Knives are an essential part of any kitchen. You need them to slice and dice everything from a tomato to opening packaging. It is crucial for every kitchen to have a nice well balanced, sharp knife. That is, we have created a list of the best kitchen knives under 100, so that you can an informed choice that suites your needs, but won’t burn a hole into your pocket. The knives were selected based on price, sharpness, edge retention, handle construction, balance, and many more.
We also paid close attention to feedback of people who have purchased and used this product over a considerable period of time, to see how the knife holds up with continuous use. We have shown the pros and cons of each knife, along with the best performing knife in each category. This should make it as simple as possible for you to choose the perfect kitchen knife for you under $100.
Please do check out the other articles we have on knives or our article on best chef knives under 200.
Our Picks: Top 6 Best Kitchen Knives Under 100
Best Chef’s Knife
J.A. Henckels International Classic Chef Knife
A chef’s knife that is built with a strong 8-inch German steel blade and an ergonomic triple riveted polymer 4.72 Inch handle. This knife recommended by professional chefs for use in the home kitchen. The Henckels international classic chef knife offers most of the benefits of a professional chef’s knife with a fraction of the cost. The great Gordon Ramsay himself has recommended this knife.
Features
- Weights 0.5lbs
- The tang of the blade extends all the way into the handle
- The blade and the tang are built from stain resistant carbon steel and are hot drop forged for extra durability
- Can be hand washed with mild cleanser
- Precision cut and finely honed to ensure long lasting sharpness
- Balance is perfect for chopping, slicing, mincing, and dicing.
- Is dishwasher safe
- Has lifetime warranty
Most Durable knife
Global G-4-7 inch, 18cm Oriental Chef’s Knife
This knife is made from a single 14.7-inch piece of steel and has a 7-inch blade. The blade then transitions into a textured handle which is molded for comfort and is dimpled to ensure a safe grip. The difference between this type of handle and a traditional polymer handle is mainly preference. We have also noticed that people with smaller hands tend to find this type of handles very comfortable.
Features
- Weights 0.39 lbs.
- Made in Japan
- The blade extends and transitions into a handle
- Blade constructed using molybdenum and vanadium carbon steel alloys, giving exceptional sharpness and edge retention
- Precisely balanced for quick and agile movements
- Can be easily used by both left- and right-hand users due to the straight edge (compared to the bevel on European style knives)
- The hollow handle filled with sand to achieve low weight with the perfect balance
- Has lifetime warranty
Best vegetable knife
Global 7″ Vegetable Knife
The Global brand has truly mastered the art of turning the blade of a knife into a handle. This is their second entry in the list of best kitchen knives under 100 and the brand fully deserves its recognition in this category. This blade shares a lot in common with the Global G-4-7 inch, with some minor differences and the fact that this blade is a knife primarily designed for cutting vegetables. This knife, known in Japan as a Nakiri knife, can also be used for chopping meat or other big prep jobs.
Features
- Weights 0.60 lbs.
- Made in Japan
- The blade extends and transitions into a handle
- Blade made from carbon steel that has been mixed with molybdenum and vanadium, which makes the blade extremely sharp and allows for exceptional edge retention
- Precisely balanced for quick and agile movements
- Uses straight edge instead of European style bevel. This allows for better edge retention and easy use by both left and right-handed users
- The hollow handle filled with sand to achieve low weight with the perfect balance
- Has lifetime warranty
Sharpest knife
Wusthof Classic 6-Inch Utility Knife
This utility knife, which is smaller than a chef’s knife but larger than a pairing knife, is the perfect blade for whole host of tasks. It can be used for mincing spices and herbs, cutting and chopping vegetables and even cutting up small portions of meat. The blade is 6 inches and the handle is 6.7 inches
Features
- Weights 0.2 lbs.
- Made in “The City of Blades” in Solingen, Germany.
- 6-inch-high carbon stainless steel blade built with Wusthofs Precision Edge Technology (PEtec)
- Blade extends into a tang which is the handle
- Handle is made from polymer and has the standard triple rivetted setup
- Handle deliberately shaped and contoured to have comfortable grip
- Designed with a finger guard at the transition point from blade to handle
Best Value for Money
Rachael Ray Cutlery Japanese Stainless-Steel Knives Set with Sheaths
Its very obvious that this isn’t a single knife, but rather a knife set. So, what is this knife set doing on a list of best kitchen knives under 100? The simple matter of fact is that this set offers tremendous value that cannot be ignored and each knife on this set costs less than $100 on average. The set includes 3 knives which are an 8-inch chef knife, a 5-inch santoku knife and a 3.5-inch paring knife, all in the teal color.
Features
- Weights 1 lb. (all three knives)
- The blades are made from premium quality Japanese steel
- Blades are corrosion resistant
- All 3 knives have contoured rubberized grips
- These knives come with an edge guard
- All blades come with a plastic sheath for storage
- Quality assurance guaranteed by manufacturer
Most Aesthetic knife
TUO Damascus Chef’s Knife, 9.5″
The aesthetics of this knife alone will make you want to buy this. The intricate work on the Damascus steel blade stands out to anyone who holds this knife. This blade is an example of form and function meeting in the perfect combination. These knives are hand built over 100 days, made exceptionally hard to make sure the edge stays sharp and designed with both elegance and performance in mind.
Features
- Weights 0.65 lbs.
- 9.5 Inch blade made from super high carbon German stainless steel, using Japanese sword making techniques and modern craftmanship
- The blade is decorated with a beautiful pattern
- Handle attached to blade with mosaic rivets
- The handle is made from pakkawood
- Blade tapered for nonstick and better slicing properties
What to consider when buying a knife for the home kitchen
A knife is an essential tool for the home kitchen. You should be fully informed about what you’re purchasing. When we evaluated blades to find the best kitchen knives under 100, we considered a whole host of factors. The most important and crucial factors to making a happy purchase are outlined below, so you know exactly what you’re getting into when you buy that knife.
Sharpness
Does the blade come sharp out of the box? This is crucial when it comes to seeing the quality of the manufacturer and the blade. If its dull out of the box, you could just sharpen it yourself, but why should you have to? A high-quality knife always comes razor-sharp when out of the packaging, so always be extra careful when unboxing that new blade. The easiest way to check for sharpness is to try and cut a piece of A4 paper. If the blade glides through effortlessly, you’re good to go.
Edge retention
Does the blade stay sharp? Nothing is more annoying than a knife that needs resharpening every day, or even worse, in the middle of every cook session. The harder the steel of a blade, the longer that blade will keep an edge. Be wary though, because if the metal is too hard, resharpening the blade is going to be a pain and the blade may be prone chipping, shattering or breaking. The ideal blade keeps its edge, but can bend to avoid taking damage. This level of hardness is achieved through complex forging techniques and enriching the steel with other metals such as molybdenum and vanadium.
Ease of sharpening
Is the blade easy to resharpen? A blade will get dull. That is one of the truths of life. Cutting, sheathing and unsheathing, banging around in a drawer, all of these things will eventually dull a blade, and a dull blade is a dangerous blade. Always resharpen a blade for comfort and safety purposes. If the metal of a knife is too hard, it will be a pain to resharpen, if it is too soft, you can sharpen it easily but that edge will not last long at all. The sign of a good blade is a razor-sharp edge from a few minutes on the whetstone or a dozen swipes across a sharpening tool.
Weight
How heavy is the knife? A knife should be heavy enough that it can glide through food, but light enough that your wrist doesn’t hurt after using it for a prolonged period of time. A heavy knife will make quick work of poultry, but your hands will have quite the workout. A light knife will be easier to use, but it these types of knives are better suited to cutting vegetables.
Balance
Where is all of the weight of the knife? The location of the weight is as important as the weight itself. A handle heavy knife is easier to move around in your wrist but not very efficient in cutting. A blade heavy knife is very good at cutting but extremely taxing on your wrist. The ideal place for the balance is somewhere on the blade right above your index finger. This location ensures good cutting performance with minimal wrist wear.
Handle
Is the handle comfortable? The shape and material of the handle are both important. The handle is typically contoured for ergonomic holding. The material is typically plastic, rubber, metal or wooden. Plastic is the cheapest, rubber gives a strong grip, metal is the most durable (may hurt your hand if not ergonomically designed) and wood gives the most premium feel. As long as it feels good in your hands, you’re good to go.
FAQs on Best Kitchen Knives Under 100
What are the best affordable kitchen knives?
The Global brand typically has the most affordable chefs’ knives, offering excellent value for money.
What knives does Gordon Ramsay use?
Gordon Ramsay uses both Wüsthof and Henckels knives. He has been seen to show a particular fondness for J.A. Henckels International Classic Chef Knife, which is the first knife in this list of best kitchen knives under 100.
Are expensive kitchen knives worth it?
Although expensive kitchen knives offer certain luxuries that others do not, all knives are essentially a cutting tool. So keep your blade sharp and you’ll always be good to go, regardless of how much money you spent on the knife.
What brand of knives do professional chefs prefer?
Most professional chefs prefer using Henckels, Wusthof or Global branded knives.
What knives stay sharp the longest?
The harder the steel, the longer the edge will last but it will be more difficult to resharpen later on. Japanese knives are typically made from harder steels when compared to German knives
Are Cutco knives really worth it?
Cutco knives are mainly steak knives. The serrated edge typically does a great job at cutting through cooked meat and the quality is sufficient to last a lifetime. Its mainly a personal choice, if you want your dinner guests to have Cutco knives on steak night, go for it!
Final thoughts
The knife is one of the most important tools in the kitchen. We frequently overlook how much we use this sharpened piece of metal. To have a decent knife is life changing and that is why we made this list. Everyone has different needs. To choose from the best kitchen knives under 100, pick the knife that suites all of your needs. Choose the right blade and keep it sharp, you won’t regret it!
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Written By Robert Onishi
Robert is a 3rd generation knife forger who has in depth knowledge of different types of knives, their strengths and weaknesses, and ancient and modern forging techniques. In his spare time, he writes knife reviews and blogs for RigMyKitchen.