The Best Boning Knives of 2023

There are few kitchen duties that convey me higher pleasure than breaking down a chicken. Not solely is it cheaper than shopping for poultry by the piece, but it surely additionally encourages me to make use of each bit. After I’m performed with the meat, I nonetheless have the resource-rich trimmings with which I can make stock and render the fat. (Have you ever ever drizzled rooster schmaltz over popcorn? Since you ought to.)

Positive, you may conquer a rooster with a chef’s knife—however a boning knife is particularly designed for the job. The lengthy blade can cleanly slice the breast off of the ribs in a number of strokes, and the sharp tip could be inserted into the joints to separate the legs and wings. After all, a boning knife shouldn’t be just for rooster. It will also be used to take away the pores and skin from fish fillets, debone and trim silverskin off of pork roasts, and cut your own steaks. Robust-skinned produce like melons and squash? A boning knife can slice the thick rinds off with no drawback.

As a result of they can be utilized for a lot of duties, boning knife blades come on a scale from inflexible to downright flexible. Stiffer blades can stand as much as bigger cuts of meat and lower via thick joints, whereas versatile knives are higher suited to element work. For many cooks (who aren’t coping with entire beef or pork primals at residence), boning knives are extra versatile for reducing round smaller bones and sliding between joints, just like the aforementioned rooster legs, or reducing a rack of lamb into chops. 

For this evaluation, I centered on boning knives with versatile blades that had been between 5 and 6.5 inches lengthy. Their prices ranged from $14 to $170. I most well-liked blades that had been extra pliant and judged them on their means to contour round bones to entry the utmost quantity of meat. Whereas the form and steadiness of a knife’s deal with generally is a matter of non-public desire, I prioritized grip when my arms turned moist or greasy from what I used to be reducing. The competitors was tight, and nearly each mannequin had one thing that set it other than the remainder. The successful knives finally stood out as a result of they balanced all three of my prime elements: a razor-sharp edge, an agile blade, and a cushty grip.

The Winners, at a Look

The Victorinox knife was an all-around pleasure to make use of. Its blade was versatile sufficient to overcome every job with ease, plus it was tremendous sharp. The deal with was textured, which allowed for superior grip, even when my arms had water or grease on them.

This mannequin saved a eager edge all through testing and was probably the most versatile of the lineup. It made bigger duties—like carving entire chickens or deboning a pork shoulder—easy and quick.

The Assessments

• Blade Sharpness Assessments: I used an expert blade edge tester to measure the sharpness of every knife proper out of the field. I examined the entire edges once more on the finish to see if any dulled after use. I measured the pressure (in grams) crucial for the knife to sever a calibrated plastic wire. The decrease the rating, the sharper the knife.
• Debone Hen Thigh Take a look at: I deboned a chicken thigh with every knife to find out its maneuverability and nimbleness. After this evaluation, solely the highest-performing knives moved onto the following exams.
• Trim Pork Tenderloin Take a look at (Winners-Solely): To measure management, I trimmed a pork tenderloin with every knife and judged how properly it may cleanly take away skinny layers of fats and silverskin. 
• Bone-In Pork Shoulder Take a look at (Winners-Solely): I deboned and butterflied a pork shoulder with every knife to check its means to dexterously navigate and flex round a big, multi-sided bone. I additionally trimmed off extra fats and silverskin across the remaining meat.
• Rotisserie Hen Take a look at (Winners-Solely): I carved store-bought rotisserie chickens with the highest performers. With every mannequin, I noticed how deft it was at slipping via cartilage to separate joints. I additionally assessed if the blade’s flexibility allowed it to curve across the breast bones to yield as a lot usable meat as potential. Lastly, I famous if the knife’s deal with turned slippery after it was coated in grease from the rooster.
• Cleansing and Usability Assessments: I hand-washed and dried the knives after every take a look at to guage how simple they had been to wash and if any displayed rusting or staining. Whereas a number of of the fashions examined had been technically dishwasher secure, hand-washing was strongly advisable for all of them—and it’s what we advocate right here at Critical Eats. I additionally judged every knife on how comfy and pure it felt in my hand throughout use.

What We Discovered

Higher Flexibility Was Higher for Getting Round Bones

Throughout testing, I most well-liked blades that had been supple and that simply flexed whereas slicing. The ZWILLING Pro 5.5-inch Flexible Boning Knife and Victorinox Fibrox Pro 6-Inch Boning Knife had been each nice examples of this—they completely conformed to the breast and rib bones within the rotisserie rooster take a look at to slice off each little bit of chicken. 

The Global 6.25” Boning Knife was probably the most versatile of the bunch. Its lengthy blade was capable of contour across the massive, twisted bone of the pork shoulder with out issue. Alternatively, the Wüsthof Classic 5” Boning Knife made the duty troublesome. Its quick size and lightweight flexibility had been nice for deboning rooster thighs and trimming pork loin, but it surely didn’t have the attain or the litheness to slice across the pork scapula with out carving out further meat.

Straight Blades Have been Simpler to Use

Two of the fashions I examined had curved spines that arched upwards towards the tip: the Shun Cutlery Premier 6” Boning & Fillet Knife and the Messermeister Pro Series 6-inch Flexible Curved Boning Knife. It is a widespread silhouette for each boning and filleting knives because it creates an extended backside edge with out making the knife really feel prolonged and unbalanced. It may possibly make some particular duties simpler—for instance, eradicating the pores and skin from a protracted piece of fish—because it permits the knife to chop additional alongside the meat in a single, clean stroke. I most well-liked the flexibility of straighter knives, although, which had degree spines from tip to bolster. The straight blades had been extra predictable and simpler to maneuver round small rooster bones. Their suggestions had been additionally higher at eradicating pockets of fats and made it simple to insert the blades into hard-to-reach joints. 

Deal with Design Was Essential for Consolation and Security

As with all knives, what makes a deal with really feel comfy varies relying on who’s holding it. In distinction with a chef’s knife the place you mainly preserve a single grip from begin to end, I appeared for boning knife handles that made it simple to alternate my maintain relying on which course I used to be reducing. This helped after I was urgent the blade towards a bone, trimming off a horizontal layer of silverskin, or directing the tip down right into a joint.

I cherished the rounded deal with of the Kasumi Flexible Boning Knife and will simply shift my maintain on it when it was dry. As soon as my hand acquired moist, although, it turned troublesome to get a secure grasp on the sleek, cylindrical deal with. Comparatively, the Dexter Russell Sani-Safe 6” Flexible Boning Knife had a tough textured deal with that made it really feel safe, however its outsized bolster and indented deal with made it awkward to maneuver round. 

The Victorinox provided the very best center floor. Its thermoplastic rubber deal with was grippy sufficient to really feel safe (even when it was coated in rooster fats) whereas its rounded form was comfy to reposition in my hand. The chrome steel deal with of the World did get slightly slippery in the course of the rotisserie rooster take a look at, however the dimples within the deal with helped present sufficient grip so it didn’t turn into dangerously slick.

Sharper Was Higher

Unsurprisingly, boning knives that had been sharper carried out higher. The 2 sharpest knives had been the Wüsthof and the Victorinox, which each scored round 100 on the out-of-the-box sharpness take a look at (keep in mind, decrease scores are higher right here). Each of the knives simply slipped via cartilage and beneath skinny silverskin, and so they weren’t the one ones. Greater than half of the fashions maintained a sharpness rating beneath 150, even after reducing towards bones in later exams. Duller knives just like the Dexter Russell and the BergHOFF Soft Grip 6” Narrow Flexible Boning Knife had a tough time slicing via slippery rooster pores and skin and beneath skinny layers of fats, in order that they had been rapidly knocked out within the early rounds of testing.

The Standards: What to Search for in a Boning Knife

A great boning knife ought to have a blade that’s supple sufficient to curve round bones and cleanly slice off meat. Its backbone ought to be straight relatively than curved for higher accuracy and ease of use. The sharper the knife’s edge, the higher it’s at separating joints and trimming off fats or silverskin. Rounded handles make the knife extra comfy to carry and shift positions, whereas a grippy texture supplies further security from slips.

What we preferred: Like lots of its opponents, this knife was tremendous sharp. It effortlessly sliced via joints and shaved off silverskin and fats with out reducing away extra meat. It had sufficient flexibility to contour round bones, each massive and small. However what really set it above the remainder was its deal with, which was textured and supplied grip even when it was moist or coated with rooster fats.

What we didn’t like: Though the rubberized deal with texture supplied a safe grip, I discovered the broad deal with to be a tad cumbersome.

Value at time of publish: $22.

Key Specs

• Weight: 2.85 ounces (81 grams)
• Deal with materials: Thermoplastic rubber
• Blade materials: Excessive carbon chrome steel
• Blade size: 6 inches
• Blade top at broadest half: 0.75 inches
• Backbone thickness at widest level: 1.25 millimeters
• Deal with size: 5 inches
• Deal with width at widest level: 1.25 inches
• Out-of-the-box sharpness common: 102 (utility razor blade-sharp)
• After-testing sharpness common: 125

What we preferred: This knife’s sharp edge took no coaxing to slice into thick pork shoulder and trim off skinny items of silverskin. The World additionally had probably the most versatile blade of the lineup, which hugged rooster and pork bones because it glided round them.

What we didn’t like: This knife is constructed from a single piece of chrome steel. Whereas the unbolstered deal with is dimpled to offer some grip, the metallic nonetheless acquired slightly slippery when my hand was moist. The flexible blade was additionally fairly lengthy. This makes it splendid for turkey, pork, or filleting entire fish, however much less suited to small duties like deboning single rooster thighs. In comparison with the Victorinox, it’s additionally fairly dear. 

Value at time of publish: $110.

Key Specs

• Weight: 4.4 ounces (125 grams)
• Deal with & blade materials: CROMOVA 18 chrome steel (a mix of chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium that’s unique to GLOBAL)
• Blade size: 6.25 inches
• Blade top at broadest half: 0.75 inches
• Backbone thickness at widest level: 2 millimeters
• Deal with size: 5 inches
• Deal with width at widest level: 1.13 inches
• Out-of-the-box sharpness common: 115 (utility razor blade-sharp)
• After-testing sharpness common: 115

The Competitors

• ZWILLING Pro 5.5-inch Flexible Boning Knife: This mannequin made it to the ultimate spherical and carried out practically in addition to the winners in each take a look at. Its shorter blade made it simple to maneuver and had related flexibility to the Victorinox. It was costlier than each winners, although, and never fairly as sharp. Its deal with additionally turned slightly slippery in the course of the rotisserie rooster take a look at.
• Kasumi Flexible Boning Knife: The Kasumi had a honed edge and effortlessly flexed its means across the bone within the pork shoulder take a look at. Its main draw back was its clean, cylindrical deal with, which turned unattainable to get a safe grasp on when it was moist.
• BergHOFF Soft Grip 6” Narrow Flexible Boning Knife: The BergHOFF had the dullest fringe of the lineup earlier than and after testing, which made it much less clean when reducing via pores and skin and cartilage.
• Wüsthof Classic 5” Boning Knife: Though its edge acquired the very best rating within the sharpness exams (only a hair sharper than our general winner), the shorter blade was not dextrous sufficient to maneuver across the bone within the pork shoulder with out eradicating further items of meat.
• Shun Cutlery Premier 6” Boning & Fillet Knife: The Shun knife was eager and gorgeous in look, however the curved blade was unyieldingly inflexible and troublesome to make use of for exact cuts.
• Messermeister Pro Series 6-inch Flexible Curved Boning Knife: Though it was much less stiff than the Shun mannequin, I nonetheless discovered the curved tip of the Messermeister awkward to goal and maneuver in the course of the rooster thigh take a look at.
• Mercer Culinary Renaissance Flexible Boning Knife: This mannequin’s efficiency didn’t stand out from its opponents. It was decently versatile however had some bother reducing via slippery rooster thigh pores and skin.
• Dexter Russell Sani-Safe 6” Flexible Boning Knife: The deal with on this knife was constructed for security: it had a thick bolster guard separating one’s hand from the blade and was textured to offer grip. Sadly, it additionally felt clunky and hindered dexterity.

FAQs

What’s a boning knife used for?

Boning knives are used for deboning, trimming, and slicing all types of animal (or fish) proteins. Their slim blades can vary from inflexible (for reducing via thick cartilage) to versatile (for bending between bones and the encircling meat). The knives could be straight or curved upwards on the backbone. One of many defining options of a boning knife is its small, sharp tip, which is designed to be inserted down into joints to sever the connective tissues inside.

What’s the greatest dimension for a boning knife?

Boning knives are usually between 5 to seven inches lengthy. The most effective dimension is dependent upon consumer desire and job: longer knives can have a higher vary of flexibility and are greatest for deboning beef, pork, recreation meats, and breaking down entire poultry or fish. Shorter knives are sometimes much less versatile and are adept at deboning rooster legs, filleting small fish, and even peeling hardy fruits like pineapple.

What’s the easiest way to wash a boning knife?

Hand-washing is recommended for all knives. Use delicate dish cleaning soap, a non-scratch sponge, and heat water. As soon as the knife is clear, dry it instantly to stop rusting. Retailer all knives in a protected place, like on a magnetic knife strip or in a cork-lined dock, to stop harm to your blades (and fingers).

How do you sharpen a boning knife?

Contact with exhausting surfaces like bones can boring a knife’s edge rapidly, so it’s necessary to maintain your boning knife sharp to maintain it working effectively. You should utilize a whetstone to sharpen your blade at residence. Whetting any knife at residence can take observe; the method varies relying on the form and materials of the person knife, in addition to private desire for bevel and edge end. For those who don’t have the time or gear to sharpen at residence, an expert sharpener can expertly file the blade for you. Both means, we advocate a honing rod for sustaining the sting between sharpenings.

What’s the distinction between a boning knife and a filleting knife?

Boning and filleting knives look very related and are sometimes used interchangeably. Each have lengthy, skinny blades—the perimeters of which could be both curved or straight. Boning knives are usually barely thicker and sturdier in order that they stand as much as exhausting bones and denser cuts of meat. They are often versatile, stiff, or someplace in between. Filleting knives are normally longer than boning knives (in addition to extra versatile) and are primarily used for eradicating the pores and skin and bones from delicate items of fish.