Santoku vs Nakiri Knives – Difference – Comparison Table

In the world of Japanese chef’s knives, there are many knives which confuse the audience by their shapes. The santoku and nakiri knives are one of them. Both knives look the same at first glance but actually they have different uses. The santoku knives are also called all purpose knives and preferably used for slicing, dicing and mincing. While the nakiri knife is mostly used for chopping a vegetable. Ultimately, it comes down to personal priority when deciding between a santoku and a nakiri knife. Now in this article, we will look at the similarity and differences of santoku vs nakiri knives.

In the world of Japanese chef’s knives, there are many knives which confuse the audience by their shapes. The santoku and nakiri knives are one of them. Both knives look the same at first glance but actually they have different uses. The santoku knives are also called all purpose knives and preferably used for slicing, dicing and mincing. While the nakiri knife is mostly used for chopping a vegetable. Ultimately, it comes down to personal priority when deciding between a santoku and a nakiri knife. Now in this article, we will look at the similarity and differences of santoku vs nakiri knives.

What is a Santoku Knife?

As we already said santoku is an all rounder knife, you can use it for almost all types of work. The word santoku means three uses or three values. These things refer to three types of cuttings: slicing, dicing and mincing. Santoku knives are a combination of nakiri and gyuto and a great choice for vegetable and meat preparations. It has a smaller blade as compared to Western-style chef’s knife and is generally lighter and easier to handle. It is regularly used in Japanese kitchens but in the last few years it has gotten more popular as people have invented more benefits of it. Santoku knife is a versatile and more user friendly knife than others and could be a good choice for you.

What is a Nakiri Knife?

Nakiri is also a japanese knife which has a rectangular shape and is mainly used for chopping vegetables. The word nakiri means vegetable cutter. Contrasting to a chef’s knife, which has a curved blade ideal for dicing but a paring knife is designed to cut vegetables with a back-and-forth or up-and-down motion. Due to that reason, its main tasks are mincing a garlic, dancing onion and slicing a savoy. Furthermore, it is simple in shape which enhances its beauty that’s why many people give priority to nakiri in their kitchen. It will be a great option in the kitchen of those people who are starters or skilled cooks. 

Difference Between Santoku and Nakiri knives

We’ve taken a look at Santoku and Nakiri knives, let’s compare and contrast these two popular knife styles.

Blade The santoku has a shorter blade than chef’s knife, having a range of 12 to 18 cm. It has a thinner blade which has a less pronounced curve from the tip. This shape makes the santoku knife perfect for precise slicing and push cuts. In contrast, the nakiri knife has a long and rectangular blade ranging from 15 to 18 cm. The blade is straight from the barrel of a gun with a sharp edge making it great for slicing vegetables.

Utility The santoku knife is a well reputative and multi-faceted knife which is widely used for a variety of tasks like slicing a meat, mincing herbs and chopping vegetables. On the other hand, the nakiri is a specialized type of knife having a flat edge and square tip that is precisely designed for cutting vegetables and could be a great choice for vegetarians and fruitarians. Despite the fact, it has a similar profile to a cleaver, it is not suitable for other tasks such as cutting meat or separating bones.

Weight of the Knife If we are talking about the weight of a santoku knife, it will be 155 to 227 grams on average while the nakiri knife has less weight about 4 to 6 ounces for each handle length, it depends upon the manufacturers. Simply you can say that it is a good knife for slicing and chopping fruits and vegetables because of their lighter weight which provides more comfortness to users.

Edge Grind Nakiri knives are famous for handling a precise cutting as they have a double beveled blade which means they produce a precise cutting and also maintain their edges as well. The same goes for the Santoku, but some modern styles have thicker blades that are suitable for Western-style cooking. While selecting a santoku knife, it is important to pay strong attention to the thickness of the blades.

Slicing Action Nakiri offers strong cutting action which can slice and chop the vegetables and fruits. The santoku knife has rocking, down cutting and straight up movement which also enable us for cutting vegetables, fishes and meat.

Cost of knives Let’s have a look at both knife prices, the nakiri knife is more expensive than santoku knife as they are made of high quality materials. The santoku knives are available in the market at a reasonable price and also good for all types of work.

Type of Tip The nakiri knife has a square tip while the santoku knife has a pointed tip.

Material Used for Making a Knife Santoku knives are made of carbon steel or stainless steel, but nakiri knives are made of high quality carbon steel or Damascus steel.

Finishing The nakiri knife is decorated with a complex pattern and incises to traditional Japanese representation. The santoku knife has a polished finishing.

Why Should You Choose a Nakiri?

• Give fast and easy chopping.
• Enable you to cut all length, use a more extended and flatter region.
• It is a great selection for you if you are a veggie lover.
• Make a slices those are same size and shape

See Nakiri Knives here.

Why Should You Choose a Santoku Knife ?

• It is a great and versatile knife.
• Long tasks, such as roasting or carving pumpkins, are generally avoided.
• It would be a perfect all-rounder knife for small kitchens.
• Amazing knife for those who eat a variety of fish, meat and vegetables.

See Santoku Knives here.

Comparison Table : Nakiri vs. Santoku

Here we have described the main difference and similarities between nakiri and santoku knives in the following chart.

Characteristic	Nakiri	Santoku
Best Use	Vegetables and fruit	Fish, fruit, vegetables, cheese, and meat
Cutting Action	Straight up and down	Straight up and down, slicing or rocking
Blade Design	Straight, long, thin, squared edges	Straight edge with rounded tip, long, thin
Blade Length	5-7 inches	5-7 inches
Sharpness	28-34 degrees total	20-30 degrees total
Edge grind	Double-bevel	Most are double-bevel, some are single
Weight (7-inch)	7.5 to 9.4 ounces	6.5 to 8.5 ounces
Price	Slightly less expensive	Slightly more expensive