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Even if you are not a chef and just cook at home, a meat cleaver is needed in any kitchen.
It is without a doubt the greatest knife for chopping meat.
If you attempt to cut your chicken with a chefs knife, you will just damage the equipment.
This knife is hefty, with a large rectangular blade made of stainless steel or carbon steel.
It’s hefty because it helps the knife to gain speed while swinging and allows the blade to perform half the work.
The back of the knife might be straight or with a little curvature. The ideal meat clever is one with the appropriate heft for ease of use.
Besides fromcutting through bones, cartilage and tight tendons, the meat cleaver may also be used to pulverized herbs or spices like peppercorns and garlic.
5 Best Butcher Knife Reviews 2022
1 – SKY LIGHT Chinese Butcher Knife 7″ Cleaver
If you’re looking for a meat cleaver that can chop through stubborn bones, this may be the one.
The blade is comprised of 58 Rockwell hardness German carbon stainless steel.
This increases the blade’s durability and resistance to corrosion and staining.
The blade is also sharp enough to slice through the toughest bones without breaking or bending.
Another appealing aspect of this knife is its ergonomic shape.
It contains a protective bolster as well as three rivets to strengthen the handle.
You can cut with a solid hold on the knife and little wrist stress.
With this meat cleaver, you may chop and slice without getting tired or numb after holding it for a lengthy amount of time.
Another feature that distinguishes it from the competition is the protective finger guard, which prevents your finger from slipping near the blade while in use.
This makes utilizing the meat cleaver more convenient and secure.
Sharpness is also an active suit of this knife. It sports an ultra-sharp edge with a 17-degree angle that makes cutting smooth and clean.
When you purchase the goods, the blade will be at its sharpest and will not get dull fast. It can precisely chop through portions of meat.
This knife is also perfectly balanced since it sits between the big butcher’s knife and the small Chinese knife.
As a result, it may provide the diversity you want in terms of what it can perform. It can cut meat and poultry while also chopping your veggies.
While the product description states that it is dishwasher safe, cleaning the knife gently by hand is suggested for a longer lifetime.
You should also hand-dry the knife to keep it dry. It lacks a hole on the edge for hanging; a knife block will come in useful.
PROS
- Durable as it is made from high-quality stainless steel.
- It has a sharp blade.
- Offers versatility.
- Ergonomically designed for safe and comfortable use.
CONS
- The cleaver is heavier than most cleavers
2 – Utopia Kitchen 7 Inch Stainless Steel Chopper – Cleaver
This meat cleaver is the cheapest on the market right now, yet it has several handy characteristics;
It may pass for a high-end knife.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly meat cleaver that can chop through difficult bones and thick flesh, this is the tool to acquire.
This knife boasts a sharp stainless steel blade that cuts with accuracy and ease.
It is long-lasting and may endure for a long time even after extensive usage.
The knife’s edge has a longer retention time, which means it stays sharper for longer than most.
But, since the knife is narrow, it lacks the adaptability that we seek.
Nonetheless, the ergonomic shape of the handle compensates for the lack of adaptability.
The weight is nicely balanced, making it acceptable for usage by even tiny ladies.
It has a solid grip thanks to the stainless steel and plastic handle combination. It is also simple to use and comfy to use.
The handle, on the other hand, must be handled with caution since it might become slippery when wet.
To prevent mishaps, keep the cleaver and its handle, as well as your hands, dry whenever you use it.
The blade is heavy, making it perfect for chopping meat and bones.
This is one of Utopia’s benefits over its competitors in the same price range: it can tackle the task.
This knife is dishwasher safe, however hand cleaning is strongly advised to protect the quality.
Another essential consideration is that the knife is not sharp enough when purchased and must be sharpened to maximize its effectiveness.
PROS
- The blade is sharp and offers precision.
- A well-balanced weight.
- It is easy to handle even for a small cook or chef
- Can handle all cutting meat and vegetables
CONS
- It has reduced handle quality.
- Comes poorly packaged.
3 – Utopia Kitchen 7″ Cleaver – Multipurpose Use for Home Kitchen
This is the all-purpose knife that every kitchen and restaurant should have.
It boasts a sharp blade that can easily and precisely cut through meat and veggies.
Its blade is made of stainless steel, which is stain and corrosion resistant.
It also boasts a razor-sharp edge that will deliver better cutting performance and last longer.
This meat clever’s heavy look should not deceive you; it is easy to use.
Its handle is ergonomically built to make it simple to manipulate and use.
This knife has an excellent grip, and the three rivets strengthen the handle to make it a one-piece knife.
The handle also offers a natural grip, reducing wrist strain. This may be used for a longer amount of time without causing pain.
It is extremely versatile, since it can handle a variety of cutting requirements as well as the demands of a commercial kitchen.
This meat cleaver passes the newspaper-cutting test because it is exceedingly sharp. Especially the ones directly from the factory.
It’s very simple to clean by hand, but it’s also dishwasher safe. It requires a knife block for storage since it lacks a hole for hanging.
PROS
- The blade is stainless steel, rust-free and tarnish-free.
- Have a good grip that provides ease of use.
- It has a perfect weight, easy to use but provides some weight.
- It is very sharp.
CONS
- There is a slight thickness towards the edge of the knife.
4 – Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Signature 7-Inch Vegetable Cleaver
It has a functional and attractive design for a vegetable cleaver.
But, this may also be used to chop paper-thin meat, fish, and fowl. It is also lightweight, weighing less than six ounces.
It does provide the weight required for cutting bone-in meat or poultry.
This knife is not as versatile as you would want it to be and is better suited to chopping vegetables and fruits.
Yet, it has characteristics that may be suitable for your needs.
Zwilling blades are produced from high-quality materials.
They are made of a specifically formulated steel that has been ice-hardened using a method that the business has patented.
This offers the necessary toughness and hardness in a meat cleaver.
The knife also includes a symmetrical knife-edge manufactured from skilled sharpening, giving it the sharpness you require at the moment of purchase and for a longer period of time.
This also helps to the precision and steadiness that it offers.
Another important feature of this cleaver is its polymer handle, which is simple to hold and is riveted to the one-piece knife.
This makes it simple to utilize the knife. It features a curved hilt for the user’s protection.
PROS
- It can offer versatility in cutting soft meat and vegetables.
- It has a very sharp edge, right out of the package.
- It is lightweight and easy to use for cooking preparations.
- It has a comfortable handle.
CONS
- The user must use extreme caution when cleaning the knife.
5 – DALSTRONG German HC Steel – 7″ Cleaver
This meat cleaver is created by a well-known brand in the world of top chefs, whose name is connected with outstanding quality and design.
It is not only gorgeous, but it is also famed for its performance, and this meat cleaver does not disappoint.
Its adaptability is at the top of the list of its great qualities.
This meat cleaver may be used for any kind of cookery preparation.
Its blade is very sharp and manufactured of high-quality German carbon steel.
Because of the harsh activities that the knife must through, it is manufactured using cutting-edge technology and artisanship.
Moreover, if it is constructed of German steel, you can expect it to operate well.
The handle is made of pakka wood from Spain in black and is attached to the single blade with three tangs.
This promotes comfort since it decreases wrist stress while in use. The user should not be concerned about the risks of extended usage.
The blade is 7 inches long and satin polished, with sharpness and heat and wear resistance.
This is riveted to the handle to provide stiffness and stability during usage. It is also simple to use.
PROS
- Made from German steel, expect high performance.
- It is triple riveted for durability.
- The handle has an ergonomic design for comfort.
- Perfect balance with a sharp edge.
CONS
- The sharp edge is thinner and dents easily
What You Should Look for in a Meat Cleaver
There are many different types of meat cleavers on the market nowadays, and it might be confusing when they all have the words “best” connected to them.
The job is intimidating if you are not an expert or are replacing an outdated and worn meat cleaver.
Yet, if you know your priorities in selecting the appropriate one, you will be well on your way to selecting the greatest.
Versatility
Apart from chopping and slicing, as discussed before in this text, a meat cleaver has numerous other applications.
Check if the blade can do additional tasks such as dicing or mincing vegetables. If your meat cleaver is a multi-tasker, it will save you money on other types of knives.
Handle
When searching for a meat cleaver, this should be at the top of your list. While using the knife, a proper handle may give comfort.
It should not cause any soreness or redness in your hands after usage. It should also be slip-resistant and ergonomically designed.
A well-designed meat clever should feature a handle that supports the wrist while without adding weight to the cutting operation.
Additionally, for everyone’s safety, make sure the knife isn’t slick.
Size
When it comes to your meat cleaver, size matters just as it does with any other knife, such as a sushi knife, a nakiri knife, or even a santoku knife.
In general, if you need to do a lot of slicing and dicing, go with the thinner blades and a wider and thicker blade if you need to do a lot of meat chopping.
Additionally, keep in mind that bigger blades will need greater strength.
Balance
For the cleaver to function properly, the load of the knife and the handle must be perfectly balanced.
It should not be too light since it would be worthless, nor should it be too heavy because it will be difficult to use.
Conclusion
Meat cleavers are often misinterpreted. A beginner cook may discover that it has a blunt edge and is unsuitable for chopping. An professional cook, on the other hand, understands that it is exactly what every household and business kitchen need.
It can sever difficult meat, fruits, and vegetables, and the wide side may crush spices like garlic. It can also be used to remove meat from the bone. It is a multipurpose kitchen gadget.
There are several meat cleavers available, making it difficult to choose the finest. Each of the cleavers listed above has advantages and disadvantages. The SKYLIGHT 7 High Carbon Stainless Steel Meat Cutter, on the other hand, comes highly recommended.
It is fairly priced and has the attributes that you may want in a cleaver, such as durability and adaptability. It can multitask, saving you the expense of purchasing many kinds of knives for your kitchen. It is also ergonomically designed and simple to use.