Santoku vs Nakiri
The short answer. Get a santoku if you cook a bit of everything: it handles vegetables, boneless meat and fish, and has a usable tip. Get a nakiri if you mostly cut vegetables and like push-cutting with a dead-flat edge. If you rock-chop, get neither: a gyuto suits you better.
On this page 9 sections
The short verdict
The santoku is the all-rounder and the safer first knife. The nakiri is a specialist vegetable knife: better than a santoku at clean, straight cuts through vegetables, worse at almost everything else because it has no point. Most cooks should start with a santoku and add a nakiri only if vegetables are most of their cooking.
Pick a santoku if…
- You want one knife for vegetables, meat and fish
- You need a tip for scoring, trimming or fine work
- This is your first Japanese knife
- You'd like to add a petty knife and stop there
Pick a nakiri if…
- Vegetables are most of what you cut
- You push-cut or chop straight down and never rock
- You want cabbage, carrots and onions cut cleanly through, with no joined slices
- You already own a gyuto or santoku for meat and tip work
Santoku vs nakiri: specs side by side
Both knives are usually 165–180 mm long, double bevel and similar in height, so they feel alike in the hand. The differences are the edge and the tip: the nakiri's edge is completely flat and its tip is square, while the santoku's edge curves up near a rounded, usable tip.
| Feature | Santoku | Nakiri |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Tall blade, spine curves down to the tip | Tall, rectangular blade |
| Tip | Rounded sheepsfoot tip, usable for fine work | Square or slightly rounded front, no point |
| Edge profile | Nearly flat, rising near the tip | Dead flat from heel to front |
| Usual length | 165–180 mm | 165–180 mm |
| Blade height | About 46 mm | About 50 mm |
| Cutting style | Push-cut, chop, pull-cut, some tip work | Push-cut and straight chop |
| Best foods | Vegetables, boneless meat, fish | Vegetables |
| Bevel | Double bevel | Double bevel |
Typical ranges for Japanese-made knives. Prices overlap: most makers sell both shapes in the same steel at similar prices.
Santoku and Nakiri Drawn to scale
How they cut
A nakiri's flat edge meets the board along its whole length at once, so a straight chop or push-cut goes cleanly through a carrot or a stack of cabbage leaves with nothing left joined at the bottom. A santoku does nearly the same, but its rising tip leaves a short section that doesn't touch the board.
In practice:
- Onions, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers. Both are very good. The nakiri is slightly cleaner on long, straight cuts.
- Herbs and garlic. Both mince well with a push-and-lift motion. Neither rocks well.
- Scoring, coring, trimming. The santoku's tip does this; the nakiri has no point, so you'll reach for another knife.
- Meat and fish. The santoku slices boneless meat and fish easily. A nakiri can, but its square front makes it awkward.
- Hard squash and sweet potato. Both are thin Japanese blades. Cut these with straight, even pressure and don't twist, or you risk chipping the edge.
What about the bunka and the gyuto?
The bunka sits between the two: santoku-sized with a fairly flat edge, but with an angled, pointed tip that is good for fine work. The gyuto is the Japanese chef's knife, longer and with a curved belly for rocking. If you can't settle on santoku vs nakiri, one of these may suit you better.
Bunka. Choose a bunka if you like the nakiri's tall, flat blade but want a sharp tip for scoring and mincing. It is the closest thing to a nakiri that still handles meat and detail work. See the bunka guide for more.
Gyuto. Choose a gyuto if you rock-chop, cook in large batches or want one longer knife for everything including big produce and roasts. Neither the santoku nor the nakiri rocks well. Our santoku vs chef's knife comparison covers that choice.
Size: 5-inch vs 7-inch santoku (and nakiri)
For a main knife, choose a santoku or nakiri of about 165–180 mm (6.5–7 inches). A 5-inch (about 130 mm) santoku is handy as a second knife or for small hands, but it gets crowded on large vegetables. Nakiri are mostly sold at about 165 mm, which suits most home cooks.
Blade height matters too. Both knives are tall enough that your knuckles clear the board, and a taller nakiri is good for scooping chopped vegetables off the board. If your board is small, the length difference between 165 and 180 mm matters more than the shape.
Nakiri vs usuba
Both are Japanese vegetable knives with a tall, flat blade. The usuba is the traditional professional version: single bevel, heavier and made for precise techniques such as peeling a daikon into one thin sheet. The nakiri is the double-bevel home version, easier to use, to sharpen and to find in either hand.
- Bevel. An usuba is sharpened on one side only, which makes very thin, precise cuts possible but steers the blade if you're not used to it. A nakiri is sharpened on both sides and cuts straight. See single vs double bevel.
- Hand. An usuba is made for the right or the left hand. A nakiri works in either.
- Sharpening. An usuba needs single-bevel technique on a whetstone. A nakiri sharpens like any double-bevel knife.
Unless you're training in Japanese cuisine, a nakiri is the right vegetable knife. More on the usuba is in our guide to knife types.
Sharpening a santoku vs a nakiri
Both are double-bevel knives, so you sharpen them the same way: on a whetstone, at the same angle on each side, usually somewhere around 12–15° for Japanese knives. The nakiri is slightly easier because its edge is straight, while the santoku's curve near the tip needs you to lift the handle a little as you go.
Keep the nakiri's edge flat as you sharpen. If you press harder in the middle of the blade, over time you wear a shallow dip into the edge, and then it no longer meets the board along its whole length. Spread the pressure evenly from heel to front. Our whetstone guide walks through the steps, and the angle tool shows how high to lift the spine.
Which santoku and nakiri to buy
Most Japanese makers sell a santoku and a nakiri in the same steel and handle, so you can choose the shape first and the maker second. These are on our list for testing; we'll confirm or replace them after side-by-side use.
Global G-48 Santoku 18cm
On our list, not tested yet. No recommendation until we have used it.
- Price
- $100–150 (typical range)
We measuredMaker's specTypical range
Tojiro DP Nakiri 165mm
On our list, not tested yet. No recommendation until we have used it.
- Price
- under $100 (typical range)
We measuredMaker's specTypical range
Santoku vs nakiri questions
Can a nakiri cut meat?
It can slice boneless meat, but its square front and lack of a point make it awkward. Use a santoku, gyuto or petty knife for meat.
Do I need a nakiri if I have a santoku?
No. A santoku already cuts vegetables well. A nakiri is worth adding only if you cut lots of vegetables and enjoy push-cutting with a completely flat edge.
What three knives should every kitchen have?
An all-rounder (a santoku or gyuto), a small petty or paring knife, and a serrated bread knife cover nearly every job. A nakiri is a nice fourth if you cook mostly vegetables.
Is a nakiri good for left-handed cooks?
Yes. Nakiri are double bevel and work the same in either hand. The single-bevel usuba is the one that has to be bought left-handed.