If you tell a chef they’ll never quit, you’ll hear the words over and over again: a perfect knife. Whenever you will make food or any light thing without an oven or grill, you always need a good knife if you want to handle or create nice food. Millions of knives are designed for various purposes, But until you are not finalize the specific recipe as there is one for daily use. Mostly the expert chef likes to use expensive, but no worries you can enjoy a wide variety of excellent chef’s knives for under $100 each. I have used Victorinox Fibrox Pro, 8″ Chef’s Knife for some time and it was a good experience for me. Still we are going to describe our recommendation for 5 best chef knives under 100$.
- Top 5 Chef Knives for Under $100
- Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8” Chef Knife – Editor’s Choice
- Mercer Culinary 8 Inch Forged Chef’s Knife
- Zwilling Classic 8 Inch Professional Chef Knife – Best German Chef Knife for Under $100
- Dalstrong Chef Knife 8” – Gladiator Series – Best Japanese Chef Knife for Under $100
- Zwilling J.A Henckels Professional S 8” – Premium Chef Knife Under $100
- Things You Need to Consider When Buying a Chef Knife Under $100 – Buying Guide
- Conclusion
Top 5 Chef Knives for Under $100
Image
Product
Brand
Price
Warranty
Balance
Manufacturing Country
Victorinox Fibrox Pro
Victorinox
Check Pice
Lifetime
Balanced
Switzerland
Mercer Culinary 8''
Mercer Culinary
Check Price
Limited Lifetime
Well Balanced
Taiwan
Zwilling Classic 8''
Henckels
Check Price
Limited Lifetime
Balanced
Spain
Dalstrong Gladiator
Dalstrong
Check Price
Lifetime
Well Balanced
China
J.A. Henckels Classic
Zwilling
Check Price
Limited Lifetime
Well Balanced
Germany
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8” Chef Knife – Editor’s Choice
Victorinox Fibrox is great multi-purposes knife which is boldly ahead of its competition.
| General | |
| Brand | Victorinox |
| Price Range | $35-$60 |
| Balance | Balanced |
| Manufacturing Country | Switzerland |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship |
| Most Suitable For | All-around use – from carving meats to dicing vegetables and herbs |
| Dimensions | |
| Total Knife Length (In/cm) | 17/43.18 |
| Knife Weight (Oz/Gr) | 7.5/212.62 |
| Blade Length (Inches) | 7.9 |
| Blade Height (Inches) | 1.25 |
| The Blade | |
| Forged/Stamped | Stamped |
| Blade Material | Stainless Steel |
| Blade Flexibility | Not very Flexible |
| Tang | Partial Tang |
| Blade Edge | Double Bevel |
| Straight/Serrated | Straight |
| Blade Angle | 19 degrees. |
| HRC (Rockwell Hardness) | 55-56 |
| The Handle | |
| Handle Feel | Ergonomic, Non-slip |
| Handle Material | Thermoplastic Elastomers (Plastic) |
| Handle Color | Black |
This is our favorite knife and when you will read this review you will find many other people also like Victorinox knives and I am not alone here. The victorinox fibrox pro 8 inch chef knife can be used for different occasions as it has excellent quality, unique famous brand and reasonable price. Furthermore, it is highly comfortable, ergonomic and good for carving, slicing and chopping meat and other foods. The blade is extensive, sharp and long enough for cutting down various kinds of meat. Its handle is not slippable and offers constant grip and makes it safe even in the hands of beginners. The manufacturers use european steel to make it sharp, neatly curved on the cutting edges and level spined on the other, giving more strength while cutting.
Maintenance
The victorinox swiss army requires regular hand washing of knives using soap and water and then dry it quickly. It is also a dishwasher safe knife but still we recommend washing it with your hand as the dishwasher method can cause the knife to dull faster.
Pros:
Cons:
Read now >> Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef Knife Review
Mercer Culinary 8 Inch Forged Chef’s Knife
For doing precise cutting, the Mercer culinary 8” forged chef knife is the best choice.
| General | |
| Brand | Mercer Culinary |
| Price Range | $55-$70 |
| Balance | Well Balanced |
| Manufacturing Country | Taiwan |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
| Most Suitable For | All-around – slicing and dicing meat, vegetables, fruits, and herbs |
| Dimensions | |
| Total Knife Length (In/cm) | 15/38.10 |
| Cleaver Weight (Oz/Gr) | 9.1/257.98 |
| Blade Length (Inches) | 8 |
| Blade Height (Inches) | 1.9375 |
| The Blade | |
| Forged/Stamped | Forged |
| Blade Material | High-carbon stainless steel |
| Blade Flexibility | Unknown |
| Tang | Full Tang |
| Blade Edge | Double Bevel |
| Straight/Serrated | Straight |
| Blade Angle | 15 degrees on each side |
| HRC (Rockwell Hardness) | 56+/-1 |
| The Handle | |
| Handle Feel | Ergonomic |
| Handle Material | Delrin |
| Handle Color | Black |
This delicately crafted chef’s knife is made from a single piece of high carbon stainless steel. The full tang blade has the capability to resist the rust with a taper ground edge and provide high precision while slicing meat, fruit and vegetables. There are three laches connected the handle to blade for better durability and balance. Furthermore, the handle of Mercer culinary 8” forged chef knife is very comfortable, ergonomic and safe. Since this is an American knife, we give it good credit and for the price, this knife seems like a safe bet.
Maintenance
- Always clean it with water and soap and use cloth to dry the knife or can also use the towel to dry it quickly.
- Don’t apply a dishwasher method on it.
Pros:
Cons:
Zwilling Classic 8 Inch Professional Chef Knife – Best German Chef Knife for Under $100
It is the best multi purpose knife having a particular protection.
| General | |
| Brand | J.A Henckels International (Zwilling) |
| Price Range | $65-$110 |
| Balance | Balanced |
| Manufacturing Country | Spain |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
| Most Suitable For | All-around – chopping, dicing and mincing anything from potatoes and apples to salmon and shallots |
| Dimensions | |
| Total Knife Length (In/cm) | 13.39/34.01 |
| Cleaver Weight (Oz/Gr) | 11.20/317.51 |
| Blade Length (Inches) | 7.87 |
| Blade Height (Inches) | 1.81 |
| The Blade | |
| Forged/Stamped | Forged |
| Blade Material | German stainless steel |
| Blade Flexibility | Not very Flexible |
| Tang | Full Tang |
| Blade Edge | V-edge |
| Straight/Serrated | Straight |
| Blade Angle | 15 degrees on each side |
| HRC (Rockwell Hardness) | 55-58 |
| The Handle | |
| Handle Feel | Ergonomic |
| Handle Material | Plastic |
| Handle Color | Black |
It is a German high quality product and the ZWILLING Classic 8-inch Professional Chef Knife is not different from it. It’s fully forged production based on solid stainless steel and is very balanced, with a triple rivet handle making the blade fair and durable. The full bolster provides prevention and give cook confidence while doing dicing, mincing, chopping, meat and vegetables.
Maintenance
Wash it with your hand using mild cleanser and dry it quickly, it is also dishwasher safe.
Pros:
Cons:
Dalstrong Chef Knife 8” – Gladiator Series – Best Japanese Chef Knife for Under $100
Dalstrong chef knife 8” knife comes with beautiful design, great balance and ductile japanese blade.
| General | |
| Brand | DALSTRONG |
| Price Range | $75 – $85 |
| Balance | Well Balanced |
| Manufacturing Country | Germany |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty against defects |
| Most Suitable For | All-around |
| Dimensions | |
| Total Knife Length (In/cm) | 16/40.64 |
| Knife Weight (Oz/Gr) | 10.40/294.83 |
| Blade Length (Inches) | 7 |
| Blade Height (Inches) | 2.2 |
| Blade Thickness/Width (Inches) | 0.08 |
| The Blade | |
| Forged/Stamped | Forged |
| Blade Material | ThyssenKrupp HC German Steel |
| Blade Flexibility | Flexible |
| Tang | Full Tang |
| Blade Edge | Double Bevel |
| Straight/Serrated | Straight |
| Blade Angle | 16-18 degrees |
| HRC (Rockwell Hardness) | 56+ |
| The Handle | |
| Handle Feel | Ergonomic, high maneuverability |
| Handle Material | PakkaWood |
| Handle Color | Black G10 Handle |
This beautiful knife is a true beauty. The Japanese craftsmanship gives their best and represents the Dalstrong chef knife 7” – Gladiator series is an all -rounder and multi-tasker pleasant to humankind. It is a favorite knife by a lot of expert chefs and beginners as it has perfect design and usability. It has a high carbon stainless steel blade which is coated with chromium to get long lasting sharpness. Furthermore, three riveted handles made with pakkawood and give its amazing look without adjusting the comfort and safety. Usually it is used for heavy duty tasks like making chops, accurate slicing, filleting a fish and dicing work. It comes with unique and beautiful branded sheath to keep the quality and sharpness of the knife.
Maintenance
Don’t apply a dishwasher method on it as the wooden handle may gather moisture and clamminess. Simply clean it with water and gadget soap, pass a wet cloth over it and then dry nicely. If it is not in use then keep it in a provided sheath.
Pros:
Cons:
Zwilling J.A Henckels Professional S 8” – Premium Chef Knife Under $100
It’s the best knife with perfect value for money.
| General | |
| Brand | ZWILLING |
| Price Range | $115 – $120 |
| Balance | Balanced |
| Manufacturing Country | Germany |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime |
| Most Suitable For | Ideal for all kitchen activities |
| Dimensions | |
| Total Knife Length (In/cm) | 16.5/41.91 |
| Knife Weight (Oz/Gr) | 9.8/277.83 |
| Blade Length (Inches) | 8 |
| Blade Height (Inches) | 1.5 |
| Blade Thickness/Width (Inches) | 0.7 |
| The Blade | |
| Forged/Stamped | Forged |
| Blade Material | Carbon Steel |
| Blade Flexibility | Slightly Flexible |
| Tang | Full Tang |
| Blade Edge | V-Edge |
| Straight/Serrated | Straight |
| Blade Angle | 15 Per side |
| HRC (Rockwell Hardness) | 57 |
| The Handle | |
| Handle Feel | Ergonomic |
| Handle Material | Plastic |
| Handle Color | Black |
It is a German one piece forged constructed knife having amazing geometry and cutting edge laser technology to give high performance and accurate cutting of meat, veggies and fruit without any efforts. The high-carbon stainless steel blade is ice-hardened and stays sharp longer. The Zwilling J.A. Henckels Professional S 8 Inch knife is easy to use and comfortable because it has an appropriate polymer handle. Majority of expert cooks recommend it as it can be used for a long time and give more precise work.
Maintenance
Washing it with your hand is highly recommended and dry the blade as soon as possible. No doubt, the knife is dishwasher safe but still we recommend using the hand wash method in order to get good results.
Pros:
Cons:
Things You Need to Consider When Buying a Chef Knife Under $100 – Buying Guide
Once you buy a chef knife which means you have been an expert in your kitchen. The chefs or cooks constantly practice, learn and earn skill while using their knives and the home chefs also get confidence and become able to use their knives in their kitchen. Due to that reason, we suggest paying attention to specific things like quality, size and other important things. You should also read our chef knife buying guide for more detail about it but in the meantime you can get information as a starter from the following section.
Knife’s Length
Knives having a perfect length will be necessary for control, stability and entire safety of users. Usually the expert chefs use a 12 inch knife while the home cooks use an 8” knife in their kitchen. The length of the knife is measured from the blade’s tip to its bolster. The handle is changed from knife to knife and we recommend using only those handles which feel suitable and comfortable in your hands.
Blade Material
The combination of different materials determines the quality of the knife blade. Nowadays, stainless steel is used, which can be cheap and not very compact. The science behind steel blades is over a thousand years old. With today’s awareness and technology, high carbon steel or other high quality ceramics and polymers are needed to make an excellent, solid blade that can withstand heavy duty tasks without breaking or dulling. When buying a chef’s knife for less than $100, you don’t think that the blade I mentioned here is not quality.
Warranty
Chef knives offer lifetime warranty to its customers as its manufacturer states that only high quality materials are used in the manufacturing of the knife. In fact, all chef knives are of high quality because you don’t need to check the warranty but just in case, it’s a good idea to check what the warranty covers. For example, if the knife is tarnished, rusted or dulls quickly or more, it guarantees that your money will not be wasted even if it is less than $100.
Conclusion
Cooking is like an art, as the artist could be different but they use the same tool while doing work. A great chef’s knife is not something you should resolve if you like creating this art, and even if you are a beginner, you have to start somewhere. In under 100$, you can get a good start, get experience, skill and benefit. Being a chef, I still would like to recommend The victorinox Fibrox Pro 8” knife but beside this i also mentioned some more options here that you can try and enjoy them.