Best Value Gyuto on the site.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

I thought lurkers might enjoy our picks for the best value Gyuto currently offered on the site. Feel free to define best value anyway you like. I’ll add my picks after you guys take a few swings at it.

[J david]

Anything Makoto, Yahiko Shirogami Hairline (before the name change and price increase, but still a good value), Yahiko hammered.

My criteria:

Has to perform well at any price point
Good heat treatment
Grind quality exceeds price point
Fit and finish meets expectation for price point

Basically a lot of bang for the buck.

[Robstreperous]

I still go with the Kanehide PS60 when it comes to a value knife.

At $149 for the 240 gyuto this thing punches way above its weight.

It's not the best at any one thing I ask my [much, much more expensive] gyutos to do ... but it's pretty darn good at almost all of them [with admittedly one glaring weakness]. It cuts really well, sharpens easily and holds an edge. It suffers a a tiny bit on finish (Yo version) but not bad.

I love this knife because when I just want to reach for a knife and cook and forget about the knife and not worry about how to take care of it and leave it out and not worry the edge is going to chip, or corrode or, I don't have time to think really carefully ------ Get The Idea? ----- It just gets the job done.

The only area where it doesn't get really good grade from me ----- food release. In this one area it's almost comically bad - but hey... for a great cutting utility gyuto? I can deal with it.

[salemj]

I think it might be the new Kono MMs.

If I define value as getting a hell of a lot for your dollar in a way that is unusual - perhaps even impossible - anywhere else, then this is one hell of a value.

I haven't tried a Makoto yet, but honestly it is the only knife I can think of in the sub-250/300 range that might otherwise fit this description: i.e., a knife that, when you hold it, you'd swear that it MUST cost a lot more than it does...and it DOES cost this much more from virtually any other supplier to get the equivalent. Otherwise, I find the 100-275 bracket fiercely competitive and I'm not sure I've ever tried a knife - even really good ones - that I thought I couldn't match with something from somewhere else (or even just another brand from Mark's store) for a similar price.

Otherwise, as much as I'm tempted to name others (like my Ikeda), I can't: it was only have a bit of refining work on my part that they really shined, and that is kinda the point for me, since it is hard to call it a value if you still have to unlock its potential in some way (according to the above description of "holding in your hand" and judging OOTB). In contrast, if the definition is just "whatever cheapest thing has the potential to perform the best with your own tweaking," - NOT OOTB - then things get overwhelming and a bit too one-off for me. If it can't be advertised as a consistent, predictable value for all buyers, I'm not sure if it the best value on the site.

[jbart65]

Hard to beat the Kanehide ps60, but i’d go a bit higher in price to the Makoto, Masakage Yuki and Harukaze in that order. All under $200. The Ittu Ryu was in contention till the recent price hike.

Above $200, the Tanaka Sekiso and Yahiko Kurouchi. I’ve yet to try a knife that beats the Sekiso in performance on a dollar to dollar basis. However, the handle needs an upgrade and that makes a Sekiso less of a value. The Yahiko then becomes my next choice.

I like the Goko and GIhei blue, but those are both big knives that won’t suit everyone as well as the others I’ve listed.

[cwillett]

If western handles are your thing, I think it is pretty hard not to look at the Takamura Chromax 210:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tachgy21.html

At $125 it comes in under most of the ones mentioned so far, cuts exceptionally well, handles like an even smaller knife, and the blade is very good looking. I'm not a huge fan of the handle and you have to mind the thinness, but for value I have a hard time seeing something to best it. The handle, although well done, is a bit of show stopper for me but my mothers-in-law will love it.

[Altadan]

+1 on Tanaka Sekiso. Great cutting profile, every bit as versatile as Jeffry claims. Good weight. Gorgeous looks

Also, the Masutani offerings are HUGE bang for VERY LITTLE buck.
My wife, and two couples I've bought the santoku for, have all been enjoying the performance AND the looks of that knife. It's handy whether in pinch or handle grip, and it cuts well above most wedding-gift knife sets young folks get these days.

[Jeff B]

Kanehide TK at $103 and $113 for the 210 and 240 respectively they are a great value. The semi-stainless gets very sharp and they hold and edge respectively and touch up very easy. As popular as the Kikuichi TKC was don't understand why these were always overlooked, guess they were just too late to the party. Better knife than any Euro you'll get. The 210 is a permanent fixture on my board for general purpose use throughout the day.

The Makoto W#2 is a best buy as is the Tanaka Damascus.
The Gihei Blue #2 Nashiji line is an exceptional deal at its price point.
The Kurosaki AS Kurouchi is a best buy at its price point.

[Kit Craft]

Without even using it I would say dollar for dollar the new Takamura Chromax has to top the charts. But if we are looking at more newb friendly knives maybe less so at 65 HRC.

I still think the Fujiwara FKM is a spectacular value. Fair retention, comfortable, decent to better than average tapper, wicked profile, forgiving, easy to sharpen and well under a Benji. Likewise the FKH is a good intro to carbon and I think more so than some other options because while not wicked thin behind the edge it still outperforms a lot of Euro knives. It is also forgiving enough to split a rabbit spine without rolling or chipping while retaining decent edge retention.

Tojiro knives are a great buy as well. I mean, the Colors series is wicked cheap...The new hairline options get you into carbon knives for under fifty dollars...The R2 is a good workhorse at a great price that gets you PM retention.

The Kohetsu B#2 western is one of my favorite knives in this grouping though. It is tough, takes and holds a good edge and screams utility.

Can we forget the Misono Swedish Carbon line, I think not. These may not be priced as aggressively as they once were beyond the 210 but they are still a hella value.

Minamoto knives are fair for their price point as well and I think are worth consideration. And just so many other knives. Mark, the thing is that you offer a lot of high value, low cost knives that fit about any need/personality that it is hard to choose.

[Rufus Leaking]

I think this is like asking who the best drummer is, or who the best artist is, or the best ice cream. It’s a broad generalization- I’m seeing very expensive konos and really inexpensive FKMs mentioned, and both are right. Value and price are two different criteria. There are those who would never consider a western handle, and that’s goofy, because the Takamura blades are crazy values, and there are people like myself who refuse to pay over a buck a millimeter because at the end of the day, I feel that all these knives pretty much accomplish the same task. For my tastes, I’ll choose three blades: the Takamura, the Tanaka Sekiso, and the konosuke KU keiai. They’re all very different, and of the three, the Takamura probably offers the best “value”, but that western handle is something of a turn off. The Tanaka, if you like a cheap handle checks off pretty much every box, and the konosuke really speaks to me. I love a KU finish, and the handle make it my top choice for aesthetics. Unfortunately, I’ve never handled the other 30 knives that this thread will likely generate. I’ll wager that if I had a day with any of them, I’d have a rough time finding fault with any of them.

[HectorFuego]

I bought a 210 Yo handle Yahiko VG10 gyuto for my daughter, and was very impressed for a $59 knife. Micarta handle, good fit and finish, and OOTB edge was the best I've purchased yet.

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yavgwegy21.html

I'm thinking of giving my son the R2 version of the same knife.

Hector

[slickmamba]

I bought a 210 Yo handle Yahiko VG10 gyuto for my daughter, and was very impressed for a $59 knife. Micarta handle, good fit and finish, and OOTB edge was the best I've purchased yet.

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yavgwegy21.html

I'm thinking of giving my son the R2 version of the same knife.

Hector

so nice, my parents buy me kiwi knives from the market

[Jeff B]

I bought a 210 Yo handle Yahiko VG10 gyuto for my daughter, and was very impressed for a $59 knife. Micarta handle, good fit and finish, and OOTB edge was the best I've purchased yet.

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yavgwegy21.html

I'm thinking of giving my son the R2 version of the same knife.

Hector

The Yahiko knives are excellent knives for the money. Definitely some of the best "bang for the buck" knives on the site.

[Cahudson42]

The Line Knife @ $30, Artifex ll @ $75, Takamura Chromax @ $125... (and I do have all three..). Home cook..
Line Knife - put out for kitchen 'helpers' and wife
Artifex ll - for my 'tough stuff'
Chromax - for my tomatoes, cucumbers, avocadoes (after the pit is twisted out with the prison knife or old Vic), etc.

[Cutuu]

This is a little tough, because some that I would like to mention I have not tried. But of some that I've tried and come to mind are the tojiro dp, murato buho, kanehide tk, and most definitely the "hg" makato.

[slickmamba]

This is a little tough, because some that I would like to mention I have not tried. But of some that I've tried and come to mind are the tojiro dp, murato buho, kanehide tk, and most definitely the "hg" makato.

Why is the damascus version of the makoto so cheap? How does it compare to the HG?

[Cutuu]

This is a little tough, because some that I would like to mention I have not tried. But of some that I've tried and come to mind are the tojiro dp, murato buho, kanehide tk, and most definitely the "hg" makato.

Why is the damascus version of the makoto so cheap? How does it compare to the HG?

The "hg" version has better fit and finish and a nice(r) handle. Its also stainless clad, I "think" the other is fully reactive but I'd have to check

[slickmamba]

This is a little tough, because some that I would like to mention I have not tried. But of some that I've tried and come to mind are the tojiro dp, murato buho, kanehide tk, and most definitely the "hg" makato.

Why is the damascus version of the makoto so cheap? How does it compare to the HG?

The "hg" version has better fit and finish and a nice(r) handle. Its also stainless clad, I "think" the other is fully reactive but I'd have to check

haha, efficient question answering! I sent you a pm as well

[cedarhouse]

I'm going to punt on this one. The simple fact of the matter is the staple knife recs here are all awesome values...the deliver a lot of performance per dollar. The Masakages, Takefu smiths', Kanehide, etc, etc are all "worth it."

I think the knives that don't get mentioned a lot can be AMAZING knives, Moritaka, high end Sukenaries, but they have caveats and addendums that require further discussion before we hand out a rec for them...basically they may be worth the money to the right user, but it is less of a sure thing.

[Nmiller21k]

Above the mentioned prices:

Kanehiro AS 210mm

Best all around performance
Excellent heat treat and grinds
HRC isn't as high as the chromax
Taller better profile and a little more robust to help instill a feel of confidence.