Santoku vs Chef Knife: Which One Do You Need?

The santoku and the chef knife are both all-purpose knives. Either one can handle most of what you cook. The difference is in how they cut: a chef knife rocks, a santoku chops. If you know how you like to cut, the choice is easy.

The short answer

• Choose a chef knife if you like to rock the blade through herbs and onions, cut large pieces of meat, or want one knife that does a bit of everything.
• Choose a santoku if you cut mostly vegetables, prefer a straight up-and-down chop, or find a long blade hard to control.
• Cook a lot? Many cooks end up with both, which is why our 3-piece Damascus knife set includes an 8" chef knife and a 7" santoku.

Santoku vs chef knife at a glance

What is a chef knife?

The chef knife is the classic Western kitchen knife. Its edge curves up toward a pointed tip, so you can keep the tip on the board and rock the blade through a pile of herbs or an onion. The length gives you reach for large vegetables, roasts and whole chickens. The Japanese version, called a gyuto, keeps that shape but is usually thinner and lighter. Our 8" Damascus chef knife is in that style.

What is a santoku knife?

The santoku is a Japanese all-purpose knife. Its name is often translated as "three virtues": meat, fish and vegetables, or slicing, dicing and mincing. The edge is flatter and meets the board along most of its length, so you cut with a straight chop or a forward push instead of a rock. The blade is shorter and taller, which keeps your knuckles off the board and makes it easy to scoop up what you have cut. Our 7" Damascus santoku knife is a good example of the shape.

Which is better for vegetables?

For fast, even slices of carrots, cucumbers, peppers or cabbage, the santoku's flat edge gives cleaner, more consistent cuts. A chef knife does the job too, especially with herbs and onions, where rocking is quicker. If you mostly cook vegetables, also look at the nakiri, a Japanese knife made only for vegetables, in our santoku and nakiri knives.

Which is better for meat?

For large cuts, a chef knife wins: the longer blade slices a roast or breaks down a chicken in fewer strokes. A santoku handles boneless meat and fish well, and its thin edge makes neat slices for stir-fries. Neither is meant for cutting through bones: to work around them, use a boning knife.

Which is easier for beginners?

Many beginners find a santoku less intimidating: it is shorter, lighter and the straight chop is easy to learn. A chef knife takes a little practice to rock smoothly, but it is the more versatile tool in the long run. If your hands are small or your board is small, a 7" knife of either style will feel easier.

What about Japanese chef knives (gyuto) vs santoku?

A gyuto and a santoku are closer to each other than a heavy Western chef knife and a santoku: both are thin, hard and sharp. The gyuto is longer and keeps a rocking curve; the santoku is shorter and flatter. See our Japanese-style chef knives for the gyuto shape.

Do you need both?

You don't need both, but they complement each other well: the chef knife for big jobs and herbs, the santoku for quick vegetable prep. If you're buying one, pick the one that matches how you cut today. If you're buying a gift, a set that includes both is the safe choice.

Quick answers

Is a santoku a chef knife?

It is an all-purpose knife like a chef knife, but with a different shape: shorter, flatter and with a rounded tip.

Can a santoku replace a chef knife?

For most home cooking, yes. You lose some reach for large roasts and the rocking motion for herbs.

What size santoku should I buy?

A 7" santoku is the most common size and suits most hands and boards. A 5" santoku works as a small prep knife.

Ready to choose? Compare our Damascus kitchen knives, or keep any knife sharp with our whetstone sharpening guide.

Written by the Hochodo team. We sell the knives and boards we write about, and we link to our products only where they fit.