Affordable kitchen knives – Ratings & Informative Guide
Are you interested in getting the best kitchen knife under 50, but you don’t have time on your hands? Grandma Jen is here to help you. After going through customers’ choices, expert advice, and social media comments, her number one recommendation is the Victorinox Fibrox Pro. This is a multi-purpose chef’s knife that will help you with all sorts of food preparation tasks in the kitchen. The tapered edge of the blade is designed to ensure a perfect cut every time, and it also maintains its razor sharpness for a longer time, due to the manufacturer’s attention to detail. The handle is non-slip, to make sure that you don’t risk injuring yourself when working in the kitchen. Is the Victorinox Fibrox Pro no longer available? Grandma Jen comes to the rescue once more and recommends the Zyliss Control instead.
Products worth your attention:
Our Top Choice
A good all-around knife, the Victorinox Fibrox Pro is sized and balanced to handle most tasks around a kitchen. It has a 6-inch stainless steel blade, slightly tapered to allow for long cuts over a bottom and laser-tested before leaving the factory to ensure a good edge. Users love the slightly raised handle, which allows for a good angle when holding the knife and is also heavy enough to effectively balance the blade.
Nothing particularly wrong with this knife, but at a mid-range price, it doesn’t use the same high quality materials as premium ones.
Both effective and affordable, the Fibrox is a good budget-friendly unit.
2nd Best
The Zyliss Control borrows its shape from professional chef's knives, with an 8-inch blade and a somewhat heavy handle to offer great control in exchange for weight. Made from high quality German steel, this particular model has an impressive cutting potential, especially considering the affordable price. The handle is reported to be comfortable for both small and big-handed people, which makes it convenient.
Same as with other products we’ve looked at, it’s not made from the best materials and might lose its edge rather quickly.
This model is good for those who emphasize dexterity around the kitchen.
Also To Consider
This Farberware model is sold with a protective sheath that sharpens its blade anytime the knife is placed inside. This ensures that a keen edge will always be at your disposal, and eliminates the inconvenience of having to sharpen it regularly, which can mean quite often with cheaper blades. Besides this, the EdgeKeeper is made from high-carbon steel, characterized by good edge retention. So, the unit offers good value.
As with any knife that gets constantly sharpened, a good amount of steel might end up getting shaved off over time.
This product seems to be one of the sharpest knives in its price range.
These are the aspects worth focusing on when looking for a kitchen knife under 50
A kitchen knife does not necessarily have to be expensive to perform the required tasks in the kitchen without a glitch. As a home cook, you need a utensil that can serve you as a dutiful workhorse; yet, you should not have to pay a small fortune so you can enjoy the same benefits as a professional chef. Here is some advice on what you should bear in mind when shopping for the best kitchen knife on a budget.
Full tang – what does it mean?
The tang is the metal part that goes inside the handle to ensure a robust construction. If you pick a model that is advertised as full tang, it means that the entire handle is made from the same piece of metal as the blade. While some may argue that such an aspect is not essential, there are advantages to a full tang model.
When you pick a full tang knife in your hand, the handle will feel heavier than in other models. That means that you will get to enjoy more control over the kitchen knife. Especially if you are not a seasoned cook, this will come in handy.
What materials are used for the blade?
The blade should be your first focus when you’re shopping for a new kitchen knife. The most common material used is stainless steel, because it is easy to clean, it does not rust, and it is also inexpensive. You should expect the best affordable kitchen knife to be made of stainless steel.
Other options, such as carbon steel, are more expensive, and while this material maintains its razor sharp edge longer, it can rust. Another disadvantage is that in contact with more acidic foods, it can cause a reaction that leads to the discoloration of the respective ingredient.
Focus on what matters
If you’re going to purchase a single kitchen knife and not an entire set, to save up some money, your aim should be a multi-purpose model. Choose one that is the size that is most comfortable for you. Also, read the manufacturer’s description to see if the model is capable of carrying on all the kitchen tasks you want to throw at it, like chopping, mincing, slicing and dicing.
3 Best Kitchen Knives under $50 (Reviews) in 2021
If you’re still on the fence in regards to what model you should purchase, here are a few that are popular right now. Offering excellent performance and overall durability, these kitchen knives are both affordable and dependable.
1. Victorinox 6 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife
The Victorinox Fibrox Pro 47570 is a multi-purpose kitchen knife that will never let you down. All you hope to find in a chef’s knife is present here. The 6-inch blade is comfortable for any home cook, and it offers perfect balance so that you don’t ever lose control of your utensil.
All the kitchen knife reviews written by buyers and experts agree that this is the type of kitchen knife you should opt for when you are shopping on a budget. The tapered edge is laser tested for its sharpness, and it will cut through anything. Even more, the perfect angle ensures that the knife won’t lose sharpness easily.
The Flibrox Pro handle is one of the most significant assets of this knife. Besides offering perfect balance and control to the person using the knife, it is also non-slip. Manipulating the knife with wet hands won’t create conditions for an accident to happen, and that serves for the home cook’s peace of mind.
This model is the solid proof of tradition that continues to outperform modern technologies. The same type of knife has been manufactured in Switzerland since 1884, and it is an excellent choice for both beginners and seasoned home cooks.
Pros
This chef’s knife is delivered in three different sizes, varying from 6 inches to 10 inches, so you can find the right fit for your own kitchen needs.
It is specifically designed to perform a wide array of kitchen tasks, including slicing, mincing, chopping or dicing.
The blade is made of superior quality stainless steel that is resistant to rust and will remain sharp for a longer time. The 6-inch blade is extremely easy to maneuver and will help you perform even more complicated tasks, including skinning a pineapple. However, you can opt for bigger blades if you need to perform heavy-duty kitchen actions.
The handle is ergonomic and non-slip, providing the perfect grip. Thus, the knife can be safely used even when it’s wet or slippery.
Cons
Some customers complained about the blade of the knife becoming blunt quickly, which means you’ll have to spend more time sharpening the product if you want to enjoy its fine and precise cuts.
Buy from Amazon.com for ($24.45)
2. Zyliss Control Chefs Knife Professional Kitchen Cutlery
Most food experts agree that a chef’s knife should have an 8-inch blade for maximum stability and performance. The Zyliss Control E920159U is the ideal choice for anyone who seeks affordable quality. The way the knife is designed is intended to help the user gain the perfect control and balance usually expected in professional knives.
The top of the blade has a few safety touch points that help to create a so-called rocking motion. This simple aspect allows you to use the knife in perfect comfort. Your fingers rest on the knife, so you don’t have to strain yourself.
There are a few other things that must be said about this knife. The contoured handle is made to accommodate people with either large or small hands. Also, the knife is antibacterial protected, to ensure that you always cook in safe conditions.
The blade is made from high-quality German steel, and it provides terrific performance. Among all the models available for sale, this one stands out by offering extra advantages. For instance, this knife can be placed in a dishwasher for easy clean-up, and its blade won’t lose its sharpness.
Pros
The product can be used for a wide variety of kitchen tasks. This chef’s knife is suitable for slicing, chopping, dicing or mincing, and even deboning chicken or performing heavy-duty tasks.
It is made of superior quality German steel and has a razor-sharp blade that will allow you to finish all your kitchen tasks easier and with more precision.
It is resistant to rust and can be sharpened in just a matter of seconds to regain its original quality and become your most trustworthy kitchen ally.
The handle is specifically designed to protect your hands and reduce fatigue while performing repetitive tasks.
Cons
Most of the customers praised the quality design and the sharp blade of this kitchen knife, but they also noticed that the item requires constant resharpening, even more often than other similarly priced knives.
Hence, it may not be the most efficient tool, especially if you need to use it daily.
Buy from Amazon.com for ($34.49)
3. Farberware 5171956 High Carbon Stainless Steel Chef Knife
One of the first features of this blade that will draw your attention is the unique technology used for keeping the blade sharp and ready to go for each use. The secret lies in the protective sheath the knife is sold with. The Farberware Edgeleeper sleeve makes sure that the blade is sharpened each time you put it back inside.
Many home cooks complain about the fact that they need to sharpen their blades quite often, especially when the models they use are on the inexpensive side. The ceramic mechanism inside the protective sheath will hone the blade and keep it razor sharp so that you can enjoy the same performance over and over again.
The material used is high-carbon steel, which is superior in edge keeping performance to stainless steel. Usually, such knives are sold for premium prices, but this is one exception that you may want to have in your kitchen.
There is a mechanism for keeping the sleeve in place when the knife is not used. This ensures that the sleeve will not slide from the blade by accident. You will also love the ergonomic handle that makes you enjoy perfect comfort while maneuvering the knife.
Pros
The blade of this product is made of high-carbon steel that is resistant to rust, extremely sharp, and durable at the same time.
Equipped with the Edgekeeper technology, this knife will maintain the blade’s razor-sharp edge for longer, helping you become more efficient and finishing all your kitchen tasks faster.
The ergonomic handle ensures a safe grip and fights against hand fatigue when performing repetitive kitchen tasks. Thus, you can safely use this knife for slicing, dicing, mincing or chopping almost all types of fruits, vegetables, and meats.
It is delivered with a protective sheath that will also sharpen the blade of this knife after each use.
Cons
Some customers complained that the blade is dull and hard to use for more complicated tasks. We strongly suggest that you read the reviews of this item prior to buying it to ensure it is the right fit for your own requirements in the kitchen.
Buy from Amazon.com for ($8.99)
