Japanese vs. German Chef Knives
Which chef knife is the best?
A chef’s knife is a reflection of the chef. So it’s important to choose a knife that reflects how you like to move, what you like to look at, and what you like to cook.
Personally, I prefer shorter 7”-8” knives, because I prefer control over efficiency. And I like curved blades based on how I like to cut.
To help you find a knife that reflects you, I partnered up with @zwilling_usa for this post. From their iconic German-made series to their Japanese-made @miyabi_int series, they make ALL shapes and styles with a total commitment to quality. Truly. They rock. So if you’re on the hunt for a new knife and don’t know where to start… check out the site in my profile page and see which knife works for you. Or watch the FULL length video where I go into all the details.
Are Expensive Chef Knives REALLY Worth It?
I’ll be making some more content with them in the coming months to talk about knife skills and answering some common questions, so please let me know if there is anything you’d like me to include.
#knives #knifeskills #zwilling1731 #cooking #zwillingpartner
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Where buy ?
The chinese knife is made in Germany
"Whats the difference…?"
One has 125% tarrif on it!
china is best
When I look at knives, first thing I think of is if it can stab well. (I know, I probably need some help.)
🇯🇵Japanese knives came about because as the economy modernized, Samurai Sword makers had to pivot to other markets to sell their blade making skills.. Japanese blades are #1 in the world!🙌
That last knife is absolutely MASSIVE, I love how even that TAPER is. That does look a bit big to sharpen though, so you gotta hope that the sharp EDGE doesn’t FADE away…
Mentally
Japanese: Sushi and similar
Chinese: Big stir fries
German: Small stir fries
For a normal person cooking at home, I would argue the chinese knife is the best.
Great video exept the honing rod destroying the Apex of the knives
Tried so hard but he mispronounced both knives 😅
I love my Japanese made Chinese Cleaver.
I used western knives for all my life until suddenly I remembered I am vegan and have free will and got myself a chinese knife. There is literally no usecase I need a pointy tip for and I never cut better and more profitiently than with my cleaver 😀 Really recommend trying it!
I got a chinese cleaver a couple years ago after a couple of decades of using european style chefs knives. I took me a bit to get used to the push cut and be as fast as I was with my other knives. At this point I use it 95% of the time.
Holy hell… Im in love with these knives
German: all-rounder
Japanese: specializations
Chinese: big knoife goes bruuu
I thought you’re not supposed to scoop with knives.
It doesn’t pronounced as Sand-to-ku, but San-to-ku. Like The Sun
Im torn between the curved blade and chinese blade. I enjoy the drop of the chinese blade & how it basically needs no force for hard to cut through foods, but I enjoy the curved blade for its rocking motion.
I love the Chinese chef’s knife. Got one and never neeeded anything else.
I mean, the "softer edge" is completely dependant on the heat treatment and steel used in the manufacturing of the knife.
You can quite easily get a western style knife that is far harder and has better edge retention than most Japanese knives, and vice versa.
But honestly, there’s just something special about a chinese or japanese cleaver so I’m gonna have to pick one of those.
the pretentious way you try to pronounce santoku 😂😂😂😂😂
The difference is: American stuff is crap.
a good quality chinese cleaver is the best all round knife, only thing that could be a disadvantage is that it’s slower to chop because of the size and weight, but having a japanese knife as a sidearm would compensate for more speed and precision
This has reminded me that I really need to sharpen my chef knife.
The Chinese knife does coup and tries to invade Taiwan?
Drop the links
Notice how the cleaver has a LOW TAPER down the profile of the blade and then FADEs into a thin yet durable point. On top of that, the blade’s MASSIVE heft still allows it to chop through bones and other hard foods effortlessly. You will feel like a NINJA, wielding this sleek tool in your kitchen.
Ah yes henckels, henckels, or japanese sub henckels
It is a huge mistake to buy a Chinese knife made by a German company because they don’t know how to cut the Chinese way. Any 10 usd knife from Chinese supermarket will do a much better job.
Chinese knife has lead in it!?
The difference is the Chinese are dull, Japanese are soft and American are made in China
My grandmother swears by the cleaver, she’s used it her entire life.
Is German and French the same?
French style is the workhorse do it all knife.
Single edge Japanese knives are hard to use and have specific purposes.
A Chinese cleaver is fun to use but takes some practice when switching from a French style – it’s a very different skill set.
(I have multiples of each – knives are cool)
My Miyabi knives are my favourite I’ve ever used.
Thank you sir, that’s all I needed as an excuse to go shopping.
I love my santoku knife, I need a cleaver too. The cleaver looks to be so handy in the videos I’ve seen. ❤🔪
Taper? Low taper?
Chinese products are the worst
Important is what you want to do with it. The German knife is a good allrounder. It’s thick enough for light butchery and dealing with thin bones. The cleaver is great for bones and even fine cuts, but harder to manage due to the size. The Japanese ones are sharp and great for fine work, but relatively brittle and have to be taken care of better, as they’re carbon steel and they will rust very easily.
My suggestion would be the German/European knife first and then a more specific one later in your cooking journey. If you’re trained with one type already from cooking with your parents at home, of course go for that
The chinese cleaver is my personal favorite, you need some time to learn if you want to use it properly, but once you get it its a great tool
I’ve heard chefs say it only takes one bad cut to know to never scoop with those.
Chinese cleaver, one knife to rule them all.
At least according to Chinese cuisine chef
Which chef knife is the best?
A chef’s knife is a reflection of the chef. So it’s important to choose a knife that reflects how you like to move, what you like to look at, and what you like to cook.
Personally, I prefer shorter 7”-8” knives, because I prefer control over efficiency. And I like curved blades based on how I like to cut.
To help you find a knife that reflects you, I partnered up with @zwilling_usa for this post. From their iconic German-made series to their Japanese-made @miyabi_int series, they make ALL shapes and styles with a total commitment to quality. Truly. They rock. So if you’re on the hunt for a new knife and don’t know where to start… check out the site in my profile page and see which knife works for you. Or watch the FULL length video where I go into all the details.
Are Expensive Chef Knives REALLY Worth It?
https://youtu.be/8sZ7o3Bkz2U
I’ll be making some more content with them in the coming months to talk about knife skills and answering some common questions, so please let me know if there is anything you’d like me to include.
#knives #knifeskills #zwilling1731 #cooking #zwillingpartner
Naw. Soft edge and a round belly? Thats for people that like sharpening knives. Not people who like cutting. German engineering is nearly perfect? So why does this dull? Because the point is not cutting, its maintenance. The perfect German tool.
I’ve always preferrd Santoku, feels nicer and steadier in my hands then other knives
Nakiri knife does it all… for me anyway.
You can’t try and convince me you know what you’re talking about in the knife world if you use a "honing" rod 🤦♂️
im not Chinese but still use the cleaver. its just way too versatile, and precious isnt a problem either if ure brave enough