The Best Sushi Cutters
Table of Contents
Your Ultimate Guide to Sushi Knives
If you’ve ever been a customer in a Japanese restaurant, you’ve probably ordered sushi at least once in your life. Or maybe, this distinctly delectable Japanese dish is something that you’re fond of. Either way, it’s amazing to see professional chefs in restaurants swiftly whip up a sushi order. They do it with grace and passion with their incredible hands, using the sharpest knives or high-quality rolling machines.
While it’s easy to just order sushi from a restaurant, it’s also thrilling to make your own at home. To make sushi that can impress anyone, you’d need a few tools, such as a good sashimi knife, a roller, and a sushi cutter.
The majority of chefs use a special quality knife to craft and make cuts on their rolls, but using a machine isn’t uncommon either. Machine or not, these are things that help slice rolls in a beautiful even manner. In this article, we listed down all the information about the best knives that you can use to become your own great sushi chef at home or in your business.
Which is the Best Sushi Cutter?
Editor's Choice  Best Overall |  The Sharpest |  Best Design |
Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi YanagiEven if you're not a chef, you can still make high standard rolls with a cutter that has been approved by professionals. The Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi is the best example of that knife. | Mercer Culinary YanagiA german steel knife, the Mercer Yanagi has a single, tapered edge that is razor sharp and has a fine stone finish. This feature enables any user to quickly and cleanly cut rolls into equal pieces. | Dalstrong Phantom Series Yanagiba Knife 9.5″The Dalstrong Phantom Series Yanagiba is exactly what you need if you want a well-made, exquisitely designed knife that can easily slice your rolls. |
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Let’s Go Over Each Sushi Knife
#1: Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi
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If you would like to invest in the best knife that is both used by professionals and suitable for home cooks, then you won’t go wrong with choosing the Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi.
Measuring 10.5 inches long, the Yoshihiro Shiroki is ideal for sashimi slicing and preparing raw and paper-thin slices of fish used for rolls and sashimi. It’s made of white steel #2 and has a hardness Rockwell of 62-63, making it extraordinarily sharp. The Yoshihiro Shiroko is also blended with iron, ensuring that its edges are well-maintained.
The Yoshihiro Shiroko is proudly crafted in Japan and is equipped with a Japanese D-shaped handle made of either Magnolia wood or Rosewood. This allows the handle to be suitable for any user.
Moreover, it also comes with a protective wooden sheath called a Saya for you to store the knife in, allowing for further careful preservation.
Pros and Cons of the Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Lightweight and easy to use ✔️ Has an ergonomic handle ✔️ Made with premium white steel #2 | ✖️ Pricey ✖️ User will need to sharpen it every now and then |
#2: Mercer Culinary Yanagi
Functionality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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A popular cutlery brand in the USA, Mercer also crafts knives for sashimi and rolls. The brand ensures that its cutlery items are made with premium materials, and its sashimi knives are no exception to that.
The Mercer Yanagi measures 10 inches long and is made of German steel. It has a single cutting-edge design that is tapered with a fine stone finish, making it a razor-sharp knife, allowing any user to easily cut rolls into equal pieces.
Moreover, it has rust-resistant and corrosion-resistant properties, allowing you to use it for long periods without the need to sharpen it every so often.
Apart from rolls, the Mercer Yanagi is a versatile knife that can also be used for slicing vegetables (as does a nakiri knife), fruits, thick meat, and more, making it a great investment for home use. It’s equipped with a wooden handle and its design is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation.
Pros and Cons of the Mercer Culinary Yanagi
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Made of German steel ✔️ Rust and corrosion resistant ✔️ Stone finished with a taper-ground design | ✖️ Must be hand-washed |
#3: Dalstrong Phantom Series Yanagiba 9.5″
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Dalstrong is a brand that offers quality products for a price that won’t break the bank. Not only are their cutlery highly sharp, but they are also well-crafted and beautifully designed.
The brand has a number of model knives in its stock, but one of its best-selling cutters is the Phantom Series. If you want an item that looks elegant and can help you slice your rolls easily, the Dalstrong Phantom Series Yanagiba knives might be suitable for you.
The Dalstrong Phantom measures 9.5 inches long and has a specially designed straight blade construction. Made from ice-tempered Japanese high carbon AUS8 steel and with an HRC 58+ hardness, the Phantom Yanagiba knife is full tang and has a precision-forged design. It also implements a D-shaped handle and comes with a protective sheath for preservation.
Pros and Cons of the Dalstrong Phantom Series Yanagiba 9.5″
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Beautiful full tang design with a narrow width ✔️ Made with Japanese AUS8 steel ✔️ Hand polished | ✖️ Not for left-handed users |
#4: Global G-47 Two-Sided Sashimi-YO Slicer
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Slicing rolls may be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re a novice. But worry not, for there are good knives that are catered for you. The Global G-47 10-inch Two-Sided slicer promises durability, quality, and timeless design.
Blade construction is Vanadium and Molybdenum stainless steel for excellent stain resistance and cutting edge. It’s equipped with a handle filled with sand for beginners to easily balance it when slicing and achieve great results.
Whether you’re left-handed or right-handed, Japanese knives like the G47 model should suit you as it has a double-sided bevel for unsurpassed performance, allowing anyone to slice with ease. Additionally, this balanced knife is also lightweight, reducing the fatigue that the user might experience.
Pros and Cons of the Global G-47 Two-Sided Sashimi-YO Slicer
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Best for novices ✔️ Lightweight ✔️ Double-sided bevel | ✖️ Can be pricey |
#5: Yoshihiro High Carbon Blue Steel #1 Dragon Namiuchi Yanagi
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If you have a taste only for premium products and don’t mind spending any amount of money, then this cutter should catch your eye. We’ve established that Yoshihiro is one of the distinguished names in Japanese knife-making owing to amazing traditional Japanese knives.
Among their product list, their Dragon Namiuchi Yanagi is incredibly unique and high-end. Made with high carbon steel #1, professionals use the Dragon Namiuchi for rolls, fillet fish, uramaki, and the like.
While this Japanese blade is specifically made for chefs, don’t be too intimidated by it. You’ll be able to wield this Japanese blade like a pro as well. This cutter is HRC 64, meaning that it’s very hard and slices swiftly and efficiently.
It has a double ebony bolster, an octagonal ebony handle, and a wooden sheath. Best of all, there’s a dragon engraved into the Yanagi, giving it a unique look like no other.
Pros and Cons of the Yoshihiro Dragon Namiuchi Yanagi
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Made with blue steel #1 ✔️ HRC 64 hardness ✔️ Uniquely shaped for balance and body weight | ✖️ Expensive |
How Do You Cut Sushi Easily?
You can cut sushi using the best knives or cutters. However, you can’t just use a normal chef’s knife. To cut your sushi, you need a good knife that’s ultra-sharp, thin, and long. If the cutter you use doesn’t have an extremely sharp edge, you will end up destroying your rolls.
As for using a sushi roll cutter machine, simply put your sushi roll into the cutting tray. Pull on the lever if your cutter is a manual-operated one. If you have an electric cutting machine, switch the machine on to start it. Make sure to read the instructions for your machine cutter before operating it.
Why Does My Sushi Roll Fall Apart When I Cut It?
One of the common reasons why your sushi falls apart is that it might be overstuffed. Cutting them using a rolling machine could cause the ingredients to burst from the seams. Or you may be using too little seaweed (nori) to wrap the rice in.
Another reason is the cutter that you are using. You may be working with the wrong cutter, it may not be sharp enough, or not sufficiently wet. Here’s a guide on the best sushi rollers so that you can be sure your sushi is up to standards and won’t fall apart when cutting manually or when using machines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of knives do sushi chefs use?
The most common sushi knife is a yanagiba, which roughly translates to a “willow-shaped” blade. It is long, slender, and leaf-shaped, perfect for cutting sushi and sashimi.
Crafting is important as well. Most sushi knives are crafted either from honyaki—made from single, high-grade steel, or kasumi—made from two types of high-grade metal.
Can I use other types of knives for rolls?
If you want to achieve the perfect sushi, it is not advisable to use non-sushi-specific knives such as the deba knife and nakiri knife (although some kits may include a nakiri knife especially for cutting greens). It’s also important to avoid stainless steel sushi knives or santoku knives when you can, as they could be messy to work with when cutting rolls, and are not traditional. Also, be wary of half-tang knives as they are less durable than their full-tang counterparts.
Why can’t I cut my sushi properly?
Check your ingredients. Your nori might be too wet, or your sushi rice might not be sticky enough. Also, maybe you weren’t able to roll your pieces tight enough. Furthermore, ensure that your slicing tool is ultra sharp and wet enough before and after cutting to be able to have seamless, beautifully cut pieces.
Conclusion
Level up from being a customer at a Japanese restaurant to becoming your own chef at home with the use of the best knives featured in this guide. With these items, you’ll definitely be able to create rolls that not only taste good but look as good and perfect as your sushi roll packed with delicious rice, boneless fish fillets, and fresh vegetables of your liking.
For the perfect sushi roll, find the best and particular cutter that works best for you. And no, any other knives won’t work however good they are for their specific tasks such as the deba knife, usuba knife or nakiri knife. Also, don’t forget to find a good rice cooker to make your sushi rice.
Editor’s Choice
Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi
Any Japanese restaurant customer would see the professionals use a mighty sharp traditional Japanese knife to slice sushi. While you may not be a chef, you can still get your own professional-approved sushi roll cutter or chef’s knife to create quality rolls.
The best example among the knives in the market is the Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi. With a size of 10.5 inches, this particular knife is made with white steel #2, making it exceptionally sharp. It also has a hardness of 62-63. Handcrafted in Japan, this slicer is balanced for the fit and comfort of any user. You can’t go wrong with this one.
