5 best paring knife: reviews and definite buying tips
Our pick of the best paring knife is what you need for your kitchen. Whether you want to chop vegetables or create gourmet meals, paring knives are an excellent addition to the kitchen. It is a perfect choice for intricate tasks.
We have reviewed many paring knives to determine the best of the best. The top picks will make tasks like peeling and slicing, convenient and easy to perform in the kitchen.
Our intent is to assist you in finding the best paring knife for the money, without sacrificing longevity or quality. The buying guide has all the information you need to make an informed choice.
Check out how to buy quality knives for all your kitchen needs.
What is the Best Paring Knives?
- Best Paring Knife: Wusthof Classic High Carbon Steel Knife Paring Knife (3.5 Inch)
- Best Japanese Paring Knife: Tojiro DP 3.5-inch Paring Knife
- Best Serrated Paring Knife: Mercer Culinary M19901P Millennia 3-Inch Slim Serrated Paring Knife
- Best Ceramic Paring Knife: Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series 3-inch Paring Knife
- Best Paring Knife Under 50: Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Straight Paring Knife (3.25-Inch)
The 5 best Paring Knives you can buy right now
1. Best Paring Knife: Wusthof Classic High Carbon Steel Knife Paring Knife (3.5 Inch)
REASONS TO BUY
- Built for quality performance
- Easy to hold even when hands are wet
- Great balance
REASONS TO AVOID
- Don’t fit all hand sizes
- High price tag
- Maintenance required
Highest Quality German Craftsmanship
This paring knife is a fine example of German craftsmanship. The sharp and short 3.5-inch blade made of high-carbon stainless steel is durable. The knife provides a high level of control and great maneuverability.
Versatile Sharpness Retention
The new edge technology of the knife features 14 degrees angle. This makes the blade sharper. It has a complete tang design and maintains its sharpness for long.
Durable and Easy to Clean
Caring and maintaining the Wusthof Classic is simple. Hand Wash the knife and it will last long.
2. Best Japanese Paring Knife: Tojiro DP 3.5-inch Paring Knife
REASONS TO BUY
- 60 Rockwell hardness
- Clad bade construction
- Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
- Small size
Sharpness and Precision
The best Japanese paring knife has three layers of metal. The stainless-steel metal on the outside prevents corrosion and rust. The angle and shape of the long bade make it a perfect choice for cutting and slicing.
Comfortable to Use
The paring knife is comfortable to use. Hand washing of knives ensures better maintenance.
3. Best Serrated Paring Knife: Mercer Culinary M19901P Millennia 3-Inch Slim Serrated Paring Knife
REASONS TO BUY
- Ergonomic handle
- Highest quality Japanese steel
- Protective finger guard
- Stain-resistant steel
REASONS TO AVOID
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Bulky handle
Highest Quality Japanese Steel
The non-staining superior quality Japanese steel resists corrosion, discoloration, and rust. The best-serrated paring knife is precision made for durability and strength. The razor-sharp edge makes chopping and cutting a breeze.
Ergonomic Handle
Made from Santoprene and polypropylene, the ergonomic handles provide comfort and durability. The textured points of the handle offer a better grip and are slip-resistant.
4. Best Ceramic Paring Knife: Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Revolution Series 3-inch Paring Knife
REASONS TO BUY
- Ergonomic handle provides precise control
- Advanced ceramic blades are ultra-sharp
- Lightweight
- Easy to clean
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not recommended for use on frozen foods
- Fall on hard floor damages the knife blade
Best Ceramic Paring Knife
The best ceramic paring knife is lightweight. Even repetitive slicing tasks produce less fatigue on the wrist and hands. The ceramic blades are ultra-sharp. The blade sharpness holds 10 times longer.
Lightweight and Sharp
Artificial weight is not added to the handle and this makes it lightweight. When slicing fruits and vegetables there is minimal resistance. The clean and precise cuts will need less pressure and this makes the ceramic knife unique.
5. Best Paring Knife Under 50: Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery Straight Paring Knife (3.25-Inch)
REASONS TO BUY
- Versatile blade for bigger tasks
- Swiss quality stainless steel blade
- Ergonomic handle
- Lifetime warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
- Thin handle
- The blade is likely to bend
Easy Handling
The textured ergonomic handle ensures easy handling. The non-slip grip makes it easy to cut and slice even when wet.
The balanced and weighted paring knife has all the qualities for precise control and cut. When the paring knife has a good handle, you don’t need to put much of an effort to cut and slice vegetables and fruits.
Swiss Quality Blade
The trusted Swiss quality blade provides a lifetime guarantee against any defect in workmanship and material.
Multipurpose Paring Knife
Perfect for versatile jobs like seeding fruit and peeling. The knife is also ideal for tasks like mincing onions.
How to Choose the Best Paring Knife?
When it comes to choosing the best paring knife, it comes down to choosing more than just the price. Even though we all love a good bargain, it is important that you pay attention to the features of the paring knife.
There are many things that you will have to consider before you make your choice of paring knives. When you gain knowledge about these things, you will be able to make an informed choice.
Things to Consider When Choosing Paring Knives
Blade Material
It is important that you pay attention to the material of the paring knife blade. High-quality stainless-steel helps make the best paring knife blades. The blades are also made of high-carbon steel and ceramic.
High-Quality Stainless Steel
These blades offer plenty of strength and are durable. They are not prone to bending. They cost less than ceramic and high-carbon knives.
Ceramic Blades
Sharp and more rigid than high-carbon steel. Prone to snap.
High-Carbon Steel
Stronger than stainless steel. They are rigid and this means they snap. The blades are also expensive.
Forged or Stamped Blades
The shape of the blade determines the performance of a paring knife. You can make the choice between forged or stamped blades.
Forged blades are tapered. This means the widest area of the knife is at the handle. The forged knife has a heavy feel. They are also expensive.
The blade design can be reinforced and this ensures it doesn’t bend or break.
Paring knives with stamped blades are affordable. The thin blades are susceptible to break or bend. The lightweight of the blade causes less arm fatigue.
Tang
The part of the blade that extends down to the handle is the knife’s tang. Make the choice between the full tang and partial tang paring knives.
A full tang goes all the way into the handle whereas the partial tang goes only partway into the handle. Full tang gives the paring knife a balanced feel in the hand. You will also have greater control when cutting or slicing.
A full tang knife is more expensive but offers better performance.
Handle Design
If you want the best paring knife to fit into your hand comfortably, you should opt for a knife that has a thick oval-shaped handle.
A rounded handle will not give you control when you cut and slice vegetables and fruits. It will spin in your hand.
A square handled design paring knife is not comfortable to hold. Plastic handles are lightweight and you will be able to get a good grip.
Paring knives with plastic handles are also more affordable.
Wooden handles with their unique shape don’t provide an effective grip. Metal handles look good but are heavier than wood and plastic handles. They also tend to slip out of your hand.
Types of Paring Knife Blades
Bird’s Beak
The bird’s beak knife comprises a thick conclave blade. This makes it stronger than other paring knife types. It is an ideal choice for intricate carving or peeling.
The rounded blade of the knife ensures minimum waste. You will be able to cut as close as possible to the peeling. Avoid using an electric blade sharpener to sharpen this type of paring knife.
Sheep’s Foot
The sheep’s foot knives have a rounded tip and a full flat blade edge. These blades work best for julienning and thin slicing.
Spear-Tip
The spear-tip is the most traditional type of paring knife. The blade has a curved edge. It works well for peeling and chopping.
Serrated
Serrated paring knives are available in bird’s beak, sheep’s foot, and spear-tip types. They are effective in cutting tough vegetables and fruits. You can make use of the sawing motion of the blade to do all your hard work.
Paring Knife Sharpening – Do’s and Don’ts
When you buy a new paring knife you are excited. With time, the knife will lose its sharpness and cutting edge. A simple knife sharpening technique will ensure that the knife stays sharp forever.
Routine sharpening and regular maintenance will help you get a better experience in the kitchen.
Do’s of Paring Knife Sharpening
- Keep the paring knife clean and dry. After each activity of cutting or slicing of fruits or vegetables, you should clean and dry it properly.
- Always use a cutting board. This is good for the edge of your paring knife. If you cut vegetables or fruits on hard surfaces (steel or stone countertop or glass cutting board) it will dull the edge of the knife. The blade also gets damaged.
- Use sharpening stones to sharpen the paring knives. A Japanese whetstone is the best choice to sharpen the paring knives.
- When sharpening knives, the angle should be consistent.
- Strop and polish the knives regularly. This will help maintain the edge of the knife.
Don’ts of Paring Knife Sharpening
- Avoid running the paring knife through a knife sharpening system. When you run a blade through a knife sharpening system, it can cause considerable damage to the edges of the blade.
- Don’t sharpen the knives on a belt grinder. This will heat up the blade and change the structure of the steel. The sharpness dulls after a period of time.
- Don’t use a paring knife to chop or saw hard food. If you use the knife for a purpose that it is not made for it, it can damage the blade and edges of the knife.
How to Use A Paring Knife
Using a Paring Knife is easy, check out and learn key techniques of how to use a paring knife. In addition, you can see this Video for more details.
Care and Maintenance of Paring Knives
Most of us don’t use the paring knives properly. Without proper care and maintenance, the knives will not be able to last long. If you use the kitchen knives in a proper manner and take proper care of them, they will prove to be your best companions in the kitchen.
- Always use a cutting board when cutting vegetables or fruits. Place a damp cloth under the cutting board. This will prevent it from slipping.
- Never leave the paring knives in the soapy sink water. This is bad for the stainless-steel material and can also lead to accidents.
- Avoid keeping the paring knives at the edge of tables or counter tops.
- Don’t put the knives in the dishwasher. The knife edges become dull and you will find it difficult to do simple cutting tasks in the kitchen.
- It is important to store the knives properly. A knife rack or kit will keep them safe and prevent the edges from getting dull.
Learn about the common mistakes that people make in the care and maintenance of paring knives. You can see this Video for more details about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How often do you need to sharpen a paring knife?
It will depend on how often you use the paring knife. If you find that the blade has lost its edge and you need to make an effort to cut and slice through food, you should get it sharpened.
Q. What is the ideal length of a paring knife blade?
The length that works best for most kitchen tasks is 3 ¼ – 3 ½ inches. Depending on the size of your hand, you can choose the best length that fits comfortably in your hand and gives you the greatest control.
Q. What is the best way to store paring knives?
Paring knives are small and can pose a danger if stored in a haphazard manner. If possible, invest in a wooden box to store the sharp knives. This will help protect your hands and it will also keep the sharp edges of the knife getting dull.
Q. How to grip a paring knife?
Whether you are slicing, peeling, or trimming, you should be in perfect control. A good grip that is comfortable and balanced will enable you to do all the work you want. If you grip them properly, the knives will not slip out of your hand.
Q. Do you need a serrated paring knife in your kitchen?
Tasks such as cutting and slicing peppers and tomatoes get easy when you use a serrated paring knife in the kitchen.
Final Thoughts
There are many excellent paring knives available in the market. The list above specifies the best knives available in different categories and is a good place to start.
We have reviewed many good quality paring knives and looked at all their features so that you are able to buy the best paring knife for the money. If you haven’t tried a good paring knife before, you can then count on feeling a big difference.
The chopping and slicing of fruits and vegetables get easy. Food preparation is fast and the whole process of cooking gets enhanced when you start using a paring knife. The buying guide will help you choose the best paring knife for your kitchen.