What is the best affordable chef knife? Can you get a good chef knife for under $50? In this article, we go through the best chef knife under $50 and help you decide where to spend your hard-earned money. Here are the best chef knives under $50.
Our Criteria for Selecting the Best Chef Knife Under $50
To make things an even playing field for our best knives under $50, we have given the following criteria to our selections:
- 8-inch blade
- Price range $0 to $50 regular price
- Forged steel
- Average of more than 4 out of 5 stars
✅ After going through all of the chef knives, this is the knife that we would buy based on all of its qualities.
What is the best $50 chef knife?
We were thrilled to see that there are some good chef knives under $50. But below is the best chef knife for under $50. It’s the Hammer Stahl 8 Inch Chef Knife; you can buy it here. It’s a great way to start your knife collection and check off another box on your kitchen checklist.
Table of Contents
Best Chef Knife for $50: Hammer Stahl 8 Inch Chef Knife
Pros:
- German Forged Steel
- Pakkawood Ergonomic Handle (RHS)
- Razor Sharp Edge
- 55-57 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale
- Lifetime warranty
- Amazon Choice
Cons:
- No sheath (could store in the box it comes with)
Review of Hammer Stahl 8 Inch Chef Knife
When I first saw this knife, I couldn’t believe the price. It is one of the best cooking knives under 50 and our #1 choice for the best chef knife for $50.
Finding a nice-looking, forged knife made from German stainless steel is a hard thing to find. But Hammer Stahl has done it. The look of this knife is stunning. Add in that it keeps its edge and has a nice and easy-to-hold grip, and you have a great chef knife for under $50.
It gets a solid 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon (see the ratings here) and an Amazon Choice product, so you know you are getting a winner!
Cangshan D Series German Steel Forged Chef’s Knife
Pros:
- 58 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale (RHS)
- Stain-resistant
- Full tang
- National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Approved
- Forged
Cons:
- Hand wash
- No sheath
Review of Cangshan D Series Chef Knife 59120
As we noted in our Cangshan knife review, the D series is a great place to start when you are looking at buying a Cangshan knife; it is elegantly modern and simple in its purpose. It’s one of the best budget chef knives you can find.
This knife has a very comfortable grip and is well balanced for easy cutting. Like many of the Cangshan knives, it’s made with German steel and carries with it an RHS of 58, making it a fairly hard knife.
This durability allows it to keep its edge. The knife has a full tang, and the triple rivets lend it a classic look that is both esthetically pleasing and functional at the same time.
Combine this with the NSF-approved label, and it’s easily one of the best chef knives under $50. It has a reviews 4.7 out of 5 stars rating, and you can read all of the ratings here.
Best Chef Knife Under $40: KitchenAid Classic Forged Series Chef Knife
Pros:
- German Stainless Steel
- Razor-sharp edge
- Dishwasher safe
- Full tang and bolster,
- Lifetime Limited Warranty
- Handle, and blade are forged together
Cons:
- Dishwasher safe, but issues arise when washed this way
- No sheath
Review of KitchenAid Classic Forged Series Brushed 8″ Chef Knife
When it comes to KitchenAid, the brand is known for a lot of things in the kitchen, including knives. This knife is a great budget chef knife. It is a single-piece knife and will do the trick for most new homeowners. It is definitely something to consider on your kitchen checklist.
It’s important to remember that being dishwasher safe doesn’t mean that it should go in the dishwasher. After using way too many knives over the years, they all get rust spots if you put them through the dishwasher enough times. Plus, they can dull faster by putting them in with other kitchen items.
This is the best chef knife for under $40, from what we can see. It gets a very high 4.7 out of 5 stars, and if you are looking for a reputable brand name in the kitchen with a full tang and sharp edge, this is a great knife at an attractive price.
Best Chef Knife Under $20: Chicago Cutlery Damen Chef Knife
Pros:
- Triple Riveted
- Black Polymer Handle
- Full Tang
- Stainless Steel Blade
Cons:
- Hand washing recommended
Review of Chicago Cutlery Damen 7.75″ Chef Knife
Like we discussed in our Chicago Cutlery review, these knives are a great starting knife for any homeowner. They are made by a solid company with a good reputation.
The full tang lends extra strength, balance, and control of the knife, making it a solid find in the chef knives under the $20 category. While this knife looks nice and has a custom feel to it, at its price point, it’s easy to get into a chef knife without breaking the bank.
Did you know Chicago Cutlery makes a self sharpening knife block? Read about it here in our Best Self Sharpening Knife Block Sets
Sincise Chef Knife
Pros:
- Comes with sharpener
- Forged German Steel
- Lifetime warranty
- Cutting protector
- Protective case
Cons:
- Lesser known brand
- Heavier knife
Review of Sincise Chef Knife
If you are looking for a chef knife that looks nice and is around the $20 price point, you can look no further. This is one of the higher-rated chef knives at its price point and comes with two added bonuses in the form of a sharpener and a cutting protector.
It’s made from German stainless steel and has a good warranty attached to it. While it is dishwasher safe, they do say it should be washed by hand. This is common for most knives if you want to maintain them for a long time. With over 400 ratings and 4.3 out of 5, this is one of the best chef knives under $20, and it deserves to be on our list.
Mad Shark Pro Kitchen Knife 8 Inch Chef’s Knife
Pros:
- German High Carbon Stainless Steel
- Comfortable Ergonomic Handle
- Very Sharp
- Anti-rust
- It comes with a cutting guard
- 56 RHS
Cons:
- No sheath
Review of Mad Shark Pro Kitchen Knife 8 Inch Chef’s Knife
The Mad Shark Pro Chef knife is a nice-looking knife that you would expect to see in a higher price rand but is nicely priced as a chef knife under $40. It uses composite steel so that it can achieve higher sharpness, and hardness allowing it to be a great knife to add to your kitchen.
This knife would easily sell for more with a premium name attached to it. It also cracks the top 50 in Chef knives on Amazon, which is pretty impressive. the 4.7 out of 5-star rating shows that this knife is a sharp find at a great price.
Findking-Dynasty Chef Knife
Pros:
- Unique octogone handle
- 60 RHS
- Rosewood handle
Cons:
- Dimples on the blade
Review of Findking-Dynasty 8″ Chef Knife
This is one of the harder knives on the list. This knife has a nice weight and balance but what really sticks out is the design. The octagon handle is made from rosewood, and you would expect this on a higher-end knife, but to see it on a chef knife for under $50, you know you have found something rare. The dimples in the knife allow for the knife to release food as it cuts. This is great, but I prefer a clean-looking knife, and I found that the dimples take away from the look and that nice handle.
It has over 900 ratings and a 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon (see the reviews here)
Cuisinart Triple Rivet Collection 8″ Chef Knife
Pros:
- Forged high-carbon stainless steel blades
- Full tang
- Stainless steel rivets
- It comes with a blade guard
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Slightly heavier than other knives on the list
Review of Cuisinart Triple Rivet Collection 8″ Chef Knife
When you think of Cuisinart, I don’t think of knives. I think of… well… a Cuisinart. But I may be the only one when it comes to that. It turns out they make a lot of different knives, and they are very popular. The knives are a great entry-level knife and are extremely popular. You can see several of their knives in our Cuisinart Knives Review.
With over 2300 ratings, this is a very popular knife, and the 4.6 out of 5 stars it gets shows that it is a very popular knife. Getting this as a chef knife around the $20 price point is a solid find and worth picking up. If you like this knife, you can also get the full 16 piece set for around the $130 price point.
Paudin Pro 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Pros:
- Forged Alloy Steel
- Hand polished
- 52 RHS
- Wood handle
- German steel
- The box can be used as storage
Cons:
- Hand wash only
Review of Paudin Pro 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
For the price, this knife is on par with many of the other chef knives on the list under $50. This has a beautiful wood grain handle look. The knife is well balanced and has a 15-degree edge allowing it to easily cut. The one drawback is that it is slightly less hard than the other knives on this list, but for the price, it will do the trick just fine.
With over 1500 reviews and a 4.6 out of 5-star rating. This is a very popular knife and has the users to prove it.
Cutluxe 8 Inch Chef Knife
Pros:
- Full tang
- Triple-riveted
- Forged German steel
- Ergonomic handle
- Pakkawood handle (click here to see what is pakkawood)
- 56 RHS
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- No sheath
Review of Cutluxe 8 inch Chef Knife
This knife is at the top of our list when it comes to the best chef knives under $50. It has a nice ergonomic look with a beautiful pakkawood handle. The full tang and triple rivets give it durability, and the 56 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale shows that it should keep its edge .
With a 4.8 out of 5-star rating, it’s ranked as the #8 in Chef knives on Amazon. This is a solid buy and should last you a long time.
How Much Should I Spend on a Chef’s Knife?
When it comes to buying a chef’s knife, your budget will dictate how much you spend. You can find a decent knife in the under $50 price range, but if you want to upgrade to a German or Japanese-made knife, you will likely spend around $100 to $200 or more. It depends on the name and quality of the knife.
Do you know your knife anatomy? Check out this parts of a knife article.
Final thoughts on the Best Chef Knives Under $50
When you are looking to upgrade to a better chef knife, there is only so much you can get for under $50. However, if you are a new chef, this is the perfect price point to start at, as you can always learn and grow. If you are looking for a slightly more expensive chef knife, then be sure to read our best chef knives under $100.
Or, if you are wondering about a more premium set, you can look at the best chef knives under $200. The big question to ask yourself when it comes to buying a kitchen chef knife is how much do I want to spend, and is the extra money worth it.
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