The best chef's knives of 2026
The top 3 according to 68 votes from people: Shun Classic 8" · Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" · MAC MTH-80 Professional 8". (Updated Sep 26, 2026.)
Chef's knives that win long-term and lab testing in 2026 (Wirecutter, America's Test Kitchen, TechGearLab and independent testers), from budget workhorses to Japanese steel.
Top 10
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1
Shun Classic 8"
Damascus-clad VG-MAX steel, razor-sharp and beautiful.
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2
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8"
America's Test Kitchen's 'still the champ' budget knife.
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3
MAC MTH-80 Professional 8"
Outperformed 22 rivals in long-term testing; Japanese sharpness at a mid-range price.
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4
Made In 8" Chef Knife
Five-times forged nitrogen-treated steel.
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5
Wüsthof Classic 8"
German workhorse, a repeat top pick at Wirecutter and TechGearLab.
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6
Global G-2
One-piece stainless Japanese knife with dimpled handle.
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7
Misono UX10
Thin, sharp Swedish-steel gyuto loved by chefs.
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8
Mercer Culinary Genesis
Affordable forged knife used in culinary schools.
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9
Miyabi Kaizen II
Damascus FC61 steel made in Seki, Japan.
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10
Zwilling Pro 8"
Curved bolster for a comfortable pinch grip.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 10… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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11
Tojiro DP Gyuto
Budget-friendly Japanese gyuto with VG-10 core.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (21)
Great list, bookmarked. My mom needs a new knife for her birthday
Honestly a sharp cheap knife beats a dull expensive one every time
Just bought the Mercer Genesis after reading this, will report back
Tojiro DP is the best Japanese entry-level gyuto, change my mind
Global G-2 is beautiful but the handle gets slippery with wet hands
No Japanese carbon steel at all? Masamoto, Takamura? Too niche I guess
Zwilling Pro has that half bolster which makes sharpening the heel so much easier
MAC MTH-80 at #1 is what every test kitchen says. Sharp, light, and holds an edge forever.
Do you really need an 8" or is a 6" fine for a small kitchen?
8" is the sweet spot for most people. A 6" is fine if your cutting board is small.
Misono UX10 is my dream knife, way too pricey for me rn
Got the MAC after reading this. Holy cow, it's sharp.
Wüsthof Classic is heavy but indestructible. Mine is 15 years old.
Learn to sharpen with a whetstone and any of these will be amazing
Shun is gorgeous but the steel chips if you're not careful. Not for bones!
Victorinox for my parents, MAC for me. Happy family 😄
Victorinox Fibrox at #3 for under $60 is the best value in the whole kitchen.
Agree, it's what most culinary schools hand out.
Made In on a 'best knives' list feels like an ad 🤔
It did well in a few tests, but yeah, I'd pick the Tojiro over it at that price.
Miyabi Kaizen II looks stunning, that damascus pattern 😍