Designed to be lightweight and easy to carry and use, utility knives are commonly used in factories, warehouses, construction projects, and other situations where a tool is routinely needed to mark cut lines, trim plastic or wood materials, or to cut tape, cord, strapping, cardboard, or other packaging material.
A utility knife is generally six inches long and works well for slicing fruit, tender pieces of meat, or sandwiches. As the “knife of all trades,” it's a handy go-to for the everyday chef.
Fresh fruits and veggies can add a pop of color, flavor and nutrients to just about any meal, and the utility kitchen knife is the perfect tool for the job! Use this handy knife to slice and dice toppings for salads and sides, burrito and poke bowls, pizzas and flatbreads, tarts and more!
It is designed for light-duty activities such as cutting cardboard to medium-duty activities such as cutting drywall, carpet, and other materials. To ensure you can complete your project safely and accurately, it's important to understand what a utility knife is and what materials it is used for.
Yes, a utility knife can cut meat, but it may not be the best tool for the job. Utility knives are designed for general cutting tasks and may not have the sharpness or specific design features of a dedicated meat knife, such as a chef's knife or a carving knife.
A utility knife is more suitable if you require a knife that can handle various cutting jobs. Size: Think about the size of the ingredients you usually work with. If you often work with small fruits and vegetables, a paring knife's compact size will be beneficial.
Butcher knives:
This knife is designed specifically for tackling raw meats with its broad, heavy blade. Often constructed from high-carbon stainless steel, butcher knives have a curved blade that allows for a rocking motion – ideal for cutting through thicker pieces of meat or even cutting through bone.
The Utility Knife
This in-between size is very similar in length to a steak knife with a shape more like the chef's knife. Usually at least 6-inches (15¼ cm) in length, this knife is ideal for intricate work and great for chopping and dicing smaller and delicate foods like peppers and shallots.
It is important to remember that when you are using a utility knife, you want to use lighter strokes. Alongside that, you want to avoid using too much pressure in order to get a smooth, straight cut. The best method for using a utility knife is by lightly dragging the knife across the material's surface.
As you can see, it is pretty easy to cut wood paneling with a utility knife. In fact, it is the safest method you can use to prevent the wood from splintering, unlike with circular saw blades or table saws.
Large fixed-blade utility knives are most often employed in an outdoors context, such as fishing, camping, or hunting.
Every home cook will utilize a utility knife. The blade is generally 5 to 6 inches, which is shorter than the average bread knife, but the serrated utility knife is still a great choice for small loaves.
Historically, the blades on utility knives were narrow and relatively long; those on petty knives were and remain more triangular in shape. Today, however, distinctions between the two types of knives have become somewhat blurred, at least if the models we tested are any indication.
Petty knives are the happy medium: The best ones can tackle little tasks, like dicing shallots, and more arduous jobs, like filleting fish or deboning chicken thighs.
Utility knives are often sturdier than pocket knives and are not intended for tasks requiring sharp points and edges, such as opening letters and packages. Electricians and other craftsmen who frequently need to cut wire or tough materials utilize utility knives.
Chef utility knives are specially designed to slice various ingredients, including meats, bread, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. They are ultra-thin with a pointed tip, making them perfect for high-precision culinary tasks, like removing skins and seeds.
Use a Straightedge for Straight Cuts
Use the oscillating tool to make a clean, precise cut and make the problem go away. Use a straightedge if you need a guide for the oscillating saw blade. Just watch that the blade doesn't gouge the straightedge and go off-course.
Utility knives can also be used for trimming fat and removing skin, as well as slicing smaller pieces of meat. These knives are also great for slicing cured meats for a charcuterie board.
Efficiency: With a utility knife, you can quickly and easily cut through a wide range of materials, saving time and effort compared to using scissors or other cutting tools. Portability: Utility knives are compact and lightweight, making them easy to carry with you wherever you go.
Box cutter, utility knife, sometimes a “Stanley knife” or, rarely, an “X-ACTO knife” (both examples of a genericized trademark) although an “X-ACTO knife” can also refer to another kind of craft knife that resembles a scalpel and this is probably the more common usage.
The chef knife is the most versatile type of kitchen knife, making it a must-have item in every kitchen. Also called a cook's knife, a chef knife has a long, wide blade that tapers to a sharp point. This design allows it to rock back and forth quickly for fast mincing and chopping.
Gordon Ramsay
Ramsay likes Henckels knives. This is a German brand known for their toughness and bulky blades.
The Santoku knife is an all purpose Japanese knife, adept at slicing, dicing, and mincing. The name santoku means 'three virtues' for the knife's ability to cut fish, meat and vegetables equally well.
My Favorite Butcher Knife
The heavy-duty Mercer Culinary 12-Inch Granton Edge Cimiter is my top pick, thanks to its low cost, large size, and sharp blade. It's a versatile knife for boning, slicing, and chopping almost any type of meat.