It is very much easy to say I am hungry, but the real struggle begins when you start preparing the food. You will need to gather the necessary ingredients and cut the fruits and vegetables more precisely. The taste of the food also somewhat depends on the size of the main components.
The regular or the bigger knife cannot serve you with all those finely sliced pieces of food. So, for that, you will need a unique type of cutter, which is known as a paring knife. Do not worry if you are not familiar with it as in this article; you will get to know about the 10 best paring knife of all time.
Generally, it is the smaller version of the regular knife with a 3 to 5 inches blade. Have some time to go through the entire article to find your desirable knife.
List of 10 Best Paring Knife 2023
To help you choose the best paring knife for your kitchen, we have sketched an entire list of the top-notch products available in the market. Moreover, all of them have gained good reviews from the user, which has also been proved by our research.
You will get to know them in detail after going through the given information. And in the end, you will be the gainer by selecting the best product that is ideal for you.
Our Top Picks
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Best Paring Knife Reviews
Before buying a paring knife, one must know about it in detail, like its pros, cons, and other features. All this information will not let them get disappointed at the end of the day to post a negative review.
Therefore, to make this process easy, we have given honest feedback on different paring Knife types. So take some time to read the provided description.
1. Wusthof Classic Paring Knife – Overall Best
The first product on our list is the Wusthof Classic paring knife. It is one of the abundant examples of German craftsmanship. This can also be a must-have knife for your kitchen if you are a cooking lover.
The blade of this knife is made of high carbon stainless steel, which is 3.5 inches long. This stainless steel keeps the edge sharp for an extended time. Therefore, you will not have to sharp it more often at the time of use.
This knife is also very durable as it is a full tang knife, and the handle is high-impact ergonomic riveted. It will feel more balanced in the hand of the user while cutting fruits and vegetables.
Wusthof uses equipment and art technology to manufacture their knives to make the edges irresistibly sharp and detailed. Furthermore, it has a sharpness of 28 degrees that means 14 degrees on each side. Once you buy this knife, you will not have to be tensed about it throughout your life as the company provides a lifetime warranty.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
If you want a knife that will last for a long time, this knife would be the best choice.
2. Shun Premier Paring Knife – Best for Giving Decorative Touches
The next product is the Shun Premier paring knife from Japan. It has 4 inches long sharp blade that is made of VG MAX. Therefore, it is corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant.
The user can hold the handle comfortably as it is made of pakkawood. Moreover, it also looks beautiful and attractive in the kitchen. So, you can use this paring knife for coring, slicing, and adding some decorative touches to fruits with precision.
The core will also be protected with the 68 micro-layers Damascus. Other than that, it is very lightweight and durable because it is a full tang knife. The blade of this knife has a hand-hammered finish and steel with strikings.
So, these features help reduce the dragging when cutting and keep food from piercing the knife's blade.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
This knife will look very attractive in the kitchen because of its handle and blade. Not only that, but it also performs very well.
3. Mac Professional Paring Knife – Best for Professional Chefs
Mac professional paring knife is also a product of Japan. Its blade is made of alloy steel and has a length of 3 ¼ inches. The company claims that the knife is exceptionally sharp, rust-resistant, made of high carbon, and remains sharp for a more extended period.
Now moving forward to the handle, the manufacturer used pakkawood as it is lightweight and durable at the same time. Moreover, the size of this knife is the most common one for paring and peeling. So, it can be used to remove the tomatoes and strawberry's stems or for intricating melon carving.
After fining all the cooking works, you can simply clean it with water. Do not use a dishwasher as it will not be safe for this product.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
This knife is a must-have kitchen utensil if you are a professional cook as a professional cooker has to cut every cooking ingredient more precisely.
4. Tojiro DP Paring Knife – Best Japanese Paring Knife
Tojiro DP paring knife is one of the best Japanese paring knives. Its blade is made of stainless steel and about 3.5 inches long. It is also constructed using a 3-ply clad with an essential of VG-10. So, you can use it without thinking about getting rust as it is rust-resistant.
Moreover, the handle is of reinforced, laminated material, which is very hard. Also, to make the handle durable, it is encrypted with triple-riveted. Thinking about the clients, the company has made knives with a hardness of 60 Rockwell and blade angles of 9 to 12 degrees.
Above all this, you will get a lifetime warranty. Therefore, get a change if there is any manufacturing defect or others in your delivered product.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
This knife can make the kitchen work more manageable with its premium quality blade.
5. Victorinox Paring Knife – Best Multipurpose Paring Knife
Victorinox paring knife is a product of Switzerland since the year 1884. It is still in the market because of its high-quality manufacturing products for its customers. Moreover, this company's knives are also recognized as multipurpose knives as it is designed for mincing, peeling, garnishing, slicing, and dicing.
The handle of this knife ismade of rosewood, which is very comfortable to hold. Besides this, it is also strong, heavy, crack-resistant, and will not get discolored over time. The blade that is used is short but standard, with a size of 3.25 inches.
The reason behind using such a short blade is because it gives more precision and accuracy to cut and control the knife. So, you can easily slice the delicate soft-skinned vegetables and fruits such as kiwis or tomatoes. It will not get squash or mash.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
The professional chef can use this knife, especially as they need to use such a knife all day long to make their dish look fantastic.
6. Kuhn Rikon Straight Paring Knife – Best for Use Other Than Kitchen
Kuhn Rikon straight paring knife is such a knife that is ideal for all-purpose kitchen work. Its blade is made of stainless steel and can cut, chop vegetables, slices cheese, peels an apple, and others quickly. Although the blade is somewhat longer with a length of 4 inches, it is ultra-sharp and long-lasting.
Some knives tend to get attached to fruits while cutting, but nothing will happen like this with this knife. It has a non-stick coating that releases food easily from the cutting surface. So, neater chopping can quickly be gained with this knife.
The user will not face any difficulty with its easy-to-grip handle at the time of using it. Instead, maximum comfort can be experienced. Moreover, it can be stored safely within kitchen drawers and even outside the kitchen with its matching sheath.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
As we often go camping, it is enjoyable to cook food there. So to prepare food, we will also need a knife. This paring knife would be the perfect choice in such a situation.
7. WÜSTHOF Gourmet Paring Knife – Best for All Close-hand Tasks
WÜSTHOF Gourmet paring knife is made of a high-carbon stainless steel blade and polypropylene handle. So, its high-quality blade and synthetic handle material are fading resistant, away from discoloration, impact, and heat.
The blade is 3 inches long, which is of perfect size and very sharp. With it, the user can precisely cut, slice, trim, peel, and lean any kind of small fruits and vegetables. Moreover, the manufacturer used the latest art technology in this model for easy maintenance and incredible sharpness.
This can be the knife second to have in the kitchen after the bigger knife. However, it has been designed in such a way so that it can do all close-hand tasks without getting dull fast.
In the case of cleaning, wash it with your hand only using water. This knife will lose its sharpness if any additional dishwasher is used.
Last but not least, this kitchen knife set from German comes with a lifetime warranty. So do not worry if you want to give it a try as a beginner.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
This German brand knife is in the market for over 200 years as it serves high-quality products to the customers to make their kitchen work easy and fast.
8. Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Paring Knife – Best Ceramic Paring Knife
Kyocera Advanced Ceramic paring knife is a product of Japan and specially designed for beginners who want to learn cooking. So, keeping that in mind, the manufacturer made this knife using ceramic in the blade and plastic in the handle. Detailed works like peeling, trimming, garnishing, and mincing can be done with it very easily.
These knives' ceramic blades are made from zirconia, which is produced in Japan for flawless beauty and quality. Other than that, it is ultra-sharp that remains 10x longer than steel blades. The beginners can have total control and balance over the knife as it is very lightweight.
Some knives make the foods brown, but nothing like this will happen with this Kyocera knife. Moreover, it is resistant to acids and rust-proof. Once you finish cutting all the ingredients, clean it by hand and regular water.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
This knife can be used for slicing fruits, cutting boneless meats and vegetables, but cannot be used on frozen or hard foods.
9. ZYLISS Paring Knife – Best Affordable Paring Knife
ZYLISS paring knife is slightly different than the other knives in terms of outlook. Knives generally come in two common colors; black and white, whereas this knife comes in green. However, high-carbon stainless steel, which is super sharp, has been used as a blade that can entirely control slicing, cutting, and peeling of vegetables and fruits.
It does not need to be sharpened more often, but once sharpen, it remains for a long time. The handle is also very soft because of the rubber grip. Therefore, the user will not face any hand fatigue and will have total control over the knife.
It is also ideal for caring as a safety blade guard protects the knife and surrounding things. Moreover, the storage also becomes easy to keep the children protected from it. You can wash it with the dishwasher, but it is better to wash it by hand and regular water.
Features at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
If you are looking for a knife that can be carried whenever you want, like a pen, this is the perfect one.
10. Farberware EdgeKeeper Paring Knife – Best for Easy Sharpening
The final product on our list is the Farberware Edgekeeper paring knife. This knife has been built with an innovative technology, which is the blade will get sharpen with the provided sheath automatically after every use. That means you will not have to worry about your dull knife anymore.
However, the initial blade is of very high-quality as it is made from high-carbon stainless steel. It will remain sharp, durable, and rust-free over the years. The user can also hold the knife comfortably because of the ergonomically designed handle. So, do not worry about being discomfort while using.
In the end, it does not need any additional care. You can simply wash it by hand using a mild detergent and warm water. After that, it needs to be dried immediately by wiping.
Features At A Glance
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
You will not have to be hassled regarding sharpening the knife as it comes with advanced innovative sharpening technology.
How to Buy The Best Paring Knife for Everyday Use?
The knife is such an essential kitchen utensil without which anyone cannot start their cooking procedure. Furthermore, you might be suspicious of picking the best paring knife after reading the whole review part.
So, if you are entirely new to this type of knife or face difficulties using this knife, maybe you did not select the perfect one or are using it wrong. As a beginner, it will be somewhat tough for you to choose the best one.
But you will always have our shoulders as we have already provided you with a buying guide for paring knives. Before that, let us known some initial things about a paring knife.
What is a Paring Knife?
A paring knife is a small general use knife. Usually, it is a scheduled knife used for opening packages or trimming anything. If you have a piece of meat with fats on it or something you have to get off without using the bigger knife, then a paring knife can help you adequately.
The standard paring knife is going to have 3 inches to 4 inches blade. But there are also paring knives with 2.5 and 5 inches blade. The handle that is used to hold the knife firmly can be made of wood, steel, plastic, and other materials.
It may look small in size but does a lot of work in the kitchen. Furthermore, it is nothing less than the bigger knives. It will help the user do all sorts of work that is possible with it within no time.
Kinds of Blade's Steel
Thousands of steel types are used while making the knife's blade, and it would be tough to explain every single one. However, 4 common types of steel are more or less used when manufacturing the paring knife. These also indicate the feature and quality of the blade.
Carbon Steel
The most common type of steel that is used to make knife blades is 10XX steel. The 1095 model is also a common one as it is the one with high carbon. The knife blade's steel may range from 1045 to 1095.
However, the 1045 model has the lowest carbon amount. It is even more manganese compared to 1095. The 1095 model has a high level of wear-resistance but would last less. The only con is rust, and that is why 1095 blades come with a coating to deal with rust.
Alloy Steel
Alloy steel is a 5160 steel with a chromium mixture. The chromium helps to turn it into stainless steel. But the main purpose of its mixture is to add strength to the material. They usually have 0.56% to 0.64% carbon.
Tool Steel
This kind of steel is also divided into smaller groups.
Stainless Steel
The knives made from stainless steel have a high chromium rate, which is about 12%. As a result, they are incredibly resistant to rust. On the other hand, knives with a low carbon content that is even stainless are cheaper and cannot hold an edge properly.
The knives made of stainless steel and have a high carbon concentration are very sturdy, resistant to rust, and can hold the edge well. The 420 model steel has 0.38% carbon, whereas the 440A model steel has around 0.65% to 0.75% carbon content.
The 440B model steel is somewhat the same as 440A, except for the carbon content. The carbon context of 440B is 0.75% to 0.95%. The AUS Series should also need to be noted, the other name of Japanese stainless steel.
There is 0.65% carbon in the AUS-6 steel, 0.75% carbon in the AUS-8 steel, and 1.1% in the AUS-10 steel. There are both advantages and disadvantages of having a high carbon content knife. But, getting a high carbon content model paring knives is a good idea because it provides the knife with more durability.
Kinds of Handle Material
Four kinds of materials are used to make the handle of the paring knife.
Wood
Handles made of wood are very much attractive and gives a warm feeling while holding them. They are usually sealed, riveted, and sturdy. However, you should not soak them for a long time in the water as they would crack and expand. If you are looking for a knife made of a wooden handle that will be more durable, Olivewood and Rosewood would be the right materials.
Steel
Most of the knives are made of single steel, which will make the entire knife. It is very strong as the handle is connected to the blade.
Polypropylene
Like the wooden handle, this kind of knife handle is also riveted together. Therefore, it is not only durable but also resistant to water. This material makes the knife very easy to maintain and take care of.
Plastic
This handle type is very lightweight. It also comes in two parts glued together. So, if you want to get an affordable paring knife, this is a perfect choice.
Kinds of Shape
Three different shapes are usually applied while making paring knives.
Classic
The blade of the classic paring knives has a slight belly.
Bird's Beak
A tourne or trimming knife is considered as a bird's beak. It has a curved-in blade, which is pretty much similar to a sickle. Therefore, this shape is perfect for trimming, peeling, and performing more detailed work.
Sheep's Foot
The knife's edge with sheep's foot shape has a flat blade and a round spine near the tip.
Why do You Need a Paring Knife?
A paring knife can be a lifesaver in any kitchen work. However, it can also be used other than kitchen tasks. If you plan to buy a paring knife or already have one but unaware of its different use, keep reading the below points carefully.
How to Take Care of a Paring Knife?
Anything even with a very high price does not always remain good as everything needs proper care to sustain. The same in the case of a paring knife. However, the caring procedure may somewhat differ due to the different materials while manufacturing it.
Below we are going to provide the detail of the overall care and maintenance of a paring knife.
Things to Look at While Buying The Best Paring Knife [Buying Guide]
Before starting cooking food, you need to cut the vegetables finely. So, for this, you will require a high-quality cutter or knife.
Below are some vital features and things you must focus on while buying a paring knife. Therefore, read it with adequate time so that you can pick the beneficial one for your kitchen.
Blade
The usual blade length of a paring knife is 3 to 5 inches. The one with 3 inches is used for in-hand work, like peeling off the skin of small vegetables and fruits. But if you choose the blade over the 5 inches, it will not be regarded as a paring knife.
Sharpness
A paring knife must be sharp enough to cut small vegetables and fruits without any squeezing and damage. Moreover, extreme sharpness is required to peel the skin of vegetables and fruits.
In the beginning, all the paring knives are incredibly sharp. The thing you should look for is how long the sharpness will last.
Tang
The point that connects the blade with the handle is known as the tang. If a low-quality tang is used, the knife may break down within no time. But, the tang with a long piece of metal is very sturdy, and the blade does not break early. Moreover, this type of tang knife is felt much more balanced. As a result, it becomes very much easier to use.
Edge
In the case of a paring knife, the most appropriate edge would be between 12 and 17 degrees. So, it is ideal to choose anywhere between the given measurement.
Shape
As there are commonly three different shapes in a paring knife, you can pick the one that can serve you the best.
Stain Resistance
The blade of a paring knife must have a minimum of 12% chromium for being stain resistant. A chromium-oxide film appears on the metal surface, and it prevents the iron from coming in attach to water and oxygen.
Price
A paring knife's price depends on a few factors like the blade, handle material, construction quality, and many more. Most of them are priced from $10 to $200.
Affordable: The most reasonable paring knives are manufactured using stainless steel or carbon steel and thinner blades. They have a usual tang and cost around $10 to $30.
Mid-range: The blade of the mid-range knife is thick and made of stainless steel and carbon steel. They have a partial to a full tang, which cost between $30 to $100.
Expensive: The costly paring knives have heavy blades made of carbon steel, stainless steel, or a mixture of both. They cost between $100 to $200 as they have a real full tang.
Guarantee and Warranty
Most of the companies give the facility of both guarantee and warranty or anyone of them. This option is very beneficial if you buy a product at a high price. The manufacturing defect is a prevalent issue. So, with this option, you can change the product or get a refund.
Final Thoughts
The knife is such a kitchen utensil without which you cannot start your cooking. If you even want to eat an egg, you need a knife to cut the onion. But, you will obviously not require the bigger knife every time for cutting these types of other small vegetables and fruits.
So, from the above information, you have already known about the 10 best paring knife that is available in the market. With this knife, the kitchen work will become easier. You will not have to pick up the regular knife to cut an apple, onion, garlic, and others.
It can also be carried outside on vacation to enjoy your cooked food. Other than that also, packets and other small things can be unpacked within no time with it.
FAQ: Best Paring Knife
Many questions came to us concerning the paring knife. So, we have created this section to reply to most of your queries. Let us read the answers without any further intermission so that your confusions are cleared.
How long can a paring knife be?
The actual size of a paring knife is not that long. And the blade of the knife is somewhat from 3 to 5 inches as the main task of a paring knife is to peel and slice small vegetables and fruits. For this reason, there is no such need that a paring knife needs to be long as the regular knife.
Is the paring knife sharp?
A paring knife is very sharp as its main purpose is to cut and chop fruits and vegetables more delicately. However, sharpness depends on your kitchen work and how you are going to maintain it. If you always follow the proper usage, sharpening steps, and storage, then your knife will go a long way.
What is the perfect size of a paring knife?
The answer to this question depends on the purpose of your task. If you want to peel off fruit's skin, then 3-inches is a perfect choice. But if you are going to chop small vegetables, it will be ideal to choose a 4 to 5-inches paring knife.
How many paring knives are essential to have?
It is essential to have two paring knives in the kitchen to do most of the cooking. One is a bit short, 3-inches knife, and the other is a bit longer, which is 4 to 5 inches.
Why is it good to have at least two paring knives?
The reason to have two paring knives in the kitchen is the smaller one can be used to do in-hand tasks and the longer one to chop fruits and vegetable keeping on the chopping board.
How sharp must a paring knife be?
A paring knife must be as sharp as possible as a dull cutter is much more unsafe to use. Since paring knives tend to be shorter, they might mash the vegetables and fruits you are slicing using a blunt knife.
How heavy is a paring knife?
The best paring knives are very lightweight as it is mainly designed to cut and trim fruits and vegetables more precisely. So, the top-notch combination is a sharp blade with a light handle. To feel the weight, you can use your two fingers and measure. If the handle has excess weight, there is a possibility that the knife will fall out of the hand.
Is the knife comfortable to hold?
One of the reasons to choose a paring knife is its easy holding factor. This helps in peeling small fruits and vegetables like garlic, ginger, and much more very quickly. Anyone can comfortably hold the handle when carving or coring since better control is possible while being closer to the blade.
What are the other types of knives required besides a paring knife?
Besides a paring knife, some different cutters can be useful to have in the kitchen while cooking. These are Chinese chef knife, carving knife, boning knife, steak knife, and a bread knife.
What are the types of cut possible using a paring knife?
As a paring knife is the short version of the bigger knife, it cannot do all the works that are possible with the bigger one. Therefore, with a paring knife, dicing, mincing, peeling, and slicing small fruits and vegetables is possible.