Most cooks shopping for a nakiri will be happiest with the Shun Premier 5.5″ Nakiri. It’s compact, very sharp, and its hammered finish helps slices fall away instead of riding up the blade. If you want to spend far less, the Mercer Asian Collection Nakiri is a plain, honest way to find out whether the shape suits you.
A nakiri only does one job: vegetables. Its flat edge meets the board along its whole length, so carrots, onions and cabbage get cut all the way through instead of staying joined by a thread of skin. Here are the six I’d buy.
My Top 6 Nakiri Knife Picks
This is the nakiri I’d pick for a cook who wants one great vegetable knife and nothing fussy. The short blade is easy to steer on a home cutting board, and the hammered face keeps potato and cucumber slices from clinging. Shun’s free sharpening service is a nice bonus for a knife you’ll use every day.
SHAN ZU gives you a full 7-inch Damascus nakiri with a hard 10Cr15MoV core and a G10 handle for much less than what the Japanese brands charge. It’s my pick if you want the look and the length without spending big.
The cheapest nakiri I’d actually recommend. Mercer kept it simple: German steel, a fine stone-finished edge and a light wooden handle. Buy it to learn the push cut, then decide whether you want to spend more.
If Japanese steel makes you nervous about chips, this is the nakiri for you. ZWILLING makes it in Germany from its own ice-hardened stainless steel, which is tougher and easier to hone than the hard Japanese blades on this list.
For the full Japanese experience, Yoshihiro pairs a hammered VG10 blade with a light octagonal rosewood handle and a wooden saya to store it in. It feels very different from a Western knife, nimble and blade-heavy, and that’s the point.
Dalstrong knows how to make a knife feel like an occasion, from the 67-layer AUS-10V blade to the magnetic gift box and fitted sheath. It’s the one I’d wrap for a vegetable-loving friend.
Nakiri Knives Compared
| Nakiri | Blade | Steel | Handle | Made in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shun Premier 5.5″ | 5.5″, hammered, 16° edge | VG-MAX core, 68-layer Damascus | Contoured Pakkawood | Japan | Most home cooks |
| SHAN ZU 7″ | 7″, 67-layer Damascus, 15° edge | 10Cr15MoV core, 62 HRC | G10 | Not stated | Long blade on a budget |
| Mercer Asian Collection | Rectangular, taper ground | High-carbon German steel | Traditional wood | Not stated | Trying the shape cheaply |
| ZWILLING Gourmet 6.5″ | 6.5″, full tang | ZWILLING special formula, FRIODUR | POM, three rivets | Germany | Cooks who fear chips |
| Yoshihiro VG10 46-Layer | 6.5″ (165mm), hammered | VG10 core, 60 HRC | Octagonal rosewood (wa) | Japan | Traditional Japanese feel |
| Dalstrong Shogun ELITE 6″ | 6″, hammered, 67 layers | AUS-10V core | Not stated | Not stated | Gifts |
1. Shun Premier 5.5″ Nakiri: Best Overall
Who it’s for: home cooks who chop vegetables most nights and want a nakiri that stays sharp and looks good on the magnetic strip.
The Premier is Shun’s hammered line, and on a nakiri that finish earns its place. The shallow dimples (tsuchime, in Japanese) break the suction between blade and food, so wet slices of potato, zucchini and cucumber drop off rather than stacking up on the side of the knife. Under the pattern sits Shun’s VG-MAX core, clad in 68 layers of Damascus and ground to a 16-degree edge.
Some readers will wonder why my top pick is only 5.5 inches when 6.5 to 7 inches is more common. I think short is underrated here. Few vegetables are wider than five inches, and a compact nakiri is easier to control on the small boards most of us have at home. If you regularly halve big cabbages or winter squash, look at the SHAN ZU or ZWILLING instead.
The usual Shun caveat applies. Hard steel takes a beautiful edge but can chip if you twist it in a squash or hit a pit, so treat it as a precision tool. I’ve written more about the brand in my Shun knives review, including the free sharpening service, which is a real perk on a knife you’ll use this often.
Key specs
- Blade: 5.5″, hammered (tsuchime) finish, 16-degree edge
- Steel: VG-MAX, clad in 68-layer Damascus
- Handle: contoured Pakkawood, for left- and right-handed cooks
- Handcrafted in Japan; free sharpening and honing from Shun
Pros
- Hammered face reduces sticking on wet, starchy vegetables
- Compact size is easy to control on a home board
- Free sharpening service
Cons
- Too short for halving very large squash or cabbage
- Hard edge may chip on pits, bone or a twisting cut
My verdict: the nakiri I’d point most people to first. Choose a 7-inch blade only if your vegetables are routinely bigger than this one.
2. SHAN ZU 7″ Damascus Nakiri: Best Value
Who it’s for: cooks who want a full-size Damascus nakiri and don’t want to pay Japanese-brand prices for it.
SHAN ZU packs a lot of specification into an affordable knife. You get a 7-inch blade, a 10Cr15MoV core that SHAN ZU rates at 62 HRC, 67 layers of Damascus and a 15-degree edge. The handle is G10, a fiberglass composite that shrugs off water better than wood and has a light texture.
SHAN ZU makes a point of saying its pattern is genuinely layered steel rather than a laser etching, which is the right question to ask about any cheap Damascus knife (my best Damascus chef knives guide explains how to spot an etched fake). The longer blade also gives you more room for big vegetables than the Shun, and at 2.2 mm thick it stays slim enough to glide through firm carrots.
What you give up is the back-up of an established Japanese maker. The warranty is 12 months, there’s no sharpening service, and SHAN ZU doesn’t say where it’s made. For the money, though, it’s hard to fault.
Key specs
- Blade: 7″, 2.2 mm thick, 15-degree edge
- Steel: 10Cr15MoV core, 62 HRC (per SHAN ZU), 67 layers
- Handle: G10
- Warranty: 12 months
Pros
- Long blade handles big vegetables
- G10 handle copes with wet hands and washing
- Real layered Damascus per the maker
Cons
- Short warranty, no sharpening service
- Country of manufacture not stated
My verdict: the smart buy if you want length and looks on a moderate budget. If you care about after-sales support, spend more on the Shun.
3. Mercer Culinary Asian Collection Nakiri: Best Budget
Who it’s for: anyone curious about nakiri knives who doesn’t want to risk much money finding out.
Mercer is the brand a lot of culinary students start with, and its Asian Collection takes the same no-frills approach to Japanese shapes. This nakiri has a classic rectangular blade in high-carbon German steel, taper ground and finished on a fine stone, with a simple wooden handle. Nothing about it is fancy, and nothing needs to be.
The reason I like it as a first nakiri is that it teaches you the technique. Once you’ve got used to the straight up-and-down push cut on a cheap knife, you’ll know whether a premium nakiri is worth it for you, or whether your chef’s knife already covers your vegetable prep.
Mercer is honest about its limits too. It says the knife is meant for vegetables without hard seeds, so leave avocado pits and squash seeds to something tougher. The wood handle also needs drying after washing, and Mercer says hand wash only.
Key specs
- Blade: classic rectangular nakiri, taper ground, fine stone finish
- Steel: high-carbon German steel
- Handle: traditional wood
- Care: hand wash only, per Mercer
Pros
- Very low cost for a real nakiri shape
- Softer German steel is forgiving for beginners
- Light and easy to handle
Cons
- Plain wooden handle needs care and drying
- Edge needs touching up more often than harder steels
My verdict: the right first nakiri for the curious. Keen vegetable cooks will want to upgrade within a year or two.
4. ZWILLING Gourmet 6.5″ Nakiri: Best German-Made
Who it’s for: cooks who like the nakiri shape but want a tougher, low-maintenance blade that forgives a little rough handling.
A German nakiri sounds like a contradiction, but it solves a real problem. Hard Japanese steel chips, and many home cooks are a little rough with their knives. ZWILLING makes this one in its own German factory from what it calls its special formula stainless steel, ice-hardened with its FRIODUR process. The result is a softer, tougher edge that you can bring back with a honing steel.
It has a full tang and the familiar three-rivet handle in POM, a durable plastic, which makes it feel like the rest of a German knife block. ZWILLING also calls it dishwasher safe. I’d still wash it by hand; any dishwasher dulls an edge faster.
The trade-off is the cut itself. A German edge isn’t as thin or as keen as the Shun or Yoshihiro, so very fine work like paper-thin cucumber takes a little more effort, and you’ll hone it more often.
Key specs
- Blade: 6.5″, full tang, laser-controlled edge
- Steel: ZWILLING’s own high-carbon NO STAIN stainless, FRIODUR ice-hardened
- Handle: POM, three stainless rivets
- Made in Germany; dishwasher safe per ZWILLING
Pros
- Tough edge, much less likely to chip
- Easy to keep sharp with a honing steel
- Familiar Western handle
Cons
- Not as keen or thin as Japanese nakiri
- Needs honing more often
My verdict: buy it if your knives live a hard life. If you baby your tools, a Japanese nakiri will cut more cleanly.
5. Yoshihiro VG10 46-Layer Hammered Nakiri (165mm): Best Wa Handle
Who it’s for: cooks who want a traditional Japanese nakiri, wooden handle and saya included.
Every other knife here has a Western-style handle. The Yoshihiro has a wa handle: a light, octagonal rosewood grip that pushes the balance toward the blade. Many cooks find that makes a nakiri feel more lively, because the weight sits where the cutting happens. If you’ve only used Western knives, it takes a few sessions to get used to.
The blade is VG10 at 60 HRC, wrapped in 46 hammered layers, and it’s made in Japan. Yoshihiro also includes a magnolia wood saya (a blade cover), which is useful if your nakiri lives in a drawer. The maker recommends water whetstones only for sharpening, and that’s the right call for a knife like this; skip pull-through sharpeners.
My reservation is care. Wood handles and VG10 both want you to wash and dry straight away, especially after acidic food like tomatoes or citrus. This isn’t the nakiri to leave in the sink.
Key specs
- Blade: 6.5″ (165mm), double edged, hammered Damascus
- Steel: VG10 core, 46 layers, 60 HRC
- Handle: octagonal rosewood (wa style)
- Included: magnolia wood saya; made in Japan
Pros
- Light, blade-forward balance
- Saya protects the edge in storage
- Made in Japan
Cons
- Wooden handle needs prompt drying
- Whetstone sharpening only
My verdict: the most authentic nakiri on this page. If you prefer a heavier Western grip, the Shun is the easier choice.
6. Dalstrong Shogun ELITE 6″ Nakiri: Best Gift
Who it’s for: gift buyers, and cooks who enjoy unboxing a knife as much as using it.
Dalstrong is very good at presentation, and this nakiri arrives the way a present should: in a magnetic gift box with a fitted sheath. The blade backs it up, with an AUS-10V core, 67 layers of Damascus and a hand-hammered tsuchime finish that helps thin slices fall free.
The 6-inch length sits between the compact Shun and the full-size SHAN ZU, which makes it an easy size for someone whose kitchen you don’t know well. Part of what you pay for is the branding and the packaging, as I explained in my Dalstrong knives review. That’s fine for a gift; for yourself, the Shun gives you more knife for the money.
Key specs
- Blade: 6″, hand-hammered tsuchime finish
- Steel: AUS-10V core, 67-layer Damascus
- Included: fitted sheath, magnetic gift box
- Line: Shogun ELITE
Pros
- Gift-ready packaging and sheath
- Middle length suits most kitchens
- Hammered finish reduces sticking
Cons
- You pay partly for presentation
- Country of manufacture not stated
My verdict: the nakiri to give. If you’re buying for your own kitchen, put the money toward the Shun.
What Makes a Nakiri Worth Buying
A truly flat edge
The flat edge is the whole reason to own a nakiri, so check it first. A nakiri should touch the board from heel to tip, which is what lets you cut through a carrot or a leek in one push without leaving the slices joined by a strip of skin. Some “nakiri” listings have a curved belly like a chef’s knife; those are cleavers in disguise and lose the advantage.
Length: 5.5 to 7 inches
For most home cooks, 5.5 to 6.5 inches is plenty. Shorter blades are easier to steer and suit small boards. Go to 7 inches if you often cut big cabbages, melons or winter squash, or if you have large hands.
Double bevel, not single
Every pick here is double beveled, sharpened on both sides, so it works for left- and right-handed cooks and is easy to sharpen. A single-bevel vegetable knife is a usuba, a specialist tool for professional cutting techniques; I explain the difference in my nakiri vs usuba comparison.
Hard Japanese steel or tough German steel
Choose by how you treat your knives. Hard steel like VG-MAX or VG10 stays sharp longer and makes the thinnest slices, but it can chip if twisted or knocked against a pit. Softer German steel like the ZWILLING’s is more forgiving and quick to hone. Neither is better overall.
Handle style
Western handles (Pakkawood, G10, POM) feel familiar and balance closer to your hand. A Japanese wa handle is lighter and makes the knife feel blade-heavy, which many vegetable cooks like. Wood of either kind needs drying straight after washing.
Hammered or hollow finish
Dimples on the blade face reduce sticking. It’s a small but real help with potatoes and cucumbers, and it’s why I lean toward hammered blades on this shape.
How to Cut with a Nakiri
Use a push cut, not a rock. Hold the food with your fingertips curled under, set the blade on top, and push it forward and down in one motion so the whole edge meets the board. Lift it straight up and repeat.
Let the height guide your fingers. The tall, flat side rests against your curled knuckles, which keeps your slices even and your fingertips out of the way.
Use the flat as a scoop. Turn the blade on its side to carry chopped vegetables to the pan.
Keep it to vegetables and soft fruit. Bones, frozen food and hard pits are what chip a nakiri.
FAQ
What is a nakiri knife used for?
A nakiri is a Japanese knife made for cutting vegetables. Its flat edge chops, slices and dices vegetables cleanly in a straight up-and-down motion, and the tall blade doubles as a scoop.
Can you cut meat with a nakiri?
You can slice boneless meat with it, but it isn’t the right tool. The flat edge doesn’t draw through meat the way a curved or pointed knife does, and bone can chip the thin edge. Use a chef’s knife or gyuto for meat.
What is the difference between a nakiri and a tall nakiri?
A tall nakiri simply has a higher blade. The extra height gives more knuckle clearance and a bigger scoop, which some cooks with large hands prefer. The cutting action is the same.
Nakiri or santoku: which should I buy?
Buy a nakiri if most of your prep is vegetables and you like straight chopping. Buy a santoku if you want one Japanese knife for vegetables, boneless meat and fish. I cover this in detail in my nakiri vs santoku guide.
Is a nakiri good for left-handed cooks?
Yes, as long as it’s double beveled, like every knife on this list. Single-bevel vegetable knives (usuba) are made for one hand only.
How do I sharpen a nakiri?
Use a whetstone and keep the edge flat as you go. Work the full length evenly so you don’t create a dip in the middle, which would stop it meeting the board. Avoid pull-through sharpeners on hard Japanese steel.
Final Verdict
For most cooks, the Shun Premier 5.5″ Nakiri is the one to buy: sharp, compact and helped along by that hammered finish. The SHAN ZU 7″ gives you a longer Damascus blade for much less, and the ZWILLING Gourmet is the safe choice if chipping worries you. And if you’d rather test the idea first, the Mercer costs very little.
If you’re still deciding which Japanese knives to own, my guide to the best Japanese knife sets shows how a nakiri fits next to a gyuto and a paring knife, and my best Chinese chef’s knives covers the bigger, wider cousin of the nakiri.
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.