A chef's knife does most of the cutting in a home kitchen, from onions and herbs to the Sunday roast. A good one stays sharp with an occasional hone and feels balanced in the hand. A blunt one slips off tomato skins and makes every job slower.
The six below are all 20cm, apart from one 18cm knife. They run from a stamped Swiss knife under $100 to a Damascus-clad Japanese one. The biggest differences between them are weight, how hard the steel is, and what the warranty covers in Australia.
| Knife | Steel | Hardness | Weight | Made in | Warranty in Australia | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victorinox Fibrox 20cm | Stainless, stamped | 56 Rockwell | 182g | Switzerland | Lifetime, authorised retailers | $50–100 |
| Global G-2 20cm | CROMOVA 18 | 56–58 Rockwell | 170g | Japan | 2 years | $50–100 |
| Wüsthof Classic 20cm | X50CrMoV15, forged | 58 Rockwell | About 263g | Germany | Lifetime | $150–200 |
| Shun Classic 20cm | VG-MAX core, Damascus | 60–61 Rockwell | 190g | Japan | Limited lifetime | $150–200 |
| Tojiro DP 18cm | VG10 core | Not published | 185g | Japan | Not published | $100–150 |
| Furi Pro 20cm | X50CrMoV15 | 55–57 Rockwell | Not published | Designed in Australia | 25 years | $50–100 |
Specifications and warranty terms are from each maker. The Wüsthof's weight is from a retailer's listing, because Wüsthof doesn't publish one, and the Victorinox's hardness is from Nisbets. Prices come from Amazon and Harris Scarfe on 26 September 2026.
1. Best for Most Home Cooks: Victorinox Fibrox 20cm
The Fibrox is a stamped Swiss chef's knife with a soft-grip plastic handle, and it costs less than anything else here. It weighs 182g, and Victorinox rates it dishwasher safe, though it recommends washing large knives by hand. The Australian warranty covers knives bought from an authorised Victorinox store or retailer.
Owner reviews single out its sharpness and value, and complaints are few. At 56 Rockwell the steel is at the softer end of this list, so it needs a honing steel more often. It suits anyone who wants a sharp, low-fuss knife without spending much.
What We Like:
- Least expensive knife here
- Light, at 182g
- Rated dishwasher safe
What We Don't Like:
- Softer steel needs honing more often
2. Best Lightweight Knife: Global G-2
Blade and handle of the G-2 are one piece of Global's CROMOVA 18 steel, hardened to 56–58 Rockwell, and the hollow handle carries sand for balance. It is made in Japan and weighs 170g, according to its maker Yoshikin.
Owner reviews praise the sharpness and balance. The criticism centres on the steel handle, which some owners find tiring to hold, and on a number of breakages. Global's Australian warranty is two years, and a dishwasher voids it. The G-2 suits cooks who want a light knife with no bolster, and it is compared in detail in Global vs Wüsthof.
What We Like:
- Made in Japan
- Light, at 170g
- One-piece steel build
What We Don't Like:
- Two-year warranty in Australia
3. Best German Knife: Wüsthof Classic 20cm
The Classic is forged in Solingen from X50CrMoV15 steel at 58 Rockwell, with a riveted synthetic handle and a full bolster. It weighs about 263g, which helps on pumpkin and other hard vegetables, and Wüsthof's Australian guarantee is for life against defects.
Owner reviews rate the sharpness and grip highly, and the reservations are mostly about the price. It is hand wash only, and the bolster, which extends to the edge, eventually needs grinding down so the heel of the blade still meets the board. It suits anyone who wants a solid, heavier knife and a guarantee for life.
What We Like:
- Lifetime guarantee against defects
- Forged, with a full bolster
- Weight helps on hard vegetables
What We Don't Like:
- Hand wash only
- Bolster needs grinding back over time
4. Best Premium Japanese Knife: Shun Classic 20cm
The Shun Classic has a VG-MAX steel core clad in layers of Damascus stainless, a 16-degree edge on each side, and a D-shaped Pakkawood handle. It is handmade in Seki, Japan, and weighs 190g. Kai, Shun's maker, hardens VG-MAX to 60–61 Rockwell, the highest figure published for any knife on this list.
Knives bought in Australia are covered by the distributor's limited lifetime warranty, which excludes misuse and accidents. The free sharpening in Kai's US warranty covers knives bought in North America only; Shun Australia runs a paid sharpening service. Hard steel chips more easily than softer steel, and chipping is the complaint that comes up in owner reviews.
What We Like:
- 60–61 Rockwell steel
- Handmade in Japan
- Lifetime warranty for Australian purchases
What We Don't Like:
- Chipping in owner reviews
5. Best Japanese Blade With a Riveted Handle: Tojiro DP 18cm
The Tojiro DP, which Tojiro now sells as the Tojiro Classic, has a VG10 steel core clad in 13-chrome stainless, a metal bolster, and a laminated handle with three rivets and a full tang. It is made in Tsubame, Japan, and weighs 185g, according to Tojiro's product page.
This is the 18cm size, which is the version Amazon ships from Australia; the 21cm version on Amazon ships from Japan. Owner reviews rate the sharpness and value highly, and a minority were less impressed with the edge. Tojiro does not publish warranty terms on its product pages.
What We Like:
- VG10 steel core
- Riveted, full-tang handle
- Made in Japan
What We Don't Like:
- 18cm, shorter than the rest
- No published warranty
6. Best Guarantee Under $100: Furi Pro 20cm
The Furi Pro is designed in Australia, with an X50CrMoV15 blade at 55–57 Rockwell and a steel handle shaped for the pinch grip. Furi's guarantee is 25 years against defects; to claim, you send the knife back to Furi with the receipt and pay the postage.
Owner reviews call it sharp and say it keeps its edge. The steel is softer than most knives here, which makes it quicker to sharpen and means it needs sharpening more often. It is compared with the Global G-2 in Furi vs Global.
What We Like:
- 25-year guarantee
- Under $100
What We Don't Like:
- Softer steel than most here
- Claims mean posting the knife
Other options worth a look
- MAC Professional MTH-80. A thin Japanese chef's knife with dimples along the blade, made in Seki and sold here through specialist knife shops such as Essential Utensil. MAC gives the blade as 2.5mm thick and 182g.
- A santoku. Cooks who chop straight down more than they rock the blade may prefer the shorter, flatter santoku shape. Global's G-46 is the santoku version of the G-2.
How to pick a chef's knife
Weight. The knives here run from 170g to about 263g. A heavier forged knife pushes through hard vegetables with less effort, and a lighter one is easier on the wrist during a big prep session.
Hardness. Harder steel holds an edge longer but is more likely to chip; the Shun, at 60–61 Rockwell, is the example here. Softer steel, like the Victorinox at 56, is tougher and quicker to hone.
Handle and bolster. Global and Furi make their handles from steel; the others use plastic, synthetic, laminate or Pakkawood. A full bolster, like the Wüsthof's, guards the fingers but has to be ground back as the edge wears.
Warranty in Australia. Wüsthof's guarantee is lifetime, Shun's lifetime cover applies to knives bought in Australia, Victorinox's needs an authorised retailer, Furi's is 25 years and Global's is two.
Dishwashers. Victorinox is the only maker here that rates its knife dishwasher safe, and it still recommends hand washing. Global says a dishwasher voids its guarantee.
FAQs
What size chef's knife is best for home cooking?
Five of the six knives here are 20cm, which reaches across a large onion or a wedge of pumpkin in one stroke. An 18cm knife, like the Tojiro here, is easier to handle on a small board.
Are Japanese knives better than German knives?
It depends on the knife. The Global and the Wüsthof are hardened to about the same 58 Rockwell, and the clearer differences between them are weight, with the German knife heavier, and handle style. The Shun is the knife here with markedly harder steel.
How often does a chef's knife need sharpening?
A honing steel straightens the edge between sharpenings and can be used every few uses. A sharpener or whetstone removes metal and is needed once honing no longer brings the edge back.
Can a chef's knife go in the dishwasher?
Of the makers here, only Victorinox rates its chef's knife dishwasher safe, and it still recommends hand washing large knives. The others advise against it, and Global voids its guarantee.
