How Long Should a Chef's Knife Be? Choosing Blade Length
By Knife Fit · Updated · Written from the sources below, not from testing
Short answer: For a main kitchen knife, 210mm is the most common choice. Go to 180–195mm if your board is under about 30cm or you want more control, and to 240mm only if you have a large board and often cut large items. For a main santoku or bunka, 165–180mm is standard. A short petty knife of 120–150mm complements any of them.
Length by use
- 120–150mm (petty): small, precise jobs such as trimming, peeling and slicing a single shallow fruit.
- 165–180mm (santoku, bunka, small gyuto): compact all-purpose use on smaller boards.
- 195–210mm (gyuto): the usual main knife length.
- 240mm and longer (gyuto, sujihiki): long slicing strokes for large roasts and big vegetables; they need a large board and are harder to control.
What decides it
- Your board: the blade should fit along it with room for the food and your knuckles.
- Your kitchen: a longer blade needs more clear counter space to use and to store.
- Your hand and experience: a shorter blade is easier to control while you learn.
Nominal length and the usable cutting edge differ by a few millimetres between makers, and the length a store lists may be the blade or the edge. Treat the number as approximate and check the listed specifications.
Examples from the catalog
The most-compared matching knives right now, at their lowest verified, in-stock price (product price only, shipping and taxes extra).
Gyuto, 180–195mm
Gyuto, about 210mm
Keep reading
Sources
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