The best everyday steak knives are an essential item to have in your kitchen. They make cutting steak easier, but also can be used for a variety of purposes. Cutting the steak is part of the enjoyment, and no ordinary knife can do the job properly, which is why you should always go for a steak knife. Whether you like your steak rare, medium or well-done, a dull and ordinary knife can ruin your dining experience, and using brute force to cut the steak can also result in an injury.
Steak knives are usually the sharpest knives you’ll find in the kitchen and they are primarily used for cutting steak, hence the name. But aside from cutting steak, the best everyday steak knives can also be used for cutting meats such as chicken and ribs, or various types of bread and fruit. But for the finer meats, you should use a quality steak knife.
In this article, we help you learn and understand everything there is to know about the best everyday steak knives.
The Best Everyday Steak Knives – Serrated Blade vs. Straight Blade
Who doesn’t love a good steak? For the true steak lovers, having the right kind of knife is super important. If you are in the market for a proper steak knife, you’ll likely find out that the serrated and non-serrated are the two major types of steak knives. While the serrated knives are more popular in the U.S., the non-serrated are most commonly used in Europe.
Understanding the difference between these two types will make a huge difference in the way you cut and consume your meat. Each type has various and unique benefits you can utilize.
Serrated blade
Serrated blades are the most common choice for steak knives by the majority of people. The main feature on a serrated blade is the ‘teeth’ or ‘gullets’ along its cutting edge. Rather than cutting the meat in a single sweep, the serrated blade is used in a sawing motion to make your incision, allowing you to cut effortlessly through foods with a thick or tough exterior.
Serrated blades are some of the best everyday steak knives because of their versatility, given how you can use them on many occasions, such as cutting bread, fruits, meat, roasts, etc. On the positive side, a serrated blade is likely to stay sharper for a longer period and doesn’t need as much maintenance as a straight blade. On the negative side, when the time does come for sharpening, you may find it to be a troubling task. Although it’s possible to do at home, most people seek professional assistance. To find out what serrated edge steak knives we recommend, read here.
Non-serrated or straight edge blade
As its name suggests, a non-serrated blade is mainly characterized as a straight blade. There are no ‘teeth’ on a straight blade, just a sharp edge for cutting food.
When cutting with a serrated blade, the knife tears through the meat. With a straight blade, you will be able to create a cleaner cut through the meat with a single stroke, because of this you skip the sawing motion altogether. If you prefer a more basic knife, a steak knife with a straight blade is the right choice for you.
The biggest downside of a straight blade is the need for more maintenance. Since they’re generally used on hard cutting surfaces like ceramic plates, the non-serrated blades become very blunt and must be sharpened often. A straight blade should be sharpened once every two weeks, however, straight blades are much easier to sharpen, you won’t need professional assistance. To find out what straight edge steak knives we recommend, read here.
Things to Look for When Choosing a Steak Knife
When it comes to the best everyday steak knives, there are countless variations and specifications you can look for. But factors such as balance, material, blade size/handle can make or break a great steak knife.
Blade material – The quality of the blade material should never be overlooked. Most steak knives today have blades that are made from stainless steel, and there are a few types of stainless steel you can choose from, including cold steel, tempered, and hard carbon. Stainless steel knives with high carbon content are a very popular choice because of the durability of the material, that’s also easy to sharpen.
Handles – The most common materials for handles include wood, steel, and poly or plastic. If you choose a steak knife with a wooden handle, placing the knife in the dishwasher is a big NO. If not protected correctly, over time wood can rot, crack, and splinter. Try to keep the handle as dry as possible by hand washing the knife.
Balance – Not many people think of this when buying a steak knife, but the balance of the steak knife and how comfortable the knife is in your hand is just as important as the sharpness. The best everyday steak knives should be well balanced, easy to hold, and have good proportions, thus enabling you to cut through foods smoothly and effortlessly.
Safety – The best everyday steak knives need to be safe to use, especially around your loved ones. To ensure that the blade will not come out from the handle unexpectedly during dining, you should aim for a steak knife with a full tang.
Conclusion
The best everyday steak knives can come in many forms, shapes, and sizes, only you can know which one will work the best for you and whose features satisfy your needs.
The truth is, there’s no consensus on what makes a good steak knife. But if you love cooking and spend a lot of time in the kitchen, your steak knife is going to be the number one item you have.
On a professional level, you will find that chefs use a combination of the two, but for home use, the serrated knives have the edge over the non-serrated because they require hardly any maintenance and they don’t need sharpening that often.
Both serrated and straight-blade steak knives will get the job done. It comes down to personal preference, some people prefer cutting their steaks with the serrated blade, others prefer using the straight-blade. In the end, why not use both? With proper care and maintenance, the best everyday steak knives will serve you for a long time.