Utility Knife Uses and Our Favorites for 2022

Utility Knife

There are so many various sorts of kitchen knives available these days, in a variety of shapes and sizes. You may be wondering whether you really need all of them. What exactly is the purpose of a utility knife in the kitchen? Before we answer that question clearly, let’s define a utility knife in the kitchen. No, we’re not referring about a box/drywall knife, as you would suppose. So, in essence, a utility kitchen knife is a catch-all knife that does all of the odd duties around the kitchen that no other knife is especially built for. It bridges the gap between the widely used paring knife and the more common chef’s knife.

Kitchen Utility Knife Uses

There is no hard and fast rule on how to use a kitchen utility knife. In reality, such a knife may do an infinite number of functions, including the majority of those for which a paring knife is equally useful. However, the sweet spot is for items that are somewhat bigger than usual little fruits, such as strawberries and small apples. While it is impossible to provide a complete list, we will try our best to provide you with 10 fantastic kitchen utility knife usage with photographs!

1. To Cut Up Medium-Sized Fruits & Vegetables

As previously stated, once the fruit or vegetable is larger than the blade of a paring knife, which is approximately 3′′ to 3.5′′, it becomes a much less efficient tool for such a job. Potatoes, peppers, pears, and apples are some examples of larger foods. There are far too many to mention. The idea here is that anything roughly the size of the blade of a paring knife should be considered a good task for the utility knife.

2. To Slice Meat Chubs (Salami, Summer Sausage, Etc)

With a normal utility knife, slicing these meats is simple. The blade is the ideal length, and the straight edge should easily cut through these foods. Slicing them is simple thanks to the narrow blade of a kitchen utility knife.

3. To Slice Hard Cheeses

Utility knives are the perfect tool for slicing cheese if you don’t have a dedicated cheese knife in your kitchen.  And even if you do, you probably already have your utility knife out for the salami, right?  This is a great example of how these knives are so versatile and have many “utilities” or uses.

4. As a Backup Steak Knife

Steak knives are typically sold in sets, and we always recommend buying more than you think you’ll need. You’ll be wishing you had more steak knives later. In any case, they’re sometimes in the dishwasher or you’ve simply run out. When you need another steak knife quickly, a utility knife comes in handy. They are roughly the same size, and you’d be surprised how little difference these two knives have.

5. To Make Veggie Slices (Cucumbers, Zucchini, and Other Squashes)

Squashes and cucumbers, two common summer delights, must be chopped before eating. A paring knife is usually too tiny, while a chef’s knife is excessive. A nakiri knife is ideal, but do you need a knife simply for chopping vegetables? Once again, the kitchen utility knife comes to your aid.

6. To Trim Chicken or Fish

Trimming might imply several things to different individuals. Trimming off some fat around the edges of chicken pieces is one option, but chopping your poultry or fish into smaller chucks is another. We suggest kitchen shears as your preferred choice for this activity, but a utility knife would also do!

7. Slicing Long, Thin Vegetables

This is a task that can be accomplished with a variety of kitchen knives, but there’s no reason it can’t be accomplished with a utility knife. If you already have it out for other vegetables, give it a quick rinse and slice on. Is there any reason to dirty another knife?

8. To Cut Up Citrus (Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit)

Using a multipurpose knife, you may easily cut citrus for beverages or freshly squeezed juice. Larger citrus fruits, such as grapefruit, are properly proportioned for such a knife. Many are just too large for a paring knife.

9. For Cutting Up Hot Dogs, Brats, Sausages

With all of the “no-carb” diets going around these days, many people are scrutinizing how much bread they consume. It’s fairly unusual to see folks consume their hot dogs without a bun. These may also be simply sliced up in the kitchen with a utility knife.

10. As a Sandwich Knife

So you’ve already cut up all the vegetables and meat with your utility knife. You might as well use the same knife to cut your sandwich in half while you’re at it!

Do I Really Need a Utility Knife In My Kitchen?

It’s understandable to ask whether you really need a utility knife in the kitchen when you have so many other knives. The quick answer is no, if you have all the other kitchen knives, each with their unique function. But what if you don’t already have a handful of knives or are attempting to figure out which blades you need in that knife set you’ve been eyeing?

Purchasing a kitchen utility knife is a wonderful method to decrease the amount of knives you need in your kitchen because of how flexible it is; as you can see above, this knife can handle a wide range of chores, even if it isn’t the ideal instrument for the job.

Best Utility Knife

Clearly, after doubting the value of a kitchen utility knife, we’re not going to spend a lot of money on one. But first, let me reveal a little secret about the best utility knives. You can get a nice one for not much money, and the price difference between most utility knives isn’t significant.

Having said that, there are a few types built of exceptionally high-end, hardened steels. The only time we’d recommend spending more money on the finest kitchen utility knife is if you simply needed a few of basic knives for your kitchen and didn’t have much room. In this situation, you’ll be using your knives often, and the lifetime and use of your utility knife will be worth the additional money.

1. J.A. Henckels International 4″ Utility Knife

J.A. Henckels International’s fully-forged 4″ utility knife provides everything you need to get the job done. The smaller 4′′ utility knife is simpler to use on smaller things such as fruits and long, thin vegetables such as green beans. This knife made of high-carbon stainless steel is a terrific small knife at a very inexpensive price, with its classic style and no frills form. Continue reading if you want something that can cover bigger items or if you will be using your knife more often. Everyone will find something they like.

2. Zelite Infinity Comfort-Pro Series 5″ Utility Knife

This knife comes with a lot of bells and whistles for the price! This knife is made of high-quality German steel, is full-tang, has a tapered bolster, and is well-balanced. And, as an emerging knife brand, Zelite Infinity gives a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, so you can’t go wrong with it. The 5′′ utility knife is ideal for most tasks. Not too short, not too long, and nearly exactly in the middle of the typical 3′′ paring knife and 8′′ chef’s knife.

3. Wüsthof Gourmet 6″ Utility Knife

If you know anything about kitchen knives, you already know… Wüsthof is a family-owned company that has been producing knives in Germany for almost 200 years. This knife is made in Germany and comes with a lifetime warranty, but it is also part of one of their more affordable knife families. While the blade is made of high-carbon stainless steel, there are better, albeit more expensive, versions of a Wüsthof 6′′ utility knife, such as the forged Classic Ikon. Both knives are excellent choices, but the Gourmet is ideal if you won’t be using it frequently.

4. Calphalon Serrated Utility Knife

This serrated utility knife’s price and user feedback are unbeatable. It’s difficult to believe how substantial this knife feels for the small amount of money they ask for. Aside from that, it’s forged, full-tang, and made of high-carbon, stain-resistant steel. This serrated utility knife reminds us of a steak knife, so it will obviously serve as an excellent backup for that purpose. Calphalon also offers a full lifetime warranty.

5. Dalstrong Shogun 6″ Petty Knife

This Dalstrong 6″ tiny knife is stunning. This knife is made of AUS-10V Japanese Super Steel and features the Tsunamic Rose Damascus pattern on the blade. This is one of the higher-end knives mentioned before. It does cost a little more than the other items on this list. However, with a Rockwell Hardness of 62+, the Japanese Super Steel will aid in blade retention (sharpness) and provide the user with a positive experience while using it. As previously stated, if this is going to be one of your primary kitchen knives, it’s probably worth the extra money.

6. Shun Classic Utility Knife

This Shun multipurpose knife is much more than you’ll ever need in a home kitchen. However, it is ideal for any skilled cook. It simply didn’t seem fair to compile a list of the “greatest utility knives” without include this incredible knife from a top-tier business, Shun Cutlery. This knife is tougher, thinner, lighter, and more sharp than the others. It’s a terrific knife, but it’s more expensive than the others. Consider this choice if you believe you would benefit from it or if you just want the finest money can buy. It’s a Japanese-style utility knife with VG-MAX steel at its center and 68 layers of Damascus steel on the blade for a stunning design. The handle is composed of the ever-popular pakkawood, which is often seen on higher-end Japanese knives. This knife has received positive feedback online… Take a look!

Utility Knife Summary

Hopefully, you can see how valuable a kitchen utility knife can be. It’s clearly a good idea to keep it on at all times while cooking. It often permits the use of a single knife, which you can simply clean between meals during dinner preparation. Its adaptability is what makes it so helpful.

Utility knives are quite affordable to acquire, as you may have discovered by scrolling through and examining the knives mentioned above on Amazon. Furthermore, since they can perform the same functions as many other knives, they may help you save money in the long run and/or better use your counter space or kitchen drawer space by buying fewer knives.