Japanese Knives
Best Gyuto Knives
What this is based on: published manufacturer specifications and retailer listings, cited on each product; the weight of professional and owner reviews across multiple retailers; and hands-on experience sharpening and cooking with knives of this type. We have not individually tested every model listed, we do not run instrumented sharpness testing, and we do not claim a test we did not run.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tojiro DP Gyuto 210mm (F-808) | First Japanese knife | 8.6 | |
| 2 |  MAC Professional 8" Chef's Knife with Dimples (MTH-80) | The one-knife kitchen | 8.8 | |
| 3 |  Shun Classic 8" Chef's Knife (DM0706) | A knife you want to look at | 8.3 | |
| 4 |  Global G-2 8" Chef's Knife | Cooks who want the lightest knife in the drawer | 7.6 |
The practical difference is in the numbers. A Wüsthof Classic 8-inch carries a 3mm spine and weighs 265g. A Tojiro DP gyuto at 210mm carries a 1.9mm spine and weighs 187g. Both are 8-inch-ish general-purpose knives. One of them separates a butternut squash and the other splits it.
Settle the size question first
Gyutos come in 180mm, 210mm, 240mm and 270mm. The overwhelming majority of home cooks want 210mm, and buying 240 because it sounds more serious is the most common mistake in this category.
| Length | Roughly | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 180mm | 7 in | Small hands, small boards, tight galley kitchens |
| 210mm | 8.3 in | The home default. Fits a standard board, handles a cabbage. |
| 240mm | 9.4 in | Large boards, high-volume prep, taller cooks |
| 270mm | 10.6 in | Professional line work. Not a home knife. |
The test is the board, not the cook. If your board is 12 by 18 inches or smaller, a 240mm gyuto will overhang it and you will stop using the tip. More detail in the size guide.
How these were chosen
Same four criteria as every knife roundup here — edge and steel, geometry, handle, value — applied to knives currently sold in the US with manufacturer specifications we could read and cite. Each product section below links the listing we read the specs from.
The chipping conversation
Every gyuto here runs 56 to 61 HRC with a spine under 2.5mm. That is a genuinely thin, genuinely hard edge, and it has limits a German knife does not. In practice the chips come from four places, all avoidable:
- Bone, joints and frozen food. Use a different knife.
- Glass, stone, ceramic and bamboo boards. Bamboo in particular is much harder than people expect — see boards.
- Twisting the blade to lever something apart, usually a squash or a chicken joint.
- Loose drawer storage, which accounts for more chipped tips than cutting does.
If your edge is chipping anyway, the cause is usually an over-thin sharpening angle rather than bad luck — we diagnose that here.
The verdict
The Tojiro DP F-808 takes the top spot on this page rather than the MAC, and the reason is the learning curve rather than the cutting. A first gyuto gets dropped, gets sharpened badly, and gets its tip caught in a drawer. The Tojiro gives you VG-10 at 59 to 60 HRC and a 1.9mm spine at a price where all of that is survivable, which means you actually use it instead of protecting it.
If you already own a Japanese knife and know how you treat it, the MAC MTH-80 is the better knife and the one to buy. If you want the object as well as the tool, the Shun Classic; if you want the lightest thing in the drawer, the Global G-2 — but hold one first, because nobody is neutral about that handle.
The picks in detail
#1 · First Japanese knife
Tojiro DP Gyuto 210mm (F-808)
The default answer to 'my first real Japanese knife'. VG-10 at around 60 HRC in a plain three-layer build, at a price that makes the inevitable first chip survivable.
What it does well
- VG-10 at 59-60 HRC takes a genuinely fine edge and holds it far longer than a German knife at 56-58
- 1.9 mm spine and 43 mm heel make it thin behind the edge without being fragile
- Cheap enough that learning to sharpen on it is not frightening
Where it gives way
- Handle finish is functional and unlovely; some units need the bolster easing with sandpaper
- Stainless cladding is soft and scratches readily
- Nothing about the fit and finish will impress anyone
Skip it if: Anyone who wants the knife to be beautiful. The handle is a workmanlike composite with a stainless bolster and nothing about it is charming.
| Blade length | 210 mm (8.3 in) |
|---|---|
| Steel | VG-10 core, 13-chrome stainless cladding (san mai) |
| Hardness | 59-60 HRC |
| Heel height | 43 mm |
| Spine at heel | 1.9 mm |
| Weight | approx. 187 g |
| Handle | Western, laminated composite wood with stainless bolster |
#2 · The one-knife kitchen
MAC Professional 8" Chef's Knife with Dimples (MTH-80)
The knife that wins the most side-by-side tests and asks the least of you. Thin, light, 61 HRC, and forgiving enough that a mediocre sharpening job still cuts well.
What it does well
- 6.8 oz with a 2.5 mm spine — genuinely light in the hand over a long prep session
- 15 degrees per side from the factory, which is the angle you will maintain anyway
- 25-year warranty and a reputation for consistency unit to unit
Where it gives way
- Costs meaningfully more than a Tojiro DP for a similar hardness
- Mono-steel, so no cladding to protect the core if you drop it edge-first
- The dimples do less for release than the marketing implies
Skip it if: Anyone chasing maximum edge retention. At 61 HRC in a mono-steel it will not out-last a powder-steel blade, and the dimples are cosmetic more often than useful.
| Blade length | 8 in (approx. 200 mm) |
|---|---|
| Steel | Sub-zero tempered high-carbon molybdenum vanadium alloy |
| Hardness | 61 HRC |
| Edge angle | 15 degrees per side (double bevel) |
| Blade height | 1 7/8 in |
| Spine at heel | 2.5 mm |
| Weight | 6.8 oz |
| Handle | Riveted Pakkawood with integrated bolster |
#3 · A knife you want to look at
Shun Classic 8" Chef's Knife (DM0706)
The Damascus-clad knife people actually buy. A 16-degree-per-side VG-MAX edge at 61 HRC, a D-shaped pakkawood handle, and a look that sells itself.
What it does well
- 16 degrees per side is a sensible factory angle — acute, but not so thin it chips on a carrot
- Handle geometry is genuinely comfortable in a pinch grip
- Kai's warranty and free sharpening service are real, useful things
Where it gives way
- You pay a significant premium over a MAC or Tojiro for the Damascus cladding
- The D-shaped handle is oriented for right-handed use
- Thin tip is easy to snap if you twist it in a squash
Skip it if: Left-handed cooks who dislike a D-shaped handle, and anyone who resents paying for 68 layers of cladding that do nothing for cutting.
| Blade length | 8 in |
|---|---|
| Steel | VG-MAX core, 34 layers Damascus cladding each side |
| Hardness | 61 HRC |
| Edge angle | 16 degrees per side |
| Handle | D-shaped pakkawood with stainless bolster and end cap |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime |
#4 · Cooks who want the lightest knife in the drawer
Global G-2 8" Chef's Knife
One piece of steel, dimpled hollow handle, 170 g. Nothing else feels like it — which is exactly why you should hold one before you buy.
What it does well
- 170 g and perfectly balanced — the least tiring knife here over two hours of prep
- One-piece construction with no rivets or bolster to trap food
- 2 mm spine means it is thin behind the edge out of the box
Where it gives way
- 56-58 HRC is soft for a Japanese knife; expect to hone it often
- The dimpled steel handle is polarizing and slick when wet
- CROMOVA 18 does not take as fine a finishing edge as VG-10
Skip it if: Anyone with wet hands and no patience: the smooth steel handle gets slippery, and at 56-58 HRC it will not hold an edge like a 61 HRC blade.
| Blade length | 8 in (200 mm) |
|---|---|
| Steel | CROMOVA 18 stainless |
| Hardness | 56-58 HRC |
| Edge angle | 10-15 degrees, double bevel |
| Blade height | 1.7 in (45 mm) |
| Spine | 2 mm |
| Weight | 6 oz (170 g) |
Common questions
What is a gyuto?
Is 210mm or 240mm the right gyuto length?
Can a gyuto replace my chef's knife entirely?
What angle should I sharpen a gyuto at?
Sources
Read next
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Brands
Tojiro vs Shun
Whetstones & Skill