5 Best German Kitchen Knives – Review and Buying Guide

German Kitchen Knives have the heart of many professional chefs and culinary students. 

Since all are equally durable, sharp, good edge retentive, and constructed of quality materials.

That is why choosing the best among them has been a headache.

But you don’t need to worry, as you have arrived here.

We did extensive research just for the sake of making your purchase profitable.

Accordingly, we picked the best of all the German Knives.

Then we have also included the essential factors to know before purchasing the best German Kitchen Knives.

You can find the related queries at the end of the section.

So what are you waiting for? Just go ahead and get the best German Kitchen Knife.

What to look for when buying the Best German Kitchen Knives?

An image of German Kitchen Knives

1.   Handle

When it comes to holding a knife safely and correctly; then the handle matters most.

In the case of German knives, the handle is made of an alloy, making it sturdy enough to hold it safely. 

In the same way, you should know what size of knife will suit your hands best.

If you have small hands, go for small knives, while in the case of big hands, going for a large knife will meet your needs appropriately.

Moreover, you can also consider buying complete, half, or zero bolster handles knives.

Full bolster knives are suitable to protect your knives completely and thus reduce the blade sharpness.

While the half bolster protects your hands little, along with mediocre blade sharpness.

The zero bolster handle with great sharpness blade does not keep your hands safe.

2.   Blade size

You should also consider an appropriate blade size before making a purchase.

Accordingly, if you need to buy knives for regular kitchen cuttings and slicing, a blade of a mall size can be helpful. 

However, if you have to use knives for some heavy uses, you should go for a large-blade knife.

Usually, knives of about 9 to 12 inches are a good choice for doing cuttings on an extensive basis. 

3.   Weight

Another essential factor to remember before purchasing a German knife is its weight.

It’s crucial to know which weight you can handle easily.

If you have to use a knife for random kitchen use, the best knife for you is medium weight.

However, for arduous culinary duties, you can consider buying a German knife of large size blade.

In the same way, if you have short fingers, then small blades can help you best.

4.   Durability

You will not want to purchase a knife that leaves you early after using it for a few days.

That is why among the best knives, you should go for the one with the most durability. 

German knives are famous for their durability and other additional features.

But still, you have to do some research to select the German blade.

Which can withstand wear and tear or other damages and hence does not leave you shortly.

So, it is worth the investment if your German knives can survive more than usual. 

5.   Quality of Construction Material

Nobody wants to invest money and time in something useless.

Whether you are shopping for anything online or physically, you must focus on the quality of the product’s material.

When purchasing German knives online, the best way to check the quality of the product is to see customer reviews.

If the knife material has gotten some negative reviews, you should opt for any other German knife, but the positive reviews are a sign of quality.

In contrast, you can also ask your friends or anyone who has purchased German knives about the quality.

Related Reading: Best Bag For Chef knives – Click Here To Read More.

The 5 Best German Kitchen Knives

1.   Wusthof

Features

Here comes the best German Kitchen Knife.

We assign it the number one position among the German Knives.

And for anyone who wants to get the best German Kitchen Knife, Wusthof comes to mind. 

The Wusthof brand has more than 100 years of experience in the field.

Therefore you can judge the quality of their Geran Knives from their business time.

Regarding the features, the Wusthof German Kitchen Knife has a handle of 4.5 inches which is triple-rived.

Moreover, this knife provides you, with safety guards, for your fingers as well.

Thus they keep your fingers safe from slicing.

It has a blade of 8 inches, which is quite enough for doing hard-duty cuttings or slicing.

However, it weighs 8.5 ounces, ensuring delicate cooking.

You also don’t have to worry about stains because the Wusthof comes with top-notch edge retention.

The presence of carbon steel prevents this knife from getting corrosive.

Pros

  • It has German stainless steel.
  • Sharp blade
  • Effective precision
  • Rockwell hardness of 58
  • Durable blades 

Cons

  • Little bit expensive
  • Weighty for carrying out regular culinary chores

2.   Zwilling

an image of kitchen knife bag

Features

Zwilling has the heart of many people when it comes to buying the best German Kitchen Knives.

You can understand the quality performance of this knife by knowing that Zwilling has been manufacturing knives for up to 3 centuries. 

The handle is polymer composed.

An 8 inches blade with a Rockwell hardness of 57 is what you should consider for making a quality investment.

Zwilling offers you a blade being ice-hardened.

Accordingly, you do not have to frequently sharpen the blade of the Zwinger in contrast to other German Knives.

You will like that it’s made from single steel.

Thus it’s durable and strong alike.

The good thing about its features is its ability to clean in a dishwasher.

Pros

  • Corrosion avoiding, Carbon
  • Sharp blade
  • Better grip
  • Affordable
  • Made in Germany

Cons

  • Full bolster
  • Blades may become dull swiftly.

3.   Messermeister

Features

Messermeister is not a well-known brand like Wusthof or Zwilling but is neither far behind in the list of the best German Kitchen Knives. 

This knife comes in a lucrative black color with many exceptional features.

First, the length of its blade is 9 inches, which is more than enough for carrying out heavy culinary cuttings.

It also has a rich quantity of Carbon along with German steel.

In this way, it gives rise to the sharpness of the blade.

Interestingly, it has a Rockwell hardness of 58.

You can guess the blade’s sharpness by knowing that it has an edge of 15 degrees and it’s handcrafted.

So you can easily do heavy cuttings.

When it comes to the handle of the Messermeister German Knife, you have a good grip on it.

It’s made of steel, thus allowing you to beautifully use the knife by holding it accurately.

Fortunately, it’s manufactured in Solingen, Germany.

Therefore it gives you a warranty for the entire lifetime, making the return feasible for you if you ever face any manufacturing errors.

Pros

  • German steel with carbon content
  • Multifunctional
  • Hand made

Cons

  • A little bit expensive

4.   Mercer

Features

Mercer, one of the useful German Kitchen Knives, attracts professional chefs.

It’s an emerging brand of knives with charming white color. 

The most exciting thing about the Mercer knife is that its handle is ash wood.

It means moisture can’t affect it and maintain the blade’s sharpness.

The handle is triple riveted, giving your fingers more safety.

However, the blade of Mercer is 8 inches in length.

It comes with a protector.

You can use this protector to protect the blade.

The blade is corrosion free due to German stainless steel.

The Mercer is also made of single steel.

Therefore you can trust its durability and hardness.

Pros

  • Cover to protect the blade
  • Affordable
  • Handle of ash wood

Cons

  • No bolster

5.   Gude

Features

Gude has been manufacturing the best German Kitchen Knives for over 100 years.

So you can have a better imagination of its quality knives. 

The Gude knives are manufactured in Solingen, Germany, allowing you a lifetime warranty.

The blade, composed of Chrome moly, has a half bolster and is sharpened by hand.

Its handle is composed chiefly of pearwood or Hostaform.

This wood is durable and can easily do heavy cuttings.

This knife comes with a Rockwell hardness of 56 and has edge retention of up to 17 degrees.

Pros

  • African wood handle
  • Ice-hardened blades
  • Made in Solingen, Germany                        

Cons

  • Handles can’t be dish-washed

Related Reading: Self-sharpening Knife Set – Learn More About These Knives Here.

How to maintain German Kitchen Knives?

an image of kitchen knife

The buying procedure is relatively easy, but maintaining the German knives’ condition requires effort. 

Yes! You have to take care of your knives if you want them to keep supporting you in your cooking.

Meanwhile, the best way to maintain your German Kitchen Knives is to clean them thoroughly after every use.

Doing this will retain not only their sharpness but also their shininess.

You can wash them in a dishwasher, which may affect the quality of your German knives.

Therefore, cleaning the knives with your hands is a good way of maintaining hygiene and quality.

Maintenance of the German Kitchen Knives also includes retaining the sharpness of the blades.

Having this in mind, you should go for the knives which require little sharpening effort.

If you buy knives with a maximum sharpening requirement, then daily sharpening will ruin the knives’ blades.

Keep your knives in the knife block instead of spreading them here and there.

It is another effective way to maintain the style and blade of your German Kitchen Knives.

Consequently, those were the simplest methods to maintain German Kitchen Knives.

Following the most straightforward steps above, you can comfortably hold their quality, sharpness, and style.

How can you know whether these are real German kitchen knives or not?

There are some complicated ways of determining the originality of German Kitchen Knives.

Still, we have picked out the easiest method to help you get the original German Kitchen Knives. 

The easiest way to know whether you have purchased the authentic German Kitchen Knife or not is to focus on the labels or stamps on the tang.

If it’s showing “Boker,” this knife is made in China with some final manufacturing in Germany.

However, if the stamp shows “German Steel,” it means this knife is made in China.

Accordingly, if there is “Solingen” on the stamp, it indicates the real German Kitchen Knives.

Best German Kitchen Knives—FAQs

Why are German Kitchen Knives so famous?

They are famous for durability, big blades, and good edge retention.

Are German Kitchen Knives worth the money?

They are definitely worth the money. 

Which German Knives brand is overall best?

Although all brands of German Kitchen Knives are famous but among them, Wusthof comes in the first position.

Why are German Knives considered best?

The German makers have been making efforts for centuries to improve the overall quality and durability of German knives.

Therefore, they and Japanese knives are considered best.

Are German Kitchen Knives cheap in Germany?

You can purchase them at a low price in Germany relative to other countries.

What should be the hardness of my German Kitchen Knives?

The higher the Rockwell hardness, the more hardness your German knife will have.

Which German Kitchen knife is constructed entirely of a single piece of metal?

Almost all German Knives are constructed of a single metal.

Should I choose German Kitchen Knives or Japanese Kitchen knives?

Both are quality knives.

The only difference is that German knives are more durable, and Japanese knives are sharper.

When do I sharpen the German Kitchen Knife’s blade?

It’s good to sharpen the blade at least once after a few months.

Why choose German Kitchen Knives?

You can choose them due to their quality material, comfortable handles, sharpest blades, and durability.

Related Reading: Knife Sets That Are Safe For Dishwasher – Click Here To Read More.

Wrap Up – Best German Kitchen Knives Guide

For all those who want to make a worthwhile investment in knives, German Kitchen Knives are worth their time and money.

You can go either for the best-selling Wusthof or Mercer.

Both will serve you equally in cuttings, slicing, and whatnot. 

Hence, if you ever decide to invest in the best German knives, we’ve enlisted above.

You are welcome to consider the above-listed factors to make your purchase as fruitful as possible.