The 5" Cuisinart Santoku Knife featured is very economical at less than $15 and has a sharp blade and comfortable, balanced handle. This is an affordable model to try out to see how you like the Santoku style.
Santoku knives are available in 5" to 9" sizes with various handle shapes and in a wide range of prices. You do not need to spend a lot of money for a Santoku knife, there are many available for under $20 that are sharp and well balanced. Always buy what your budget will allow; you can always upgrade later if you so desire. That being said, many knife block sets feature a Santoku knife and you can often reap some savings by buying a complete set of knives, rather than purchasing all the knives you need individually.
Because of the range of sizes available, it's no problem finding one that feels good even in small hands. Although the blade is shorter and wider than a Chef's knife, food releases very well and cutting thin even slices of cheese is easily accomplished.
Santokus will not replace your other kitchen knives, you still need thin flexible knives for boning, paring, carving and filleting. Santokus are just so pleasant to use, you'll find yourself reaching more often for the Santoku knife than your other cutlery knives. You'll also want to have more than one in your kitchen.
Best Uses for Santoku Knives:
- Chopping and dicing onions and other vegetables
- Slicing block cheese - thin and even
- Slicing uncooked boneless poultry and meats
- Slicing tomatoes (when blade is sharp)
- Slicing a cooked poultry breast for sandwiches
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