Misen Knife Review: Do These Knives Make The Cut?

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There is probably nothing as important as a quality knife in the kitchen. Go and watch any YouTube or TikTok video about cooking your favorite meals, and you’ll find a well-made knife hanging on the wall.

The only problem is that there are so many knife options available on the market that finding the blade that works for you can be a challenge.

Even in our tester office, we have a wide range of cooking skills, interests, and styles that we weren’t sure if we could agree on Misen’s line of steel knives.

Luckily we were happily surprised by Misen’s line of steel knives. Check out how we discovered the intrinsic value of these great chef’s knives by Misen in our review below!

 

Misen Knife Review

There is a decent break between the people who understand the value of a knife and those who don’t. This isn’t a financial thing. This is a tool thing.

Would you hammer a nail with a broken and rusted hammer? Would you try to cut meat with a poorly made knife?

The same is true for these incredible chef’s knives. Misen’s blades are on the higher end of the quality curve because they are so well made, with excellent steel, and provide you with a ton of knife versatility in the kitchen. So if you are a food lover who wants the most helpful tool in their kitchen, you need to pick up a Misen knife.

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Who are Misen?

Misen Knives are so successful because of Misen’s ability to cut out the middle man and lower their knife prices to the final consumer. They sell their Misen’s knives directly to customers through Misen’s online website.

This means everyone from the novice prep cook to the executive chef’s assistant to celebrity chefs can take advantage of the Misen steel knife quality.

Misen knives started as a Kickstarter knife brand that quickly got recognized by major industry insiders like Serious Eats, Epicurious, and Food52. Misen amassed a huge Instagram following for their knife photos, and pretty soon after that, the knife brand exploded in popularity.

The idea of Misen is to create a highly valuable knife at an affordable price that everyone could buy. Misen’s innovative design can be found in a wide range of knife and kitchenware products, but we are only reviewing some of their knives today.

The knives are so successful because Misen consulted with metal specialists and industrial designers to get the look and feel of the blade just right.

This resulted in Misen’s knives being known for attractive knife design, engaging knife geometry, comfortable knife weight, and excellent knife balance points. Other knife benefits include:

• Materials – full tang knife stamped steel blade made from premium Japanese AICHI AUS-10 steel with high carbon content for excellent sharpness.
• Sharpness – 15 degrees per side of knife blade.
• Hardness – Rockwell Hardness score of 58.
• Misen’s knives are made in China near Shanghai with a lifetime warranty and sharpening.
• 60-day free home trial period.

 

Who is Misen Good For?

Misen was founded after the owner had a friend who needed to replace a certain chef’s quality pan in her kitchen. When they went out to the local chef’s store and tried buying a replacement, they were blown away by the price. The owner then started looking at other products like knives and discovered the same was true industry-wide.

This inspired Misen to begin by finding a chef’s quality knife that could be made by blending the Western and Japanese cutting traditions at a decent price value for customers.

Misen wanted to remove any barriers to knife ownership for the home cooks or beginning their chef’s career.

Misen’s view of creating a high-quality knife product at a lower price point is what has made the Misen brand so popular. As a result, their knives are now highly valuable and designed for anyone interested in an excellent kitchen tool with a lot of versatility.

 

Misen Knives Product Review

We were fortunate to get our hands on the majority of Misen’s main line of knives, knife sets, and specialty knives for our review.

We have a couple of testers who worked as associate or assistant to chefs when they were younger, so we can provide some insight into the professional quality of the different blades.

 

Misen’s Essential Knife Set

Let’s start with Misen’s best knife package set for anyone looking to dive right into the brand – the Essentials Knife Set.

This knife set includes the Chef’s Knife, Serrated Knife, and Paring Knife. We wanted to start here with Misen’s excellent knife products because if you aren’t sure what knife will work for your home, this is the answer.

These knives give you pretty much everything you’re going to need for home cooking.

The Chef’s Knife is the most well-known Misen’s knife product and can handle everything from tomatoes to crafting the perfect bourbon steak tip salad. Everyone on our team thought this was a great knife.

The Serrated Knife takes care of the rest, including freshly baked bread and tougher meats.

Finally, the Paring Knife is a great quick-use blade for whenever you want to skin an apple or get the tiny gloves of garlic just right.

Misen’s knife set is far better than competitors because it isn’t stuffed with the blades and other knives you’ll never use. Instead, you get three essential steel knives that pretty much handle anything you’ll need.

Buying the set is roughly $25 less than getting each knife individually, depending on if you have coupons.

You can also upgrade to Misen’s 5-piece set, which includes a santoku knife and utility knife, but we would only suggest that Misen’s knives package for professional chefs.

Click to Purchase Misen Essentials Knife Set

 

Misen Chef’s Knife

This is Misen’s premiere product that won them so much chef’s support when they were marketing their steel bladed knives through its Kickstarter campaign. If you are only going to try one Misen Knife for your kitchen, we strongly recommend the Chef’s Knife out of the rest.

This knife blade is made from AUS-10 grade Japanese steel with excellent sharpness, durability, and razor-sharp edge retention. This is probably the only chef’s knife of this quality that you’ll find at a price under $100.

Misen sells their chef’s knife at a retail price of $75, but you can usually find deals to drop that price even lower.

Misen makes their knives with versatility in mind. That is why this chef’s knife has a curved bolster, so you can use whatever kind of grip you want along the spine of the knife.

Many of us prefer this because of two American staples – taco night and chicken breast. Both require a lot of excellent knife cuts to get right, and everyone seems to have their cutting style. This knife did it all!

With the 60-day at-home test drive from Misen, you cannot go wrong with giving this blade a try.

There is a 6.8″ version of this Misen’s knife blade for sale. We only recommend this knife for people with smaller hands. Otherwise, you sacrifice a little of the knife’s cutting power.

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Misen Paring Knife

Finding a well-made universal paring knife is the bane of any family. These knives are so freaking useful that they can get dull quickly from everyone in the house wanting to cut their snacks and quick prep meals with them.

We like the handle length on the Misen Paring Knife. Many competitors try to shorten or thin the knife handle, and Misen went with a more traditional thickness that makes Misen’s paring knife a more comfortable handle and easier to use. In addition, the paring knife is made from the same professional-grade steel with a lot of grip points for mid-cuts.

The Misen paring knife has a 3″ steel blade, and the knife handle extends that length to 7.75″ total. The paring knife may feel bigger for younger family members or chefs with smaller hands, but this was an excellent fit when we tested it.

You’ll pay around $30 for this knife out of Misen’s collection of knives, but again, if you look online, you’ll probably find a decent coupon. Also, don’t forget this knife is included in the essential knives set and maybe worth purchasing there instead.

Click to Purchase Misen Paring Knife

 

Misen Santoku Knife

We wanted to include one of the Misen knives geared towards the professional chefs and chef’s assistants in the audience, the Santoku Knife. This steel blade’s basic shape and feel is like the Chef’s Knife from Misen, but with a little less weight.

Picking up Misen’s Santoku Knife is meant for those who want more precise cuts like thin sushi-grade fish or steak tartare. You get the rounded blade tip which is the characteristic for all santoku blades, and a nearly flat edge for versatility.

Again, the only note to make is that Misen likes to include the rounded bolster for comfortable grip changes. This may not work for all chefs, but we love it! You cannot find a decent santoku at this price range of $75 retail, making it a great value.

Most other competitors for these styles of knives charge nearly twice that price.

Click to Purchase Santoku Knife

 

Misen Steak Knives

It wouldn’t be a good review of a knife company without checking out their selection of steak knives. A good portion of our readers are located in the US and Canada, where steak is a staple of family meals, and a decent steak knife makes all the difference.

You can pick up a set of Misen steak knives in sets of 4 or 8. These knives are designed for cutting steak but are so sharp each knife can handle pretty much any other meal you put in front of your guests. That includes freshly baked bread with that telltale crunchy outer layer.

Misen made a great choice by offering these steak knives in various colors like blue, black, gray, red, green, and brown. We only point this out because these are knives you’ll be putting on your table before a meal and need to match the overall theme of the rest of your silverware.

Each knife blade does have a slightly serrated knife edge engineered to cut through your steaks perfectly. You will need to hand wash these steel knives. They are not meant to be sent through the dishwasher.

Click to Purchase Misen Steak Knives

 

Misen Knives Pros and Cons

 

What to look for in Good Kitchen Knives

Like most things in life, finding a quality set of kitchen knives will be subjective to the user. But, in general, there are a few things to watch out for that can ensure you get the cutting power and adaptability you need.

Bolster – this is where the knife blade meets the handle. You want to have some protection, but not too much to take away from your preferred knife grips.

Essential Use – consider how your knife will be used in the kitchen. Do you handle a lot of bread or steak that will need a serrated edge or more precise cuts that need a durable edge?

Focus on those knives and blades that will be the most useful for you and your family. A quality knife that can hold up to the daily abuse your kiddos put it through is worth its weight in gold.

Blade Size – this is probably the most essential attribute for home users because many younger family members lead towards meal prep based on current trends.

We’re not making any judgment, just stating a current trend. You’ll want a knife that can fit into your hand comfortably, and you don’t feel worried will slip and cut something unwanted than food.

Forged V. Stamped – a forged knife is usually higher-priced and created with a single piece of molten steel. Stamped knives are more mass-produced by a cookie-cutter-like machine.

Misen’s knives are stamped with full tang, which is how they maintain their quality even when produced at a higher rate.

Composition – Steel is the preferred material for most knives. High carbon steel will give you the longest-lasting durability and edge, while stainless steel tends to be more rust-resistant.

Hold the Knife! – the only real way to get a feel for the blade you’re going to purchase is to pick up the knife and move it around a bit.

 

Are Misen Knives Worth it?

We put our collection of Misen knives through the wringer and found them all to hold up exceptionally well. The amount of knife-related meal prep happening in our office was seriously outrageous. These knives had no issue cutting through any of the different fruits, vegetables, bread, and meats that frequented our office.

We’re all going to need to try an exercise product review next just to shed some of those extra pounds from the incredible lunchtime charcuterie we all enjoyed because of our Misen knives review.

We cannot celebrate the price point enough for Misen. They one hundred percent deliver on the promise of a high-quality knife at an affordable price.

We went to local stores like Pottery Barn and online to find comparable blades of steel, and almost all of them were incredibly higher priced. Misen does provide a great product for a decent price point that will transform your kitchen.

As for sharpness, we had one tester who loves sushi purchase about 10 pounds of sushi-grade fish and come in to make lunch for the office. The Misen Chef’s Knife and santoku knife were hands down the sharpest blade for this exercise.

With Misen offering a lifetime guarantee and sharpening service, you cannot go wrong pickup up these steel knives.

We suggest taking advantage of Misen’s 60-day trial period first. Pick up the essential knives set and see how they work for your household. We think you’ll be more than happy, but in case you’re not, you can always return them for a full refund.

 

Misen Knives FAQ

What warranty does it come with?

Misen offers a lifetime guarantee and free sharpening service. Sign up for their mailing list to get access to discounted and priority services, as well as tons of exclusive deals and coupons.

 

What is the return policy?

If you want to give Misen a try before committing, they offer a 60-day trial period, during which you can return your product for a full refund.

 

Do the knives come with a block?

No, Misen does not sell their knives with any block or display set. However they do sell a block if you need one. You

 

How do I clean the knives?

You must only hand wash and dry your Misen steel knives. Do not put them in a dishwasher or submerge them in water.

 

Can I use my new Misen steel knife on frozen foods?

It’s safest to wait until the food has defrosted before using it. Be extremely careful when using your Misen steel knife on frozen foods because the blade is so sharp, it can easily

damage the food inside if you’re not careful.

 

How do I know which knives are best for me?

Misen does not have a model that’s ideal for every person, however their Essential Set is a good place to start. If you’re the only cook in your household or live alone, this set will suit most of your needs.

 

What are the knives made of? How do they hold up over time?

All Misen steel blades are made from high carbon steel, which is ideal because it retains its sharp edge for longer than other types of steel. Depending on how often you use and clean your knives, you can expect them to last for up to a decade.

 

What is a full tang? Does Misen have a full tang?

A full tang goes entirely from one end of the handle to the other, giving you balanced control over your blade. You can tell if a knife has a full tang because you can see the metal of the blade in its entirety when holding it.

All Misen knives have full tangs, which actually extends into the handle of each knife for better balance and greater control.

 

Why is the blade curved?

This curve makes it easier to chop and dice ingredients for a more efficient cooking process. It also gives your thumb and forefinger better grip on the knife, allowing you to slice smoothly and confidently.

 

Wrapping it up

Misen Knives are affordable, quality knives that will transform your kitchen. The blades are easy to sharpen and come with a lifetime guarantee for sharpening services if you ever need it.

If you want to try Misen knives out before committing, they offer a 60-day trial period with free returns. Not bad for some of the sharpest blades on the market!

Misen’s Japanese knives are a good option regardless if this is your first knife or a seasoned chef. The versatile knife is made from premium materials making each slice as good as the first time. Everyone on our team loved the Misen chef’s knife because of the ease of use and quality build.

As always, if you enjoyed our Misen knives review, please feel free to come back often. We are frequently testing out incredible consumer products so you can get the lowdown on their quality and performance before spending your own hard-earned money.

Thank you for reading, and if you have any thoughts, let’s hear them in the comments section.

 

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