What is a Nakiri Knife And Why You Need It?

A nakiri knife is a Japanese-style vegetable knife that is designed for slicing, chopping, and dicing vegetables with ease and precision. The name “nakiri” literally means “vegetable cutter” in Japanese. Its rectangle blade with a flat edge is basically what makes nakiri outstanding.

It is characterized by its rectangular-shaped blade, which has a flat edge and a straight, squared-off tip. This shape makes it ideal for making precise, clean cuts through vegetables. It looks more like a Chinese cleaver but is much lighter with a straight blade edge that precisely cuts all types of vegetables. You need a nakiri not only because of its thin blade and longer blade length but also because it is an ideal vegetable knife to have.

There are so many unique knives in your kitchen that have specific functions. But if you have not heard of or used a nakiri knife until now, I must say you won’t know how you ever cooked without one.

Why Nakiri knife?

In my kitchen, there are many knives but my nakiri does a lot of the considerable preparation work. It is not a big deal for a nakiri knife to slice up ten onions for soup. Need to cut scalloped potatoes for a big family dinner? It’s a good time to use nakiri.  It will do everything in minutes. It can also be very useful as your chef’s knife. They easily tackle little jobs like mincing garlic and cutting herbs, and they can not only get stuck into but also hold onto a big leafy pile of kale or a 5lb cabbage. If you prepare any kind of vegetables in your kitchen, then the nakiri knife is the best thing you’ve ever needed. This kind of knife makes cooking easy because of its straight edge and high-scoring Rockwell hardness. They are perfect knives to augment a more wholesome collection.

Reasons You Need a Nakiri Knife:

The Nakiri knife is commonly found in home kitchens as well as in professional chef kitchens. If you are looking for the best knife for your kitchen you must try nakiri knife. It is an amazing and versatile knife used for multi-functions. The double bevel blade makes it easy to cut and chop vegetables and fruits. The presence of a longer blade helps to cut hard vegetables too.  The blade does not get stuck to the food due to its less contact with it due to double bevels. The high-quality steel helps to sharpen knives easily when needed. Here are 10 main reasons you need to buy it for your kitchen;

1. It is lightweight.
2. They are variable and accomplished.
3. The blade is sharp.
4. Used for slicing meat and cutting soft and hard vegetables.
5. Rounded tip.
6. A comfortable long handle.
7. Use a rounded tip as a scrap board.
8. Peel vegetables and fruit efficiently.
9. Easy to cut ripe fruit and vegetables.
10. Less and more affordable cost than other Japanese knives.

Key Features Of The Nakiri Knife:

I am sure that you are convinced you should have a nakiri in your life. But if not then it may be because of not eating enough vegetables in your diet. In that case, learn how to use Nakiri Knife, buy it, put on your apron, and start cooking more vegetables after properly chopping them. But to buy a perfect nakiri knife, these are the points that you must keep in mind when you hit the shop.

1. Weight: Remember that while nakiri knives are quite lightweight, they may be a little heavier than a santoku. It is always going to be a double-bevel knife, whereas a knife like the Usuba is usually a single-bevel blade. The nakiri will be a little heavier knife in your kitchen set. Anyhow, when we want to cut off a vast heavy watermelon, we like a little extra weight. 
2. Design: The best part is that it was custom-designed to cut vegetables. However, most nakiri knives are designed similarly but some subtle differences to look out for. The nakiri design will include a hollow edge that prevents vegetables from sticking to the knife. Some make use of a Granton edge, which means that there are divots on the side edges that reduce friction during cutting. Some have a hammered finish, others are normal straight edges. Whatever the design you use, make sure it ensures function over style.
3. Handle: For me, handling is a vital element to check how comfortable you are while using a knife repeatedly. You should look out for a handle that fits your hand perfectly. It should be easy to clean and above all allows good grip for when you are cutting a large squash.
4. Steel Type: Stainless steel nakiris are the best type of nakiri. It depends on whether the knife contains low or high-carbon stainless steel. You may want it with higher carbon stainless steel as its edge retention is far superior to lower carbon knives, which means you’ll have to sharpen it much less.
5. Straight edge: The Nakiri has a straight cutting edge without any curve. The straight cutting edge provides the best-cutting action while using the knife.
6. Very sharp: As the nakiri knife is made up of thin steel with a sharp cutting edge which makes it extremely sharp.  
7. Price: This is a point you should consider before buying a knife. Generally, a long-lasting, Japanese steel knife will be a little expensive but the durability of the knife completes the initial investment. So think about spending $100 to $200 anywhere because it is such a high-carbon steel blade. But if you find a knife below $100 consider it a steal and buy two. 
8. No sharp point: The knife has a rounded tip and does not require a sharp point to the blade. The rounded tip is similar to that of a cleaver.
9. Thin steel blade: The blade of nakiri knife is thinner that’s why it is used for heavy-duty work with comfort.
10. Peel fruits and vegetables: The nakiri knife is sharp and lightweight. It can peel fruits and vegetables efficiently.
11. Cuts ripe fruit and vegetables easily: The sharpness of nakiri knife helps to cut the ripe fruits and vegetables easily. Nakiri is the best knife to use while cutting soft vegetables and fruits.

How To Use a Nakiri Knife?

Nakiri knives work a little differently from other knives. Following are the basic steps that guide you to use the knife:

• Grab the knife by its handle and drag your hand up until capturing a spot on the back. It will provide better control over the handle of the knife.
• Make a claw by twisting the fingertips of your other hand under your knuckles. Then place this on the top of the food you are cutting.
• Keep sliding the knife forwards or backward through the food. In order to avoid chopping off your fingers, use your knuckle.

Read More in detail how to use a Nakiri Knife.

Frequently asked questions:

My Opinion:

Nakiri knives are the best choice for chefs as well as for the home kitchen. You can use it for cutting vegetables and fruits efficiently. There is a wide range of best nakiri knives which can be chosen according to the requirement and demand.

If you still confused then must read out Should I buy a Nakiri Knife? Detailed Answer