Suncraft Mini Santoku with Saya

This shrunken down santoku is a great stand-in for paring knives in the kitchen and on the go. It features the same traits we love about regular-sized santokus (and wish run-of-the-mill paring knives had): A slightly curved blade for smooth chopping, a sloped tip for precision control and enough height for knuckle clearance. Its craftsmanship is no surprise—Japanese company Suncraft’s in-house artisans have over 70 years of experience forging blades in Seki City, a famous knife-making area of the country. Designed with a strong stainless steel blade and sturdy handle, the Mini Santoku won’t snap or bend, unlike many flimsy paring knives. It’s great for smaller jobs and detailed handiwork, such as slicing chives and scallions, chopping shallots or garlic, julienning peppers and scoring or deboning certain cuts of meat, like chicken thighs.

The Mini Santoku comes with a magnetized saya (guard) that simply slides on or off with a pop of the thumb; it protects the blade—and your fingertips—in a crowded drawer or knife roll. Keep it in your kitchen rotation or bring it to picnics, camping trips, parties, barbecues and other places you’d need a compact, sharp blade. The Mini Santoku and Mini Nakiri are also available as a set.