A carving knife is so useful to have in the kitchen, especially if you cook a lot of grilled meat and roasts. The best carving knife sets are quite hard to find, with so many models coming to the trade at once.
That said, we have conducted several tests over the course of hours, with confidence that we have found the perfect sets for everyone - home cooks or professionals.
Since we got rid of the hard work, all you have to do now is to just read! Without further ado, let’s get started on today’s article.
Table of Contents
- Best Carving Knife Sets: Top 6
- 1. DALSTRONG 8” Slicing Carving Knife Gladiator Series - Best Overall
- 2. Victorinox 47645 Pro Slicing Knife - Best For Carving And Slicing Meat
- 3. Mercer Culinary M20410 Genesis 10-Inch Carving Knife - Best For Ease Of Use
- 4. Hamilton Beach 74277 - Best Electric Carving Knife
- 5. Dalstrong Shogun Series 12” Granton Edge - Best For Professional
- 6. Wusthof 1120160212 Classic Carving Set - Best For Carving Poultry
- Conclusion
Best Carving Knife Sets: Top 6
1. DALSTRONG 8” Slicing Carving Knife Gladiator Series - Best Overall
Our rating:
- Blade Length: 8 inches
- Blade Material: Forged ThyssenKrupp HC German Steel
- Blade Angle: 16-18 degrees
- Handle Material: G10
- Weight: 1 pound
Dalstrong has always been known for its quality materials and craftsmanship. This 8” knife is no exception.
It is a well-rounded knife with a 56+ Rockwell hardness rating and an ergonomic Pakkawood handle that makes it easy to hold. Pakkawood handles aren’t just there for the aesthetics; they’re strong, durable, and, more importantly, blend in perfectly with the quality.
Weighing about 1 pound, the knife feels just right in hand. Just like most Dalstrong products, the handle is made of ultra-premium G-10 material, ensuring optimum heat, cold, and moisture-resistant.
The forged ThyssenKrupp HC German steel blade cuts through thick slabs of meat like cutting butter. Not only that, but the blade also works really well on different kinds of food, including fruits, vegetables, etc. The fit and finish are also good, but not great. For knives of this price range, this is the best meat carving knife you can get.
However, you may find that this tool is not long enough to slice through large-sized briskets without leaving some saw marks on the finished slice.
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2. Victorinox 47645 Pro Slicing Knife - Best For Carving And Slicing Meat
Our rating:
- Blade Length: 12 inches
- Blade Material: High carbon steel
- Handle Material: Thermoplastic rubber
- Weight: 1 pound
Similar to a carving knife, a slicing knife is another style you should consider. Let’s have a look at this candidate from Victorinox.
At first glance, this knife has the same elongated blade as most carving knives, but instead of having a pointy tip, the blade has a rounded edge, which makes it excellent for its intended purpose - slicing! This is because the rounded edge prevents accidental piercing of the meat when cutting.
The blade is made of high-carbon, stamped stainless steel with increased flexibility, aiding in cutting thin, uniform portions without sawing or blade flexing, making uneven spots.
For the size, this 12-inch knife is incredibly easy to hold, with the weight well-balanced and evenly distributed, giving a firm grip and centered feel. It is also the 12-inch length that contributes to the quick, smooth movements, creating fantastic pieces of roasts and briskets.
Notice the ridges on the blade? They’re there for a reason - establishing air pockets to minimize friction. As a result, you can cut more smoothly. Meats like steak and brisket are more likely to stick to the blade because of their moisture. A decrease in friction will help make the meat fall off more easily when slicing.
All things considered, hands down, this knife from Victorinox is the best carving knife for meat.
The downside? The blade doesn’t seem to perform well with poultry, which is a common problem with most slicing knives. Probably the packaging. Since it’s plastic, it allows for a good view of the knife while keeping the edges protected during delivery. However, it lacks the elegance of a box that some people desire.
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3. Mercer Culinary M20410 Genesis 10-Inch Carving Knife - Best For Ease Of Use
Our rating:
- Blade Length: 10 inches
- Blade Material: High carbon steel
- Blade Angle: 15-18 degrees
- Handle Material: Santoprene
- Weight: 8.4 ounces
The knife may not be that special to look at, but it is a winner in terms of ergonomics and ease of care.
The 10-inch size is usually the best size to get for a carving/slicing knife, so we have a good start there. This Granton edge blade has just enough length to slice meat and poultry in one sweeping stroke, leaving nothing but clean, even slices of juicy, tender meat. That’s the tip to the ultimate roasted turkey, my friends.
Also, have you noticed the sharp end? It contributes to breaking cartilage. Thus, when it comes to carving briskets, the pointy tip penetrates the crust like a champ. What is more, the ergonomic handle improves efficiency and safety when carving brisket or turkey as it is designed with curves to fit more comfortably in hand.
Overall, the knife is very well-crafted and sharp with just enough flex and also feels well-balanced in the hands. It would make a great addition to anyone’s culinary set.
The only drawback to this model would probably be the plastic handle. For some people, plastic is not their first choice for aesthetic purposes. But the handle has proven to be very practical, especially with the firm grips it gives despite your wet hands.
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4. Hamilton Beach 74277 - Best Electric Carving Knife
Our rating:
- Blade Length: 8 inches
- Blade Material: Stainless steel
- Blade Angle: Reciprocating blades
- Handle Material: Stainless steel
- Weight: 2.29 pounds
If you want an electric alternative, this electric carving knife from Hamilton Beach is a solid option.
Be prepared with the noises this knife is going to make. Like most electric counterparts, it comes with lots of caveats, while the whirling blades are apt to spray some juices. For large, essentially boneless cuts in the kitchen, this unit should do it.
The 120W motor is powerful enough to slice through most meats and bread without much effort. For an electric knife, 74277 has a good weight to it, around 2.3 pounds. The sleek handle makes the knife easy to hold for a long time without giving you hand fatigue from the vibration.
It is worth mentioning that the serrated blade is quite bad at cutting through joints and around bones. So, in case you plan to serve a whole roast turkey, you’ll need something sharper to give precise cuts.
Overall, this electric knife does the work better than most options in this price range. But don’t get your hopes up too much. Since the design is also not that good-looking, the knife is not ideal for tableside carving.
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5. Dalstrong Shogun Series 12” Granton Edge - Best For Professional
Our rating:
- Blade Length: 12 inches
- Blade Material: Alloy Steel
- Blade Angle: Round-edge
- Handle Material: G-10
- Weight: 9.9 ounces
Dalstrong is now quickly gaining a lead in the kitchen knives segment, known to be producing only the best carving knives.
A highly planned exhibit of this 12-inch knife will make it clear. Precisely crafted from a single piece of high carbon Japanese steel, with a 66-layer Damascus facade in the center, it offers exceptional stain resistance, durability, and splendor.
Cryogenic processing up to 62HRC creates a translucent steel structure that provides long-lasting strength, hardness, and durability. Exceptionally hard steel is cleaned, up to 12 degrees on each side for surgical blade excites and smooth, clean cuts.
Tightened edges lessen surface opposition, and Granton's scored pits along with Damascus steel cover decrease the drag. Furthermore, an edge with a flimsy cross-segment twists enough to effectively follow shapes, however not frail enough to twist.
The tough G10 fiberglass handle provides great control, mobility, and comfort in hand. It is triple-bolted along the entire length of the knife, contributing to its weight, thus providing a counterbalance.
Another thing we like about this kit is the complete set of sheaths. Made of BPA-free polymer for a secure hold and sharp edges.
The Shogun cuts evenly in one go, making it ideal for bulk meats like brisket, cooked meat, ham, poultry, and whole salmon. Put this premium and productive blade in your kitchen, and you'll feel like a pro.
However, is there a catch to this product? Unfortunately, the chromium-rich blade doesn’t maintain its sharpness very well. The blade gets dull too often for knives of this price range. In return, chromium steel has a better rust-resistant ability than stainless steel.
Also, some people may find the knife to be a bit heavy. No worries, though. You’ll get used to it after some time.
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6. Wusthof 1120160212 Classic Carving Set - Best For Carving Poultry
Our rating:
- Blade Length: 8 inches
- Blade Material: High carbon stainless steel
- Handle Material: Polypropylene
- Weight: 13.3 ounces
With this two-part engraving set from the Wüsthof classic line, you can engrave any meat beautifully. The set includes a carving knife and a carving fork.
The blade of this set is made from one plate of high carbon stainless steel and manufactured using Wüsthof or PEtec's precision edge technology to create a very sharp blade that keeps the edge 30% longer.
The edge is cut to a blisteringly sharp 14 degrees, which might even be sharper than some Japanese knives. This explains why the blade can glide through any type of poultry you’re cutting, namely chicken or turkey. In fact, poultry is way tougher than normal meat since its fibrous tissue is chewier. But with this set, you’ll hardly have to put any pressure on the knife to get the cut.
Each classic line knife also has a black polypropylene handle with continuous triple rivets, ergonomically and comfortably designed. The jaws provide weight and balance, making this set the best knife for cutting meat.
However, those who own other Wusthof knives made several complaints about the sharpness of this blade - it just doesn’t hold the sharp edge as well as other Wusthof knives.
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Conclusion
We hope this article on the best carving knife sets has been helpful for you. Before the final verdict, we want to thank all our readers for sticking with us until the end.
You now have a list of the top 6 carving knives for both home cooks and professionals with our in-depth reviews. Just choose your favorite!
If we can choose, the DALSTRONG 8" Slicing Carving Knife Gladiator Series is perfect since it offers a very balanced combination of quality and price. What about you? Which knife sets are you having in mind? Let us know!
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