There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
On Trial: Made In's Santoku Knife
Tester: Danielle St. Pierre, frequent chopper of all of the fruits, veggies, herbs, and cheese you can imagine
The Brief: Since we're all cooking at home much more frequently these days, it's become very apparent which kitchen tools are the most essential. In my kitchen, it all starts with a really good knife. Up until this point, I usually reached for the same two knives for virtually any prep task. My smaller paring knife was my former go-to, and for chopping thicker root veggies, large cuts of meat, or blocks of Parmigiano-Reggiano, I would usually reach for my chef's knife.
But when direct-to-consumer kitchen tools brand Made In dropped a new Santoku knife, I had to get my hands on it. As popular as the standard chef's knife in terms of usage among both chefs and home cooks alike, the Santoku-style knife serves a similar general purpose for tasks like mincing, dicing, slicing, and chopping. But there are a few key differences between a Santoku and a chef's knife, which I learned right after my first chopping session.
The key differences between a Santoku and a chef's knife are primarily their blade shape, as well as their blade origin. Originating in Japan in the mid-20th century post-World War II, the Santoku knife features a wide, flat blade with no tip, and it also has a significantly thinner blade than a chef's knife. The steel blade of a chef's knife has no specific geographic place of origin and has a contoured, pronounced tip at the knife's end.
Due to its straight, wide, super sharp blade, as well as its balanced weight in hand, the Made In Santoku Knife is perfect for making more precise, refined slices. If you're thin-slicing uniformly sized lemon pieces to present on a platter alongside fresh lemon-lavender cocktails for guests, for example, you'd want to use your Santoku.
What I noticed right away was how comfortable this knife is to grip and maneuver. It's actually a fun knife to hold due to its sleek design and bold, color pop of a handle (I have the red one). It makes me feel like a badass chef, when in reality, I'm in my kitchen slicing onions and garlic in my sweatpants.
The ergonomic, bolstered handle doesn't rub up against my palm uncomfortably, and the weight and friction of the cutting action is fully absorbed and balanced out in the sturdy 7-inch blade. The Made In Santoku Knife feels much more lightweight than my chef's knife, too.
It should be noted that all Made In knives are made from one solid piece of stainless steel — from the tip through the hilt — which helps explain how nicely balanced and sturdy this particular Santoku knife feels in my hand.
The Made In Santoku Knife comes in three aesthetically pleasing colors: gray, black, and red. It's $99, which admittedly is a bit of an investment, but it's one of those adult purchases you'll be happy you made after using it for your daily meal prep.
Closing Argument: If your kitchen knives are due for an upgrade, or you're finding yourself cooking much more frequently and looking for one great all-purpose knife for precise slices and cuts, I recommend Made In's Santoku knife.
Fun fact: Santoku means “three virtues” in Japanese. I hope that this Santoku knife will bring you great virtue in the kitchen.
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