It’s what feels most comfortable to you, that matters.
Your favourite size Gyuto and why ?
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It’s what feels most comfortable to you, that matters.
Its not that the vegetables are gigantic, its just much more efficient to use a larger knife. Sure if you only have 1 carrot to cut, go ahead and use a steak knife but if you have a **** ton to cut then the bigger knife wins.
Precisely why I say, that in a restaurant setting I would myself own a 24-27 cm chefs knife.
In my home kitchen I cook for two, my wife and I. Last evening I cut 5 carrots with my 18 cm santoku. Would I have been faster at that with a 24 cm gyuto ? I highly doubt it.
But if I was cutting 100 carrots for restaurant service and then 100 celery, you bet a larger knife would be faster.
Cheers, Claus
It's not about giant vegetables, though it is easier to cut cabbage with a 240 or 270 than a 210. Those lengths are also better at slicing large items (like a large roast or subprimal) in a single swipe than a 210. Remember, a gyuto is a cow sword. Long blades are also preferable if you're processing a large volume of stuff. But apart from just cutting larger things (and more things) more easily, a lot of the charm of longer gyutos comes from the geometry.
As has been mentioned, larger knives tend to have a longer flat spot which makes chopping and push/pull cutting easier. They're often taller than their less lengthy counterparts, which can be useful if one likes to use the side of the blade to scoop up chopped product. They often also have useful distal taper which, when well executed, can create the utility of multiple knives within a single blade -- sort of "knives within knives." I have a 11" (280mm) vintage Sabatier that is super beefy at the heel and can crack through (poultry) bones with ease, is a workhorse in the middle of the blade, and comes to a fine tip that's suitable for mincing garlic. It's as close to a "do anything" knife as there is.
Geometry aside, longer blades are heavier and this can shift the balance point forward, depending on the knife. Not all long knives do this, but some do and it dramatically changes the feel of the knife. That 11" Sabatier is balanced right around a pinch grip, owing to its distal taper and heavy Western handle. My 270 Sukenari (which is more like a 260) is also balanced around a pinch grip. But my 300mm Takeda? Good lord. The balance point is way out front, and the cutting experience is markedly different from my 210 Takeda. You can truly let the weight of the knife do the cutting; it is a cutting machine. Is it "necessary"? Do I "need it"? No. But there are applications where I prefer it because it's a great performer and it's a lot of fun to use.
Remember, these are chef's knives. They're not "home cook knives." They're designed to be versatile enough to handle general cutting duties in a kitchen where you might be cutting anything. If you never cut anything large or at volume, then of course you'll be fine with a smaller knife. The vast majority of home cooks will be just fine with a 210 or even smaller. But if you're a cooking enthusiast (much less a professional) then it's nice to have at least one 240+ gyuto in your tool kit. Sometimes it's just the best tool for the job, even if it's overkill for your "5-carrot dinner on a Tuesday."
As has been mentioned, larger knives tend to have a longer flat spot which makes chopping and push/pull cutting easier. They're often taller than their less lengthy counterparts, which can be useful if one likes to use the side of the blade to scoop up chopped product. They often also have useful distal taper which, when well executed, can create the utility of multiple knives within a single blade -- sort of "knives within knives." I have a 11" (280mm) vintage Sabatier that is super beefy at the heel and can crack through (poultry) bones with ease, is a workhorse in the middle of the blade, and comes to a fine tip that's suitable for mincing garlic. It's as close to a "do anything" knife as there is.
Geometry aside, longer blades are heavier and this can shift the balance point forward, depending on the knife. Not all long knives do this, but some do and it dramatically changes the feel of the knife. That 11" Sabatier is balanced right around a pinch grip, owing to its distal taper and heavy Western handle. My 270 Sukenari (which is more like a 260) is also balanced around a pinch grip. But my 300mm Takeda? Good lord. The balance point is way out front, and the cutting experience is markedly different from my 210 Takeda. You can truly let the weight of the knife do the cutting; it is a cutting machine. Is it "necessary"? Do I "need it"? No. But there are applications where I prefer it because it's a great performer and it's a lot of fun to use.
Remember, these are chef's knives. They're not "home cook knives." They're designed to be versatile enough to handle general cutting duties in a kitchen where you might be cutting anything. If you never cut anything large or at volume, then of course you'll be fine with a smaller knife. The vast majority of home cooks will be just fine with a 210 or even smaller. But if you're a cooking enthusiast (much less a professional) then it's nice to have at least one 240+ gyuto in your tool kit. Sometimes it's just the best tool for the job, even if it's overkill for your "5-carrot dinner on a Tuesday."
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Well I already mentioned, that I own a nice Wüsthof Classic ikon 23 cm chefs knife, a Miyabi Artisan 24 cm gyuto and a Zwilling Pro Oak wood 26 cm chefs knife for when I handle larger vegetables and larger volumes of anything.
I also own a 26 cm Zwilling Pro slicer for roasts and large poultry. I love it. For that.
I’m really glad I own these knives, but I can’t see them being my personal favourite knives as a home cook.
This is very much a YMMV question of course.
I own 40-45 different kitchen knives, they all have their place in my little home kitchen, but for a knife to be my favourite I have to be able to mince garlic with as much precision as I have chopping up 5 carrots.
I’m sure a die hard experienced chef can do this with a 26 cm chefs knife, but for my preferences I feel the sweet spot for an avid home cook cooking for 2 lies in between 18-22 cm.
I’m 6’4” with XL hands.
I love hearing what you all prefer to use.
It’s all highly subjective yet from a general point of view very interesting for an aspiring knife enthusiast.
Cheers, Claus
jacko9
Senior Member
270mm and 300mm is just too large for my home kitchen but, I do keep one in a knife block for special need. The rest of the time I say it's a 50 - 50 split between 210mm and 240mm depending on what I'm cutting.
I know none of my 210s have a flat section that is 14 cm long. I'm not even sure if my 240s have a flat that long. I like julienned carrot salad when I can't get leafy greens and a long flat is really useful for that. Maybe I should just get a nakiri.
Also, 15cm zucchini and 12 cm carrots? I would kill for veggies that small. I believe that vegetables are like animals; babies taste better. My zucchini are more like 25 cm and the carrots are sometimes longer. Sometimes when I'm in a rush, I cut long strips of zucchini instead of slice them into rounds and the extra length can be useful
240 is also just long enough for me to slice a roast or raw fish. Yes, I could buy a slicer for this and it might do a better job, but my gyutos work very well for this. I like the extra weight and stiffness. However, its true that none of my slicers are as good as my gyutos.
Also, 15cm zucchini and 12 cm carrots? I would kill for veggies that small. I believe that vegetables are like animals; babies taste better. My zucchini are more like 25 cm and the carrots are sometimes longer. Sometimes when I'm in a rush, I cut long strips of zucchini instead of slice them into rounds and the extra length can be useful
240 is also just long enough for me to slice a roast or raw fish. Yes, I could buy a slicer for this and it might do a better job, but my gyutos work very well for this. I like the extra weight and stiffness. However, its true that none of my slicers are as good as my gyutos.
This. I have a 190 that's great if im doing lots of small stuff. I grab a 220ish for most things. I grab the 240 for greens and squashes and stuff
Im guessing you don't eat a lot of squash, or large leafy greens? Yes a 210 will get the job done, but a 240 will make it way easier. And I used to think 230s were big
After cutting the ends off of course.
And if my zucchini is 20 cm, I cut it in half anyway unless I’m making stuffed zucchini’s in which case I’ll use my 23/24/26 cm chefs knives at my disposal (when this happens twice a year or so)
Point is, that we’re all individuals and have different need and opinions. I love that. I embrace it.
I should rephrase - my gyuto is used for home cooking cutting vegetables 100% of the time.
I have an array of knives for raw meat, filetting, slicing roasts & poultry and cutting huge pumpkins in half’s.
Cheers, Claus
There’s so little difference using 210-240mm for length. For one thing the longer the knife the more the balance gets forward. My pinch position changes slightly accordingly and a « true » 240mm or 250mm feels like a 220-230mm at most. So it’s not kitchen size, produce size or amount - to some extent. I just like the nimbler handling of 180-230mm knives. It’s also not so gainly to use longer when the board is smaller. I have big boards, but prefer one handers for most preps. I’d rather empty the board a couple of times scraping stuff into a bowl or pan than accumulating on a large board and scooping off in the end. I don’t feel it takes me longer neither. Small size knives allow me to cut faster anyhow YMMV. But I’ll admit there’s something neat and satisfying when handling a longer blade and that it does better in slicing meat in one move.
inferno
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) <*))))><
i like 20-21cm, i think its the longest that dont feel like you're weilding a sword around. i actually got a 240 hinoura. once. and then i chopped it down to a 200 santoku 
because santokus are cooler.
because santokus are cooler.
I am a prep cook so I really dig a 270mm length to be able to do more at the same time. Plus if I need to do intricate work I just choke up on the spine until it’s basically a petty knife hahaha.
I do eat quite a bit of squash - but my normal zucchini is 16-18 cm long, when ends are off and I just half them in two and then we’re talking 8-9 cm.
As said if I worked as a line chef, I would be all over a 27 cm gyuto no doubt.
But as an advanced home chef, I rarely ever feel I need more blade than in an 18 cm santoku.
I do agree with you regarding leafy greens and head of cabbage though. In this circumstance I’ll pull one of my 23/24/26 cm chefs/gyuto’s out from my knife cabinet.
But to say that makes these bigger knives a favourite of mine is to take it one step too far.
I own 40-45 kitchen knives, but 50% of these are dedicated specialised knives for slicing, raw meat, filetting and so on.
They are my favourites for certain jobs.
A gyuto is a versatile do it all knife for me, but 95% of the time used for greens and mushrooms. Just like my santoku’s.
Cheers, Claus
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I'm just a home cook these days but did to some back of the house work in college. Back then it was either 8" or 10" Vic/Forschner chef knives that the restaurant provided. More often then not I went for the 10" but that was years ago. Now at home I use both 240mm and 210mm depending on what I feel like at the time. Overall I will say that it really depends on the knife. My 240mm Gesshin Ginga is so light that it's very easy to control even with tip cuts at that length.
I want to mention I'm a professional
cook. At home I'll grab whatever tickles my fancy or is conveniently located near me. For work it's nice to cut 2-6 of the same item at once. At home the volume is nowhere near as much.
cook. At home I'll grab whatever tickles my fancy or is conveniently located near me. For work it's nice to cut 2-6 of the same item at once. At home the volume is nowhere near as much.
You're a Nü Mëmbêr why should we listen to you?
YumYumSauce
Senior Member
Im beating a beat a dead horse now.
We all do have our preferences.
Even if I only need 5 or 6 carrots for homemade soup I could still chop them all up at once super quick and get it going. Mincing Garlic? Same technique as mincing an onion. A 240 mm gyuto would only feel unwieldy to me doing in hand peeling, segmenting fruit and maybe brocoli florets. But for those tasks I wouldnt use a 210 either. Id go for a 150mm petty.
Small cutting board big knife doesnt bother me either unless Im cutting something large like a watermelon. But then thats because Im using too small a board and not using too big a knife.
I also dont have any quality 210 mm gyutos but I dont really see a need for one for my usage.
And yup thats a cutco but I dont claim it.
I have also been interested in getting a 270mm gyuto to be able to chop even more carrots at once lol.
We all do have our preferences.
Even if I only need 5 or 6 carrots for homemade soup I could still chop them all up at once super quick and get it going. Mincing Garlic? Same technique as mincing an onion. A 240 mm gyuto would only feel unwieldy to me doing in hand peeling, segmenting fruit and maybe brocoli florets. But for those tasks I wouldnt use a 210 either. Id go for a 150mm petty.
Small cutting board big knife doesnt bother me either unless Im cutting something large like a watermelon. But then thats because Im using too small a board and not using too big a knife.
I also dont have any quality 210 mm gyutos but I dont really see a need for one for my usage.
And yup thats a cutco but I dont claim it.
I have also been interested in getting a 270mm gyuto to be able to chop even more carrots at once lol.
Attachments
I want to add an ergonomic factor. Here's an old forum member talking about it. Food for thought, in case you already have, or later develop wrist issues, may or not be cooking related.
Jason183
Senior Member
210 perfect for home use, for work 270, 240 works for both home use and pro environment
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nakiriknaifuwaifu
Senior Member
Not sure if you're taking offense or just joking, but @ModRQC was probably referring to @M1k3 (check Mike's flair spelling on his icon) not you @Chseifert
Once you get into sharpening, there’s a few good videos floating around.
I've seen some. Like this one.
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I use everything between 180 and 280. I use the outer ends of that spectrum rarely. My go-to size is between 210 and 260 with my favorite range between 235 and 250. That preference of length is independent from size and type of produce.
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For pros (and sometimes at home too especially if you live in an apartment) the space makes a big difference too. In the last three years I’ve been at a place where the depth of the boards was barely 9.5 inches and we did heavy volume (I’d still use big knives, turned 90*), a place that wasn’t quite as cramped but where volume was small and precision was paramount, making pettys or narrow 210 gyuto at the largest my preferred knife there, and now a place where volume isn’t usually huge, one case of an ingredient at most, but I have practically unlimited board space.
I love my 270 Mazaki. It’s 100% overkill, especially since I only ever really use it at home these days, but I’m a bigger guy (6’4” & can easily palm a basketball)and don’t have practical space constraints in my apartment kitchen so it doesn’t really feel unwieldy. I like that I can just pull one knife off the wall and do everything from mirepoix to slicing large proteins in a single cut. Also makes rushing through dinner prep a breeze when needed.
I also like that no one has ever come over and tried to grab it when in my kitchen, normies are terrified of using a massive blade and it’s fragile tip stays safe.
I also like that no one has ever come over and tried to grab it when in my kitchen, normies are terrified of using a massive blade and it’s fragile tip stays safe.
210 mostly likely will get most of the job done for home cooks. 240 is probably most fav size for either collectors and professionals. however im comfortable with either one of them. they are both great sizes for Gyutos
