Shun Classic Santoku

The santoku knife is a Japanese-style alternative to the chef's knife. It has a shorter, thinner blade, a straighter cutting edge and a blunter tip than the traditional chef's knife. Reviewers find these knives excellent for delicate tasks, such as thinly slicing vegetables. However, they are not as versatile as a traditional chef's knife. For example, their straighter blades cannot achieve the rocking motion Western chefs favor for mincing vegetables and herbs.

Although there is less consensus about the best santoku than other types of knives, we found two good reviews for the Shun Classic Santoku. Additionally, we found excellent reviews for the sister model, the Classic 7-inch Santoku Hollow Ground Knife, which is praised by reviewers for being easy-to-handle and comfortable to use. It's the top pick in one 10-knife roundup, and another reviewer praises it as a "comfortable, gracefully sharp" knife. A buyer's guide lists it as one of the top Japanese-style knives, calling it "slender, sharp, fluid, nicely balanced, and truly comfortable." User reviews for this knife are positive, although a couple warn that the blade is very delicate and can chip or snap if mishandled. If you prefer a traditional chef's knife, consider a Wusthof Classic (*Est. $180 for three) or a less expensive Victorinox Swiss Classic (*Est. $65 for three) .

We found only two publications that have evaluated the Shun Classic Santoku in the past five years: New York and Food & Wine magazines. However, this knife is also one of four Japanese-style knives recommended in an undated buying guide from Fine Cooking magazine. Owner reviews at Amazon.com are worth a look; users give some safety tips to think about when using this knife. The 3-piece Shun Classic Starter Set (*Est. $270) is also praised as a top pick in two reviews.