What Makes the Best Kitchen Knife? Key Factors to Look For

A great kitchen knife isn’t just a tool—it’s an extension of the chef’s hand. Whether you're a home cook prepping weeknight meals or a seasoned professional creating culinary works of art, the right knife makes all the difference in the kitchen. But what exactly makes one kitchen knife better than another?
Here are the essential factors to consider when choosing a knife that is right for you:

Blade Grind
The best knife is the knife that cuts most easily, and few factors have quite as much an impact on the ease of cutting than the way a blade is ground. There are three primary types of grinds: flat, hollow, and convex; along with an endless variety of different “compound grinds,” which combine two or three of the primary grinds in different sections of the blade. If you are curious about the grind of your chef knife blade, hold a ruler or straightedge across the “flat” side of the blade. If the knife is flat-ground, the straightedge will lie flat on the surface, with no visible gaps underneath it. If there is a gap in the middle between the straightedge and the blade, it is hollow-ground, and if the straightedge can rock back and forth slightly, then the blade is convex-ground.

Most high-performance chef knives are either convex-ground or feature a compound grind such as an “S-grind.” A convex-ground blade allows for a thin but stable edge, and it provides better food release than flat and hollow grinds, which tend to be a little more sticky. If food release is a priority for you and your style of cooking, then an S-grind is probably the best way to go.

Many Japanese knives have asymmetrical blade grinds, where the knife is convex-ground on one side and hollow-ground on the other. These knives can be extremely effective for certain tasks, such as making fine shavings of tuna for sushi, but those knives are typically specialized blades, and not as versatile as symmetrically-ground knives for all-round kitchen use.

Thickness
A high-performance kitchen blade can be thick or thin at the spine, depending on the user’s preference, but behind the edge is where the thickness really matters. The thinner the knife is behind the edge, the better it will cut, but there are also tradeoffs. Thinner edges are more fragile, and require more careful use. An edge so thin that it flexes slightly under pressure might cut like a laser through soft veggies, but if it comes into contact with bone while breaking down a chicken, you will very likely end up with a severely chipped blade. Many chefs have a couple of different knives: some with thin edges for vegetables, and some with slightly thicker edges for butchering and for tougher veggies like acorn squash. From the larger manufacturers, Japanese knives tend to be thinner than European knives.

Blade Material
There much to be said about the various different blade materials used in chef knives, but there are a few primary things to consider for those of us who don’t have degrees in metallurgy.Corrosion resistance (high-carbon versus stainless) — this factor is mostly a matter of personal preference. High-carbon steels have been used for millennia, but they develop a dark patina overtime from the acid in the food. The patina is not harmful to the knife or to your health in any way, but it does change the appearance of the blade. Additionally, carbon steels will rust if they are left to air-dry. Stainless steels are a much more recent metallurgical development, but If you prefer a knife that stays shiny and requires less careful maintenance, than stainless steel is probably for you.

Toughness vs. Edge Retention 
When choosing a knife steel, these two factors often conflict: tougher steels will support a thinner edge (and therefore cut better), but they usually do not stay sharp for quite as long as some of the harder or more wear-resistant steels. The harder steels, however, are typically more brittle and more likely to chip if the edge is too thin. As a general rule, carbon steels, such as 1095, W2, 80CRV2, and 1084 are usually tougher and stainless steels (such as 440C, 154CM, S30V, and VG10) are usually harder. There are some steels that strike a particularly good balance, including the carbon steel ApexUltra and the stainless steels MagnaCut and CPM3V.

Ease Of Sharpening 
No matter the steel, every edge eventually gets dull, and then you need to re-sharpen it. Many professional chefs take pride in their ability to sharpen knives to a razor edge, and I believe that stone sharpening is a skill every knife user should know. Carbon steels and certain stainless steels, like AEB-L and NitroV tend to be easy to sharpen. Higher alloy “super steels” like MagnaCut and S30V are much more challenging to sharpen, as the wear-resistant properties that make them hold an edge for so long also make them resistant to the abrasives used to sharpen them.

What About Ceramic Blades?
Ceramic can make an incredibly sharp edge, but the issues of brittleness are too great to overcome, in my opinion, and they are nearly impossible to resharpen for most people. I am a firm believer that a good knife should last a lifetime, and the ceramic knives available on the market today will not.

Blade Design and Shape
Different knives serve different purposes, but the shape and design of the blade determine its versatility and comfort in use. If you like to rock your knife as you chop, than a more curved edge, such as a German style blade, is ideal. If you prefer to push cut, a straighter French profile is better. There are also a wide variety of Japanese profiles that have become quite popular throughout the world. The gyuto, for instance, is an excellent all-round chef knife style, as are the santoku and nakiri, though the latter two are more specialized for slicing, dicing, and chopping vegetables, and both have a flatter edge profile designed for push cutting.

Integral Bolsters
The bolster is the piece at the front of a knife handle that forms the transition from handle to blade. Many European designs feature an integral bolster, where the bolster is forged from the same steel as the rest of the blade. These bolsters can add significantly to the overall strength of the knife if done correctly. However, many factory-made knives have a bolster that extends all the way down the heel of the knife. This thick mass at the heel of the knife makes it considerably more difficult to resharpen, and should be avoided.

Sharpness
A sharp knife is an absolute joy to use, whereas a dull knife can be downright dangerous. Any good chef knife should arrive razor sharp, but you will need to maintain the edge overtime. Find someone who knows how to sharpen knives, or learn to sharpen them yourself.

Weight
A heavy knife makes chopping easier, as the weight of the knife can carry the blade into the cut, however, a knife that is too heavy can become tiresome to use if you are logging long hours in the prep kitchen or cooking a feast for the whole extended family.

Balance
There are two primary camps when it comes to chef knife balance: some chefs like the knife to balance right at the bolster, or the place where the handle meets the blade, and others like the balance to be a little further forward. Knives that balance at the bolster tend to give you better control of the tip of the knife for delicate tasks. Forward balance allows the blade to feel heavier, putting the weight where it is needed to help push the knife through the food. If the balance point is too far back in the handle, the knife is liable to fall off the cutting board and feel awkward to use.

Handle Comfort and Design
The best handle feels secure, even when working with wet or oily hands. Many chefs hold the knife in a “pinch grip,” where the thumb and one or two fingers are placed on the blade. In a pinch grip, the shape of the handle is less important than the smoothness of the transition from handle to blade. If you prefer to grip your knife with a “hammer grip,” grasping the handle with your whole hand, than you should pick a handle that feels natural in your hand. Slimmer handles can be more nimble, and thicker handles can give you better grip. Smoothly contoured handles often feel comfortable and help to avoid hotspots in the hand with prolonged use. Faceted or octagonal handles can help to index the blade in your hand so you know exactly where the edge is even without looking.

Handle Material
The two main factors in handle choice are appearance and durability. Exotic hardwoods and stabilized burl are popular choices for an elegant flashy appearance, and they last a long time if properly cared for. Synthetic materials such as Micarta, Richlite, G10, or plastic are more forgiving if they are left to soak in the sink. Rubber or silicone handles are popular on mass-manufactured knives, and they do provide an excellent grip, but you would be hard-pressed to find a hand-made or boutique brand knife with one of these softer materials.

Full Tang vs. Hidden Tang
This debate is a heated one and could merit an entire blog post by itself. Based on my experience, I have found that the best design for a natural wood handle (even if it is stabilized) is a hidden-tang, ideally with an integral bolster. Wood shrinks and expands and warps with changes in temperature and humidity, and the thin scales on a full-tang handle will peel away over time, leaving gaps for dirt and moisture to enter the handle. A hidden tang preserves more of the integrity of the wood with fewer seams for moisture to enter. With synthetic handle materials that are more stable in moist environments, full tangs can be perfectly suitable for kitchen use. The extra mass in the tang will also affect the balance point of the knife.

Hand Made vs. Machine Made
Knives from an individual craftsman or a small company can be the very highest-quality products, because they often use high-end materials and finish them meticulously by hand. If you decide to work with an individual craftsman, be sure to choose someone who really knows the ins and outs of edge geometry and sharpening, and ideally someone who likes to cook. There are many talented knife makers who do not know how to make a good kitchen knife. Jordan LaMothe is one such craftsman, who has become widely known for both his kitchen knives and his level of craftsmanship.

The best kitchen knife isn’t always the most expensive or flashiest—it’s the one that works *with* you, not against you. Focus on quality materials, thoughtful design, and overall comfort. When you invest in the right knife, you're investing in a more efficient, enjoyable, and safe cooking experience. 

If you are curious what features I prefer in my personal cooking knives, look no further than the Jordan LaMothe Blades Farmstead lineup. I designed these knives based on years of experience in the forge and in the kitchen, and they perform beautifully.

Looking to commission your own custom kitchen knife? Here is my contact form to start the process.

​About The Author
Jordan LaMothe is a Master Bladesmith, a Fulbright scholar, a member of the Art Knife Invitational Show, and a teacher of knife-making. His work has won numerous awards and has been published in magazines internationally.