Consideration Before Buying Steak Knives
These knives have various sizes and shapes but there are some things to keep in mind before buying one:
How Do You Store Steak Knives
Steak knives, like all other sharp knives, should be kept safe from being jostled around or and knocked into by other utensils. You can use a sheath or knife roll if youve got room on your magnetic knife strip, thats an excellent idea, too. Some of the knives we tested came with permanent storage solutions, while other will require an additional purchase. The important thing is to avoid tossing them loose in a utensil drawer.
The Criteria: What To Look For In A Steak
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
Like a kitchen knife, a good steak knife needs to be sharp, comfortable in your hand, well-balanced, and sturdy. You don’t want to be sawing and tearing away at an expensive, perfectly cooked steak with a flimsy knife. But steak knives need to be pretty, as well. Like a set of power-player, giant red wine glasses, most of us aren’t busting out our steak knives every night at the dinner table steak dinners are special occasions, and the knives should fit the bill on an aesthetic level. This means that selecting a steak-knife set is even more subjective of a process than picking out a great chef’s knife.
Don’t Miss: How Much Is It To Franchise A Steak And Shake
How To Use And Take Care Of A Steak Knife
A steak knife is used to cut through the steak while you are dining. It is quite important to know how to use a steak knife as it is a part of proper etiquettes. It may look rude to other diners if you are not able to use the steak knife properly. Here is a quick guide for using a steak knife and taking care of the steak knife.
Using the Steak Knife
To use your steak knife, hold the steak knife with the handle using your dominant hand. Use your index finger to support the knife by placing it on the dull side of the knife. Now, grab a fork with other hand and hold the food on the plate with the fork.
Now, simply cut through the steak and depending on the sharpness of the knife and the tenderness of the steak, you will be able to cut through the steak. Once you are done, you can place the knife back on the plate and you can switch your fork to the dominant hand to continue eating the steak.
You must avoid keeping the steak knife on the tablecloth as it can create a lot of mess and it can leave the tablecloth quite dirty. You may use a quarter plate to keep the knife.
Taking Care of Steak Knife
It is quite important for you to take good care of the steak knife or else it will lose the sharpness. So, to take care of the steak knife, follow the rules mentioned below
This is how you can use the knife and take care of your steak knife. This will help you in ensuring that you do not have to change the knife frequently.
Best For Entertaining: Dubost Laguiole Natura Steak Knives Set Of 6
These ornate steak knives look like an heirloom passed down from Grandmaand maybe they will be one day. They have a classic, old-school design, with a gracefully curved handle made of polished plastic that has a slightly swirly, pearlized finish. The set includes three each of the two handle colors: Chocolate and Fudge . Adorned with the French cutlery maker’s iconic bee on top of the bolster where the blade meets the handle, these knives have an eclectic look that will dress up any dinner table.
As for their performance, the knife blades have a unique construction of tiny serration interspersed with larger cutout hollows. The hollows prevent juicy steaks from clinging to the blade, and the tiny serration created less tearing and drag than some of the longer-toothed blades we tried. The knives are very lightweight and had decent balance, and the handles were comfortable to hold, with the curve fitting nicely into the pinky-finger end of the hand. However, these delicate, narrow knives might be difficult to use for someone with larger hands.
The French brand Dubost Laguiole has stood the test of time it’s 100 years old and is a leader in the plastic-handled cutlery category.
Buy It: $100 williams-sonoma.com
Don’t Miss: Wusthof Serrated Steak Knife Set
Utopia Kitchen 8 Pc Stainless Steel Steak Knife Set
This 8-piece steak knife set has been designed well by Utopia Kitchen using top quality premium stainless steel. Each of these knives adds premium feel and quality performance to add a sleek look to your table on meal times. These quality knives are designed for smooth slicing and cutting on several food items.
These steak knives are designed with care from one-piece stainless steel. Handles give balanced feel with robust stainless steel for more precise and smooth handling in cutting. These knives have serrated edges which provide leaner slicing and cutting and great durability. You also wont have to worry about sharpening. Whether eating at home or hosting a party, these knives are your best companion to cook great meal. It is best for cutting steaks.
Pros
- Serrated edges dont need sharpening and ensure leaner slicing
- Made of high quality premium stainless steel
Cons
These stainless steel knives are both functional and beautiful. This 8-piece stainless steel knife set is perfect for preparing delicious dinner of grilled lamb chops or tender steak. These modern knives have serrated 4.5 blades made of 18/10 high carbon stainless steel for precision slicing and strength.
Pros
- Made of premium 18/10 high carbon stainless steel
- Packed in premium wooden box
Cons
- Box is very light and not lined
Best Dishwasher Safe Steak Knives
One of the biggest inconveniences steak lovers encounter with their steak knives on a regular basis is the fact that many steak knives are not dishwasher-safe. This makes cleaning a much more time-consuming process and can take away from the enjoyment of a steak meal.
If youre looking for steak knives that you can load into the dishwasher after your meal with no additional stress or responsibility, the following three products are for you!
Don’t Miss: New York Steak Recipe Grill
Which Type Of Kitchen Knife Should I Buy
While many of the kitchen knives we’ve featured here are sets, you might just be looking to buy one or two knives, and there are definitely some choices that are better than others.
The most important knife to have in your kit is a Chef’s knife. It’s a great all-rounder for meat preparation, vegetable slicing and dicing, and even crushing items like garlic and olives.
We’d also recommend having a serrated knife in your arsenal we’ve all tried to slice tomatoes with the wrong knife, and it never ends well.
Paring knives are great for chopping small items like strawberries or mushrooms and if your children are showing an interest in cooking, it’s a great starter knife for small hands.
If youre a keen baker, a serrated bread knife is essential to get through a crusty loaf.
The Difference Between Carbon And Stainless Steel Knives
Carbon knives should never be washed in the dishwasher, they will rust very easily and should always be washed and dried by hand after every use.
Lets take a look at why.
Stainless steel knives are rust-resistant. This is because the metal alloy used to form the blade has been mixed with chromium, commonly known as chrome.
Chromium reacts with oxygen to create chromium oxide, this reaction occurs more quickly than iron oxide can form and as a result, the blade forms a protective layer of chromium oxide.
This layer prevents oxygen from reaching the iron, thus preventing the occurrence of iron oxide, so the knife becomes rust-resistant.
The chromium wont always will though. If the iron oxide does manage to for first then the knife can still form rust spots.
Therefore different grades of stainless steel knives contain different amounts of chromium.
Cheaper blades will contain closer to 10% chromium, whilst the most resistant blades will be nearer to 15%.
Carbon blades many contain very little or no chromium at all, therefore the iron is completely exposed and will react with oxygen and water very quickly, causing rust to form.
For this reason, carbon knives should never be washed in the dishwasher or left unnecessarily wet for any amount of time. They require much more care than stainless steel knives and should be wiped down and dried by hand after every use.
You May Like: Pizza Wings Steaks And Things
Things To Know About Steak Knives
Steak knives can be surprisingly tricky to pick out. There are so many different shapes, sizes, and styles. But spending a few minutes narrowing down your choices will give you a better idea of what is the best steak knife for your needs, as well as narrowing down your search for the perfect set of steak knives. This article will provide you with five tips to make choosing easier for yourself. Tip #1: Look at the
Why Do My Steak Knives Rust
Possible Reasons for Steak Knives Rusting: 1. The knife is not being stored and adequately cared for This is something weve always heard but never really understood, but it seems that even if we keep our knives in the dishwasher, our steak knives will still rust. Well, this is because steak knives are made out of carbon. Not only will the steels in the knife rust away, but so will any other pre-existing moisture in
You May Like: What Do You Use To Marinate Steak
Advantages Of Steak Knives
Classic steaks are short-fried pieces of meat from the loin of beef or veal. Sometimes the term is also used for other cuts of meat, often mentioning the animal used. We are talking about poultry steak, pork steak, or fish steak. Steak lovers often prefer a cooking level between rare and medium, and the meat in this state contains a lot of meat juices that make it tender and tasty. If you use a traditional table knife to cut your steak, tear up the meat fibers instead of cutting them cleanly, then a lot of meat juice will leak out.
The characteristic taste of the steak will be reduced as a result, as a large part of the meat juice ends up on the plate. If, on the other hand, you use a high-quality, sharp steak knife, you will separate the meat fibers cleanly. Less meat juice escapes, and you can enjoy a juicier steak. The general advantages they offer depend on the edge design of the blades and the material.
The non-serrated steak knife
- Little effort required when cutting
- Long-lasting blade sharpness even with frequent use
Notes On Materials And Construction
If youve spent more than a few minutes researching knives, youve likely run into a bewildering fog of jargon and technical specifications. Heres a quick guide, which applies to steak knives, chefs knives, and everything in between:
The phrase high-carbon steel is basically marketing hype: every steel alloy used to make knives is high-carbon. You can ignore the phrase it if its used, and you neednt worry if its not. Do note, however, that if a knife is listed only as high-carbon or carbon steel, it will easily rust. To be sure your knife is rust-resistant, make sure it is also listed as stainless.
Stainless steel is steel alloyed with at least 12 percent, and usually 14 to 18 percent, chromium. The chromium forms a dense layer on any exposed surface which rapidly oxidizes, preventing oxidation of the steel underneath. There are multiple types of stainless steel, some more corrosion-resistant than others all those used on our recommended knives are high-performing: extremely corrosion-resistant, capable of taking and holding a sharp edge and easy to re-sharpen.
There are thousands of different steel alloysmixtures of iron, carbon, and any of 20 or more other elementseach designed for a different purpose. Knife alloys alone run into the dozens, and the names are alphabet soup: AEB-L, VG-10, 19C27, ZDP-189. My advice is: ignore them all, at least for steak knives. Whatever alloy a good manufacturer chooses will perform perfectly well.
Also Check: What’s The Best Steak To Cook On A Grill
Best Budget: Home Hero Steak Knives Set Of 8
With their dramatic design, this set of knives offers good looks and good performance at a great price. The knives have stainless steel blades, which are also available coated with a black nonstick finish, matching the black polypropylene handles. The deep, saw-like teeth in the blades are highly effective, cutting through meat effectively with a minimal tearing.
They’re comfortable to use, too: The handles are molded to fit ergonomically into the hand, and widen where the handle meets the blade, to act as a bolster.
But with such a great price, you can’t expect a lot of bells and whistles the set does not come with a case or with sheaths, which makes the finish even more susceptible to scratches over time. However, you’ll want to have them on hand at every dinner party, especially since they can be thrown in the dishwasher when your guests head home.
Buy It: $22
Best For Table Settings Trudeau Laguiole Steak Knife Set
- Blade: Stainless Steel
- Handle: Pakkawood & Steel
- Set Size: 6 knives
This was my first experience with a Trudeau knife product, and I was immediately impressed by the design.
The knives are beautiful, point blank. They come in a gorgeous gift box that can also be used for storage, and the pakkawood handles are shined to perfection.
They feature serrated, stainless steel blades and the handles are hand stamped. I found the knife very easy to hold and handle, plus they really look gorgeous in a table setting.
When I sliced into my steak, I got little resistance, but because of the serrated edge, you do have to do a bit more manual slicing than I am used to.
I found it a little odd that the set came with six steak knives, as Im used to seeing dining tools come in increments of 4 or 8, but they are very affordable for around $8.00 per knife.
- Set Size: 4 knives
Dalstrong knives are an experience. From the moment I opened the box, I was blown away by the little details.
I felt like I was unboxing something special. Each knife comes with its own sheath, which is great for storage purposes, plus each set comes with a beautifully designed pin that makes a nice keepsake.
I found the knives to be a little bigger than I used to. They have a very masculine feel, which isnt a bad thing these are not your typical, delicate steak knives.
They feature incredibly sharp German steel blades that have been hand-sharpened, and I felt very little resistance as I sliced into the steak.
Don’t Miss: Steak 38 Cherry Hill Nj
Look At Reviews From Other Customers Before Making A Purchase Decision
Make sure you look at reviews from other customers before making a purchase decision. Often, reviewers will point out flaws in non serrated steak knives that would otherwise go unnoticed by consumers who do not pay close attention to detail. Additionally, sometimes you will find that most positive reviews are due to price or ease of installation rather than satisfactory quality and function. These are things that might not be apparent until you have read through some customer reviews. So if you are looking for unbiased insight into whether or not a non serrated steak knife is worth your money before you make a purchase, the place to look is customer reviews.
Best Presentation: Dalstrong Gladiator Series 8
The Dalstrong 8-piece Gladiator knife set comes with a beautifully stained and polished oak block. The cleverly designed block can stand upright on a counter, or a hinged flap folds out so it can also be used flat as an insert in a drawer. The attractive knife block sports a polished metal strip on the sides and base embossed with the Dalstrong logo.
The knives themselves are as well-constructed and perform as well as they present. Made of high-carbon steel with a full-tang construction , the blades have a straight edge with granton hollows carved in the sides. The blades cut through steak effortlessly, with minimal pressure needed and very little back-and-forth sawing required.
The handles are made of a nonporous fiberglass material and have a construction that is seamless and smooth. The end of the handle is a little sharp and might dig into a larger hand, but overall, the knife is well-balanced and has a comfortable heft that reflects the quality of its construction.
Buy It: $180
You May Like: Best Steak To Grill For A Crowd
