Is there anything worse than a knife that doesn’t work? And sometimes you end up buying an “all-in-one” knife, but it doesn’t want to do the “all” part! It’s like using a cleaver to remove tiny fish bones. It just doesn’t work.
When cutting fruit, it can be equally frustrating when the knife doesn’t want to slice through the skin effortlessly. Or if you cannot create the intricate details you want to. So, this is what we will be looking at today.
What are the best knives to cut fruit with? You have two options that work very well: paring knives and utility knives. Each has its own list of pros and cons, but both have the most versatile functions when it comes to cutting fruit.
In this jam-packed article, we will explore the many different kinds of knives that will be best suited to cut fruit.
We have also included an in-depth buyer’s guide to help you choose what works for you. And of course, we have assembled a list of our favorite fruit cutting knives that you can all conveniently find online!
What Is A Fruit Cutting Knife?
As soon as people hear “fruit cutting knife” they immediately start thinking that there is another type of specialized knife out there. However, in reality, a so-called “fruit cutting knife” is simply a knife that most effectively cuts fruit.
Now, you may be thinking, “Isn’t that any type of sharp knife?” While you may be right, some knives and designs work more comfortably to perform delicate slices on both soft and hard fruits.
The best overall knife type to look at is arguably a paring knife. Now, while you may not immediately recognize the knife we are talking about, odds are that you already have one in your kitchen.
Paring Knives
A paring knife is a relatively small knife that ranges between 2 1/2 and 4-inches in length (6 to 10 cm).
The actual width of the blade is also much smaller as compared to chef’s knives, only measuring around 0.4 to 0.7 inches in width.
Furthermore, the blade is relatively thin and can be found with a serrated edge or smooth sharp edge.
The type of edge you choose won’t prevent you from cutting certain fruit, but it will make some jobs much easier. But, their tip is more often than not sharp and pointed.
Paring knives have been designed in such a way to be versatile. They are small with thin blades that enable them to peel fruits, make clean slices, and cut intricate shapes.
Overall, this knife has a multitude of uses, including very effectively and comfortably cutting fruit.
Utility Knives
This is another type of knife that will work very well for cutting fruit. This knife is similar to a paring knife, but it has a few differences.
For one, it has a much longer blade that measures around 4 to 7-inches (10 to 18 cm). The width of the blade is pretty much the same.
It is essentially a combination of a chef’s knife and a paring knife. They meet in the middle to give you the best of both worlds.
The increased size of the blade allows you to perform tougher tasks that require a firmer hand. This can be anything from slicing citrus, peeling a pineapple, or cutting through hard apples.
Buyer’s Guide
The best knife for cutting fruit is hands down some type of paring knife or utility knife. But as you may know, there are thousands of options to choose from.
So, instead of looking at exactly which of these will be best, we will instead be looking at what makes a good knife.
There are many things to take into consideration when looking at buying a knife. So, we will help you narrow down your choices.
Design
When it comes to the design of the knife, there are a few things to look at. The first is how you want to use the knife.
If you want an all-purpose knife, then the utility option will be the best. But, if you only want to create intricate thin cuts and slices, a paring knife will do.
You also have to take into account the handle, which will directly affect the comfort and ease of use levels. The handle will to a certain extent be determined by the material used.
For example, you get knives that are made from a single piece of metal. But, you also get knives that have handle edges chemically glued onto the tang of the knife.
Whichever type you prefer, just make sure the handle and grip are comfortable and it won’t slip out of your hands.
Edge
While the edge does form part of the design, we thought that it would be better to discuss it in more depth on its own.
Paring knives have different designs in blade shape and tips. Each will have slightly different functions.
For example, a bird’s beak will work great for coring fruits and creating decorative details. You can look at our table below for a breakdown of each.
Then, you also have to consider whether to choose a serrated edge or a smooth edge. The smooth edges are easier to sharpen and can create seamless slices.
But, the serrated edge works incredibly well when slicing through soft skins (which a smooth edge sometimes struggles to cut through).
And finally, we highly recommend getting a knife for cutting fruit that has a sharp tip, like the examples we have listed above.
You may have seen many paring knives with rounded tips, and while they do work well, they cannot cut into sharp corners or create pointed edges.
| Knife Type | Description | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spear Pointed | The blade is smooth and short with an outward curve. Comes with a smooth edge or is serrated. | Multi-purpose and can do almost any job. | Doesn’t perform heavy-duty jobs well and is sometimes too small to handle comfortably. |
| Bird’s Beak | Sickle-shapes blade with a sharp tip, like the beak of some birds. | The shape of the blade allows you to cut round objects best with minimal waste. | Very difficult to sharpen and a small knife that some people find uncomfortable to use. |
| Sheep’s Foot | Straight blade with a rounded form and sharp tip. The tip is the only part of the blade that touches the board as you slice. | Great for slicing strips or fruit and can perform slightly more heavy-duty tasks. | The tip isn't sharp so you cannot use it to create small cuts or decorative details. |
| Western-Style Japanese | Similar to a spear-pointed paring knife, but with a less curved blade. Also made from harder materials. | Very comfortable and durable knife to use. Made from harder steel so can be sharpened well. | Very expensive knife. |
Material
There are many different materials a knife’s blade can be made from. The most common options are stainless steel, carbon steel, tool steel, and allow steel.
Then, you also get ceramic and plastic blade knives, but we don’t recommend any of these.
Any metal option will work well, as long as it is rust-proof, hard, and can be sharpened with ease. You can research the specific material or blend of materials your blade is made from to see whether its features work for you or not.
Durability
Naturally, you would want a knife to last you a lifetime. And while there are incredibly affordable options out there, more often than not the cheap ones will break within a year or so.
If you save up a little money and buy an entry-level professional paring or utility knife, it will last you a lifetime! If you properly take care of it of course!
And, we always recommend reading reviews on your potential options before pulling the trigger. Not all expensive knives are made equal either.
The 9 Best Knives To Cut Fruit
SO, without any other delays, let’s jump right into the best knives to cut fruit with. We have included a range of options that vary in the material used, the design of the blade and handle, and of course, the price.
This way, we can all but guarantee that you will be able to find the best option that suits your needs.
| Rank | Product | Best Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | DALSTRONG Japanese Damascus Paring Knife | Extremely sharp, durable, and versatile knife you can get. Made from Damascus steel and will last you a lifetime. |
| 2. | Mercer Culinary Renaissance Peeling Knife | Fantastic affordable paring knife made from high-quality steel. Works best for intricate cutting and peeling of round delicate fruits. |
| 3. | Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife Straight Edge | The ultimate affordable paring knife that will also last you a lifetime. The budget-friendly option is versatile and extremely comfortable to use. |
| 4. | TUO Black Hawk Series Utility Knife | A perfect all-rounder in the kitchen that can perform delicate slices or cut through tougher fruits and skins. |
| 5. | Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring knife Serrated Edge | Small serrated teeth will cut through anything that the smooth blades can't. And, it is equally affordable and versatile. |
| 6. | Wüstof Three-Piece Paring knife Set | This set will allow you to perform any function when it comes to preparing fruit. And, this brand provides long-life knives with extremely hard edges. |
| 7. | Seki Japanese Professional Fruit Knife | Perfect for slicing and effectively cutting up fruit of any shape, size, or hardness. |
| 8. | Messermeister Meridian Elite Spear Point Paring Knife | Fantastic entry-level professional knife with versatile uses and a lifetime warranty. |
| 9. | Faberware Edgekeeper Utility Knife | An extremely affordable utility knife that is perfect for beginners. And, while very cheap, it is still a great quality knife that will last more than a few years. |
1. DALSTRONG Japanese Damascus Paring Knife
We thought it would be best to get the most expensive knife of the day out of the way first.
But, even if it isn’t in your price budget right now, we highly recommend saving up for this one!
This is a 3 1/2-inch Japanese paring knife made from an incredibly strong material called Damascus steel.
The blade has been made with 67 layers of folded high-quality carbon stainless steel.
This knife will last you a lifetime and is extremely sharp. Even after decades of working and sharpening it, its edge will remain strong and sharp.
The blade itself isn’t flexible and is relatively straight. It naturally curves up towards the sharp pointed tip. And, the edge has been honed at an 8 to 12-degree angle on each side. What this means is that it is uber-sharp.
2. Mercer Culinary Renaissance Peeling Knife
Despite being sold as a “peeling knife”, this product is a bird’s beak paring knife, also called a tourne knife.
This knife’s blade measures at 2 1/2 inches and is the perfect option for slicing, cutting, and peeling delicate fruits.
It also works exceptionally well for round fruits thanks to its curved blade.
It will reduce the amount of wastage from cutting fruits by more easily slicing with the curve.
This German-made knife is made from high-carbon steel which makes it extremely durable. It will also help the blade retain a sharp edge for much longer.
3. Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife Straight Edge
Arguably one of the most well-known paring knives out there, and for a very good reason. Not only is this knife extremely effective, but it is unbelievably affordable.
And, what makes it even more special is that it comes in a wide variety of colors to match the style of your home!
This knife is as good as the DALSTRONG Japanese paring knife, but it is much more affordable. It is made from strong stainless steel with its signature Fribrox Pro line textured handle.
This knife is very comfortable to use and can perform virtually any function. The tip allows you to perform intricate cuts while the edge allows you to quickly slice through any fruit.
4. TUO Black Hawk Series Utility Knife
This 5-inch utility knife is another perfect all-rounder for your kitchen.
It will be able to slice delicate fruits or tough ones. It’s extremely functional while being quite sleek in design.
The blade has a simple shape as all traditional utility knives have. And, the sharp tip allows you to make small incisions without any problems.
Furthermore, the German stainless steel makes this knife hard and durable. It will keep its sharp 14-16° edge and slice perfectly every time.
And, if you thought this knife would cost a small fortune, you’re wrong! It is very budget-friendly considering the quality and that it can last you a lifetime.
5. Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring knife Serrated Edge
This Victorinox paring knife is very similar to the straight-edged one and is equally popular and well known.
Millions have been sold and it is another option that is just as versatile, durable, and affordable.
The difference between the two Victorinox knives in this list is that this one has a serrated edge. In all other ways, it is the same.
This edge will allow you to better cut through thin or tough fruit skins like tomatoes and grapes.
Often smooth blades glide over it without slicing through. There is nothing that this little knife won’t get through! And, it keeps its sharp teeth for very long.
6. Wüstof Three-Piece Paring knife Set
This is a world-renowned brand that makes high-quality professional knives.
The biggest downside is that they are very pricey. But, along with the price comes extremely high-quality German-made carbon steel.
Their knives are designed in such a way to be comfortable, versatile, and incredibly durable.
In this set, you receive a bird’s beak knife, a spear-pointed sheep’s hoof knife, and a straight-edged knife. This set will allow you to do anything you could dream of!
Whether it is creating detailed decorations in the fruit, peeling off grape skins, or slicing through watermelons – the list goes on!
7. Seki Japanese Professional Fruit Knife
While we did say that there isn’t a specific type of fruit knife, there is a knife many Japanese chefs claim as such. It is essentially a miniature chef’s knife.
This specific design is more suited to slicing fruits than carving or peeling them.
However, it still makes an excellent fruit-cutting knife. This one is made from stainless steel and has a high-quality durable wooden handle.
And, it comes with a protective wooden sheath that will help keep the blade sharp when it’s not in use.
8. Messermeister Meridian Elite Spear Point Paring Knife
The final paring knife on our list today is this one from Messermeister. This specific one comes in three different sizes ranging between 3 and 4 1/2-inches.
It had a classic spear-pointed paring knife design that comes in handy for all functions.
What makes this knife different from the others we have mentioned above is its price.
It fits perfectly between an extremely affordable Victorinox and Wüstof knife. It makes it slightly better than the former, but not as expensive as the latter.
This knife is made from high-carbon stainless alloy and has a very comfortable handle. Furthermore, the edge has been honed to 15°, making it extremely sharp and very easy to maintain.
9. Faberware Edgekeeper Utility Knife
Our final knife today is a utility knife, but a very affordable one!
Now, in all honesty, it is probably not one that will last you a lifetime.
However, it still lasts you a couple of years, even a decade if you take good care of it.
The biggest reason we have included this product on our list is for those of you who just want to feel out the fruit-cutting knives first.
If you like the way this knife feels, its size, and how it functions, then we highly recommend investing in a more durable and expensive one.
This knife, however, is still one of the best entry-level beginner utility knives. It is made from high-carbon steel that will keep its sharp edge for quite some time. And, the grip is surprisingly comfortable!
It is also a knife that will be able to perform a wide range of functions. And, best of all, it comes with a protective sheath.
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