Meat carving knife types
There are three types of meat carving knives that are made for cutting a variety of meats (e.g. turkey, chicken, roast beef, ham, fish): carving knife sets, a cordless carving knife, or an electric (corded) carving knife
Carving knife sets
A carving knife set consist of a long knife and fork. The price of these sets can range from $13 to over $100. Like all knives the difference in pricing has to do with how well the knife blade performs and the knife brand.
On the low-end is the Ginsu International Traditions 2-Piece Stainless Steel Carving Set that retails for $12.95 or the Jamie Oliver Carving Set which comes with a nice middle of the road carving knife that has a smooth sharp thin blade edge that feels balanced in your hand so you have complete control. It retails for around $49.95
For a little more money you might opt for the Wusthof 9704 Gourmet 2-Piece Carving Set for $70 or the J.A. Henckels Twin Pro-S 2-Piece Carving Set for $100.
Electric carving knives
A quality electric carving knife can make what might otherwise be an arduous task into a simple one. Not only for the person doing the carving, but for the lucky recipients of a perfectly cut meat when it’s presented on the dining table.
Most electric carving knives clean up very easily, especially those with a detachable blade. Simply remove it and clean it with a soapy sponge and water or alternatively you can place the knife blades in a dishwasher. This separation of blade and motorized handle also allows for easy storage of the unit in a drawer or cupboard.
There are dozens of brands of quality electric carving knives most of which are priced at $50 and above, however, there is still the old standby classic Hamilton Beach.
It’s relatively inexpensive and basically effective, but it’s very slow and can be quite noisy – It kind of saws as it goes along so you may end up with a somewhat shredded texture.
Look for two sets of detachable blades on an electric carving knife – one for slicing meats (longer) and one for bread or vegetables (shorter). Also try to buy one that has at least 100 watts of power or more (A high torque motor will allow you to cut through the thickest of meats.) and a long enough power cord to reach all areas of your kitchen.
Keep in mind that cheap (under $40) electric carving knives will break more often and the blades won’t always cut consistently. Some are too loud while others won’t let you get a good grip while cutting.
Who makes the best electric carving knife?
Cuisinart has the top rated electric knives per Amazon.com, Cooking.com, and the Wall Street Journal. Other brands like Black and Decker and Oster produce electric carving knives but the quality is just not there.
The best value electric carving knife
The best on the market is the Piranha Electric Carving Knife, priced at or around $39.95 which is available online at Chef Depot. The knife is touted as useful for carving turkey or filleting fish. Its one caveat is its short cord – not something that is going to reach across the entirety of most kitchen (unless you live in NYC). Also check out the Black and Decker SlimGrip which retails for less than $20. It gets the job done without breaking the bank.
Cordless carving knives
A cordless carving knife is by far the best device in terms of efficiency and convenience. A cordless carving knife is normally less expensive than an electric carving knife, although you may notice a slight power difference as the motor is smaller.
There’s no doubt that a cordless electric knife is the way to go as long as you don’t sacrifice power for portability. The Sonic Blade ($60) is a cordless knife, you may have seen on infomercials, that performs extremely well compared to most corded electric knives. Although the battery weighs the knife down a bit the blades are strong and the motor is definitely powerful enough to carve up your feast.
