want.
It has an ultra-sharp blade of 7 inch which makes cutting an effortless job. The Tatara blade is one of its kind, and it provides you with the best performance. The best part about this blade is the fact that it is quite effortless when it comes to maintenance. It’s also designed to give you more flexibility.
We personally love the cutting edge design of this sushi knife.
Speaking more on the maintenance of this knife, the beautiful packaging it comes with, it can be stored in that after every use. This will help maintain it for years if kept right.
The handle of a knife, as we all know plays a significant role in its performance, because of the handle, a knife can either perform well or be too much for the hands of an individual, however with the top-notch handle of this knife, you can easily handle this knife. This handle is crafted for the best material and design to provide you with an optimum grip.
Features
● This knife has a 7-inch blade.
● It has a core of 62+ Rockwell hardness.
● This beautiful knife has an 8-12 degree cutting.
● The durable G-10 handle makes things a lot more convenient and gives you the perfectly sliced food items.
● The sharp blades provide you with a non-stick durability.
● The sleek wooden case makes it a perfect deal for storage and prevents it from getting rusty.
4. Yoshihiro Blue Steel Sashimi Sushi Knife
This elegantly handcrafted knife is as beautiful as it is in terms of performance and gives you the best result.
This is a long slicing knife that was designed to slice the thinnest slices of fish for sushi and sashimi and is one of the most essential of traditional Japanese knives. It is also a powerful component in the repertoire of many chefs.
This best sashimi knife was made to give you the best results. It was crafted by the most experienced and expert food makers in the industry who know how to create knives that deliver exceptional performance.
This knife is a perfect tool for both professionals as well as beginners.
This knife is made to facilitate all cooks with the best. Therefore, it had to be made by people who handle knives every now and then. Thus, it is beautifully engineered to deliver the best.
The design of this knife is also crafted in the best way. You obviously want your knife to look great along with having excellent performance, and this knife blesses you with that. Moreover, the handle of this knife is made with a protective wooden sheath called a Saya to ensure your grip remains firm.
Now you can slice through your favorite fish or meat without any interruptions. Get beautifully and even cut meat.
When it comes to the weight of this knife, it is also quite lightweight. This makes it easy to handle and carry around. It can serve to be your best camping partner. You can not only use it to cut meat or fish but also use it as a protection tool.
Features
● This knife has a steel made of Aoko which is Blue Steel#1
● The blade is made with high-quality carbon steel to provide excellent durability, performance, and cutting
● This knife has a single edge sharpness with a blade length of 10.5 inches, which is 270mm.
● This knife features an ebony handle, which is a long-lasting material for knives.
● This sushi knife has a hardness Rockwell C scale of 64, and Saya cover is included in the packaging.
5. Cangshan J Series 62793 Sashimi Chef Knife
Ever needed a knife, which is quite easy to hold? Well, you’ve got it here and NOW. If you have small hands and holding knives can be a problem for you at times, then this fantastic sushi knife is here to the rescue.
Cut beautifully sliced fish with this knife and enjoy your peace of mind as you do so. We love how beautifully this knife performs in all situations and for people of all hand sizes.
This knife is designed for all hand sizes.
We love how beautiful the design of this knife is and just how long the blade is. It can perform a variety of different cuttings and can also be used as an everyday knife.
Moreover, its handle is made with quality material, which is designed to give you long-lasting performance and a tight grip. Both aesthetics and performance are merged by great craftsmen to bring this sashimi knife to you.
Features
● This beautifully crafted knife has a unique patent design which is made with rich ultra-dense African Blackwood handles.
● It was handcrafted in Japan VG10 Steel with HRC of 60 +/- 2 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale
● The blade length of this knife is 12-Inch, and it is perfect for creating razor-thin slices of fish and soft meats for sashimi and sushi.
● It comes with dark walnut wood magnetic Saya style sheath.
6. Dalstrong Yanagiba Knife
This knife is known as one of the most refined sushi knives which offer the best performance. So, every time you purchase one of these, you are sure to get the best durability, elegant design, and a good cut.
This knife, as is said, is mercilessly sharp. It is honed at 13-15° and nitrogen cooled for enhanced hardness, flexibility, and corrosion resistance by expert craftsmen to provide you with the best.
We love the sharpness of this knife.
Moreover, the handle of this knife also provides exceptional durability as it is made with the Spanish Pakkawood.
Features
● This Yanagiba sushi knife is forged from a single piece of ice tempered, high-carbon, Japanese AUS-8 steel at 58+ Rockwell hardness.
● It has a velvety rich black Spanish pakkawood handle which is hand polished and laminated to ensure heaven like grip with exceptional durability.
● Beautifully engraved, the blade further features a polished hand spine and ergonomic bolster shape for a natural and smooth ‘pinch grip.’
● This fantastic knife comes neatly packed in the manufacturer’s renowned packaging.
7. Shun Classic Pro Yanagiba Knife
This knife is a useful addition to the knives shelf in your kitchen because of its awesome durability and performance. No need to give extra pressure to the meat, this knife will cut it perfect with its 9 inches long blade designed to give precision.
This knife provides you with the ease of maintenance.
This knife is very easy to clean and maintain. It also does not leave any residue on it because of its sharpness. Moreover, the material of this knife is also carbon, which is what a good sushi knife should include.
Features
● This knife has a 1/2-inch wide and 9 inches tall Shinogi and single-bevel blade
● Get the Japanese traditional blade design for the ultimate cutting techniques
● Pure carbon steel sashimi knife
● Single bevel edge design to get precise cuts
● It is sharpened by using the 1000 grit whetstone
8. Kai 6715D Wasabi Black Deba Knife
Get the thinnest and perfect slices of sushi today as you use this amazing knife. With its merciless sharp cutting technology, you will never notice any residue left behind on this knife when you’re slicing or chopping things up. What can we say, the credit goes to the heavy-duty high carbon steel which also makes this knife easy to clean and put away.
At this price range, this knife provides the best value for the money!
Features
● Experience the single Japanese single bevel design
● The handle is made with high-quality pakkawood
● The blade of this knife is made with Daido 1k6 high-carbon stainless steel
● It has a 6 inches blade
9. Yoshihiro Hammered Damascus Sujihiki Knife
Need your sushi knife to be quite simple and yet so elegant? Well, there we go with this one in our list of the best sushi knives guide.
What makes this knife stand out is that despite its simple design, it has a great performance. Not only that, but it can also be used for multiple cuttings in your home or professional premises like hotels, restaurants, etc.
We love the simple design of this knife.
Because of its lightweight, you can carry it anywhere you like with you; it will make your life in the kitchen very easy. Moreover, it has beautiful packaging, which makes it easy to maintain and store—thus prolonging its life.
Features
● It is made with 16 Layers of VG-10 Hammered Damascus
● The blade is double-edged
● The handle of this knife is made with mahogany
● It is stain resistant
● The spine thickness of this sashimi knife is 2mm
10. Tojiro DP Sujihiki Slicer
This Japanese knife is exclusively made with love to provide the best in Japan. You can use this knife to make the most professional-grade food for yourself as you cut along with it to get the best food.
The easily maneuverable scale and the most quality cobalt steel is used in the manufacturing of this sushi knife. For this reason, it provides the best features. You can cut anything you want with its mercilessly sharp blade, and it will not leave a single residue behind.
This knife provides awesome durability.
Moreover, this knife will last you long, and it is equally durable in terms of durability as it is in terms of performance. You can totally rely on it. Even after years of use, you will find the blade working perfectly okay.
Features
● It is made with the toughest and the most durable cobalt alloy steel.
● The design of this knife is also very easy to handle and maneuverable.
● It provides an optimum grip for all hand sizes.
● The handle of this best sashimi knife is made with eco-wood.
● This knife does not shrink under high temperatures.
Sushi Knife Buying Guide
Sushi knives offer an experience that no other knife does. The way they get the cutting done is marvelous! It is amazing how beautifully the blade can go through the food item just to get a fine slice.
Because sashimi knives provide so much convenience, everyone likes to use them and take advantage of them to take their cutting experience to another level.
However, there are many sushi knives in the market that do not deliver the performance that they promise. For this reason, one needs to do their research and get the best version of the sashimi knife according to their likes and preferences.
In this buying guide, we’ve included all you need to know about sushi knives before you purchase them. Here are some of the things to consider when buying the best sushi knife of 2020.
1. Performance
The performance of a knife greatly depends upon its blade length, its blade sharpness, and its shape. The closer you are to choosing the knife you need to make your desired type of sushi, the better.
As we know about the different types of sushi knives, you need to know which sushi knife to select. That can only happen if you know what kind of sushi you are making. Different types of sushis require different types of knives for making. In some cases, you will need to purchase all kinds of knives to fulfill your task.
If you are a beginner, we recommend you try out the Yananiba or Debar types of sushi knives as they will help you a lot. Yanagiba has a long, sharp blade which is useful in cutting precise slices. Most professionals also choose this knife to make sushi. So if you purchase this one, you are likely to keep it around for a long time.
Debar has a wider and thicker blade, which is mostly used for heavy cutting. It also does not have a pointy end and looks more like a cleaver.
2. Material
When it comes to choosing the material for your knife, you need to make sure that the material you chose is of good quality.
Usually, Japanese knives (sushi knives) are made of stainless steel or carbon steel. When it comes to checking the material of your knife, you need to make sure that it is the right one. Stainless steel may offer you ease in terms of chipping, rusting, and maintenance. They may comparatively be lightweight as well.
However, when it comes to carbon material, stainless steel can never beat it, copper is a good material for sashimi knives in terms of durability, cutting, and ease of sharpening.
3. Design
Now we know there are three main types of Japanese sushi knives available in the market. When it comes to the design, you need to be careful about which one to select and which one would better suit your cooking needs.
You need to choose a knife that feels good in your hand and offers you convenience, that is why the design of the knife needs to be better in terms of grip as well.
The handle of the knife, as well as its blade, plays a great role in giving you good results, so choose a design according to the kind of sushi you are going to make.
4. Durability
The durability of a sushi knife matters a lot. For this reason, you need to choose a sushi knife that is as long-lasting in terms of durability as it is in terms of performance. You need to look for a knife you can easily maintain and one that can take even the toughest of situations.
Most often, the tip of a sushi knife breaks. Make sure you get one that does not experience this problem so that you can enjoy long-lasting hours of cutting.
Here’s a pro tip! To ensure the maximum durability of your sashimi knife, try to put it in a closed container, away from other things that may cause corrosion.
5. Weight
In terms of weight, look for lightweight sashimi knives. A knife that is lightweight, is a knife that can easily be maneuvered. The grip is also quite easy to maintain. This allows for perfect cooking and cutting of different items.
Whenever you look for a knife, try to look for one which does not have a heavyweight because, at the end of the day, it can create problems in cooking for you.
6. Handling
Handling does the greater trick. You need to buy a sushi knife, which is easy to handle. Ease in handling means ease in cutting, leading to great performance.
Remember that just because a knife is expensive, does not mean that it would be great. The cost of a knife has nothing to do with its handling until you see it for yourself and hold it in your hand. Always remind yourself that handling comes before everything when choosing a knife. The cost is not a parameter; performance is.
7. Budget And Cost
Sushi knives may cost from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. No doubt, they are one of the best knives in the world, and for the precision and fineness they offer in cutting, it’s worth it.
But before you look for a good quality sashimi knife, you need to consider your overall budget. Once you decide on how much you want to spend on a sushi knife, the rest will come along. You can then do your research and look for the best sushi knife in that range.
So how will you determine the cost of a knife in order to keep your budget accordingly?
We have found just the right way to do it. The cost of a sushi knife depends greatly upon the following things.
● The material, the blade size and the blade length of a knife
● Its handle size and material
● The brand name and how proficient that brand is.
The cost may range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. However, when it comes to beginners, you can choose a knife under $500 as a safe option. Once you get used to it, you can buy as many knives for as much money as you like.
Remember that even though the cost may matter, what matters most is choosing a good sushi knife whose quality you can maintain for years to come.
Conclusion
We hope that you found our guide interesting and informative. Hopefully, with the help of this guide, you would have been able to find the perfect sashimi knife 2020 for yourself.
According to our experts, the best knife among the list is the Yoshihiro Japanese Sushi Chef Knife because this knife has all the best features packed in it. Unlike other knives, it allows you an experience that not every knife can offer. Moreover, it is also easy to handle and use. It is perfect for both beginners and advanced users. Above all, its killer design and durability makes it worth having.