Testing and reviewing the best chef’s knives for home cooks and professional chefs
Consensus Summary
The Guardian’s two articles focus on evaluating the best chef’s knives for home cooks, with professional chef Ben Lippett testing 14 knives over two weeks. Both articles agree that the Wüsthof Classic Chef Knife (20cm) is the top overall pick, while the Victorinox Fibrox Chef’s Knife (20cm) stands out as the best budget option at £43. Knife specialist Helen Symonds’ advice on care—avoiding stones, bones, frozen food, and dishwashers—is consistent across both sources. However, Article 1 provides far more granular details, including specific models like the Allday Goods Maldon Santoku, Sabatier Cook’s Knife, and Opinel N°118, along with insights on blade geometry, handle fit, and storage. Article 2, while confirming the top picks, lacks these specifics and instead highlights logistical challenges in sourcing knives for testing. The articles also differ in their emphasis: Article 1 prioritizes practical advice for buyers, while Article 2 focuses more on the testing process and methodology. Both stress the importance of knife comfort and longevity but diverge in their depth of product comparisons and additional recommendations.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Ben Lippett tested 14 knives over a fortnight for The Guardian, focusing on tasks like dicing shallots, slicing tomatoes, and chopping herbs
- The Wüsthof Classic Chef Knife (20cm) was named the best overall chef’s knife by Ben Lippett in both articles
- Victorinox Fibrox Chef’s Knife (20cm) was selected as the best budget knife, priced at £43
- Helen Symonds, a knife specialist, advised against using knives on stones, bones, frozen food, or hard surfaces like steel or glass
- Ben Lippett recommended avoiding dishwashers for knives, emphasizing hand cleaning and proper storage (e.g., magnetic racks)
- The Guardian’s testing involved professional chef Ben Lippett, who has authored the book *How I Cook* and is known for accessible home cooking
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The Wüsthof Classic Chef Knife was priced at £137.11 at the time of writing (mentioned in Article 2 but not explicitly stated in Article 1)
- The Victorinox Fibrox Chef’s Knife was described as a knife Ben Lippett used at the start of his cooking career and swore by
- The Allday Goods Maldon Santoku Knife (16cm) was named the best Japanese-style knife, while the Blenheim Forge Santoku (17.5cm) was the best investment knife
- The Sabatier Cook’s Knife (25cm) was labeled the best workhorse western-style knife, and the Robert Welch Signature Cook’s Knife (14cm) was the best small chef’s knife
- The Opinel N°118 was recommended as the best knife for beginners, emphasizing its multipurpose design
- The article detailed specific blade lengths for different hand sizes (e.g., 20cm+ for large hands, smaller for petite hands)
- The article included a section on knife geometry, comparing western-style curved blades to Japanese-style straighter blades
- The Asahi chopping boards were recommended as the best for knife longevity and structural durability
- The article emphasized the importance of blade geometry and handle fit, suggesting users test knives in person for comfort
- The article mentioned Damascus forged knives as stylish but impractical for most home cooks due to brittleness and edge retention issues
- The article included a quote from Helen Symonds about the importance of using a 'beater knife' for tougher tasks to preserve premium knives
- The article described the process of testing knives on delicate tasks like slicing chives and tomatoes, as well as brute-force tasks like splitting squash
- The article recommended stropping knives on leather or newspaper between sharpening sessions to maintain edge quality
- The article advised against using metal steels for sharpening Japanese knives due to potential damage to the blade
- The article mentioned that Japanese handles can be reset if loose, and most good-quality blades are repairable if chipped or bent
- The article included a section on the subjective nature of knife preferences, encouraging readers to prioritize comfort and balance over aesthetics
- The Guardian’s researcher Lily Smith faced challenges sourcing knives, including needing to physically visit stores and handle deliveries with ID verification
- The article mentioned that some brands did not sell knives online, requiring in-person purchases for testing samples
- The article included a brief mention of the Wüsthof Classic Chef Knife’s price (£137.11) but did not elaborate on other specific models or prices beyond the budget pick
- The article focused more on the testing methodology and Ben Lippett’s approach rather than detailed product comparisons beyond the top picks
- The article included a sidebar about unrelated topics (e.g., travel with young kids, vacuum cleaners) but did not provide additional knife-specific details
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 states the Blenheim Forge Santoku (17.5cm) is the best investment knife, while Article 2 does not mention this model at all
- Article 1 lists the Sabatier Cook’s Knife (25cm) as the best workhorse western-style knife, but Article 2 does not reference this specific model or length
- Article 1 explicitly names the Opinel N°118 as the best knife for beginners, while Article 2 does not mention this model
- Article 1 provides detailed blade length recommendations (e.g., 20cm+ for large hands) and geometry comparisons, but Article 2 does not include these specifics
- Article 1 includes a section on the subjective nature of knife preferences and encourages in-person testing, while Article 2 does not expand on this beyond the testing process
Source Articles
‘Buy this, and you’ll be set for life’: the best (and worst) chef’s knives – tested
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Blades of glory (or not): what makes a chef’s knife truly great?
Our kitchen expert spent weeks chopping to find the blades that cut it. Plus, how to travel with kids, and the best tools for a home and garden spring reset • Don’t get the Filter delivered to your in...