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You may not eat steak everyday, but you can use the best steak knives to cut through a chicken breast, pork chop, or even a slab of cauliflower. Steak knives serve as much of a key role in any kitchen arsenal as any of the best kitchen knives or best cookware sets.
We tested eleven sets of steak knives — from cutting meat to slicing a sheet of paper, we looked at every facet of every knife. Five knife sets excelled in our testing while also receiving top marks for style, durability, and function. Our favorite set is Material's The Table Knives: stylish and high-performing, but won't break the bank. If you're on a budget, the Victorinox Swiss Classic Steak Knives are surprisingly comfortable to use and remarkably sharp.
Our top picks for steak knives
Best overall: Material The Table Knives – See at Material
Best mid-priced: Messermeister Avanta Pakkawood – See at Amazon
Best splurge: Shun Premier 4-Piece Steak Knife Set — See at Amazon
Best Laguiole-style: Flying Colors Laguiole Steak Knife Set – See at Amazon
Best value: Victorinox Swiss Classic 6-piece Steak Knife Set – See at Amazon
Best overall
Our favorite steak knives are from kitchenware start-up Material. This is a modern and stylish set of high-performing knives that won’t break the bank.
- Straight-edged blades for easy sharpening at home,
- Attractive, modern design
- Full tang construction
- Wooden storage box included
- Blade can discolor slightly after going through the dishwasher
These straight-edged knives were the clear winners in our testing. They fit comfortably in the hands of all of our testers and felt secure to hold while cutting. Sold as a set of four, the knives ship with a smart-looking maple holder that keeps the blades separate and can be stored on the countertop or in a drawer. They come in four colors or a mixed set that includes one of each colorway.
During our tests, the Material knives cut through paper without any added pressure or tearing, proving their sharpness right out of the box. They similarly made short work of both flank steak and sausage with no tearing and required a minimal amount of pressure. After testing 11 sets of knives back to back, testers kept coming back to and remarking on how easy it was to cut with these knives.
Best mid-priced
These are knives that look and cut like ones twice their size, thanks to the full-tang construction and durable pakkwood handles.
- Straight-edged blades for easy sharpening at home
- Full tang construction
- Durable and attractive pakkawood handles
- A little too large for testers with smaller hands
- Packaging allowed blades to knock into one another
These large, handsome steak knives performed very well in testing. Their straight-edged, upswept blades cut effortlessly through paper, steak, and sausage without tearing or excessive pressure. The pakkawood handles (a composite made of wood and resin that is extremely durable) felt good in hand and secure to testers when cutting through meat.
These knives were noticeably heavier than most that we tested, but we liked that quality when cutting through meat. At $17.50 per knife, these are a great value for knives that perform as well as ones twice the price.
Another great choice, the Henckels Classic Forged Steak Knife Set scored just below the Avanta mostly owing to the handles being less comfortable to hold and the knives feeling a little light for some testers. However, if you're looking for a knife that cuts just as well as the Avanta but is a little smaller, this set is a good option.
Best splurge
If you’re looking for something luxe, these ultra-sharp handmade knives are a great option. The full-tang blades are razor-sharp and worth the splurge.
- High-quality, hand-crafted, and stylish
- Full-tang construction
- Razor-sharp baldes
- Very expensive
This visually stunning set of knives are a dream to cut with. The blades are constructed with Damascus cladding: micro-thin layers of metal are stacked and welded together over a VG-MAX steel core resulting in a balanced blade that is strong, durable, and can be sharpened to a razor-sharp edge.
These knives excelled in every test, cutting through paper cleanly with almost no pressure and effortlessly getting through flank steak and sausage. The pakkawood handles are beautiful and durable as well as contoured for comfort. Testers noted that the knives felt great in hand and secure to hold while cutting. These knives are on the large side overall, but felt lighter than the second-largest model we tested from Messermeister, whose heft we liked.
Another pricier model that's worth considering is the Wusthof Gourmet 4-Piece Steak Knife Set. This straight-edged set cut through flank steak, sausage, and paper very smoothly with no tearing. The black composite three-rivet handle brings to mind a classic steak house but felt a little cheap to testers. The knife felt a little light overall, however, testers were impressed with how well these cut in comparison to other knives.
Best Laguiole-style
For an inexpensive version of the classic French style, pick up this six-piece set. The wooden handles come in a variety of acrylic colors, so you can match them to existing dinnerware.
- Stylish and inexpensive
- Wide variety of handle options
- Full tang construction
- Not the sharpest right out of the box
Laguiole-style knives have a classic rustic look based on the knives traditionally used by shepherds as pocket knives. While authentic French-made versions can be quite expensive, there are imitations available at lower price points. This model from Flying Colors was a style standout for testers with the knives' curved wooden handles, full tang construction, and straight-edged blades.
While they were not the highest performing in our cutting tests, they did cut steak and sausage smoothly without tearing. Their satisfying weight and contoured handle felt good in hand to testers. This set of six knives has a few different options for wooden handles as well as a wide variety of colors for acrylic handles if you're looking to match your favorite dinnerware.
Best value
From one of our favorite budget knife brands comes this set of steak knives that are shockingly sharp for the price.
- Very sharp blades
- Contoured handles
- Lightweight and easy to grip
- Partial tang construction
- Cheap-looking
If you need a set of knives that cut well but are also inexpensive you can't do better than Victorinox knives. While testers were not wowed by the appearance of the steak knives, their performance was undeniable. They made short work of paper, flank steak, and sausage with no tearing to any of the above. They cut extremely smoothly and with minimal effort, despite having a serrated edge, which necessitates the use of a sawing motion when cutting through meat.
Testers noted that though the plastic handles felt flimsy, the deep divot along the length felt quite ergonomic and provided a place to naturally rest the thumb when pressing down, making for a secure experience when cutting through tough meat. It's worth mentioning that these were also the best-performing serrated knives that we tested by far.
If you want a straight-edge budget option, we like the Chicago Cutlery Walnut Tradition 4-Piece Steak Knife Set. The wooden handles felt a little short to testers and the dramatically upswept blade made for slightly awkward cutting. However, the full tang construction helped the knife feel balanced overall.
What to look for in steak knives
Full vs. partial tang: Both full and partial tang are terms that refer to the construction of knives. "Full tang" means the blade and handle of the knife are formed from one piece of steel. Full tang knives are inherently stronger than knives with "partial tang" in which the blade does not extend for the full length of the handle. Though full tang knives are typically on the heavier side, we found that to be a good thing in testing. Heftier knives were more secure when cutting.
Blade and handle materials: Durability is largely dependent on the material knives are made of. If you want your knives to last a long time, look for blades made of stainless steel, which is rust-resistant, and handles that are non-porous. If you like the look of wooden handles, make sure they're treated to be moisture-resistant. Pakkawood is a composite material often used for knife handles that is made of wood and resin and is especially durable. Lastly, despite the fact that some knives are labeled dishwasher safe, you can preserve the longevity of your knives by hand washing and drying.
How we tested
Before and after each of the following tests, we washed and dried the knives by hand. We then performed each test a second time to see if the knives had become noticeably duller after use and cleaning.
Paper test: We used each knife to cut through a sheet of printer paper to see if it made clean, smooth cuts or tore. We also noted whether we had to apply pressure to start the cuts or if the knives were able to cut through it easily. This revealed how sharp the knives were out of the box.
Steak test: We cooked 4 pounds of skirt steak (one of the toughest cuts) and 12 links of Italian sausage and used each knife to cut through both. We noted whether they made clean cuts through the meat, or tore it leaving jagged edges. All of the meat was cut on stoneware dinner plates, which can be rougher on knives than other cutting surfaces, like a cutting board.
Ease of use: During our cutting tests, we considered how the knives felt to hold and cut with, if they were comfortable in the hand, and whether they felt secure. We evaluated the size of the blade, handle, and full construction to determine how that affected the knife's performance and weight.
FAQs
Can you sharpen steak knives?
Absolutely. How you sharpen them depends on whether your knives are serrated or straight-edged. Straight-edged knives can be sharpened using any of the methods you would use on a chef's knife; a handheld sharpener, a whetstone, or a honing steel (check out our picks for the best knife sharpeners). Serrated blades are more difficult to sharpen at home and may need to be handled by a professional. Check with the knife manufacturer for instructions and recommendations for sharpening your particular knives.
Are straight-edged knives better than serrated knives?
That is a matter of opinion, and good quality knives will cut meat well whether the blade is serrated or not. Straight-edged knives are designed to slice through meat smoothly with little resistance, while serrated blades can tear through meat and require you to use a back-and-forth sawing motion.
Can you put steak knives in the dishwasher?
Hand washing and drying steak knives will give them the longest life possible. While some of the knives we tested are dishwasher safe, we don't recommend it. Running sharp knives through the dishwasher cycle will dull the blades, meaning you'll have to sharpen them more often or replace them sooner.
How should you store steak knives?
We recommend storing steak knives in a knife block, on a magnetic strip, or with a sheath to keep the blades in good cutting condition. Some steak knives ship with their own storage boxes or blocks. You should avoid storing them loose in a utensil drawer.
