Gyuto and Santoku knives are the two most popular Japanese knives that almost every chef owns. Most Japanese knives are designed with shorter blades because of the minimal space available in the kitchen. Both knives are good for either home cooks or professional chefs.
Gyuto and Santoku are versatile kitchen knives that can be used to accomplish a wide range of kitchen tasks. There are other types of knives with specific functions, such as a steak knife, cleaver, Nakiri knife, and others. But Gyuto knives and Santoku knives are suited for various food prep jobs and are highly efficient in preparing meals.
Let’s look at the top 5 products of Gyuto and Santoku knives.
Overview Of Gyuto knife and Santoku knife
Here is a brief description of a Gyuto knife and a Santoku knife.
Gyuto Knife
Gyuto knives originated from France and Germany. They were imported to Japan in the early 1990s, and the Japanese started replicating the knife design. Gyuto is a Japanese word for a chef knife.
This all-purpose knife is a must-have for every chef and home cook. The blades are harder and thinner.
This knife is convenient for many cutting jobs. The blade edge of Gyuto knives is curved and sharper at the tip. The long blade on a Gyuto knife makes it easy for you to cut oversized veggies in thin shreds with just one chop and cut into your meat effortlessly.
Gyuto knives are a bit curved from the midsection down to the tip and flat toward the handle. The curved blade of Gyuto makes it easier for you to use the rocking motion when handling your ingredients. It is a perfect choice for rock choppers.
Santoku Knife
Santoku knives originated from Japan. This is one of the commonest and versatile kitchen knives.
Santoku means a knife of three virtues or uses. These uses are referred to as mincing, dicing, and slicing or fish, meat, and veggies. But they are a great choice for chopping vegetables.
This knife is a combination of western and Japanese knife features. It allows you to chop your veggies straight in just one cut rather than rocking. The pointed tip edge of the blade is flat and less sharp. A Santoku knife is well suited for small hands, offers more vertical chopping down style, and requires less storage space because of its shorter blade and length.
Santoku blades are lightweight, comfortable to hold all day, and offer an exceptional balance. The shorter blade appeals to most chefs and is a safer open for busy kitchens. The flat design of the blades allows you to have full contact with your chopping board. The wide blade aids in the transfer of food from the board to the pot.
Gyuto knife vs. Santoku Knife
You must have heard about Gyuto knives and Santoku knives without having any idea about its uses because they look alike and have only a few differences. We will be looking at these differences as you read on.
Blade Shape
Although these knives are slightly curved at the tip of the blade and wide towards the handle, one has a sharper tip than the other. The slightly curved tip offers precision cutting with much ease. Both blades are flat, requiring less pressure to get a smooth, clean-cut of meat and thin slices of vegetables.
The Gyuto blade tip is pointed and sharper, unlike the Santoku blade tip that looks like a sheep’s foot and is not so sharp. Gyuto pointed tip edge allows you to reach hard places with ease and allows for rock cutting. Santoku blade allows you to easily scrape your food from the chopping board to the pot.
Functions
Japanese knives are uniquely named after their functions. They are both ideals for carrying out multiple kitchen jobs with efficiency. Gyuto is a perfect option for meat handling. Santoku, on the other hand, is a great choice for cutting vegetables. Gyuto offers a rocking cutting technique, and Santoku provides you with a thrust cutting style.
Material
A Gyuto knife is heavier, and the Santoku knife is lighter. Every brand uses different materials to construct their knives. The combination of different materials makes a difference.
The blade can be constructed with either high-carbon steel, pure stainless steel, X50CrMoV, VG-MAX, VG-10, AUS 10, or high-quality carbon stainless steel.
Handle
The handles are built with comfort in mind. They are easy to hold for hours and offer precise cutting experience.
They are built with either natural woods, plastics, poly, steel, or a combination of more than one material.
Since a Gyuto knife has the same use as western chef knives, the handles are styled in either a Japanese or western way. The blades are thinner than other types of knives.
Santoku knives come with either a European or Japanese handle, and the blades are often double bevel.
Length
The length varies, just like the brand names are different. As these knives became popular, the manufacturers no longer kept to the traditional length. They began to manufacture them in various lengths.
The length of a Santoku knife is quite shorter than that of a Gyuto knife, which makes it easier to maneuver. The standard blade length for santoku knives ranges from 5 to 7 inches, and you can still find them with a longer length. Some Gyuto blades are up to 12 inches, and others come with 8-inch or more. The long length of Gyuto knives allows you to chop large ingredients.
Price
You might want to know the price of these multipurpose knives before settling for one. If you are on a tight budget and are looking for a high-quality multipurpose knife, then a santoku knife is the best option. It costs less and offers more functions. Although both knives come in handy for various kitchen tasks, Gyuto cost more than santoku knives.
Best Gyutou Knives – Top 2 Gyutou Knives Reviews in 2020
#1. Misono UX10 Gyutou
Misono UX10 Gyutou knife is constructed from high-quality Swedish steel that is stain and corrosion-resistant. It retains the blade edge and stays sharp for long. The blade is super easy to sharpen, clean, and maintain. The razor-sharp blade glides through food like paper, it is great for a wide range of kitchen tasks such as slicing, dicing, cutting, chopping, and mincing. It does not come with a sheath. The handle has triple rivets, and nickel silver bolsters that enhance its balance, stability, and durability.
The double-edged blade is tempered to 60 degrees Rockwell hardness with a 70/30 bevel angle. The handle is made of natural composite wood that resists moisture and does not harbor bacteria. This 8.2-inch Gyutou knife is suited for both smaller hands and right-handed users. It feels a little bit cramped for large hands. This product is one of the top knives from the Misono collection. It is crafted with a mixture of both ancient design and advanced technology. The handle fits into the contour of your palm with ease, offering you a confident grip without discomfort.
Pros
Versatile
Superior edge retention
Resist stain.
Premium Swedish steel
Triple-riveted handle
Cons
Not ideal for large hands
Perfect for right-handed users
#2. Masahiro MV Gyutou Knife 8.2-inch
The next product is Masahiro MV 8.2-inch Gyutou Knife, made in Japan. It is constructed from a premium quality material, Masahiro’s proprietary Molybdenum Vanadium steel.
The blade edge is engineered to offer superior sharpness and balance. It features rivets that enhance its stability and durability.
This product is lightweight and has a long-lasting edge. The blade is curved at the tip providing a sharp pointed edge. It is easy to hone and use. The pointed tip reaches the tight places with ease and allows for rock cutting.
This Japanese Gyuto blade is 3mm thick. It is suitable for different kitchen tasks such as chopping, cutting, slicing, and more. Food prep becomes as easy as a breeze. The blade features an alloy of material that enhances its durability.
Carbon enhances its resistance to corrosion and stain. Molybdenum ensures its rust-resistant and increases its strength. Vanadium makes it easy to sharpen.
This product has a supreme cutting edge that provides excellent results. The handle is ergonomically designed to provide a comfortable grip even when your hands are wet or oily. Both the blade and handle have the brand logo on it, creating a unique look.
Pros
Edge retention
Sharp blade
Lightweight
Rust resistant
Cons
Requires extra care
Best Santoku Knives – Top 3 Santoku Knives Reviews in 2020
#3. Yoshihiro VG-10 Gold Stainless Steel Knife
This product features a VG-10 stainless steel blade that is hand sharpened and hand-polished in a traditional way of Warikomi. It is a perfect choice for both professional chefs and home cooks, suitable for a variety of food prep jobs. The blade is tempered to 60 degrees Rockwell hardness for enhanced sharpness and excellent edge retention.
This 6.5-inch knife requires minimal maintenance and sharpening. It must be honed with a water whetstone. The blade is sharper, stronger, thinner, and lightweight. This knife has a handle that is crafted in a western style. The knife blade extends into the entire handle length with three rivets for a balanced weight.
The handle is built with a black pakkawood that ensures safety. It is not ideal for washing in a dishwasher. Hand washing required for durability.
The blade edge is double bevel and is perfect for ambidextrous use. It resists stain, rust, wear, and chip. Fully tang to the handle to provide safety and stability. It is ergonomically weld to the hand to offer seamless use. You can use it for extended periods without fatigue or worry about rust buildup. Yoshihiro is an excellent choice for home and commercial kitchens.
Pros
Longer edge retention
Unique design
VG-10 steel
Corrosion-resistant
Easy to maneuver
Cons
Not ideal for dishwasher
#4. Shun Premier 5.5-inch Santoku Knife
Shun Premier Santoku knife is hand hammered to a fine finish and hand-sharpened to 16 degrees on both sides of the blade edge. This 5.5 santoku knife is a perfect knife length for delicate and less rigor kitchen jobs. The blade is harder, sturdy, sharper, and lighter. It is rust-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and retains its edge for long. The knife offers an excellent cutting performance. The hand-hammered finish helps release ingredients easily when cutting.
The walnut-colored pakkawood handle is comfortable to grasp in your hand and perfectly fits into your palms’ curvature without causing fatigue. Shun logo design is engraved on the end cap adding beauty, and the brass ring adds balance. It is ideal for cutting, slicing, chopping, mincing, dicing, and trimming. A great option for both home cooks and professional chefs. The natural wood handle does not harbor bacteria and is waterproof. Full tang and triple-riveted adds strength and a good balance to the knife.
This product is made from a proprietary VG-MAX super steel that enhances its strength and durability. Precisely forged and handcrafted by experts in Japan, featuring an ancient Japanese swords design mixed with modern technology.
Pros
Double bevel blade
VG-MAX steel
Hand-hammered finish
Premium quality steel
Comfortable for both hand users.
Cons
Not budget-friendly
#5. Daddy Chef Damascus Santoku Knife
This knife is hand finished using the traditional 3-step Honbazuke method for superior edge retention. This product is layered with 33 high-carbon Damascus steel on each side with VG-10 Japanese steel in the middle. It is tempered to 62 degrees hardness for supreme sharpness.
This Santoku knife undergoes an advanced nitrogen cooling process for enhanced hardness, flexibility, and corrosion resistance.
The blade edge has dimpled Granton, which allows a free release of delicate foods without sticking to the surface. It also helps to reduce friction with the chopping board. This multipurpose kitchen knife provides a smooth, clean-cut without causing any tear or squish.
The blade length offers safety and excellent cutting experience. The bolster is well balanced for a perfect counterweight that assists in ensuring you cut precisely. The bolster encourages long use and relieves your finger from fatigue. Ideal for homes and professional kitchens.
The handle features three Japanese mosaic rivets for extra strength and durability. It is comfortable to hold, offering your wrist relieves from ache and fatigue. This product is ergonomically designed for daily usage. You do not have to apply pressure when you use this knife because the blade is razor-sharp right from the box. It comes in a convenient pack.
Pros
Japanese mosaic rivets
Versatile
Extra sharp
An ideal gift item
Granton edge
Cons
Not suited for dishwasher
Conclusion
Every home cook and professional chefs should have one of these knives on their countertop and possibly both. Gyuto knives and Santoku knives perform multiple kitchen tasks effortlessly. They are easy to handle, maintain, and clean.
These multipurpose kitchen knives are a great choice for all kinds of kitchen. They meet all your cutting needs, and you enjoy a hassle-free food prep experience.
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