Can you use steak knives for other things?

"Absolutely," says Rashaad Abdool, the executive chef at AAA Four Diamond-rated steakhouse Diplomat Prime in Hollywood, Florida. "If you have a few generic steak knives lying around, you can think of them as smaller utility knives. These can be used efficiently for smaller prepping projects, such as halving cherry tomatoes, cutting cheeses and small meats for a charcuterie board, and trimming fat off meat if it's sharp enough. Although purposed for meat in their original design, steak knives aren't limited solely to this purpose and can be used for most foods you feel comfortable cutting."

How do you remove rust stains from steak knives?

Abdool usually sticks with two methods for removing rust. "First, for a knife with only slight rust, I soak it in distilled white vinegar for a couple of hours. Once you remove it, use a green scrubby pad with a touch of soap, and the rust should rub off easily with no issues," he says. "For tougher rust stains, bring equal parts cream of tartar and baking soda and mix them in a small bowl with a bit of hydrogen peroxide until you get a paste. Rub the paste over both sides of the knife and let it sit for one to two hours, then wash it off in the sink, and the rust should be gone."

Can you sharpen serrated knives?

Abdool says there are two ways to go about sharpening a serrated knife. "If you have a steel or a honing rod and a steady hand, you can run each groove of the serrated knife along it a few times. However, this method is a little more time-consuming," he explains. "For a more straightforward solution, I would recommend buying a knife sharpener that can easily be found online, which also works for serrated knives. However, this is the only knife that I personally would use that for. As a long-time chef, I believe you would find that myself and most other culinary specialists find an elevated level of peace and fulfillment in sharpening all of our knives on a whetstone, no matter how large or small they may be."

The 7 Best Steak Knives Under $100, Based on Our Tests

When all the seasoning, cooking, and resting is done, there's still something that can ruin a perfectly prepared ribeye steak: a bad knife. Whether it's dull or uncomfortable to use, the wrong steak knife can turn eating into a frustrating, messy battle with the meat on your plate. That's why we're passionate about buying quality knives to slice your meat. The great thing is, you don't necessarily have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a reliable set. After hours of testing different steak knives in our kitchen, we found several collections under $100 that met and exceeded our expectations.

To determine the best of the best, we tested 15 steak knife sets with under-$100 price tags and rated each one based on its design, size, performance, value, and cleanability. Read on to learn more about the picks we consider the best steak knives under $100.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Material Table Knives at Nordstrom

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Best Runner-Up:

Messermeister Steak Knife Set at Amazon

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Best Serrated:

Zwilling Henckels Knife Set at Amazon

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Best Value:

Cuisinart Steak Knife Set at Amazon

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Best Starter Set:

FLYINGCOLORS Laguiole Steak Knife Set at Amazon

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Best Design:

Opinel Set of 4 Table Knives at Amazon

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Most Versatile:

Umogi Stainless Steel Steak Knives at Amazon

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material

View On Nordstrom View On Materialkitchen.com View On Saks Fifth Avenue

Pros: Stylish, well-made, and easy-to-use, these extra-sharp knives have really got it all going for them.

Cons: The only con with these can also be seen as a positive: They're so sharp that you want to be extra careful if hand-washing them.

The Material Tables Knives earned a perfect score from our testers because of their beautiful matte handles, extremely sharp straight edge, and comfort. The testers agreed that they feel sturdy, and one pointed out that "this knife is the right size for most hands and feels very balanced." Most importantly, their performance is top-notch with one tester saying, "this knife cut through the steak so smoothly — no effort required. It can slice through fatty parts and seared crusts with ease."

While these dishwasher-safe steak knives may be the most expensive choice on our list, you should keep in mind that along with the knives themselves, you get a wooden block for storage. There are five handle color options to choose from, including a variety pack with four different colors in one set. Overall, this set is "equal parts functional and stylish," as our testers put it.

Price at time of publish: $90

Number of Knives: 4
Blade Type: Straight
Blade Material: German stainless steel
Length: 8.75 inches
Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

4.5

Messermeister Avanta 4-Piece Pakkawood Fine Edge Steak Knife Set

Amazon

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Pros: These knives are easy to grip, cut beautifully, and have a full-tang construction for superior sturdiness.

Cons: The knives might feel too lightweight, and they don't come with a storage box or block.

During our tests, the Messermeister Avanta Set received a near-perfect overall score, earning a 4-star rating or above in each category. Featuring pakkawood handles that are pretty but also comfortable to hold, the knives are lighter than they look, but don't let that fool you into thinking they won't perform well: They're still super sturdy and effective. "The knife cut through the steak like butter with minimal effort," one tester said. Another added that "the knives cut like a dream," making them well worth their price. Instead of reserving them solely for steak, you can easily use them for other small slicing and chopping jobs, increasing their value even further.

You shouldn't put these steak knives in the dishwasher, but that's fine since one tester said they "get clean and shiny with just a quick wash"— just steer clear of the blade's razor-sharp edge so you don't hurt yourself! Another thing to note is that the knives don't come with a storage box, so you'll have to either purchase one separately or store them safely in a utensil drawer.

Price at time of publish: $70

Number of Knives: 4
Blade Type: Straight
Blade Material: German stainless steel
Length: 10.5 inches
Dishwasher-Safe: No

4.5

Zwilling Henckels Stainless Steel Steak Knife Set

Amazon

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Pros: You can make exact cuts with these knives thanks to their sharp edges, delicate design, and balance between the handle and blade.

Cons: The knives' smaller grip and simple look might not suit everyone.

If you prefer serrated knives, this set is our favorite under-$100 pick. "The narrow blade and serrated edge were very pointy and sharp and cut through the slab of New York strip steak with ease," one tester said. "It took very little effort to slice through the tough, grisly parts of the steak." Besides steak, testers said they'd use these to cut fruits, vegetables, and bread, so those additional uses, plus how many knives you get in the set, make them a great value.

While these steak knives are sturdily made, one tester said that they're "more delicate in the hand" compared to others. In other words, if you have large hands, you may find that they don't feel as substantial as you may like. But being on the thin side, one tester compared them to a surgical tool that can make "very precise" cuts. When you're done, hand-washing is easy, but they'll survive the dishwasher too.

Price at time of publish: $60

Number of Knives: 8
Blade Type: Serrated
Blade Material: Stainless steel
Length: 11.5 inches
Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

4.2

Cuisinart

View On Amazon View On Wayfair View On Target

Pros: It's hard to beat the price of these well-balanced, comfortable-to-hold knives.

Cons: Some people may think they feel too cheap or require too much effort when cutting.

Of all the affordable steak knife collections, this set offers the best value considering you get six for a lower price than some other sets' per-knife cost. Along with an ergonomic handle, the knives have a serrated blade, so you'll have to get used to doing a sawing motion when cutting with them and be prepared to put in more effort, as our testers noted.

Given their inexpensive price, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that these steak knives, which are quite light, feel cheaper than others. That's also why despite the manufacturer's hand-washing recommendation, you (like some of our testers) may prefer to take your chances and clean them in the dishwasher. Basically, it does the trick as an everyday set for beginners, college students, or people who don't want to be too precious with their steak knives.

Price at time of publish: $15

Number of Knives: 6
Blade Type: Serrated
Blade Material: High-carbon stainless steel
Length: 7.5 inches
Dishwasher-Safe: No

4.2

FLYINGCOLORS Flying Colors Laguiole Steak Knife Set

Courtesy of Amazon

View On Amazon

Pros: You can easily control these well-crafted, exceptionally sharp knives.

Cons: The little crevices in the handle can trap food particles, making them more difficult to clean.

If you want to invest in or gift a good starter set, these steak knives are a great option for a few different reasons. When tested against a sheet of paper and then on a steak, the knife delivered clean cuts in both cases with not a lot of effort. Better still, they don't come with a shocking price tag, despite their sleeker, high-end appearance that comes from their curved design and rosewood handles.

Since the handles are ergonomically-friendly, the knives are comfortable to hold, with one tester saying that "there is a flat spot just above the bolster that is great for resting a finger on when applying downward pressure while cutting." Looking closer at that bolster area, you'll see there are some small crevices where bits of food can get stuck, requiring more diligent hand-washing than some other steak knives.

Price at time of publish: $41

Number of Knives: 6
Blade Type: Straight
Blade Material: Stainless steel
Length: 9.61 inches
Dishwasher-Safe: No

4.2

View On Amazon View On Bernalcutlery.com

Pros: Great for those who like to entertain, these knives are elegant, attractive, and sharp.

Cons: Some people may find them too small to use comfortably due to the length of their handle.

There's a beautiful, understated elegance to these French-made steak knives. With a smooth, polished blade and olivewood handle, they manage to be both rustic and modern, and one tester said that "these knives would look beautiful on any table." Our testers also said their design is what adds to their value, with one saying, "the look of these knives makes them worth buying."

Depending on the size of your hands, the knives' four-inch handles might feel smaller than what you're used to. Despite that, one tester said they're still "easy to work with" and feel solid and balanced. You may see on the Amazon page that they're dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is the safest route since you don't want extra soaking to warp the wood and distort that nice appearance.

Price at time of publish: $59

Number of Knives: 4
Blade Type: Straight
Blade Material: 12c27 stainless steel
Length: 8.62 inches
Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

4.8

Amazon

View On Amazon

Pros: From steak to produce, these sharp, high-quality knives easily slice through a variety of ingredients.

Cons: For design-forward home cooks, there isn't really anything memorable about the knives' simple design.

Upon first glance, these steak knives may not look sharp to you, but trust us they are. "This knife required barely any effort," one tester said. "It cut through the steak filet like butter, producing even cuts with very little effort." As easy as it is to cut meat with them, these knives' razor-sharp blades are also great for far more uses: "I've used them to cut fruit, tomatoes, cucumber, lemons, and more," another tester said.

The overall design is pretty basic, but the thick handle with the slightly curved grip makes for comfortable usage. You could put them in the dishwasher, but we always recommend hand-washing your steak knives to keep them in tip-top shape. Luckily, our testers said that these are super easy to clean within seconds.

Price at time of publish: $30

Number of Knives: 6
Blade Type: Straight
Blade Material: High-carbon stainless steel
Length: 9 inches
Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Our Favorite

Out of all the best steak knives under $100, Material Tables Knives easily won the title of our favorite with their fresh look, impressive sharpness, and great feel in the hand. Our runner-up is Messermeister Avanta 4-Piece Set due to how comfortable it is to use them and their excellent performance.

The Tests

Our testers assessed 15 different steak knives under $100 through two separate tests: slicing a standard sheet of printer paper and cutting into a New York strip steak cooked to medium-rare. During these tests, our experts noted how much effort it took to slice the paper and steak and whether the knife cut cleanly or tore through. Along with performance, they looked at each knife's design, evaluating if it improved its functionality, as well as its size and whether it felt comfortable to hold and well-balanced. Finally, they determined how easy they were to clean by hand and whether the knives' price reflected their performance.

Factors to Consider

Blade Type

When we're talking about blade type, we're referring to what kind of edge style the knife has. The two main styles are straight or serrated, although you can find others like dual-serrated when one part of the blade is straight and the other is serrated or micro-serrated when the serrations are extra small. Straight and serrated blades each have their pros and cons. The former requires more frequent sharpening for proper maintenance but delivers smooth, clean cuts and can be used nicely with more delicate proteins, like chicken or fish. The latter is great at handling tough cuts of meat and doesn't require sharpening as frequently but is harder to sharpen when it is time to do so.

Material

Most steak knives have stainless steel blades since that material can be made super sharp, is durable, and is resistant to rust. You'll also find many steak knives made with carbon steel blades. While they may stay sharper for longer, they're also more prone to rusting, meaning you'll have to be more careful in terms of maintenance. There are even ceramic steak knives, which are lightweight and won't rust but are susceptible to chipping and difficult to sharpen on your own since you'll need a special diamond sharpening tool rather than your standard knife sharpener.

Price

As with many other kitchen tools, there's a wide price range for steak knives. You can find steak knife sets for as little as $15 all the way up to $600. But a higher price tag doesn't automatically mean a higher-quality or better-performing knife. When considering the price, it's important to look at how many knives you're getting in the set (generally this is either four, six, or eight) to help determine whether it's a good value for the cost.

Care

While some steak knives may be labeled as dishwasher-safe, it's always a good idea to hand-wash and dry them to keep them sharper and safer for longer. That's why a great steak knife compared to a good one should be easy to clean by hand. Another essential part when considering the care of a steak knife is how easy or not it is to sharpen, since all steak knives, regardless of material, will require sharpening at some point due to dulling from regular usage in order to ensure proper performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use steak knives for other things?

"Absolutely," says Rashaad Abdool, the executive chef at AAA Four Diamond-rated steakhouse Diplomat Prime in Hollywood, Florida. "If you have a few generic steak knives lying around, you can think of them as smaller utility knives. These can be used efficiently for smaller prepping projects, such as halving cherry tomatoes, cutting cheeses and small meats for a charcuterie board, and trimming fat off meat if it's sharp enough. Although purposed for meat in their original design, steak knives aren't limited solely to this purpose and can be used for most foods you feel comfortable cutting."
How do you remove rust stains from steak knives?

Abdool usually sticks with two methods for removing rust. "First, for a knife with only slight rust, I soak it in distilled white vinegar for a couple of hours. Once you remove it, use a green scrubby pad with a touch of soap, and the rust should rub off easily with no issues," he says. "For tougher rust stains, bring equal parts cream of tartar and baking soda and mix them in a small bowl with a bit of hydrogen peroxide until you get a paste. Rub the paste over both sides of the knife and let it sit for one to two hours, then wash it off in the sink, and the rust should be gone."
Can you sharpen serrated knives?

Abdool says there are two ways to go about sharpening a serrated knife. "If you have a steel or a honing rod and a steady hand, you can run each groove of the serrated knife along it a few times. However, this method is a little more time-consuming," he explains. "For a more straightforward solution, I would recommend buying a knife sharpener that can easily be found online, which also works for serrated knives. However, this is the only knife that I personally would use that for. As a long-time chef, I believe you would find that myself and most other culinary specialists find an elevated level of peace and fulfillment in sharpening all of our knives on a whetstone, no matter how large or small they may be."

What Didn't Make the List

Strong Contenders

Dalstrong Steak Knives ($97 at Amazon)
Misen Serrated Knives ($80 at Misen)

Results Still Simmering

Victorinox Swiss Army Classic Set ($55 at Amazon)
Henckels Steak Knife Set ($45 at Amazon)
Trudeau Laguiole Steak Knives ($49 at Amazon)

Low Performers

Oneida Flight Steak Knives ($17 at Amazon)
Chicago Cutlery Walnut Tradition Steak Knife Set ($35 at Amazon)
AmazonBasics Premium Kitchen Steak Knife Set ($26 at Amazon)

Our Expertise

Cindy Brzostowski is a freelance writer and avid home cook who has previous experience in cookbook publishing. Her writing has been featured in Allrecipes, Blue Apron, The Kitchn, and EatingWell among other publications. For this piece, Food & Wine editors tested 15 different steak knife sets under $100 in their kitchens at home to find the top ones.