The sushi chef Masayoshi “Masa” Takayama was asked by the magazine New York Magazine last year (2006) to evaluate the best of the Santoku knives. Well, as a sushi chef, we expect him to be into good knives - and what the test shows is that price and quality is not necessary linked.

He tested ten knives straight from the box (no additional sharpening allowed) to chop onions, slicing boneless chicken and mincing parsley. He also tried slicing parchment paper, which is apparently his way of testing his favorite single-bevel Yanagi knife (a knife for everyday slicing, the blade is perfect for slicing long pieces of fish) after its daily session on the grindstone. He judged each of the knives for their balance, sharpness, cutting ability, and how long it kept its edge. They are ranked below in order of preference. Here is the list:

1.SHUN CLASSIC 6.5-INCH KNIFE
It’s made by Kai, one of Japan’s oldest knife companies, using the “Damascus technique”—32 layers of steel painstakingly sharpened to a fearsome edge, leaving a beautiful moiré pattern on the blade.

Price when tested: $94.98

2.MISONO UX10 SEVEN-INCH
The blade is made from top-quality Swedish stain-resistant steel, which has a hardness comparable to carbon steel and holds its edge well. Masa called this model “very comfortable and well balanced; it is stiff, strong, and sharp. This type of blade is good to sharpen on a whetstone.”

Price when tested: $169

3.KORIN VG SILVER 6.8-INCH
Designed by Korin’s knife master Chiharu Sugai, this has a carbon-steel interior coated with a high-chrome-low-carbon layer; that makes it softer and easier to sharpen. Masa found the handle too light, “but it has a comfortable grip when chopping, which is important for regular use. The nice, soft stainless steel and the longer shape let you chop onions and parsley fast.”

Price when tested: $96.

4.MAC SUPERIOR 6.5-INCH
The Mac, which tied with the Wüsthof below, has a high-carbon stainless blade that sharpens well, but it’s delicate, so it could chip if it hits a bone. The plastic handle resists staining, heat, and cracking, but “it’s too light, and difficult to grip,” said Masa. “The soft steel blade is very sharp, but it won’t hold that sharpness for long. It is good for slicing onions.”

Price when tested: $59.95

5.WÜSTHOF SEVEN-INCH
A high-carbon stainless-steel blade forged in Solingen by one of Germany’s oldest knife companies. Masa called it well balanced; “the blade is very thin, but in a good way, and it’s very sharp and cuts well. Ideal for slicing chicken and vegetables.”

Price when tested: $114.95

6.GLOBAL SEVEN-INCH HOLLOW-GROUND
A high-carbon stainless-steel blade whose futuristic “hollow-ground” (those identations) style is said to help the knife slide more easily through food. For general purposes, said Masa, “the knife has a good curve,” but a heavy handle and thick blade make it clumsy and hard to sharpen.

Price when tested: $90

7.OXO GOOD GRIPS PRO
A high-carbon stainless-steel blade with the trademark cushiony nonslip grip. “The blade is not made from good stainless steel,” said Masa, after it failed the paper test. “The knife does not have a good balance, and I don’t like the soft, fat handle.”

Price when tested 6.5-inch hollow-ground $19.98

8.WOLFGANG PUCK SEVEN-INCH HOLLOW-GROUND
Puck’s celebrity knife gets low marks for an uncomfortable handle and a blade that’s “more or less uniform throughout. Just the the tip comes to a ‘V,’ and because of this it’s not very sharp . . . It’s impossible to ever sharpen a knife with this shape.”

Price when tested: $79.98 as part of a set of fourteen

9.ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS TWIN CUISINE SEVEN-INCH
Forged in Germany from a single piece of high-carbon steel, with a smooth polypropylene handle. “The handle is long and heavy, which means you will tire easily,” said Masa. “While the edge is sharp, the blade is very thin and will dull fast.”

Price when tested: $89.95

10.RACHAEL RAY FÜRI COPPERTAIL SEVEN-INCH
Thanks to Ray’s endorsement, this has been a best seller in its year on the market, but it came in last in Masa’s evaluation. “This knife does not have a good balance,” he said. “The blade is heavier than the handle and feels like it is tilting forward; the stainless steel is cheap, and the handle is uncomfortable.”

Price when tested: $69.95

Here are some of the current prices for some of these knives at Amazon. You will make Sushi or Death able to eat more sushi by buying your favorite knife via one of these links.

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