Emojoy is one of the many knife brands that live almost entirely on Amazon. You won’t find it in a kitchen shop, there’s no long company history to read about, and the listings are written in that breathless style where every knife is “razor-sharp” and “hand-forged by experienced blacksmiths”. That doesn’t make the knives bad. It just means you have to read past the copy and look at what you actually get.
What you get is reasonable. The block sets use German-type high-carbon stainless steel, full tang, with a built-in sharpener in the block. The Damascus knives list a 58 HRC core, a 15 degree edge and olive wood handles, which is a respectable spec for a budget Damascus knife. Emojoy also promises a lifetime warranty on its listings, which is more than many budget brands offer.
What you don’t get is a known steel name, a stated country of origin or a sharpening service. If those matter, look at a better-known brand. If you want a good-looking knife or a full block for a first kitchen, my pick is the Emojoy 8″ Damascus Chef Knife, and the 15-piece block set is the Emojoy set I’d buy.
My Top 4 Emojoy Picks
The Emojoy that makes the most sense to me: a single good-looking Damascus chef’s knife with a 15 degree edge and an olive wood handle. A pleasant way to try a Japanese-style blade.
Chef’s knife, santoku and paring knife in the same Damascus and olive wood build. The three knives most cooks actually use, in a wooden gift box.
A complete starter kitchen: six kitchen knives, six steak knives, shears and a block with a built-in sharpener. The easy choice for a first apartment.
For cooks who want a boning knife and a tomato knife on top of the basics. Riveted handles, a 16 degree edge and a 100-day return window.
What Emojoy Does Well
Complete sets that suit a first kitchen
The Emojoy block sets give you every knife a beginner needs in one box, plus steak knives, shears and a sharpener built into the block. For a first apartment or a student kitchen, that saves a lot of separate shopping.
Specs that are better than average for the money
Emojoy lists hardness, edge angle and steel chemistry on its Damascus knives (58 HRC, 15 degrees, 0.98% carbon and 18% chromium). Many budget brands publish none of that. It lets you judge the knife instead of the photos.
A lifetime warranty on the listings
Emojoy’s listings promise a lifetime warranty, and the 18-piece set adds a 100-day return window. Keep your order details, since claims go through the seller.
Where Emojoy Falls Short
No named steel or country of origin
The Damascus listings say “Japan steel” but don’t name the steel grade, and none of the listings say where the knives are made. In my best Damascus chef knives guide I say the core steel decides how a Damascus knife cuts, so a missing steel name is a real gap. Many budget Sabatier knives have the same blank, which is why my Sabatier knives review says to look for Thiers or France on the listing.
Marketing copy you have to read past
Words like “hand-forged by experienced blacksmiths” and “surgical precision” are marketing, not specs. Judge the knives on the numbers that are listed and on the construction (full tang, riveted, bolster), not on the adjectives.
Big sets include knives you won’t use
Most home cooks use three or four knives. The 15- and 18-piece sets are good value per knife, but several of those knives will sit in the block. If you want quality over quantity, the 3-piece set is the smarter buy.
Emojoy Knives Compared
| Product | Steel | Hardness | Edge | Handle | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8″ Damascus Chef Knife | 67-layer Damascus, 0.98% carbon, 18% chromium | 58 HRC | 15 degrees | Olive wood, half bolster | One good-looking main knife |
| 3-Piece Damascus Set | Same as the chef knife | 58 HRC | 15 degrees | Olive wood | The three knives you really use |
| 15-Piece Block Set | High-carbon German stainless, full tang | Not published on listing | Not published on listing | Anti-slip | First kitchen, everything at once |
| 18-Piece Block Set | High-carbon German stainless, full tang | Not published on listing | 16 degrees per side | ABS, riveted, finger bolster | Big lineup incl. boning knife |
1. Emojoy 8″ Damascus Chef Knife: Best Emojoy Chef’s Knife
Who it’s for: home cooks who want one attractive Damascus chef’s knife without spending big, or a nice-looking gift for a new cook.
This is the Emojoy I’d buy first. It’s an 8″ chef’s knife with 67 layers of Damascus cladding, a core Emojoy lists at 58 HRC and a 15 degree edge. That’s thinner and more acute than a German knife, so it slides through onions and peppers with less effort.
The olive wood handle has a rounded shape and a half bolster, which leaves the heel of the blade free for sharpening and lets you pinch the blade comfortably. It arrives in a wooden box, so it works as a gift.
58 HRC is a sensible middle ground: harder than a typical German knife, softer and less brittle than many Japanese ones. My reservation is the unnamed steel. Treat it as a budget Damascus knife, not a rival to a Shun.
Key specs
- Blade: 8″, 67-layer Damascus, 0.98% carbon and 18% chromium
- Hardness: 58 HRC
- Edge: 15 degrees
- Handle: olive wood, half bolster
- Extras: wooden gift box, lifetime warranty (per listing)
Pros
- Thin, keen edge for the money
- Comfortable olive wood handle
- Good gift presentation
Cons
- Steel grade and origin not stated
- Wood handle needs drying and occasional oil
My verdict: a pleasant, good-looking budget chef’s knife. If you’d rather have knives actually made in Japan, my best Japanese knife sets guide is the next step up.
2. Emojoy 3-Piece Damascus Knife Set: Best Small Set
Who it’s for: cooks who want a small, matching set of good-looking knives rather than a block full of filler.
This set takes the chef’s knife above and adds a 7″ santoku and a 3.5″ paring knife in the same 67-layer Damascus and olive wood build. That’s the trio I’d suggest to almost anyone: a chef’s knife for most jobs, a santoku for push-cutting vegetables, and a paring knife for small work.
It comes in a wooden box, but there’s no block, so plan where the knives will live. A magnetic strip or in-drawer holder keeps the edges safe; loose in a drawer, they’ll chip and dull fast.
Wondering whether a santoku earns its place next to the chef’s knife? My santoku vs chef knife guide explains the difference.
Key specs
- Knives: 8″ chef, 7″ santoku, 3.5″ paring
- Blade: 67-layer Damascus, 58 HRC, 15 degree edge
- Handles: olive wood, half bolster
- Storage: wooden gift box (no block)
Pros
- Only the knives you really need
- Matching Damascus look
- Nice gift box
Cons
- No block or storage for daily use
- No bread knife
My verdict: the Emojoy I’d choose over the big sets if you care more about the knives than the count. Add a cheap bread knife and you’re set.
3. Emojoy 15-Piece Knife Set with Block: Best Block Set
Who it’s for: first apartments, students and anyone who needs a whole kitchen of knives in one box.
This set covers the basics and then some: an 8″ chef’s knife, 8″ bread knife, 8″ slicing knife, 7″ santoku, 5.5″ utility knife, 3.5″ paring knife, six 4.5″ steak knives and kitchen shears, all in a block with a built-in sharpener.
The blades are high-carbon German-type stainless steel, full tang. That kind of steel is soft and tough: it dulls sooner than the Damascus knives, but it forgives rough handling, and the block sharpener makes touching it up easy.
The trade-off with any big budget set is that a few knives will barely get used. The bread knife and santoku will; the slicing knife may not. For other options at the same budget, see my best knife sets under $100.
Key specs
- Knives: 8″ chef, 8″ bread, 8″ slicing, 7″ santoku, 5.5″ utility, 3.5″ paring, six 4.5″ steak knives
- Extras: kitchen shears, block with built-in sharpener
- Steel: high-carbon German stainless, full tang
- Warranty: lifetime (per listing)
Pros
- Everything a first kitchen needs
- Built-in sharpener in the block
- Tough, forgiving steel
Cons
- Few published specs
- Some knives will rarely be used
My verdict: the Emojoy set I’d pick for a starter kitchen. Skip it if you already own a decent chef’s knife.
4. Emojoy 18-Piece Knife Block Set: Best Big Set
Who it’s for: cooks who trim meat at home and want a boning knife and more specialist blades in one set.
The 18-piece set is the 15-piece idea scaled up. Next to a chef’s knife, bread knife, slicer, santoku, utility and paring knife and six steak knives, it adds a 5.5″ boning knife, a 5″ tomato knife and a 3.5″ peeling knife. The boning knife is the useful extra if you buy whole chickens or trim pork.
Emojoy is more specific about this set: German high-carbon stainless with a 16 degree edge on each side, and riveted ABS handles with a finger bolster and reinforced end cap. It also comes with a 100-day return window on top of the lifetime warranty.
It’s a big block, though. Make sure you have the counter space, and be honest about whether you need 18 pieces.
Key specs
- Knives: 8″ chef, 8″ bread, 8″ slicing, 7″ santoku, 5.5″ boning, 5″ utility, 5″ tomato, 3.5″ peeling, 3.5″ paring, six 4.5″ steak knives
- Steel: German high-carbon stainless, full tang
- Edge: 16 degrees per side
- Handles: ABS, riveted, finger bolster
- Extras: block with built-in sharpener, 100-day returns, lifetime warranty (per listing)
Pros
- Includes a boning knife
- Clearer specs than the 15-piece
- Generous return window
Cons
- Large block
- Many knives most cooks won’t use
My verdict: worth it over the 15-piece only if you’ll use the boning knife. Otherwise the smaller set does the same daily work.
Emojoy vs Other Budget Brands
Emojoy vs Hampton Forge
Both make inexpensive sets for first kitchens. Hampton Forge leans toward colorful, coated budget knives; Emojoy’s block sets use plain German-type steel with a built-in sharpener, which I prefer for daily cooking. My Hampton Forge knife set review covers its range.
Emojoy vs Victorinox
A Victorinox Fibrox Pro chef’s knife is plainer than an Emojoy Damascus, but it’s a proven knife from a long-established Swiss maker. If you want one reliable knife, I’d take the Victorinox; if you want a full block or a Damascus look, Emojoy.
FAQ
Is Emojoy a good knife brand?
It’s a decent budget brand. The knives have sensible specs for the money and a lifetime warranty on the listings, but the steel isn’t named and the origin isn’t stated, so don’t expect premium-brand quality.
Where are Emojoy knives made?
The listings don’t say. Emojoy sells mainly through Amazon, and none of its current listings state a country of origin.
Are Emojoy Damascus knives real Damascus?
Emojoy lists them as 67-layer Damascus over a core with 0.98% carbon and 18% chromium at 58 HRC. Like most modern “Damascus” kitchen knives, the layers are mostly for looks; the core does the cutting.
Can Emojoy knives go in the dishwasher?
I’d hand wash them all. The olive wood handles on the Damascus knives will crack and fade in a dishwasher, and any knife loses its edge faster there.
Final Verdict
Emojoy makes fair budget knives with better published specs than most Amazon brands, wrapped in marketing you can ignore. The 8″ Damascus Chef Knife is my pick for one good-looking knife, the 3-piece set is the smarter small set, and the 15-piece block set covers a first kitchen in one box.
Want something from a better-known maker? My best knife sets guide is the place to start.
Gary Portman founded knivesadvice.com in 2019. He learned to cook in his family’s kitchen as a kid and has used kitchen, pocket and outdoor knives ever since, from paring and fillet knives to survival blades he carries camping and hiking. He writes the site’s buying guides, brand reviews and sharpening how-tos to help readers find the right knife for the job. More about Gary.