The Beauty Of The Santoku Knife

When you love to cook you know how important it is to be able to multitask, and your tools are a big part of the process. The Santoku actually means three virtues in the Japanese dialect, and the Santoku knife really lives up to its name!

This multipurpose knife is perfect for every type of chopping and every size and type of ingrediant. One thing is for sure, it is not your ordinary kitchen knife. It can be anywhere from five to seven inches in the blade length alone, and it looks similar to the cleaver that we all have come to know and love. The Santoku knife will offer the best option for anyone unsure of grip and balance and therefore provides the best overall control.

The cutting performance on these knives is astonishing. The edges (always beautifully beveled) are very sharp, and due to notches on the blade, they are designed to release food easily, even if sticky! And as the knife is multi-purpose, youll not need a full set and therefore they are excellent investments and particularly great value; not least because they are generally durable and remain useful for as long as theyre sharpened. With that being said it should not be washed in a dishwasher to ensure long life and durability.

It goes without saying that these knives make great gifts for the cook of the family. They make life in the kitchen a whole lot easier, not to mention the reduction of utensils that will need to be cleaned. It does not matter what you have to cut, with a wash between selections to prevent cross contamination, using your Santoku knife is a breeze.

In many ways, a Santoku is very similar to the standard chef knife that youll see chefs use on cookery shows every night of the week. A good chef knife is invariably 6 inches long and has excellent balance and grip that means that its suitable for a wide range of uses. The main difference between these and their specialist Japanese cousins is those every important notches on the side of the knife that stop food sticking to the blade.

You will never find another kitchen utensil that you will use more or love as much as you do your own Santoku knife and the good news is that there are a number of great Santoku options on the market. From the Naifu range at Chefs Knife Store, to a classic Wusthof blade, youre sure to be able to find something to suit your budget.

This particular writer cannot recommend Santoku knives quite enough, so dont hesitate if youre looking for a new blade or indeed a new set!