Reasonably (?) priced steak knife set?

July 6, 2024 9:07 AM

We need a new set of steak knives (the knives you provide at dinner to actually cut foods.) Our old ones came from some set from Macy's, I bet. I don't remember. We had them forever, but the handles are just disintegrating now.

When I search, it's like $300 for 4 steak knives. I'm looking to buy 8nto 10. Look, I'm happy to pay a high price for knives I can be promised will last a long time. But I don't know which they are. Otherwise, if you know of an affordable steak knife set you love, please tell me!

posted by atomicstone to Food & Drink (18 answers total)

Response by poster: *up to 10.
posted by atomicstone at 9:19 AM on July 6

I am a fan of Opinel steak knives. Dishwasher safe, fun colors, $15 each, and just lovely to use.
posted by wherestheeraser at 9:26 AM on July 6 [5 favorites]

I bought this Messermeister Avanta 5” Fine Edge Steak Knife Set on Wirecutter's recommendation and they work well. They are a bit on the large size both in terms of length and blade depth compared to other steak knifes I've used. That might be a positive or negative depending on your preferences.
posted by arcolz at 9:53 AM on July 6

I bought these stainless steel, serrated knives in 2020. They are sharp with no wood or plastic handle to disintegrate, can go in the dishwasher, look exactly the same as the day I bought them though we use them regularly, and might last forever. $10 each, set of 8.
posted by RoadScholar at 9:56 AM on July 6 [1 favorite]

Wirecutter just did steak knives. Their top choices are $90 for 4, $77 for 4, and $9 each.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:57 AM on July 6

Best answer: I bought these knives from Amazon in 2017 and they have been run through the dishwasher uncounted times and look the same as the day we got them. $27 for 4. You can always return them if you don't like what arrives. NOTE: we gave these as gifts once and should have given a usage warning, they are sharp knives!!!
posted by forthright at 10:11 AM on July 6

Tramontina are basically eternal, if you're fond of wood. link amazon
posted by plant or animal at 10:15 AM on July 6 [1 favorite]

I think a critical consideration in choosing steak knives is that the steel should not be hard enough to scratch your china unless it’s already so scratched up you don’t care.

The 12C27 steel of the Opinel knives wherestheeraser recommends, for example, is HRC 54-61 depending on heat treatment — which makes it an outstandingly good steel. Steel in the range of 54-56 might be OK for most china, but I’d be nervous about anything 58-61. The link describes those Opinel knives as paring knives which could also be used as steak knives; they look great and I’m considering buying some as paring knives.

If you’re using vintage china, there are issues that go beyond aesthetics. I have a set of yellow Franciscan ware Coranado which use use antimony for their coloring, which is much better than the lead of many other vintage chinas, but I still wouldn’t want to be ingesting the antimony really hard steak knives might scratch up.
posted by jamjam at 10:48 AM on July 6 [2 favorites]

I have these ones from Calphalon (amazon link); admittedly I don't use them a ton, but I've had mine for ~15 years, and they're still working just fine. Only $40 for a set of 8. I usually hand wash them, but do sometimes throw them in the dishwasher.

They have other lines as well, but I find the handle shape on these ones really comfortable.
posted by ktkt at 10:58 AM on July 6

I've had these Henckels steak knives for 8 years and throw them in the dishwasher routinely and they still work great. 50 bucks for 8.
posted by potrzebie at 11:34 AM on July 6

Have a look in your local TJ Maxx or similar.
posted by essexjan at 11:44 AM on July 6 [1 favorite]

The thing about steak knives is that they have a serrated edge and that makes them really hard to sharpen effectively. If you aren't eating steak every day they can still last for many years, but eventually they will just wear out. So I say save your money, stick with something basic like the Victorinox and then when they eventually go blunt you can just replace them.
posted by Lanark at 12:07 PM on July 6 [1 favorite]

We've had a dozen of these Victorinox classic tomato knives in our kitchen drawer for many years and although their initial bloodlust has diminished somewhat they're still wicked sharp despite having been put through the dishwasher and thrown in the drawer thousands of times. The blades are thin, flexible and strong and the handles super robust and super comfortable. I use them for everything from eating steak to food prep, up to and including dismantling huge pumpkins, and have always found them very pleasing. They are my ultimate fuss-free just-works does-everything kitchen knife and I doubt I'll ever bother with any other kind.
posted by flabdablet at 12:47 PM on July 6 [1 favorite]

I second the Henckels option suggested by potrzebie abovee. I have a 25 year old set that is still going strong. I don't really have to think about them.

Unless you are trying to impress folks with the name on the side, high end knives are not really worth it. They will be misused by guests, tossed into the dishwasher by a helpful friend / family member, dumped unceremoniously on a plate at the end of the cookout line, piled into a drawer for storage, etc. Think of them as a sharp butter knife more than than a chef's knife.

Speaking of a chef's knife, that is where I'll spend some coin and be very careful about treatment and post use cleaning.
posted by SegFaultCoreDump at 7:42 PM on July 6

I've always stuck with Miracle Blade ("As Seen On TV!") steak knives. They cut fantastically and last forever in my experience.
posted by tubedogg at 8:06 PM on July 6

Yes, echoing flabdablet's recommendations for a set of victoriaknox tomato knives.

I did get them on sale, but I got six for my sister in law in our Christmas family gift swap, which has a 50$ limit. (AUD.)
posted by freethefeet at 12:24 AM on July 7

In our case, this was a job for Goodwill/Value Village, and we spent a couple of bucks on a 4 set of decent vintage steak knives.
posted by ovvl at 10:44 PM on July 7

Response by poster: Ended up with forthright's recommendation. They feel good in hand and are sharp as fuck. Fingers crossed!
posted by atomicstone at 12:24 PM on July 15