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Love this question. Under $300 you’re already in “buy it once and be happy for 10+ years” territory. I’ll give you 5 killer picks (all 8" / ~20 cm chef’s knives unless noted), tell you why they matter, and who they’re for. Quick map: #1–2: “Buy it and you’re done” tier #3–5: Budget gems that punch way above price 1. MAC Professional Series “Mighty” Chef’s Knife, MTH-80 (8", hollow edge) Typical price: ~€150–€200 / $145–$170 Style: Japanese/Western hybrid Steel: High-carbon stainless (~60 HRC hardness, so it stays sharp a long time) GearLab Why everyone raves about it: Extremely sharp out of the box. Multiple pro tests called it the sharpest knife in the lineup and still the “best overall chef’s knife.” GearLab +1 Thin 2.5 mm blade so it glides through onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc. with almost no resistance. MAC Knife The little dimples (“hollow edge”) help food release instead of suction-sticking to the blade. Potatoes don’t cling as badly. MAC Knife Comfortable for both pinch grip (thumb/index on the blade) and regular handle grip, so it works for beginners. Good to know: Because the blade is thin and harder than German steel, don’t twist it through bones or frozen stuff. This is a precision slicer, not an axe. Prudent Reviews Buy if: You want one “real chef knife,” you like effortless sharpness, and you’re ok hand-washing and treating it with a bit of respect. This is the knife most serious home cooks end up with and then stop shopping. 2. Wüsthof Classic 8" Chef’s Knife Typical price: ~€150–€190 / $150–$180 Style: German / Western Steel: X50CrMoV15, ~58 HRC (a little softer, so less brittle) Serious Eats +1 Why it’s great: Tank-y and forgiving. You can go through squash, chicken joints, etc. without worrying you’ll chip it. Full bolster and full tang (steel goes all the way through the handle) give it a very confidence-building weight and balance, which new cooks often love. Serious Eats Easy to sharpen back to “wow” with a basic honing steel. Trade-offs: Heavier than Japanese-style knives, so marathon chopping can feel tiring if you have small hands. Slightly thicker edge means it “wedges” a bit more in super hard vegetables compared to the MAC. Buy if: You want a classic German workhorse that will basically last forever and you’re not obsessed with laser-thin slicing speed. This one is generational. You can hand this knife down. 3. Made In 8" Chef Knife Typical price: ~€110–€140 / $110–$140 Style: French/German hybrid (slightly flatter profile than Wüsthof) Often ranked “Best Overall” in recent expert roundups for general home use. foodnetwork.com Why it’s interesting: It hits that sweet spot between MAC and Wüsthof: thinner than old-school German blades, but still sturdy and not fragile. Comfortable, modern handle and nice balance for rocking or push-cutting. Made from high-carbon stainless, good edge retention for the price. foodnetwork.com Buy if: You want premium feel and modern design but you’d like to keep it closer to €120 instead of €180+. This is the “I cook a lot at home, I like nice things, but I’m not trying to nerd out about Japanese metallurgy” pick. 4. Misen Chef’s Knife (8") Typical price: ~€70–€90 / $65–$85 Style: Western/Japanese hybrid Also tested as a top “Best Overall / Best Value” pick in current reviews. foodnetwork.com Why it’s such good value: Geometry is surprisingly close to higher-end knives: relatively thin behind the edge, so it feels more “pro” than the price suggests. Handle design is very beginner-friendly: big sweet spot for your grip, so you don’t feel like you’re holding it “wrong.” foodnetwork.com Steel is harder than the true budget knives, so it holds an edge longer, meaning less constant sharpening. Trade-offs: Fit & finish (little details like spine rounding and polish) won’t feel as luxe as MAC/Wüsthof/Made In. Edge retention is good for the money, not magic. Buy if: You want 90% of the performance of a “serious” knife for under €100, and you’re totally fine that it’s not a prestige brand. This is the smartest budget upgrade if you’re coming from an Ikea knife. 5. Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife Typical price: ~€40–€60 / $45–$60 Style: Swiss / Western Frequently rated #1 budget pick for years by places like America’s Test Kitchen because it performs way above what it costs. insight-kitchenknife.com +1 Why it’s legendary: Comes very sharp from the factory and has a nice thin blade for clean cuts. Swiss Knife Shop Grippy Fibrox handle = super secure even with wet hands, which is underrated for beginners. It’s cheap enough that you’re not scared to actually use it. Where it’s not perfect: Stamped (not forged), and the steel is softer, so it’ll dull faster than MAC/Made In/Wüsthof. You’ll need to hone/resharpen more often. insight-kitchenknife.com +1 The plastic-y handle and no-bolster look isn’t “sexy gift knife” energy. Buy if: You just want a reliable daily driver right now, you’re not sure yet how serious you are, or you want a backup knife guests can use without touching your nice one. This is the best starter knife on earth for the price. So… which one should you get? If you want “the good knife” and you’re happy to baby it a little: → MAC Professional MTH-80 If you want one knife that feels bombproof and traditional: → Wüsthof Classic 8" If you want modern, balanced, pro feel without going over ~€130: → Made In 8" Chef Knife If you want max performance per euro under €100: → Misen Chef’s Knife If you just want something sharp, safe, and cheap right now (or a great spare): → Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" All of these are under $300, and honestly you never need to spend more than this unless you’re collecting knives for fun. Last tiny add-on: whatever you buy, grab a basic honing steel and learn to use it. Keeping the edge aligned is 80% of “my knife still feels new.” 🥕🔪