A Complete Guide to Different Kitchen Knives & Their Uses

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Chef and restaurateur Sean "Pooch" Rivera shares the most essential knives you need in your kitchen

Co-authored by Sean “Pooch” Rivera and Devin McSween

Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Common Kitchen Knives
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• Special Kitchen Knives
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• The Most Essential Kitchen Knives
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• Other Types of Knives
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• Video

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No kitchen is complete without a set of knives. But if you’ve been wondering what each of the knives in your set actually does, we’re here to help! In this article, wikiHow partnered with professional chefs to break down the most common types of kitchen knives and which are most essential to have. We’ll also go over other types of knives, including hunting, everyday carry, and combat knives. Keep on reading to learn more!

The Different Types of Kitchen Knives

Chef and restaurateur Sean "Pooch" Rivera says the most essential kitchen knives are the chef’s knife (versatile and completes most tasks), paring knife (used for precise tasks), fillet knife (used for cutting meat), and cleaver (cuts through bone). Other common knives include the bread, utility, and santoku knives.

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Section 1 of 4:

Common Types of Kitchen Knives

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   Chef’s knife According to private chef & food educator Ollie George Cigliano, the chef’s knife has a long blade that usually measures between 8 and 14 inches (20.3-35.6 cm) long. She says it’s the most important tool in the kitchen, as it can be used to slice, dice, mince, and chop. The blade has a pointed, triangular tip that widens to a curve and ends in a straight edge, which allows it to perform so many cutting tasks.

   • Chef Rivera recommends using an 8-inch (20.3 cm) or 10-inch (25.4 cm) chef’s knife, and says you can use it to accomplish the majority of your cutting, from paring and filleting to slicing through bone.
   • Used for: The majority of kitchen tasks, as it's a versatile and all-purpose knife.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Sean "Pooch" Rivera is a chef, restaurateur, and food media personality with over 30 years of culinary experience. He’s also the host of the popular food podcast Walk-In Talk.

   Ollie George Cigliano is a private chef, food educator, and owner of Ollie George Cooks, with over 20 years of experience.
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   Cleaver Chef Rivera says a cleaver is used to break bones and other hard food items. For instance, he explains that you use it to deconstruct a chicken or a rack of lamb. It can also be used to quickly chop veggies and fruits, and cut through tough produce (like pumpkins). The knife itself is large, thick, and rectangular with a flat blade.

   • There are special vegetable cleavers, which are typically lighter than traditional “meat” cleavers.
   • Used for: Cutting through meat and breaking bones, slicing through tough veggies, quickly chopping veggies and fruits, and crushing garlic and ginger (and other herbs/spices).
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   Fillet knife Chef Rivera explains that a fillet knife is used for filleting fish, chicken, and other meat. Plus, he says you can use it for any other sharp, precise cuts that you need. Fillet knives have long, skinny blades—usually around 6 to 8 inches (15.2-20.3 cm) that end in an upward tilting point. They’re flexible, lightweight, and precise, which makes them great for separating fish or poultry skin from the meat and maneuvering around the bones.

   • Used for: Filleting fish, poultry, and other meats (i.e., separating the skin from the meat and removing bones).
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   Paring knife The paring knife is like a small version of the chef’s knife. It has a triangular point and a curved blade, and is usually around 3 to 4 inches (7.6-10.2 cm) long. Due to its small size, it’s the best knife for precise cutting jobs, like removing the core from fruits and finely chopping herbs.

   • Used for: Precise and detailed cutting tasks, like segmenting oranges, coring strawberries, dicing small fruits and veggies, and doing decorative work.
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   Bread knife A bread knife is a type of serrated knife, which means the edge of the blade is scalloped with lots of jagged “teeth.” Most bread knives are on the longer side, with the blade averaging around 9 to 10 inches (22.9-25.4 cm) long. And, given the name, they’re most commonly used to cut through bread. This is because the jagged teeth catch on a loaf of bread without crushing it, allowing you to saw the knife back and forth to cut off a clean slice.

   • Used for: Cutting loaves of bread, quick breads (like banana bread), rolls, bagels, and delicate cakes. They’re also commonly used to cut tomatoes and other fruits with delicate skins (grapes, plums, peaches, etc.) and tough rinds.
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   Utility knife The utility knife is a versatile knife that’s similar to the chef’s and paring knives. It has a triangular shape and straight edge, and the blade is usually around 5 to 7 inches (12.7-17.8 cm) long. This makes the utility knife perfect for medium-sized tasks that require some precision: it can cut larger ingredients than the paring knife, but that might be too small for a chef’s knife.

   • Used for: Halving and slicing fruits and vegetables, chopping produce and herbs, cutting baked goods (slicing cakes, etc.).
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   Santoku knife According to Chef Cigliano, the Santoku knife is a Japanese type of chef’s knife. She says it’s a multipurpose knife with a special Granton edge that allows air pockets to get between the blade and the ingredient you're cutting, which helps prevent it from sticking to the knife. It has a slightly boxier shape than the chef’s knife, and its blade ranges from 5 to 8 inches (12.7-20.3 cm) long.

   • Used for: The majority of kitchen tasks, as it’s an all-purpose knife—it can slice, chop, dice, and mince meat and produce.
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   Boning knife Chef Cigliano says a boning knife is a long, semi-flexible blade that’s perfect for getting in between tight spaces. It’s specifically used for cutting pieces of meat that are close to bones and joints that you can’t detach with your fingers. However, it has many other uses, which Chef Cigliano makes it an essential in any kitchen.

   • Used for: Primarily for removing bones and trimming fat from meat. It can peel fruits and vegetables.
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   Nakiri knife The nakiri knife is a special type of Japanese knife that’s used for cutting vegetables. It has a rectangular shape and a flat edge (so, it kind of resembles a cleaver) that you simply use to chop produce. It’s especially effective for tough veggies like sweet potatoes and squash.

   • Used for: Chopping, dicing, and mincing vegetables, from tough root veggies to green onions.
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    Carving knife A carving knife is a long, thin blade that’s usually around 8-15 inches (20.3-38 cm) long, and has a triangular shape similar to the chef’s knife. It’s typically used to cut and serve cooked meats, from turkey to ham. In particular, the narrow tip helps you make precise and clean slices.

    • Used for: Cutting cooked meat into precise and clean slices.
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    Cheese knife A cheese knife is specifically used for cutting semi-soft cheeses like mozzarella, gorgonzola, gouda, and brie. This knife is very thin and has distinctive holes along the blade, which help prevent cheese slices from sticking. The knives can range in shape, but most have a chef’s knife-like shape. Many knives also have prongs on the tip, which you use to grab and serve the cheese.

    • Used for: Cutting and serving cheese.
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Section 2 of 4:

Specialty Types of Kitchen Knives

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   Special knives include tomato and decorative knives. Besides the main knives you find in a restaurant or home kitchen, there are specialty knives that serve specific purposes. The basic types of knives get most jobs done, so it’s up to you if you think you may need these knives! Here are a few specialty knives and what they’re used for:

   • Tomato knife: Tomato knives are small serrated blades (some are called serrated paring knives). The serrated edge helps keep the delicate skin of the tomato from tearing or getting crushed by the blade.
   • Decorating knife: A decorating knife has unique patterns on the edge of the blade, which show up on the ingredients you cut.
   • Steak knife: As the name implies, steak knives are used to cut cooked steak. The knives are small and similar to a paring knife, and can have a flat or serrated edge.
   • Rocking knife: The rocking or rocker knife is a wide, curved blade that is specially made to rock back and forth when you cut. Some have a semi-circular shape, while others look more like a traditional chef’s knife.
   • Bird’s beak paring knife: The bird’s beak paring knife has a sharp tip that curves inward, just like the shape of a bird’s beak. The curved tip helps with cutting, peeling, and scoring round fruits and veggies (like apples and radishes).

Section 3 of 4:

What are the most essential kitchen knives?

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   The most essential knives are the chef’s, paring, cleaver, and fillet knives. According to Chef Rivera, these 4 knives are the basic knives that you need to complete any kitchen task. Of these knives, though, he says the chef’s knife can do the majority of tasks. However, the other 3 knives round out your kitchen, as they help with special cutting jobs. For instance, he says peeling fruit and veggies is much easier with a paring knife.

   • Chef Rivera adds that a strong, heavy knife is the best knife to use, as it’s super durable and capable of paring, filleting, and cutting through bone.
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Section 4 of 4:

Other Types of Knives

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   Hunting knives Hunting knives are primarily tools that you use when hunting animals, as they’re used for skinning and dressing the game, as well as cutting the meat. However, they’re also widely used for a variety of outdoor tasks, like cutting rope and preparing other food. Here are the most common types of hunting knives:

   • The Bowie knife is a long and wide blade that’s usually around 6 to 12 inches (15.2-20.5 cm) long. It’s used for skinning and butchering game, as well as a variety of other large jobs, like chopping wood.
   • The skinning knife has a small, curved blade (around 4 inches (10.2 cm)) and, as the name implies, is used to remove the fur and hide from an animal.
   • The gut hook knife is a small, curved blade that has a sharp hook on the tip. It’s used to open up an animal’s stomach so the guts can be removed.
   • The boning knife is a long, thin, and flexible blade, which allows you to cut along an animal’s bones and joints to easily remove the meat.
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   Everyday carry knives Everyday carry (EDC) knives are small utility knives that you’re meant to carry with you every day (hence the name). They help with a wide range of daily tasks, like opening envelopes and packages and cutting small items as needed (tape, loose threads, etc.). Below are some of the most common kinds:

   • A folding knife refers to any type of knife that folds back into the handle when you’re not using the knife.
   • A pocket knife is a small type of folding knife that’s so compact, it can fit in your pocket.
   • A rescue knife is a small knife that’s specifically made to help in situations where you may need rescue, as it can break through class, cut through seatbelts, and slice through other tough materials (clothes, straps, etc.). It can be folding or fixed.
   • A Swiss Army knife is a versatile pocket knife that doesn’t just include a knife: it often includes other tools like scissors, pliers, tweezers, a saw, and a wirecutter. All of the tools fold up into the knife’s handle.
   • A box cutter or utility knife is a special type of blade that’s used to cut through tough boxes and other packaging materials. Most have a retractable blade that you push up through the handle.
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   Combat knives Knives aren’t just tools—they’ve long been used throughout history as weapons in warfare. These combat knives are primarily designed to stab enemies in battle and in self-defense situations. Here are some of the most common types:

   • The dagger is a small blade with two sharp edges that taper into a point.
   • The kukri knife is a long, curved knife that originated in Southeast Asia.
   • The throwing knife is a special type of weighted knife that allows it to be thrown easily. Many do not have handles.
   • The machete is a long, flat blade that has a rectangular shape and an upward curving tip.
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