Is a 240mm gyuto appropriate for home use?

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I'm a home cook. I use from 170 santoku to 270 gyuto. My sweetspot now is around 255-260.
 
Don’t worry about who says what, there are no rules. Whatever you are comfortable with and how much space you have is what dictates the length and size. For example, if you use a deep pinch grip, you basically shorten the blade by 20-30mm and if you started with a short 210, all of a sudden you have a very short blade. On the other hand if you hold your knife mostly by the handle and it is a long 210 you get a much longer blade to work with. Traditional German knives that are 210 are usually very heavy with heavy handles so feel much larger than most Japanese knives with traditional Japanese handles.
 
I'm a home cook and while I use my 210 Gyuto's a lot, I find that there are times when I find the 240 Gyuto necessary (or at least desirable). I don't have a lack of counter space or small cutting boards but depending on what I'm preparing some times a larger knife just feels right and other times I'm reaching for my 210 knives. I like having both along with a few petty knives.
 
Obviously whatever you're comfortable but experiences of somebody who had 180, 210, and 240 phases: the decision about the knife length often doesn't come first. When I'm cutting smaller fruit I'll naturally get out a smaller board (less to wash!) which means I will reach for a 180. I used to think 210 was a bit long at home but only because I was using a MAC Pro and a Wusthof; the moment I got a Konosuke HD 240 I used almost only that. I figured out it wasn't the length but the overall feeling of agility of the knife, heavily influenced by the weight (exactly what Barmoley said above). I could never deal with a Wusthof 10".
 
Be aware that KKF is a biased sample. I would bet that if you polled a more general group of home cooks, many more would tend towards much less length in the range of 150-180 mm.

But the upshot is who cares what is common or preferred by other people. Use what is most suitable and comfortable for you.
this for sure. On reddit 210 seems to be much more popular than on a dedicated knife forum.
 
I think everyone has said it. Any size works. I range from 180-240, but I think more than anything else. Size of your board matters most.

Mowgs
 
If you mostly push cut, then even a 160mm nakiri is perfectly fine at home I would say. For rocking, a longer blade is desirable. I use whatever I feel like at home, sometimes even just a 150mm petty. At work I mostly use 240-300mm chef knives.

Bottom line is (like mentioned by most already) its completely up to you
 
I am a home cook and tend to alternate depending on tasks. When I have to process a lot of vegetables for example I reach for the 240. Same of I'm in a rush. I know it's all in my head, but it feels that for example dicing onion quickly is easier with a 240. I use my 210 for when the worktop is messy with stuff (toddler in house, so sometimes it's about just getting things done rather than first tidying up and then cooking).
 
Totally dependant on person. I us a 270mm at home in a small apartment.
 
For me, the height of the blade matters as much or more than the length. Anything under 50mm tall and I need to change from a pinch grip to a point grip (with my index finger up on the spine of the blade). I like both grips just fine and I think there are benefits to the point grip, especially when precision matters, so it's not that big of a deal.
 
For me an undersized 240 is perfect. 225-230 for a gyuto.
How about an oversized 210 (235-230)? :p

I started my journey with a 210. Expanded to 240 quickly, built a nice collection. Then I started collecting 210s because I already had so many 240s... :rolleyes:

I enjoy using both sizes. Reach for 270 only occasionally and am massively impressed by that length every single time... :cool:
 
I have quite decent counter space. Buying a large cutting board was probably the best “knife” investment I’ve made.

I lean towards 240 mm as a preferences if I have one, but it only makes sense on a large enough cutting board.

I’ll use a 300 mm gyuto from time to time too, which makes me think there is more to it than length. The 300 mm Masahiro is thin and nimble for its size. Had it been as chunky as my Mazaki, it would probably have felt more like using a club than a knife.

Next up is likely a 210 mm...
 
I’ll be honest, at home I use a 180mm gyuto or petty more than anything. I’m also cooking for 1 so take that with a grain of salt.

Ditto
My Koishi 180mm has a profile more like a petty. Great for the work I do. So why do I own so many knives?
 
I use them all. A 180, 240, 270 and a 300. The 300 doesn’t rally get any use anymore as I now have a lot less counter room.
About to buy a 210 to fill it out. They are all at the ready so I grab what works best for the situation. If I had to choose one.. :eek: it would be a fight between a 210 and 240.
 
I have noticed something interesting:
A lot of home users don't hold the knife with an actual pinch grip, but further back towards the handle. I'll often find myself also holding the knife differently at home from the professional environment.
If you hold a 240mm in an actual pinch grip, the usable space works out to be roughly the same as a 210mm held further back on the handle.
I think this might play a roll in this thread.
 
I have noticed something interesting:
A lot of home users don't hold the knife with an actual pinch grip, but further back towards the handle. I'll often find myself also holding the knife differently at home from the professional environment.
If you hold a 240mm in an actual pinch grip, the usable space works out to be roughly the same as a 210mm held further back on the handle.
I think this might play a roll in this thread.
Even truer when using a TF with finger notch. My 210 feels like a 190-200 in full choked up pinch grip mode
 
I have noticed something interesting:
A lot of home users don't hold the knife with an actual pinch grip, but further back towards the handle. I'll often find myself also holding the knife differently at home from the professional environment.
If you hold a 240mm in an actual pinch grip, the usable space works out to be roughly the same as a 210mm held further back on the handle.
I think this might play a roll in this thread.
That is the case of this home cook.
 
I have noticed something interesting:
A lot of home users don't hold the knife with an actual pinch grip, but further back towards the handle. I'll often find myself also holding the knife differently at home from the professional environment.
If you hold a 240mm in an actual pinch grip, the usable space works out to be roughly the same as a 210mm held further back on the handle.
I think this might play a roll in this thread.

Thats actually interesting you mention that. I've never really had a knife I could pinch grip so...now I'm even more confused lol.
 
I have noticed something interesting:
A lot of home users don't hold the knife with an actual pinch grip, but further back towards the handle. I'll often find myself also holding the knife differently at home from the professional environment.
If you hold a 240mm in an actual pinch grip, the usable space works out to be roughly the same as a 210mm held further back on the handle.
I think this might play a roll in this thread.

Very interesting observation!

I find that I hold my 300 quite differently to a 210. More of an actual pinch grip with the longer knife for sure.

I believe I might also switch to the “Japanese” type grip with my index finger on top of the spine more often with the longer knives, but that could also be down to what I chose to use the different knives to cut, rather than the actual knife making for the difference.
 
If you mostly push cut, then even a 160mm nakiri is perfectly fine at home I would say. For rocking, a longer blade is desirable.
I have noticed something interesting:
A lot of home users don't hold the knife with an actual pinch grip, but further back towards the handle.
I think this might play a roll in this thread.
I think a combination of these is what it comes down to. Rocking takes a full cutting board, and knives seem longer when you're not pinching. Counter space problems for sure.
 
210 is perfect for a pro environment in my experience.

If I need a longer blade, it is usually a suji for proteins.
 
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