The Difference Between A Steak Knife and a Table Knife: What You Need To Know

When it comes to eating, everyone has their own preferences. Some like their food rare, while others like their food well done. There are also those who prefer their steak cut into thin slices, while others like their meat the way it is. No matter what your food preference, you’ll need knives to make sure that you get the right type of cut for your food.

If you’re a steak lover, you’ll need to get yourself a steak knife. On the other hand, if you’re only going to be eating fish, then you can get away with just getting a regular table knife. However, no matter what kind of food you like to eat, there are certain knives you should get and others you should probably leave well enough alone.

What Is a Steak Knife?

Steak knives are specialized knives that are designed to cut meat, poultry, and seafood with ease. While most kitchen knives can cut these foods, steak knives are designed specifically to maximize the surface area in order to get a better, more consistent cut.

That being said, not all steak knives are created equal.

In fact, there are distinct differences between a steak knife and a table knife, and it’s important to know what those differences are before you make a purchase.

What is a Table Knife?

Table knives are designed for two things: cutting vegetables and other foods that aren’t meat, poultry, or seafood and for those foods that are, like butter and cheese.

They work well for this because they have large, coarse surfaces that are great for cutting through dense foods like potatoes and carrots.

While they’re great for general use, they’re not ideal for cutting meats because they don’t have the same type of serrations that steak knives have.

That being said, they’re still perfectly fine for cutting vegetables and butter.

What’s the Difference Between a Steak Knife and a Table Knife?

The main difference between a steak knife and a table knife is the design of the knife’s blade. A steak knife has teeth on the blade, while a table knife does not.

These teeth are designed to cut through the densest foods, like steak, with ease. However, they do not do well with vegetables and soft foods because there’s not enough of a teeth design to stand up to these foods.

The thickness of the blade is also different; a steak knife has a thicker blade, while a table knife is thinner.

Which One Should You Get?

Now that you know the differences between a steak knife and a table knife, the question becomes which one you should get?

Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer to this question.

It all depends on what you plan on using the knife for. If you’re only going to be using it for cutting vegetables and butter, a table knife should be fine.

However, if you plan on using it to cut meats, then you’ll need a steak knife.

As with most things, the best thing to do is to just try them out.

Final Words

There’s a lot of confusion in the world of knives, and it usually stems from a lack of information.

That being said, it’s important to become familiar with the different types of knives and what they’re used for so that you don’t wind up with the wrong type for the job.

Once you get a good grasp on the differences between a steak knife and a table knife, you’ll be able to better navigate the aisles of the kitchen knife superstore.

And, if you’re anything like me, you’ll wind up getting way more than you ever thought possible out of one trip to the store.