German kitchen knives are highly durable kitchen cutlery famous for their long standing craftsmanship. Like the Japanese knife, they have a long traditional history of making dependable and distinctive knife sets. Solingen, a German city is known as the city of blades for its century-long heritage.
But choosing the best german kitchen knives in 2022 isn’t easy peasy lemon squeezy. Especially when all german knives are phenomenal and hardy, it becomes a labyrinth to pick up one.
What to do then? Well, we have come forward to salvage the situation with the top 5 german knives review. We have come up with a buying guide as well to ease your concerns.
Top Five Best German kitchen knives: Quick Summary
Here we have given you a brief idea about the best kitchen knives from our assessment. You can get a quick summary about the external features of each five knives. You can also find out which one is best for which task.
| Product name | Dimension | Blade Length | Best for |
| WÜSTHOF Classic 8 Inch Chef’s Knife | 1.1 x 7.5 x 4.3 inches | 8 inches | Professional, premium cut |
| ZWILLING Professional S Chef Knife | 16.5 x 2.75 x 1.5 inches | 8 inches | Value for money |
| Cangshan S1 Series Chef Knife | 13.5 x 2 x 1 inches | 8 inches | Design and aesthetic value |
| Messermeister Meridian Elite Chef’s Knife | 16.25 x 3.25 x 1.25 inches | 9 inches | All purpose, multi-cut |
| Mercer Culinary M23510 Renaissance Chef’s Knife | NA | 8 inches | Budget and Traveling |
5. WÜSTHOF Classic 8 Inch Chef’s Knife
At a Glance
Brand: Wüsthof
Blade length: 8 inches
Color: Black
HWD dimension: 1.1 x 7.5 x 4.3 inches
Best for: Overall Professional chefs
Amazon Rating: 4.8
Say hello to the king of all German knives–Wüsthof. From our extensive research, we found it to be the best for overall performance.
It’s not only us. Whenever someone thinks of German knives, the first name to pop into their head is Wüsthof.
Two centuries of experience and running business across the continents have made Wüsthof a highly competitive and fascinating brand like Shun or Miyabi.
Wüsthof’s classic chef knife has an 8 inches durable blade for cutting, slicing, mincing, and whatnot. For professional purposes, Wüsthof has always been a good option.
The 4.5 inches ergonomic handle is suitable for handling any tough operation and slicing through solid and soft objects alike. The handle is triple-riveted if you have noticed. What’s more, you get finger guards here for safety purposes.
The edge retention in this knife is undoubtedly the best, for it is forged from stainless carbon steel. So you won’t have to think of corrosion and stains.
The weight is 8.5 ounces and it makes heavy-duty cuttings quite simple. Remember, you can use it for all sorts of cutting. The craftsmanship of this brand alone shines brightly over Solingen.
Pros:
- Optimal for all purposes
- 58 Rockwell hardness
- Precision edge tech implemented
- Impressive precision and perfect grip
- Strict quality control
Cons:
- Expensive a bit
- Heavyweight for smaller chores
4. ZWILLING Professional S Chef Knife
At A Glance:
Brand: Zwilling
Blade length: 8 inches
Color: Black
HWD Dimensions: 16.5 x 2.75 x 1.5 inches
Best for: Value for money option
Amazon rating: 4.7
Let us introduce you to another great product from Germany. It is none other than Zwilling 8 inches Chef knife from their famous S series.
An interesting fact is that the history of Zwilling dates back almost 3 centuries prior and still, they are running their business like a pro.
As is formed from single steel, it has become hardy and reliable. Well, you might also wonder knowing that the blade remains sharper for a longer period than other German blades.
It is a resilient knife with the power of an accurate and precise cut. For better edge retention, Zwilling has come up with the 57 Rockwell hardness.
There are some other notable points as well, such as the ergonomic polymer handle. Moreover, this is a dishwasher-safe blade. So you can clean and use this knife for several years.
However, it is a well-known fact that you need to sharpen your knife off and on for better performance. But the ice-hardened blade will need a less sharpening schedule than other knives.
One last thing is to make sure you buy any knife from trusted sellers. Otherwise, you may end up having a fake German knife.
Pros:
- Best value for money
- Sharp and resilient blade
- Stainless carbon steel for rust-free performance
- Better control and improved grip
Cons:
- Might be stuck into fake sellers
3. Cangshan S1 Series Chef Knife
At A Glance:
Brand: Cangshan
Blade Length: 8 inches
Color: White
HWD dimension: 13.5 x 2 x 1 inches
Best for: Design and Aesthetic value
Amazon rating: 4.8 out of 5
Down the line comes another German monster named Cangshan. Cangshan cutlery isn’t an old brand compared to others. Yet, it has maintained its firm position purely on the basis of its unique design.
Customers often want a mixture of durable cutlery and aesthetic design. Cangshan has been able to manufacture such kinds of steel. It tries to give preference to innovative design to satisfy the customers.
What about the hardiness? Well, the manufacturer has used an alloy of German steel. And the blade of 8 inches has Rockwell Hardness of around 58. This means you get a solid knife with extraordinary edge retention.
This S1 Series knife is an all-in-one tool for your kitchen. It can be used for chopping any items you wish. You won’t have to think of cleaning it too often. Because it is stain resistant.
Let us tell you another important feature. It is NSF international certified. And you can claim lifetime warranty in case of any defects. Imagine how confident Cangshan is about their quality.
Pros:
- Well-balanced with ergonomic handle
- Affordable Price
- Best Aesthetic design
- Minimum cleaning and sharpening required
- Dishwasher safe
Cons:
- Lightweight for heavy hands
2. Messermeister Meridian Elite Chef’s Knife
At A Glance:
Brand: Messermeister
Blade Length: 9 inches
Color: Black
HWD Dimension: 16.25 x 3.25 x 1.25 inches
Best for: All purpose
Amazon Rating: 4.7
Another great German brand is Messermeister. It is an elite chef knife as you can get the idea from the name itself.
The tough and durable blade can be used for years. The German 1.4116 high-carbon and the traditional forging technology has made the name for it.
Moreover, this knife has 9 inches of blade length. So it is suitable for cutting heavy stuff as well. It also comes with an impressive 15 degree handcrafted edge. You can guess the sharpness then.
This elite knife has claimed 57-58 Rockwell hardness. That’s pretty impressive, isn’t it? The handle material is also of steel. So you can get the maximum grip and the handle will withstand enormous pressure.
As it is from knife capital Solingen, you shall get a lifetime warranty in case of manufacturing defects. The third generation craftsmen have hand polished the blade for better edge retention.
As a kitchen tool, you can expect Messermeister to be a long lasting and reliable choice. Seems good? Let’s summarize the advantages and the disadvantages.
Pros:
- Best for all-purpose knife
- Handcrafted and polished
- Forged from a single blade
- Alloy of solid German steel
- Lifetime defect warranty
Cons:
- A bit pricey
More Review: Best Vintage Kitchen Knives
1. Mercer Culinary M23510 Renaissance Chef’s Knife
At A Glance:
Brand: Mercer Culinary
Blade Length: 8 inches
Color: White
HWD Dimensions: Not given
Best for: Traveling and budget
Amazon rating: 5
Lemme introduce to you the last one of our favorite German knives from Mercer Culinary. It is also forged from stainless one piece steel.
What’s interesting about this chef knife is the ash wood handle material. Ash wood can resist moisture. So the blade won’t face any corrosion issue even in excessive use.
Moreover, the handle is triple riveted for comfy grip and optimal cutting performance. There is no chance of harming your hands while performing kitchen chores.
Like other knives made in Germany, M23510 is also easy to use and to sharpen. You can feel the real comfort for the short bolster. What’s more, the German cutlery steel will give you a corrosion and dust resistant blade for permanent use.
An extra feature you can get from this 8 inches knife; something not available in other knives. It has a blade protector for keeping the blade safe.
It will help the travelers to make their journey smooth and worry-free. There are two saya pins to make the cover hermetically sealed.
Pros:
- Best for traveling and outing
- Super cheap price
- Ergonomic design for optimal balance
- Ash wood handle for comfy grip
- Blade cover for protection
Cons:
- Shorter bolster
Best German Kitchen Knives: Ultimate Buying Guide
There are certain things you should probe into before finally buying a kitchen knife. There are a few competing brands of almost the same quality. So you need to be super squeamish to get the best one.
So these are the most important things you should notice.
Knife type
We all know there are several variations in the knife industry. What you need to do is to choose your required one. If you are a professional chef, a general knife won’t do any good to you.
Contrarily, for aesthetic cutlery lovers, a premium knife may not seem okay. If you want premium service, you should go for Wusthof or Zwilling. But for better design and for kitchen jobs, the Cangshan S1 series will be way better.
However, you can counter this by buying a knife set. There you can get all sorts of knives in one package and you won’t have to buy different knives for different purposes.
Handle
Handle is an important feature for any knife user. Most German knives use a one piece steel alloy for blade and handle. So, the handle becomes solid and hard.
In addition, you should consider the handle size in accordance with your hand size. If your hand is bigger, you will need a bigger handle. But if your hand is smaller one, you need a similar size of handle.
Moreover, you need to look for the bolster as it protects your hands from getting hurt. You will get three types of bolster in traditional german knives.
1. Full Bolster
Full bolster knives are the best to prevent fingers from slicing into the blades. It helps to give you a worry-free cut. But the problem is full bolster minimizes the blade power. And it is also difficult to sharpen.
2. Half Bolster
Half bolster is the best choice if you want to use the full blade length for slicing. But it allows mediocre protection from the blade. And sharpening such blades will need less effort than full bolster ones.
3. No Bolster
No bolster knife is a risky affair to use. They will provide no protection to your fingers while you work. But it will maximize the blade capacity and it will be an easy-peasy task to sharpen the blade.
Among these bolster types, I will recommend you to go for half bolster. Knives without bolster are downright dangerous for cutting anything.
Budget
Budget is a major concern for most of us, isn’t it? Well, so you have to buy the best kitchen knife without wasting much.
So if you have a tight budget, you should buy from the Cangshan series or at best Mercer Culinary. They are affordable and do the job quite well.
Moreover, Zwilling is an optimal choice for the average budget. It is one of the leading German knife brands, yet within reach.
But Wusthof is the most expensive German knife. But their quality is unparalleled. If money is not your major concern, you should definitely go for Wusthof.
Blade Length
You know blade length can decide how smoothly you can cut an object. Smaller blades are never good for professional and heavy jobs. But they are good for a normal kitchen. And if you are a soul of outing zeal, smaller knives are perfect for you.
However, you should choose 8-10 inches knives for heavy-duty cutting. They are very effective in slicing and chopping. For premium quality cutting, a considerable blade length is a must.
Weight
Down the line comes another important factor that might decide the performance of your knife. Yup, it’s weight.
Weighty knives are good for better performance. Though it is a gross generalization, yet, it is true. For normal kitchen stuff, you should opt for a medium weight knife.
And for traveling and for people with short fingers, must choose a lightweight knife. To be honest, German knife weights are more or less the same. But still, it can be a serious issue for you.
Maintenance
Now we need to find out which knife will take less effort to clean and which one is easy to maintain. Most German knives are dishwasher safe. But it is better to avoid the dishwasher, for it may damage the blade quality.
Always clean the kitchen knife after you use it. Moreover, storing a knife on a knife block is always a better choice. It will ensure the safety of the knife as well as your kids.
In addition to all these, try looking for knives with minimal sharpening requirements. Otherwise, it may give you frequent pain to sharpen and resharpen.
If you can consider these above factors and then purchase the best german kitchen knife, it will be the best option. However, let’s now have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of German knives.
German Knives Pros
- Durable than other traditional knives
- Wider blade for multi-purpose cut
- Little to no chance of corrosion and stains
- Better edge retention
German Knives Cons
- Less suitable for fine and detailed cutting
- Expensive compared to American knives
Are German Knives Better Than Japanese Knives?
Japanese knives vs German knives is a lucrative topic for any knife lover. Both Japanese and German knives have a long traditional history of craftsmanship.
The one major difference between these two are the kinda steel used in the blades. German knives have less carbon content and they are more durable than Japanese ones.
On the other hand, Japanese knives use more carbon content. So they become the sharpest knives possible. But they are less durable than German knives.
To be frank, both knives are good for chopping. You can choose any one of them. Hopefully, they will meet your expectations. Be it Wusthof or Santoku knife, you shall get satisfactory performance.
Wrap Up
Lemme assure you that German knives are suitable for making your kitchen a smart one. The craftsmanship of the Solingen people is to be relied on.
So if you don’t have any issue with the budget, go for Wusthof or Zwilling. They are the best German kitchen knives you can get.
Other knives are also pretty good. They can give you the same cutting experience as Wusthofs. Now it’s decision time baby. Just wrap up and go for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I sharpen my kitchen knife?
Well, we always suggest sharpening your kitchen knife at least once in a year. It is even better if you can professionally sharpen twice a year. And after every use, keep your knife clean and dry. It will ensure longevity.
Why are German knives so good?
German knives have been manufactured in Solingen for centuries. Manufacturers have fused modern tech with traditional craftsmanship. All that has made German knives robust and durable. Therefore, German knives provide such performance.
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