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Chris’ 3 Favorite Kitchen Knives

I used to grab my European chef’s knife at the start of every recipe, but now it just sits in my knife drawer. These three Japanese– and Chinese–inspired knives speed up my food prep and make cooking fun again. - Christopher Kimball

A unique cross between a Japanese vegetable knife and a Chinese cleaver, the Kitchin-to™ will replace your chef’s knife. The knife's overall design borrows elements from our two favorite knives: the Japanese vegetable knife (nakiri) and the Chinese cleaver (cai dao). The 7-inch-long blade is nearly as tall as a cleaver—almost 2.5 inches at the butt—and 1.5 millimeters thick, much thinner than most Western-style knives and sharpened to an acute 15-17 degrees per side. The Kitchin-to™, made from German 1.4116 Steel, will hold an edge for ages without any maintenance, so it's able to mince, chop, slice and push-cut with ease. Plus, it's broad enough to use as a bench scraper for transferring chopped foods from the cutting board. And similar to a Japanese santoku, the gently arced blade design can be used for both Western- and Japanese-style cutting methods. Its blunt tip keeps fingers safe, and the butt of the bolsterless blade is curved inward to make it easy to grip for fine control. A filework pattern machined into the blade near the handle acts as a grippy, tactile point for the thumb and index finger to grasp securely.
This utility-size companion to our Kitchin-to, the Kitchin-tan strikes the perfect balance between a paring and chef’s knife, it will be your new go-to. The easy-to-maneuver 5.5-inch blade is 1.5 millimeters thick, much thinner than most Western-style knives and sharpened to an acute 15-17 degrees per side. Made from German 1.4116 Steel, it'll hold an edge for ages without any maintenance, plus its blunt tip keeps fingers safe, and the butt of the bolsterless blade is curved inward to make it easy to grip for fine control. A filework pattern machined into the blade near the handle acts as a grippy, tactile point for the thumb and index finger to grasp securely. The knife’s ergonomic handle is made from black polymer. The handle is flattened on top to securely fill the palm, then tapers downward toward the butt of the knife to accommodate a secure grip.
Milk Street Tri-Edge Knife Kitchen Knives Milk Street
The Milk Street Serrated Knife is engineered to cut through all types of bread and baked goods with ease. For starters, its designed with a pronounced sabre-like sweep that feels natural in the hand and gracefully cuts through the toughest crust. Unlike most bread knives, it’s tall enough to not bang your knuckles on the cutting board during use. Stiff at the spine and broad bladed, the knife won’t twist and turn during use. The uniquely cut blade, fashioned from high-carbon 1.4116 German steel, features 3 treatments: broad, grippy teeth at the front to gain purchase on tough crusts, finer teeth for cutting through the tender or chewy interior crumb and a short, plain razor-sharp section at the butt to cleanly finish the cut without tearing or ripping. A full-length file pattern, inspired by traditional Japanese kurouchi knife finishing, is embossed alongside each side of the blade to limit surface tension while slicing. The sculpted and ergonomic lock-in handle, consistent across our knife line, provides a secure grip to saw through the toughest loaf. The matte-finished vintage black polymer handle is durable, lightweight and comfortable.

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