A knife is an important tool in the kitchen, as it performs a wide range of techniques needed to cut through various ingredients. To make good steak, it is also highly recommended for cooks and housewives to search for quality steak knives especially forged to cut, slice, fillet, and work professionally with steaks of all kinds.
Here we have broken down various different steak knife sets by budge. We’ve discussed before that ultimately budget and brand identity are some of the strongest buying influences, so feel free to scroll down this list and find your budget.
Best Steak Knives Under $20
There is a lot of option under $20 for a set, but we’ve carved the list down (sorry, bad pun eh!) to just two to consider. Chances are your decision will be made mostly by if you want wood or plastic handles. Both Henckels and Chicago Cutlery are in our “recommended manufacturer” list as the products they put out are very reliable and won’t let you down:
| J.A. Henckels Prime | Chicago Cutlery |
|---|---|
| Set of 4 steak knives | Set of 4 steak knives |
| Serrated Edge | Small serated edge |
| Full tang, triple rivet | Full tang |
| Dishwasher safe | Walnut wood handles |
If you like the look of the wood and you want to spend up to the $20 limit, then – depending on current prices as they do change – we’d advise you take a look at these Chicago Cutlery Tradition Steak knives which are the range UP from the basics highlighted above.
Best Steak Knives Under $50
The next pricing bracket up gives us more selection and opens up some of the higher end brands and manufacturers We can also start to see some different styles beyond the single-tang with a handle bolted on, and the manufacturers start to get a bit more creative with the style and design of these steak knives:
| J.A. Henckels 8 Piece | Laguiole Rose Wood | J.A. Henckels Statement |
|---|---|---|
| Set of 8 steak knives | Set of 6 steak knives | Set of 4 steak knives |
| Micro Serrated Edge | Sharp edge (not serrated) | Serated edge |
| Full tang, triple rivet | Beautiful Case | Forged blade with bolster |
| Dishwasher safe | Rose Wood handles | Steel capped |
| Lifetime Warranty | Best to wash by hand | Balanced but heavy |
As you can see, a bit more option here. The Henckels on the left are a good knife for sure, but with 8 in the box you will be paying an overhead here that you may not need. Chances are 4 steak knives are all you will need for most situations, so think about whether you want to spend the money on volume or look at some of the more creatively designed knives.
Best Steak Knives Under $100
Up in to the bigger numbers now! A hundred bucks (or thereabouts) will get you some good steak eating tooling, so choose wisely and enjoy!
Buying Guide for the Best Steak Knives
Whenever you are talking about the “best” of something you are always having to be remarkably subjective. When it comes to something as niche as steak knives this is doubly true, as there are really no rigorous rating criteria that can help one reviewer rate, asses and recommend a set of steak knives to someone else. They are quite a subjective item in themselves, and one set that is aesthetically pleasing to one person may be abhorrent for another.
However, it is possible to take a little step back and make recommendations of manufacturers and steak knife sets/ranges that fit within different budget categories so at least you, as the buyer, can make a more informed an educated decision. It almost tightens the parameters so you can then find the steak knives that work for you.
A word on quality…
It is worth noting that there are so many generic, unbranded steak knife sets out there right now. Any super market or store with enough weight behind it will undoubtedly offer their “own brand” steak knives at a pretty competitive price. Our word of warning here is not to be seduced by these as they are ultimately all mass-produced (and your big store is simply a buyer) and generally low quality. We have seen them time and time again – innocuous looking black or wood effect handles bolted on to the fragile steel blade which is so far from having a decent cutting edge.
It is our advice to aim for a known-brand steak knife set as these should last you a life time (literally) and will be a lot more enjoyable to use. Remember, steak is a special treat so it’s worth spending a little bit more to enhance the experience.