The Best Carving Knife in 2024

A traditional chef’s knife just won’t cut it when a large family gathering, like Thanksgiving, rolls around. Even when preparing a normal chicken for dinner, having the best carving knife can make things much easier.

In a hurry? Our top-rated favorite carving knives are:

1. MAIRICO – 11″ Carving Knife — Best Overall Carving Knife
2. DALSTRONG – 12″ Carving Knife with Granton Edge — Best in Size
3. PAUDIN – 8″ Slicing Carving Knife — Great for Versatility
4. DALSTRONG – 9″ Carving Knife & Fork Set – — Fantastic Starter Set

Want to know more? Read on…

What Is the Difference Between a Carving and Slicing Knife?

You’ll find that a carving knife for meat and a slicing knife do share some similarities. They both boast quite long blades, for starters. There’s also a notably thin cross section, made for big cuts of meat like roasts or ham.

Where they differ is in their stiffness and tip. Carving knives have more flexibility, so you can make a clean cut as close to the bone as possible.

They also feature a sharper tip that allows you to penetrate joints, whereas a slicing knife is rounded to avoid piercing the meat. This would cause you to lose meat juices along the way and no one wants that.

Do keep in mind, though, that some carving options come with a rounded tip, so it can serve both purposes.

How to carve a chicken

How Do I Choose a Carving Knife?

There’s a few top features to keep in mind when you’re on the hunt for a good carving knife. Whether you’re investing in a set or a single implement, don’t overlook the following:

• Materials: Anyone familiar with these tools knows that the blade’s material can make or break it for clean cuts and durability over time. Stainless steel, carbon steel or German steel are all good quality options.
• Handle design: If you can’t get a comfortable grip and remain confident while cutting, a lot can go wrong. Opt for an ergonomic fit that offers even weight distribution.
• Flexibility: Go for a product with medium flexibility for success at preparing, de-boning, trimming and more.
  

How Long Should a Carving Knife Be?

The best meat-carving knife will have a blade between eight and 12 inches long. Our family prefers one that ranges between 10 and 12 inches for efficiency.

What Is the Best Knife for Carving a Turkey?

A big bird calls for a big blade! The best carving knife for turkey has to be the DALSTRONG – 12″ Carving Knife.

Being a foot long, it has more length than any other on our list and should pose no problem cutting full, consistent slices of breast meat.

What Factors Drove Our Ratings?

We’ve already mentioned that the materials, handle design and flexibility are important. Other factors that drove our ratings include:

• Maintenance: Knives are an investment that require delicate care to hold up overtime. Opt for a knife that comes with a solid warranty or guarantee from a company that has a praised customer service team.
• Versatility: Some carving knives are multi-functional. To get the most bang for your buck, grab one that can easily slice fruits and vegetables, too.

Our Top-Rated Carving Knife — Best Overall

The MAIRICO – 11″ Carving Knife – Stainless Steel is versatile is a great all-in-one option.

The handle provides you with a secure grip and even weight distribution that allows for easy cuts and maneuverability.

The blade is made from a premium stainless steel, with a rounded tip and is 11 inches in length. This puts it in the middle of our preferred range but Mairico guarantees it’s long enough to slice a substantial roast.

That’s not the only thing this brand guarantees. If you’re unhappy with the product for any reason, just contact the customer service team and send it back for a full refund.

In November, 2017, John, a satisfied customer said: “The knife is really a great value for home use. It presents well and appears to be well made… It looks much more expensive than it is and is packaged in a nice case to store the knife.”

Negatives? Some people said it was not sharp enough right out of the box so they had to sharpen it. This seemed to solve the problem.

Our Top-Rated Carving Knife — Best in Size

The DALSTRONG Carving Knife is a 12-inch carving and slicing knife made from high-carbon German steel. The outstanding craftsmanship isn’t lost on us, including a hand-polished finish and all. It’s also stain resistant, so it should maintain its shine.

There’s flex-blade technology in the steel blade, providing just the right amount of give when you’re de-boning, trimming and butterflying your meats for family gatherings. You’ll also be able to use it for breads and produce.

The handle is as comfortable as it offers a triple-rivet design for a sturdy grip. It’s made from luxurious black pakkawood for a sleek look.

This product is not only award winning, but the company also provides a 100 percent money-back guarantee. Not happy with your purchase? Send it back with no hassle.

In January, 2017, Karen said: “This product is exceptional – and although I was concerned about the length of the blade, the knife is very balanced and easy to handle. The results of my first use (leg of lamb) was very impressive…”

Negatives? Some home chefs noted that it does not fit in smaller drawers.

Our Top-Rated Carving Knife — Great for Versatility

The PAUDIN Slicing and Carving Knife presents us with the smallest option on our list, but don’t be fooled by the size. This razor-sharp, German stainless steel model is widely popular and for good reason.

It’s up to daily tasks and small-to-medium cuts of meat, alike. This makes it a perfect option if you like to host intimate dinners or for weeknight meals at home with the family.

There’s a balance pinch point located at the front of the handle, right before the blade, which gives you a cue for where to place your hand. This offers a secure grip and guidance for newbies. 

The handle is made from pakkawood and is non-slip. Did we mention it’s beautiful to look at?

Like all good knives, it does require special maintenance. The company recommends that to avoid rust and corrosion, you’ll need to hand wash and dry it directly after use. No procrastination allowed! 

A customer in July, 2018 states: “Got this knife for my husband as he is the cook in our house. He opened it and immediately loved the look. Started cutting food and was blown away with the out of the box sharpness. He loves this knife.”

Negatives? While this knife is pretty, its aesthetics mean that it is not dishwasher safe and some questioned its durability overtime.

Our Top-Rated Carving Knife — Fantastic Starter Set

The DALSTRONG Carving Knife & Fork Set brings us a unique option on our list that includes a fork, as well. This carving set would make a great gift for the budding chef in your life, whether it’s your partner or blossoming teenager.

The military-grade handles are exquisite with a tough, mysterious appeal to them. They do appear quite masculine, with hard, straight lines, but that’s not to say a woman couldn’t enjoy these implements.

In production, the set went through a nitrogen-cooling method after sharpening. This guarantees flexibility and hardness, which you want when you’re carving up a bird.

There’s also a non-reflective coating that offers resistance to corrosion.

A black sheath comes included with both the knife and the carving fork, keeping them looking classy and safe when not in use.

In May, 2019, Oscar said: “… With this you get an all-purpose and versatile set with which you can cover practically all tasks, from finely chopping herbs and slicing meat to every aspect of fruit and vegetable prep.”

Negatives? Some commented that they needed to sharpen it upon arrival.

Related Items

When carving meat, you need two things: a fork and a knife. So, since you now probably know which knife you want, you might consider getting this stainless steel carving fork. It looks great with the knives we recommended above. Also, a large cutting board is super helpful. This wood cutting board looks great and we like its juice drip groove, especially when we are carving up plump turkeys.

Slice Away

Each of these carving knives have something special to offer. Our favorite is the MAIRICO – 11″ Carving Knife. We love how versatile it is, and we like the money-back guarantee.

It’s a great option for aspiring home chefs like us.