One steak knife is not like the other. When you have a serious cut of steak in front of you, you need a steak knife that will cut the meat correctly without shredding it to pieces. Most of us have a good kitchen knife or two, the one you turn to when you need to cut food with ease and precision. The same goes for a steak knife – it needs to be sharp and easy to handle.

Types of Steak Knives

There are a few different types of knives to choose from: serrated, micro-serrated, straight-edge, or hollow-edge.

Serrated Steak Knives

Serrated knives cut your steak into perfect bite-sized pieces with a little bit of a ragged edge.

Micro-Serrated Knives

A knife with a micro-serrated edge is similar to a straight-edge knife – they cut meat with a clean edge but the knife itself has small microscopic serrations in the blade, so it doesn’t get dull as quickly as the straight-edge.

Straight-Edged Steak Knives

Cutting your steak with a straight-edge leaves a clean and smooth edge on the meat. You’ll need to sharpen the blade frequently to keep the cut straight and the edge sharp.

Hollow-Edge Knives

Knives with a hollow edge have indentations set into the edge of the blade. The cut is smooth with just a slight ridge from the indents, which are there to prevent your steak from sticking to the edge of the blade. These knives are good for cutting thinner slices of meat.

Knife Handles

A steak knife should be easy and comfortable to hold. Some knife brands have handles that are more for appearance than they are for functionality. Choose a steak knife for how it feels in your hand and not how it looks. There are several different types of handles available – stainless steel, chrome, hardwood, and polyoxymethylene.

Blade Material

Steak knives are made with different materials. Carbon steel is a common material for knives – it’s tough and long-lasting, and the blades are easy to sharpen. Stainless steel is also a popular material – it resists rust, is durable, and known for its longevity. Another type of stainless steel is the high-carbon steel blade. These knives have a nicely balanced edge. Becoming more popular these days are ceramic steak knives. The blade is typically coated with zirconium dioxide and needs less sharpening than stainless or carbon steel.

No matter what material your steak knives are made from, keep them out of the dishwasher. Handwashing will keep knives sharper for a longer period of time.

Best Steak Knife?

While micro-serrated, straight-edge, and hollow-edge knives are all good for cutting steak, the best choice is a serrated knife. The light serrations on the blade ensure an easy cut through the meat, keeping the steak tender and juicy.

A cheap knife can make a great cut of steak seem chewy and hard to eat. A good steak knife should cut through the meat like butter, smoothly and evenly. Your favorite steakhouse invests in a good set of steak knives…do the same at home so you can enjoy steak like a pro.