Most Japanese home cooks favor a style of chef’s knife called the santoku, but the long-standing design could use a few improvements. Chef’s knives and santokus are often too bulky, heavy or long, unwieldy in the hand and less accurate during prep. The blades that remain in our steady rotation are smaller ones with all-purpose utility—we prefer razor-sharp, compact tools that can slice dense potatoes, carve chicken legs, peel apples and everything in between. That’s why we decided to blend traditional Japanese knife design with Milk Street innovation with the new 4.8-ounce Kitchin-kiji XL. It does all the heavy lifting of a chef’s knife in a lightweight package.
We started with a 6.25-inch-long stiff blade that is shorter than the everyday chef’s knife, which offers more power and precision when slicing onions or dicing fruit. We further maximized leverage by balancing the blade height, handle-to-tip angle and pronounced edge. The almost-consistent height means there is plenty of steel to protect your fingers when prepping, and it also works well for scooping up mirepoix to transfer from cutting board to skillet or mixing bowl. The progressive curve of the blade’s belly makes for easy rock chopping and mincing, while the pointed tip helps you trim fat from meat or mince alliums. Plus, the super-thin blade is treated with a textured file pattern for extra traction when pinch gripping the blade at the spine.
The Kitchin-kiji XL is equipped with Milk Street’s signature ergonomic handle, which provides a “lock-in” feel and fills the palm for a secure grip. Since it’s oversized, the handle is long enough for powering through tough butternut squash, but comfortable enough to choke up for detail work and technical cuts, like trimming mushrooms or peeling shallots. The handle tapers towards the blade for a comfortable transition between handle and blade—a benefit that few knives take into account. Its dual-durometer material has a polymer core with a grippy, tactile finish; the base layer provides stability when gripped tight and the thinner, softer exterior gives to accommodate the hand. The handle’s pronounced texturing ensures the knife stays safely put whether it’s wet or greasy.
Cart
