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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 sushi chefs in restaurants swiftly whip up a sushi roll order. They do it with grace and passion with their incredible hands, using the sharpest sushi knives or high-quality sushi machines.
While it’s easy to just order up 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. Making a sushi roll requires specific tools, such as a good sashimi knife or sushi knife (not just an all-purpose santoku knife), a sushi roller, and a sushi cutter.
The majority of chefs use a special quality knife to craft and make cuts on their sushi, but using a sushi machine isn’t uncommon either. Machine or not, these are things that help slice sushi in a beautiful even manner. In this article, we listed down all the information about the best sushi cutters 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 sushi with a roll cutter that has been approved by professionals. The Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi is the best example of that roll cutter. | Mercer Culinary YanagiA german steel sushi 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 a sushi roll 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 sushi and sashimi knife that can easily slice your rolls. |
Functionality: Quality: Price: | Functionality: Quality: Price: | Functionality: Quality: Price: |
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 sushi 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 sushi 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 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 ✖️ Needs to be properly maintained and cared for |
#2: Mercer Culinary Yanagi
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A popular cutlery brand in the USA, Mercer also crafts sushi and sashimi knives. 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 the sushi roll into equal pieces. Moreover, it has rust-resistant and corrosion-resistant properties.
Apart from sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi rolls easily, the Dalstrong Phantom Series Yanagiba knives might be suitable for you.
The Dalstrong Phantom sushi roll cutter 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 a sushi roll may be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re a novice. But worry not, for there are good sushi knives that are catered for you. Made in Japan, 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-resistant 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 sushi 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 sushi rolls, fillet fish, uramaki, and the like to serve more.
While this Japanese blade is specifically made for chefs, don’t be too intimidated by it. You’ll be able to wield this Japanese sushi knife 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 |
#6: Tojiro DP Sujihiki Slicer
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A sujihiki is made especially for slicing fish and other boneless protein parts of poultry and meat. It has a long and narrow shape and a short height to reduce friction so you can make really thin pieces. It’s made from VG-10 stain-resistant steel and has an HRC rating of 60, allowing it to stay sharp over time with low maintenance.
Japanese knives are known for exceptional craftsmanship, and Tojiro’s best sushi knife is no different. What makes the Tojiro DP Sujihiki is that it’s double-edged, allowing it to be used by both left and right-handed individuals. The symmetrical grind and bevel of the right and left-handed sushi knife Tojiro Sujihiki makes it easy to cut any piece of sushi roll as well. It has a Western-style triple-riveted handle that can fit comfortably in the hands.
Pros and Cons of the Tojiro DP Sujihiki Slicer
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Made with VG-10 stain resistant steel ✔️ For left- and right-handed users ✔️ HRC 60 hardness | ✖️ The saya sheath has to be purchased separately |
#7: Kyocera Ceramic Kyotop Damascus
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Another good sushi knife is Kyocera, a brand well-known to customers for its ceramic cutlery. The brand provides a variety of sizes, and its ceramic sushi roll cutter is a great item to have in your kitchen. The Kyocera Damascus comes not only with a fancy design but great knife features as well.
The Damascus sushi cutter measures 8.25 inches long. This hot-isostatic pressed ceramic slicer is made of Japanese zirconia material that ensures its excellent quality. It’s just as sharp as steel knives and won’t corrode or rust. It’s also lightweight and easy to clean with water or knife oil.
Pros and Cons of the Kyocera Ceramic Kyotop Damascus
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Made using hot isostatic pressed ceramic technique ✔️ Light body weight ✔️ Sharpness is retained over a long time | ✖️ Pricey ✖️ Not suitable for frozen food or bone |
#8: Kamikoto Kanpeki Set
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Some home cooks aren’t keen to spend on a single piece of cutlery that has a pricing worthy of being used in restaurants. It’s a good thing that cutlery sets are available to customers as well, as they can get several blade styles for the price of one. If you’d rather have a set of knives to slice your sushi with a santoku knife for general purposes, then the Kamikoto Kanpeki set may just be for you.
The Kamikoto Kanpeki consists of 3 knives with different sizes and uses. There’s the 7-inch nakiri knife for vegetables, an 8.5-inch sushi cutter, and a 5-inch utility slicer or santoku knife. The three Japanese knives are forged from high-quality Japanese steel and are satin-finished as well, including the handle. Moreover, they come in a presentation box that also acts as their storage, giving them an elegant flair.
Pros and Cons of the Kamikoto Kanpeki Set
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Set of three ✔️ Different sizes and uses ✔️ Made with high-quality Japanese steel | ✖️ Can be pricey |
#9: Lucky Cook 10″
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A number of individuals out there are hesitant on spending on a pricey sushi cutter, especially if they aren’t going to use it a lot of times or won’t be slicing numerous sushi pieces. Fortunately, there are brands out there that offer incredibly affordable knives, and the Lucky Cook Sushi slicer is one of them.
This sushi cutter from Lucky Cook measures 10 inches in blade length. It’s narrow and asymmetric, giving it a great balance thanks to its high carbon stainless steel composition. Don’t let its affordable price fool you; this cutter can slice a whole fish and make countless sushi pieces with minimum movement due to its razor-sharp edge. It has an attractive design, as well as an elegant wooden handle and beautiful packaging, making it extravagant without the high-end pricing.
Pros and Cons of the Lucky Cook 10″
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Affordable ✔️ Made of Japanese AUS-8 steel ✔️ User-friendly | ✖️ No protective sheath |
#10: Tescoma Multi-Purpose Slicer
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Here’s a change from all the slicers in this list! While a lot of people use knives to cut their sushi into pieces, some people use sushi machines instead to get equal pieces. Most sushi machines are automatically operated, but there are also machines that need a bit of manual operation.
Nevertheless, a sushi machine reduces the labor of slicing pieces. A sushi machine also allows for great speed and efficiency when it comes to dividing the pieces in a uniform manner. Our next item isn’t entirely a machine, but it can also be considered as such. The Tescoma Multi-Purpose Slicer can definitely make sushi home-making easier.
With the way this sushi cutter is designed, all you’ll need to do is lay the roll on the device, pull the lever down, and voila! You’ve got yourself a number of perfectly equal sushi pieces. This sushi cutter makes the best knife for those who want to save labor and time in making sushi. Aside from sushi, you can also use this machine for vegetables, eggs, and the like.
Pros and Cons of the Tescoma Multi-Purpose Slicer
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Affordable ✔️ Multi-purpose | ✖️ The cutter is made of wire |
#11: Nego Yanagiba Knife 8.5″
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Heavy knives are often very durable, however, in some cases, you’d want a lighter and quality knife blade to work with, particularly if you’re a beginner in the kitchen. Made from German High Carbon Stainless Steel, the Nego Yanagiba knife boasts a lightweight form with optimum sharpness that retains its edge even after numerous uses.
Aside from being durable, this classic Japanese-style quality sushi knife also has a non-slip handle that is ergonomic and comfortable to grip. You don’t have to worry about your hand going numb after slicing, making it the best sushi knife to use when you have too much to prepare. Its light and durable build allows you to cut your sushi roll without the blade damaging the entire structure of your dish. It’s easy to use, clean, and pleasing to look at.
Pros and Cons of the Nego Yanagiba Knife 8.5″
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Durable ✔️ Lightweight ✔️ Ergonomic design | ✖️ Not dishwasher-friendly |
How Do You Cut a Sushi Easily?
You can cut sushi using the best sushi knives or roll cutters. However, you can’t just use a normal chef’s knife. To cut your rolls, you need a good sushi 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 roll cutter machine, simply put your 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 rolls fall apart is that they might be overstuffed. Cutting them using a sushi machine could cause the ingredients to burst from the seams. Or you may be using too little seaweed (nori) to wrap the sushi 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 rolls are up to standards and won’t fall apart when cutting manually or when using sushi machines.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 rolls 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.
If you want to achieve the perfect sushi roll, 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 keep in mind 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.
Check your ingredients. Your nori might be too wet, or your sushi rice might not be sticky enough. Also, you may be 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 sushi cutters featured in this guide. With these items, you’ll definitely be able to create sushi that not only tastes good but looks as good and perfect as your sushi packed with delicious sushi rice, boneless fish fillets, and fresh vegetables of your liking.
For the perfect sushi roll, find the best and particular sushi 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 roll cutter or chef’s knife to create quality sushi
The best example among the roll cutters 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.
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