Kai Knives Review - Quality Japanese Damascus Steel Blades
Kai knives are manufactured in the heart of the most famous knife-making center in Japan. As a company with such traditional roots, they provide great quality blades that are not coming with sky-high price tags either. Let's look at some of their most popular models in detail to help you decide is these kitchen knives worth your investment or you wanna go with another Japanese brand instead.
About Kai
Kai Knives entered the market from Seki, Japan in 1908 thanks to the creativity of the founder of Kai Group. (1) Their popularity has seen them enjoy a cult like following all over the world.
They exist in three categories of kitchen knives, which are the Shun Classic series, the Seki Magoroku Composite series, and the Premier Tim Mälzer series. Kai Knives are known for their durable and superior blades, which make them suitable for both left handed and right-handed chefs.
Kai Knives Reviewed in This Article
In this article we will show you seven really popular products of the Kai knives, representing some of the top-rated models from their palette.
*We select and review all products independently, based on our opinion and customer feedback. Some links on this page are affiliate links and if you make a purchase we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more info on our disclaimer page.
Kai Seki Magoroku Damascus Steel Chef's Knife
Design and materials
This knife is sold as a single multipurpose chef knife that has a silver steel branded blade, a handle with laminated wood, and a strengthening steel cap at the end of the blade. The end to end length of the knife is 31 centimeters with the blade measuring 18 centimeters. The knife comes in a black packing box that also serves as its storage box when it is not in use.
Usability
What we liked about this knife is the perfectly balanced full-scale blade that makes cutting using the knife fast and quick. The handle on the Kai Magoroku is laminated with reinforced wood while the welded steel cap at the base of the handle shuts out intrusion of humidity and moisture completely, thereby making the knife resistant to rust and corrosion.
Users who have bought this knife like the blade for its sharpness retention and the fact that it sharpens quickly and easily. The inclusion of a packing box that also acts as a storage box for the knife when not in use also makes this knife popular among many cooks.
PROS
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Kai Pure Komachi Essential 9-Piece Kithen Knife Set
Design and materials
This set of knives includes 8 different knives with different blades that make them ideal for various cutting needs in the kitchen. Each of the knives has a differently colored blade and a matching color on the handle. The set also includes a clear acrylic storage block with ports that fit each of the knife when not in use.
Usability
We like the resin coating on each of the knives' blade because it is corrosion resistant. Moreover, it enhances the separation of the food items being cut by the blade, thereby making it easier to clean. Color coded blades also prevent cross contamination that can occur when the same blade is used to cut different foods like meat and vegetables.
Users who have used this knife before report having an easy time with the large and ergonomic handles that make cutting using the knives effortless. The blades also retain sharpness for a long time.
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Kai Luna 6-Piece Knife Set
Design and materials
This set of knives comprises five knives that have varied blade edges for different cutting requirements in the kitchen and a wooden storage block that has slots to fit all the knives. All blades are mirror polished at the top edge of the blades while the lower part has a graze finish. Handles are black in color and feature soft grip silicon material both at the top and bottom.
Usability
We like the blade on this knife because it is different from other knives that come with the grazed edge and mirror polished finish. This makes the blades have nice aesthetics and enables the blades to resist rusting and staining. All knives come with protective sheaths that fit over the blades when they are not in use.
Users who have bought this set of knives like the blades because they are easy to sharpen and the included wooden storage block works to save storage space in the kitchen.
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Kai Seki Magoroku Damascus Steel Santoku Knife
Design and materials
This knife is sold as a single Santoku knife that comes with a silver blade that is conspicuously branded with the Kai logo. The knife has a black laminated wooden handle that has a stainless steel strengthening cap at the end. The knife has a short handle that is 3 centimeters long and a blade that measures 14 centimeters.
Usability
This knife's beautifully designed Damascus blade is one of the things our team liked about the knife. The inverted triangular shape fits well in the cook's hand and makes it easy to cut food items. The laminated handle is tightly sealed with a stainless steel cap at the tip to protect the blade from moisture and humidity. This works to protect the knife from rust and corrosion.
Users who have this knife in their kitchens praise the blade for its superior strength and longtime retention of sharpness. The users also advise that the knife be cleaned by hand and to avoid dishwasher cleaning.
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Kai Pure Komachi 2 Black Santoku Knife
Design and materials
The Kai Black Knife comes as a single piece of a 6.5-inch Santoku knife that has a black non-stick blade with a hollow ground edge and a black handle. A black covering sheath that fits over the blade when not in use comes with the knife. The sheath has gaps that enable the cook to see the blade when covered.
Usability
The blade comes with a resin non-stick coating that gives the knife an exceptional non-stick performance to ensure it cleans easily and is approved by FDA as safe for food. We also like the comfortable grip handle and the accompanying covering sheath that holds the knife safely when it is not in use.
Users of this knife like the sharp and hollow ground edged blade that easily separates food from the blade when cutting using the knife.
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Kai Pure Komachi 2 Steak Knife Set
Design and materials
This set piece contains four steak knives that have silver blades with serrated cutting edges and dark gray handles. The blades have an FDA approved resin coating and are made of high-carbon steel material. Each of the knife's handle is ergonomic and perfectly balanced with the blade's weight. The set of steak knives weighs only 1.4 ounces when packed.
Usability
The serrated edges on the blade help in cutting through meat at the dining table with ease and retain the sharpness for a long time. Resin coating on the blades is approved by FDS as safe, enables the knife to glide through steaks with ease, and resists corrosion and rusting of the blade. Handles that are firmly fitted to the body of the knife enable the diner to hold the knife comfortably and cut with minimal effort.
Cleaning the knives should be limited to handwashing as advised by cooks and diners who own this set of knives. Dishwasher cleaning should be avoided because it causes staining on the blades and damages the resin coating.
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Kai Wasabi Black Deba Knife
Design and materials
The Wasabi Black Knife is sold as a single Japanese deba Knife that features a silver single-beveled Japanese design and double beveled European design. The material used to make the blade is 1k6 high carbon stainless steel that is bead blasted. The handle is D-shaped and made of Pakka wood that is resin reinforced.
Usability
We like this knife's unique shape and the design of its blade and handle because they enable users to cut ultra-thin slices that leave the delicate membrane on the slices intact.
Users who have previously used this knife report its outstanding performance when cutting through herbs and vegetables because it enables them to achieve intact thin slices.
The blades, however, develop stains when the knives are not properly cared for. The knives should only be hand washed and dried immediately to prevent them from corrosion, rusting, and staining.
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What Features to Consider When Choosing a Knife?
When choosing a Kai knife for use in your kitchen, you need to consider some of the factors we have discussed in the section below:
The Materials used to make the Knife
The materials used to make the knife should be of superior quality. If the knife has any non-stick coating on the blade, be sure to confirm that it is approved as safe for food handling by regulating authorities such as the FDA.

The handles on a good Kai knife should be resistant to moisture and humidity absorption, which will enable the knife to last for a long time.
Maintenance
Pick a knife that is guaranteed to serve you for a long time when you follow proper maintenance guidelines. Proper maintenance could include only hand washing the knife and never cleaning it in the dishwasher. Ensure that the knife is also thoroughly dried before being placed in storage.
Storing the knife should only be with other stainless steel utensils. Avoid keeping the knife in drawers that contain iron utensils because they are prone to rust.
Related questions
Is Kai a Good Knife Brand?
Kai knives are a top brand of knives. Their superiority stems from the Japanese methodology that is used to make them. Their blades and handles are made using high quality and long lasting materials. The knives also come both as a set and as individual pieces.
Where are Kai Knives Made?
Kai Knives are made in Seki, Japan. Luckily, the manufacturer ships them to many countries across the world, thus making them readily available to most people.
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