Best Butcher Knives for Any Budget: Reviews and Comparison

Are you searching for a quality butcher knife? While there are many great knives available, there are also many low-grade knives that chip, crack, and dull easily.

Having the right knives in your kitchen is an essential part of the cooking process.

You need a knife that can easily slice, mince, or chop any cut of meat. It should also hold up to repeated use without requiring frequent sharpening.

To help you in your search for professional butcher knives, we have rounded up the best options currently available. These choices cover every budget, ensuring that everyone can find a suitable butcher knife for his or her kitchen.

What You Should Know Before Shopping for a Butcher Knife

If you have never purchased a quality butcher knife, you may not know what to look for. There are many types of butcher knives with a wide variety of features. Some of the main details to focus on include:

• Blade design
• Handle design
• Length
• Overall balance

The straight blade is the traditional design for butcher knives. It often makes it easier to cut through thick tendons and cartilage. Curved blades allow you to work your way around the bones. Use a straight blade for chopping and a curved blade for working at an angle.

Butcher knives tend to measure between seven inches and 10 inches. The length of the blade impacts the balance of the knife. With a longer blade, a heavier or longer handle is often used.

When cutting thick chunks of meat, a heavy, long blade is recommended. However, for boning or slicing, a lightweight, shorter blade is often more comfortable.

Stamped vs. Forged Knife Blades

The method used to create the blade is also an important consideration. Blades are either stamped or forged, resulting in different advantages and disadvantages. Most professional butcher knives tend to be forged.

Stamped blades are lightweight, affordable, and less durable. With the stamping process, the blade is cut from a large piece of steel using a stamping machine. This is similar to using a cookie cutter to create a specific shape. The cutout is then tempered and hardened.

Forging is the traditional method for crafting blades. Instead of cutting the blade from a sheet of steel, the blade is forged from a single piece of metal. The metal is heated and then pounded into shape.

Forged knives tend to cost more but they are more durable and provide more weight. You also get a thicker blade, which is useful for cutting through thick meats. With the stamped knives, you get a more affordable, flexible, lightweight option.

Characteristics of the Handle

Handles come in a variety of styles and materials. Common materials include:

• Wood
• Aluminum
• Polypropylene
• Stainless steel
• Various synthetic materials

Plastic handles are the most common choice for butcher knives due to their affordability. Plastic is easy to clean and holds up well but it can also crack or become brittle from exposure to hot temperatures.

Wood handles were the preferred choice for many years, thanks to the comfort, weight, and balance. The drawback is that wood handles are prone to bacteria and mold growth.

The handles also vary in thickness, length, and overall shape. If you have smaller hands, a handle with a contoured grip is easier to hold. However, a large, solid handle gives you more control and weight when chopping cuts of meat.

How We Chose the Best Butcher Knives

We compared a wide selection of knives and came up with a list of the 7 best butcher knives.

When comparing these knives, we focused on the blade length, blade style, stamped or forged blade, handle type, cost, and overall customer rating.

Here is a closer look at how these knives stacked up:

Top 7 Butcher Knives

If you are searching for a new knife to add to your kitchen, consider one of the following choices.

Dalstrong Cleaver Butcher Knife: Gladiator Series “The Ravenger”

Features:

• Forged blade
• 9-inch blade
• High carbon German steel
• Full tang
• 4.2 mm blade thickness
• Riveted Pakkawood handle
• 56+ Rockwell hardness

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The Ravenger is a heavy-duty knife from Dalstrong made from high carbon German steel. The forged blade measures 9 inches and features 14-degree edges on both sides, letting you use it in either hand.

This knife has a stainless steel second bolster that provides better balance.

With the curved, thick blade, you can easily slice through tougher meats. It also has the flexibility needed for precise carving and boning, thanks to its tapered design.

As one of the top-rated butcher knives, the Dalstrong Butcher Knife should offer many years of use in your kitchen.

Pros

• Tall blade height provides more knuckle clearance when cutting thick meat
• Hand-sharpened blade with a razor-sharp edge
• Flexible blade for carving and boning
• Well-balanced
• Durable
• Protective sheath for safety
• Pakkawood handle with triple rivets

Cons

• The 14-degree edges make the knife more prone to breaking when dropped
• This heavy knife is not suited for delicate tasks, such as slicing vegetables

Zelite Infinity Cleaver Knife Comfort Pro Series

Features:

• 7-inch blade
• ThyssenKrupp High Carbon Stainless Steel
• 56 Rockwell Hardness
• Full tang
• Ergonomic handle

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The Zelite Infinity Cleaver Knife is a well-balanced butcher knife made from high carbon stainless steel blade that prevents rusting and corrosion.

This knife is 7 inches in length. It has a tough blade with 56 Rockwell hardness rating. Its razor-sharp blade and tall height is ideal for cutting through larger chunks of meat and bones.

Its standard 18-degree and 20-degree edges and forged handle is a great balance between sharpness and durability. The large, rounded handle is incredibly comfortable to hold compared to other knives.

The Zelite’s seamless construction makes it easy easy to clean. This is suitable for use in the home or restaurant

With a 15-year satisfaction guarantee, you’ll have this knife in your kitchen for a long time.

Pros

• Easy to clean
• Well-balanced
• Comfortable to hold
• Sharp
• Durable

Cons

• May require sharpening on first use
• Large and heavy for slicing produce

Imarku Chef Knife

Features:

• 7-inch knife
• Stainless steel
• Pakkawood handle

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The tall Imarku Chef Knife is a comfortable, reliable butcher knife. It has a seven-inch blade, five-inch handle, and a 3.3-inch height. Made from stainless steel, the knife is rust-resistant and durable. It is also one of the more versatile options, allowing you to use it for chopping veggies.

Pros

• It includes an ergonomic pakka wood handle for a more comfortable grip.
• Pakka wood is chosen for its natural antibacterial properties.
• The thinner blade makes this knife suitable for chopping fruit and vegetables.
• The long grip makes it easier to maintain a firm hold on the knife.
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Cons

• This is not the longest or heaviest butcher knife, which makes it harder to cut thicker meats.
• The knife is often shipped with a dull edge and may require sharpening.

Tuo Cutlery Cleaver KnifeFiery Phoenix Series

Features:

• 7 inch knife
• Forged blade
• Pakkawood handle
• Japanese AUS-10 Damascus Steel

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The Tuo Cutlery is a 6.5-inch cleaver knife that is light and easy to use. The blade is forged steel, which should hold up to repeated use.

It includes a beautifully stained pakkawood handle with a seamless design to make it easier to clean.

Aside from cutting meat, the smaller design allows you to use it for other of kitchen tasks like slicing vegetables.

If you are looking for a versatile butcher knife set, the Tuo Cutlery Cleaver Knife is a top choice. It includes the knife, a cutting board, and an attractive gift box.

Pros

• Light and easy to use
• Versatile
• Easy to clean
• Pakkawood handle

Cons

• Smaller than other butcher knives
• May be difficult to use for larger meats

Hoffritz Commercial German Steel Butcher Knife

Features:

• 10-inch knife
• High carbon German steel
• Nylon and silicone handle
• Ergonomic grip
• NSF certified
• Dishwasher safe

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Butcher knives do not always have a rectangular shape and a tall blade. The Hoffritz Commercial Butcher Knife has a shorter, curved blade with razor-sharp edges.

The lightweight, slim design allows you to cut around the bone with ease.

Despite the smaller size, it is still suited for cutting through large cuts of meat. The handcrafted design made from high-carbon German steel offers many years of use.

Overall, it has an incredibly affordable price for a knife of this quality.

Pros

• Can easily cut around the bone
• Affordable

Cons

• Short handle

Ontario Old Hickory Butcher Knife

Features:

• 10-inch knife
• High carbon steel blade
• Hardwood handle

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This 10-inch knife is a solid choice for boning and slicing around cartilage. It has a narrow blade that allows you to work at angles and cut around the bone. It includes a solid wood handle for a more comfortable grip.

Although, it may not be the most versatile knife available, this affordable knife is one of the best options in its price range.

Pros

• Affordable
• Ideal for cutting around the bone

Cons

• Harder to chop thick meat
• The blade and handle are disproportionate

Utopia Kitchen Chopper Butcher Knife

Features

• 7-inch knife
• 100% stainless steel
• ABS 430 handle
• Dishwasher safe

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The most affordable option in this roundup, the Utopia Kitchen 7-Inch Butcher Knife is made from 100% stainless steel.

The 3-millimeter-thick blade is well-balanced and suited for a variety of tasks like cutting bones, cleaving and chopping meat.

It has a seamless handle design that is dishwasher safe. However, the manufacture recommends handwashing in order to retain its sharpness for a long time.

While it is cheap, it still offers many advantages.

Pros

• The shape and height of the blade make it easy to cut through large pieces of meat
• Comfortable grip
• Easy to clean
• Versatile

Cons

• The stainless-steel blade may require frequent sharpening
• Plastic handle

Conclusion

You now have several great choices for adding more cutlery to your kitchen. The five top-rated butcher knives are all suitable for chopping, mincing, and cutting through all types of meat.

The best butcher knife on the market is currently the Dalstrong Cleaver Butcher Knife. The Ravenger is a heavy-duty knife with a full tang and thick blades. It also features a comfortable pakkawood handle. The knife looks great and cuts through anything.

While Dalstrong is our top choice, it may not fit every budget. For the best overall value, we recommend the Zelite Infinity Clear Knife. As with the Dalstrong knife, this blade is made from high-quality German steel. It also provides one of the most comfortable handles with a thick, rounded design.

If cost is a major factor, the Utopia Kitchen Cleaver Butcher Knife is a decent option. It may not hold up well compared to the Dalstrong or Zelite Infinity knives but it is the best option in its price range.