The Guide to Finding The Best Nakiri Knife
When you are looking for the best nakiri knife, it’s good to know your options. There is an abundance of choices, and if you go by just looks, you will miss out. Here are the 10 best Nakiri knives for you to buy.
Which is the best nakiri knife?
✅ In our opinion, the best Nakiri knife is the Shun 6-1/2-Inch Classic Stainless-Steel Nakiri Knife. This is the knife that we would buy based on all of its qualities buy it here.
Shun Classic 6.5” Nakiri Knife
Handle Material: Pakkawood
Knife Material: VG 10 steel
Pros:
- 68 layers of Damascus stainless steel
- Ebony Pakkawood
- 16 degree double bevel
- Amazon choice product
- Free sharpening
Cons:
- Not dishwasher safe
Overall Review of the Shun Nakiri Knife:
This is a more classic-looking nakiri knife that you would expect to see from a knife maker like Shun. It is a versatile Japanese knife from a Japanese knife maker that knows how to make a great knife, just like their best sushi knife, and their best Gyuto knife.
This knife is perfect for your daily use in the kitchen, preparing vegetables and fruit. One of the best comments I saw was that this knife cut an apple so well that it prevented it from browning for some time after, which speaks to this knife’s sharpness and cut.
What strikes me the most is that it has a 4.8 out of 5 with 400 ratings. It is incredibly hard to get that high of a rating on a product, and this one has managed to obtain that. You can see the ratings here.
If you are curious about other Shun knives, you can read more in our Shun Knives Review.
Dalstrong Gladiator Nakiri Asian Vegetable Knife
Handle Material: Pakkawood
Knife Material: German steel
Pros:
- 14-16 degrees per side
- Award-winning design
- Full tang
- Triple-riveted pakkawood handle
- 56 Rockwell Hardness
- Money-back satisfaction guarantee
- Sheath
Cons:
- Heavier knife
Overall Review of the Dalstrong Gladiator Nakiri Knife:
We’ve looked at these knives before in our Dalstrong knives review. Dalstrong is known for making some incredibly sharp and very beautiful knives. This nakiri knife is no exception. It’s great for cutting vegetables and fruits. We did note that it felt like a heavier knife for many of the reviewers. That could be that they are not used to a nakiri-sized blade or the knife itself has a bit more weight than others expect. The blade is 7″ compared to the Shun nakiri, which is 6.5″, which could add to the knife’s weight.
With a 4.6 out of 5 stars review on Amazon (you can see the ratings here), this knife is a clear winner and a great choice.
Wusthof Classic 7-Inch Nakiri Knife with Hollow Edge
Handle Material: Thermoplastic handle
Knife Material: German steel
Pros:
- 14-degree PEtec blade edge on each side
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- No protective sleeve
Overall Review of the Wusthof Nakiri Knife:
We’ve seen this brand of knives before in our Wusthof knives review. They are a German-made knife, and they come from Solingen, Germany, the home of German steel. This knife is sculpted to reduce fatigue in the kitchen. If you have ever had to cut hard vegetables for more than a few minutes, you understand how important this feature is.
The blade is 7″, and the hollow edges prevent food from sticking to it. This is incredibly helpful if you have ever tried to cut vegetables quickly. because the sticking can slow you down, this knife cuts through the densest of vegetables like butter, according to reviews on Amazon. It also has a 4.8 out of 5-star rating, which is just as high as the Shun rating, but at a slightly better price point. The lack of sheath is disappointing but can easily be overlooked.
Dalstrong Shogun Series X Nakiri Knife
Handle Material: Military-grade G10 handle
Knife Material: Japanese AUS-10V steel
Pros:
- 67 Damascus layered steel
- Honbazuke sharpening
- 62 Rockwell Hardness
- Full tang
- Triple-riveted
Cons:
- Newer knife brand
Overall Review of the Nakiri Knife:
This is one of the shorter nakiri knives with only a 6″ blade. The hammered finished coupled with the layers of forged Japanese steel make this knife exquisite. This nakiri knife angle is 8-12 degrees per side and is Nitrogen cooled for added hardness and flexibility.
The military-grade handle is impervious to heat, cold, and moisture. It’s ergonomically designed for agility and is nonslip. This knife would fall into more of the chef knife category, but if you are a home chef looking for a beautiful nakiri knife, this is it.
It’s rare to put two Dalstrong knives on our list, but this is a special one. With nearly 400 ratings and a 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon (read them here). We felt it was important to include it because it is quite a bit different from the other.
Kai Wasabi Black Nakiri Knife
Handle Material: Polypropylene
Knife Material: Carbon stainless steel
Pros:
- Lower priced
- Made in Japan
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Polypropylene handle
Overall Review of the Kai Wasabi Nakiri Knife:
This knife is the lowest price nakiri knife on our list. If you want to buy a nakiri knife for some time but aren’t wanting to spend a lot of money, this knife is a good choice. It’s an affordable option that will allow you to try out a nakiri style knife and see if it is worthy of upgrading later on in the future.
If you are just getting into the world of knives and thinking about adding a nakiri to your collection but aren’t wanting to spend a whole lot, this one is for you.
The knife has some great reviews with over 1400 reviews (the most of any in this list of nakiri knives) it earns 4.5 out of 5 stars (see how the ratings are here).
Mac Knife Japanese Series Vegetable Cleaver, 6-1/2-Inch, 6.5 Inch, Silver
Handle Material: Pakkawood
Knife Material: Molybdenum steel
Pros:
- 58 Rockwell hardness
- Pakkawood handle
Cons:
- Stamped knife
- Stains easily
Overall Review of the Nakiri Knife:
This is a more moderately priced knife. The wood handle and the blade are of decent quality, and the reviews are mostly favorable on this knife earning a 4.7 out of 5 stars. Like most of these knives, you will need to hand wash it and dry it immediately to avoid getting rust stains on it (this is common for most higher-end knives). But if you are looking for a Japanese-style-looking knife but don’t want to pay the price of a Shun knife, this is a good option.
Enso Nakiri Knife
Handle Material: Black canvas micarta
Knife Material: VG10 Japanese Stainless steel
Pros:
- Hammered Damascus
- 61 Rockwell hardness
- 37 layers of stainless steel
- Double 12-degree bevel
- Handcrafted in Japan
Cons:
- No sheath
Overall Review of the Nakiri Knife:
This is a nice knife. The double bevel makes it both a left-handed nakiri knife as well as a right-handed one. The handle is designed to look and feel like wood but without the concern of the wood swelling or cracking.
Made in Seiki, Japan, this is an authentic Japanese nakiri that comes at a reasonable price (it’s middle-of-the-range pricing compared to others on the list).
Mercer Culinary Nakiri Knife
Handle Material: Delrin
Knife Material: VG 10 Stainless Steel
Pros:
- 60 RHS
- Laminated high carbon steel outer layers
- 14-degree bevel
- Full tang
- Limited lifetime warranty
Cons:
- No sheath
Overall Review of the Nakiri Knife:
This is the second 7″ blade we have seen on this list, and the knife is and is more of an unknown knife when you are looking to buy a nakiri knife for your food preparation. The handle material is made of Delrin, which is a polymer that doesn’t absorb water. This makes the handle not absorb water and gives it more strength.
The knife is middle of the range price-wise and has less than 50 reviews though it does get a 4.5 out of 5-star rating. I would say this knife is good for home chefs needing a solid knife but don’t want to pay for a Shun or Dalstrong.
Findking-Dynasty Nakiri Gyuto Knife
Handle Material: African Rosewood
Knife Material: Alloy steel
Pros:
- 60 Rockwell hardness rating
- Lower price point
- Hammered steel
Cons:
- No sheath
- Hand wash and dry immediately
Overall Review of the Nakiri Knife:
This is one of the more unique-looking nakiri knives on the list. It is 7″ and made of alloy steel. Its octagon handle is made of African rosewood, which is a step up from other knives. This knife falls into the lower price range we saw for a nakiri but would be a welcome addition to any new home chef kitchen.
Nakiri Knife FAQ
What is a nakiri knife used for?
The purpose of a nakiri knife is for chopping vegetables. It has a long straight blade and a squared-off tip. It allows you to cut all the way through your vegetables without having to do a push and pull sawing motion. The nakiri knife’s benefits are that it can make cutting dense vegetables a lot easier and faster.
Is a nakiri knife worth it?
Nakiri knives are great for cutting long vegetables in a single chop. They are very good at cutting harder vegetables (squashes and dense root vegetables). While many other knives can do this, the nakiri knife is designed for this task.
Nakiri knife vs. Chef knife
If you already have a good chef knife (see our guide for the best chef knives under $100), then you will wonder if you need a nakiri knife. A nakiri knife is used to cut and chop vegetables, whereas a chef knife is more flexible and can be used on meat, fruit, and vegetables.
Nakiri knife vs Santoku knife?
A Nakiri knife is primarily used just for vegetables, whereas a Santoku knife is used on vegetables, meat, and fish. The Santoku knife is more well-rounded and is multi-purposed.
Nakiri knife vs. Usuba
An Usuba knife is a thin single bevel blade that is used for larger vegetables in Japanese cooking like cabbages but should not be used on harder vegetables. The Nakiri knife is a double bevel blade and can be used on denser vegetables.
Which Nakiri Knife Should You Buy?
After looking at all of the options, I would recommend going with the Shun Nakiri knife if you have the budget for it (check the Shun knife’s price here). The runner-up would be the Dalstrong
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