Don’t you hate it when the meat comes out of the oven looking like a tough mess? Or what about those days where you’re cooking for guests and your knives aren’t sharp enough to slice through the meat without sawing at it and tearing off chunks.
Well, we’ve got some good news: carving knives exist! And they’re here to help. We’ve rounded up our top seven favorite carving knives that will make slicing, dicing, and carving your next meal a breeze!
Best Carving Knives 2022 At A Glance:
- Best Overall: Dalstrong 12-inch Granton Edge Shogun (Read Our Review)
- Best Set: Wusthof Classic 2-Piece Carving Set (Read Our Review)
- Best Budget: Mercer Culinary Millennia Granton (Read Our Review)
- Best Slicing Knife: Victorinox Fibrox Pro Slicing Knife (Read Our Review)
- Premium Pick: Global G-10 High Carbon Stainless Steel Slicing Knife (Read Our Review)
- Best Ergonomic: Wusthof Pro Hollow Slicing Knife (Read Our Review)
- Best Carving Knife: MAIRICO 11 Inch Stainless Steel Carving Knife (Read Our Review)
1. Dalstrong 12-inch Granton Edge Shogun – Best Overall
Dalstrong’s Granton Edge Slicing Carving Knife 13′′ is built from single cast Japanese forged wood with high corrosion resistance. The hard steel is ground to a tight 8-12 degrees per side for scalpel-like sharpness and a smooth clean cut that leaves flavorful juices in the food rather than the cutting board.
A tapered blade decreases surface resistance, and fluted Granton dimples, coupled with the Damascus cladding reduce resistance so food will spill easily. The tough long-lasting handle is constructed from G-10 Garolite a fiberglass epoxy composite with excellent strength and waterproof ability.
2. Wusthof Classic 2-Piece Carving Set – Best Set
Wusthof Classic 2-part carving set includes a 12-inch knife and a 6-inch knife for cutting through turkey or roasts. Granton edges will assist in keeping the body’s contents from sticking to the blade.
Double-riveted handles are made of tough synthetic Polyoxymethylene that mimics real wood in both appearance and texture. Hand washes are recommended with this knife.
3. Mercer Culinary Millennia Granton – Best Budget
Mercer Culinary M23011 Millennial 11-inch Granton slicer knife. Features high-carbon Japanese steel stamped blade has excellent stain and corrosion resistance. NSF certified for meeting the rigorous safety standards of the professional kitchen. Includes lifetime warranty Mercer is free without defects in materials or workmanship.
The Millenia Slicer offers quality design, comfort, and control. The ergonomic grip is made of a combination of polypropylene and Santoprene for a comfortable and fatigue-proof grip. Textured finger points provide a safe and slip-resistant grip while a deep guard finger is provided with extra security.
4. Victorinox Fibrox Pro Slicing Knife – Best Slicing Knife
The Victorinox Fibrox Pro Commercial Surgical Slicing Knife provides optimal cut performance on large amounts of meat, fruit, vegetable, cakes, or bread. A high-carbon coated, stainless steel blade has expanded flexibility for thin uniform portions and is highly stain and corrosion-resistant. The Fibrox hand offers the most consistent, clean surface and can be both reliable and lightweight.
One of the most comfortable and ergonomically able models we found the pro provides optimal weight and a comfortable grip for maximum comfort. NSF Certified satisfies the rigorous hygiene standards required in commercial kitchens. Dishwasher safe, but handwashing is necessary.
5. Global G-10 High Carbon Stainless Steel Slicing Knife – Premium Pick
The Global G-10 is thick, wide, and flexible with a unique profile. Made in Japan the model is compatible with Global Global’s lifetime warranty against material defects. Lightweight and well-balanced carving thin uniform portions with a single stroke is the norm, making it ideal for slicing roasted meats, poultry, and salmon.
The long and very thin blade is highly flexible and amazingly agile – suitable for carving bone-in meats such as hams, turkeys, or ribs. The handle is filled with sand in a precise way to deliver heft and balance and contribute to enhanced control. The knife is composed of high-chromium stainless steel.
6. Wusthof Pro Hollow Slicing Knife – Best Ergonomic
Wusthof Pro 10-inch Hollow Slicer in their Pro Series is designed to meet the strict demands of commercial kitchens. The precision-stamped blade is constructed of stainless steel of high carbon that has a brilliantly sharp cutting edge, excellent edge retention, and premium stain and rust resistance. The handles are ergonomically engineered for comfort, safety, and control.
It has an inner core for long-lasting stability and resilience while the outer shell delivers superb slip-resistant control and fatigue-free usage. The blade has an edge and the proper balance to cut thin even slices without buckling.
7. MAIRICO 11 Inch Stainless Steel Carving Knife – Best Carving Knife
This is a top-quality knife that delivers the precision and durability you need to carve meat like a professional. It’s designed with an ultra-sharp blade, so it cuts through meats effortlessly, delivering precise slices every time. The long 11-inch blade provides enough reach for big roasts and briskets but also works well on smaller cuts of meat.
The high carbon stainless steel blade is designed to hold its edge, so you can use this knife time after time without having to sharpen it. The serrated edge allows you to cut through tough meats with ease
This is the perfect knife for carving meat, vegetables, and fruits. It’s long enough to cut through brisket, pork loins, turkey ham smoked salmon, and roast. It can also be used to slice fruits and vegetables. The stainless steel blade makes it easy to clean after use. This knife will last you a lifetime if taken care of properly. This is an amazing tool that every man should have in his kitchen!
What Is A Carving Knife?
A carving knife is an important piece to add to your knife if you prepare and eat many large roast and meat portions. Carving knives vary from eight to 14 inches through the most popular is a 12-inch carving knife. The terms carving knife and slicer are usually employed interchangeably. Some carving knives have pointed tips and some have a round tip.
A Granton edge decreases friction and drags while slicing and helps keep foods from sticking to the knife. A pointed tip helps you carve off meat while working around bones and joints. A round tip is great for roasting the pork or bonelessly.
Cutting Vs. Carving Knives
These knives were created for the purpose of cutting large pieces of meat. Carving is actually the blade of the slice cutter but its stiffer version is usually more rigid and more durable. Slicers generally have rounded tips to avoid accidental piercing of food resulting in the release of precious juice.
These blades are sometimes slightly taller than carvers up to 2 inches longer. The shape of bread and slicers makes them also an important choice to portion baguettes, bread, and cake layers or to slice large fruits and vegetables – a wonderful feature that gives them dual purposes. The size blade and thin height are used to slice large dishes quickly and evenly.
Electric Carving Knives
An electric carving knife is a kitchen gadget that is used to carve poultry and meat cooked on the rib side. It can also be used for slicing kuchen, cake, or bread without interference from gravity. When cooking with gas and grilling up roast meals such as roast beef, using an electric knife prevents burns from coming into contact with roasting juices.
Electric knives are often preferred by chefs because of their ability to handle meat curvings more cautiously than hand-carved products that could lead to too much skinning of the underlying muscle layer. Another benefit of this type of blade is its versatility in dealing with the bones and tough membranes present in tougher meats like poultry and pork.
How Do We Choose The Best Carving Knife?
Some carving knives come in sets with carving forks. If you become a professional chef you may need either a pointed-tip carved knife or a rounded-edged carving knife. Forged knives are usually harder. These knives have better edge retention.
In terms of sharpening, the harder the steel so that there’s good durability you want an easy blade. All Dalstrong knives pictured below are forged and their blades are heavier and high quality. Decide for yourself which one (or two!) fits most accurately your cutting demands, preferences, and style.
Handles
Handles with a surface might reduce slippage if the hand is moist from grease. We favored materials such as pakkawood (wood impregnated with resin to improve its stability and water resistance) textured steel or thermoplastic polymers which are nonslip-absorbing and provide. We prefer materials such as hardwood made up of resin for water resistance and water-resistant materials.
Blade Length
The knife reviewed in the present report range from 8 to 12″ thick. The bigger the blade the more you will need to chop it. This is why carving knives typically range in length between 8 and 10 feet in width while cutting devices typically have up to 11 inches.
Blade Material
Blade material is important because it affects the strength and durability of your knife. Carbon steel blades can take a lot of punishment but will rust and need to be sharpened more often than stainless steel which is stronger but costlier and requires less maintenance.
High carbon stainless steel or carbon steel blades are a good middle ground; perfect for people who aren’t great at taking care of their knives, don’t mind paying more in the long run, or want something that will last them a lifetime.
Katana-style Japanese knives also feature high carbon stainless steel blades with VG-10 Japanese steels (sometimes called san mai), while some other kitchen knives use lower-quality imports.
Handle Material
The handle is the part of the knife that is gripped by the user, which can vary substantially not just between knives but also among manufacturers. Handles on some brands are crafted of steel and aluminum, while others are made with resins, wood, or fiberglass.
While some handles may be too heavy for certain people (especially younger ones), most handles don’t present a problem in this regard. Some people find wooden handles less grippy than their metal counterparts, but generally speaking, there’s no real advantage to one material over another.
Best Carving Knife FAQ: 
What Knife Do You Use For Carving Meat?
Well, in general, there are three types of knives that people use. The first is a chef’s knife which is used for most carving and can be purchased at any kitchen supply store. The second type of carving blade has a straight curvature called a fillet knife and is typically more expensive than the other two options because it specializes in fish.
The third type of blade used for meat cutting is called a slicing or carving machine and it can cut elaborate patterns of slices so an expert would usually be required to purchase this expensive tool. Naturally, having the right knife and knowing how to use it correctly will assure your success when you carve any size piece of meat on the holidays
Should Carving Knives Be Serrated?
Yes, a carving knife generally has a serrated blade to allow for a clean cut without plowing the food. The serrated edge adds traction and makes it easier to cut through foods with tender fibers or bone structures.
Finally, because the serration is sharpened primarily only on one side of the blade, they can be resharpened easily with a coarse file after use. In other words, carving knives are primarily meant for large cuts- so their blades should have many teeth.
How Long Should A Carving Knife Be?
A carving knife should be 8-10″ long, or around the length of your palm. Longer blades are good for slicing larger cuts of meats, but cumbersome to work within a small space if you’re trying to carve delicate slices. Shorter blades are easier to maneuver but might not give you enough leverage when dealing with tough meat like pork shoulder ribs.
Final Thoughts On The Best Carving Knife
When it comes to meat, there are so many different types of cuts. Which knife will you use to get the job done? We’ve rounded up our top seven favorite carving knives so that you can find your perfect match in no time!
Our favorite and top carving knife choice is the Dalstrong 12-inch Granton Edge Shogun.
If none of these options seem like they would work for what you need, we have a few more tips on how to select the best carving knife available. You’ll also see some pros and cons about each type of blade which should help make this decision easier.
Don’t forget that when selecting a new carving knife, always consider its function, durability, and cost.
