Photo: Imarku
A Chinese cleaver is among the most versatile tools that most people use in their kitchen. The knife is used for cutting, chopping, and slicing. Also, the wider part can be used for crushing and pounding meat. It is essential for you to find the best Chinese cleaver for all kind of kitchen tasks.
There are some standard materials used for blade making and a variety of materials used for handle making. Also, you will usually find the blade lengths from 6 to 9 inches.
This guide will help you through finding the best products in the niche. Stay tuned for some exciting options.
In this post:
- 10 Best Chinese Cleavers – Review
- 1. Winco KC-301 – Most-affordable Chinese Cleaver
- 2. Winco KC-101 – Economically-priced Chinese Cleaver
- 3. ZWillings J.A. Henckels Chinese Cleaver – Most-versatile Chinese Cleaver
- 4. Wusthof Gourmet 4685/19 – Best Chinese Meat Cleaver
- 5. Imarku Chinese Cleaver – Chinese Cleaver with Sharp Edge
- 6. Spevorix Chinese Cleaver – High-quality Chinese Cleaver
- 7. Shi Ba Zi Zuo F214-2 – Chinese Cleaver with Rosewood Handle
- 8. XiaoYao Chinese Cleaver – Cleaver with Large Blade
- 9. Wusthof Gourmet 4688-2 – Standard Chinese Cleaver
- 10. TUO Chinese Cleaver – Luxurious-looking Chinese Cleaver
- How to Buy the Best Chinese Cleaver
- Conclusion
10 Best Chinese Cleavers – Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Winco KC-301 (Most Affordable) |
| |
 | 2. Winco KC-101 (Economically-priced) |
| |
 | 3. ZWillings J.A. Henckels Chinese Cleaver (Most-versatile) |
| |
 | 4. Wusthof Gourmet 4685/19 (Best Meat Cleaver) |
| |
 | 5. Imarku Chinese Cleaver (With Sharp Edge) |
| |
 | 6. Spevorix Chinese Cleaver (High-quality) |
| |
 | 7. Shi Ba Zi Zuo F214-2 (With Rosewood Handle) |
| |
 | 8. XiaoYao Chinese Cleaver (With Large Blade) |
| |
 | 9. Wusthof Gourmet 4688-2 (Standard Cleaver) |
| |
 | 10. TUO Chinese Cleaver (Luxurious-looking) |
|
PRODUCT |
|---|
1. Winco KC-301 (Most Affordable)
|
2. Winco KC-101 (Economically-priced)
|
3. ZWillings J.A. Henckels Chinese Cleaver (Most-versatile)
|
4. Wusthof Gourmet 4685/19 (Best Meat Cleaver)
|
5. Imarku Chinese Cleaver (With Sharp Edge)
|
6. Spevorix Chinese Cleaver (High-quality)
|
7. Shi Ba Zi Zuo F214-2 (With Rosewood Handle)
|
8. XiaoYao Chinese Cleaver (With Large Blade)
|
9. Wusthof Gourmet 4688-2 (Standard Cleaver)
|
10. TUO Chinese Cleaver (Luxurious-looking)
|
1. Winco KC-301 – Most-affordable Chinese Cleaver
Photo: Winco
- Blade Length: 8 inches
- Blade Material: Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: Wooden
- Weight: 16.48 ounces
For the people that don’t wish to spend a lot of money on a Chinese cleaver, this could be a desirable option. This one is the most affordable knife on our list.
It comes with 8 inches long blade made of stainless-steel material. The material is highly corrosion-resistant and will work fine in your kitchen for a long time. Also, the knife is dishwash-safe so you can simply toss it in a dishwasher and wash.
The wooden handle is also decent in quality. Unfortunately, you don’t get to enjoy any warranty with this product. Also, since no special efforts are made to bound the edge of the blade for a long time, you might find the need of frequent honing to retain the edge.
Pros:
- Available at a highly-affordable price
- Corrosion-resistant material of the knife
- Dishwasher-safe so no manual cleaning required
- Wooden handle is made of decent quality
Cons:
- The knife might not hold the edge for a long time
- It does not come with any warranty
2. Winco KC-101 – Economically-priced Chinese Cleaver
Photo: Winco
- Blade Length: 8 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon Steel
- Handle Material: Wooden
- Weight: 13.9 ounces
The Winco knife is economically-priced and suitable for people on a budget. The high-carbon steel blade comes in 8 inches size and the handle length is 4.5 inches.
This model is given with wooden handle which gives stability to the product. There is a bolster in between that prevent the fingers from accidents.
The knife is dishwasher-safe and suitably weighed on 13.9 ounces. Since there is no forging done on the blade, it could be susceptible to rusting. This one does not come with any warranty.
Pros:
- This product is economically priced
- The knife is suitably weighed
- Bolster prevent finger injury
- The knife is dishwasher-safe
Cons:
- No forging makes it susceptible to rusting
- It does not come with any warranty
3. ZWillings J.A. Henckels Chinese Cleaver – Most-versatile Chinese Cleaver
Photo: Henckels
- Blade Length: 7 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: Polymer
- Weight: 10.1 ounces
From Zwillings J.A. Henckels, this is a most-versatile Chinese cleaver on the list that can be used for chopping and dicing meat, fish, vegetables, and all other kinds of soft food items. The knife is known for its diagonal cuts.
The construction is ensured with high-carbon stainless-steel material with 57 Rockwell hardness. The blade also has excellent edge retention. Furthermore, to ensure that blade has superior resilience, is it ice-hardened.
The polymer handle is full tang and comes with three rivets to ensure durability. It is ergonomic and gives no tension to the hand while holding the knife.
On the downside, irrespective of the strength, the knife is not suitable for meat bones, and it is relatively higher in price than its peers.
Pros:
- Multi-purpose knife used for chopping and dicing
- The construction is done with high-carbon stainless-steel
- The blade is ice-hardened for exceptional durability
- Full tang triple riveted handle is very efficient
Cons:
- The knife is not advised to be used on meat bones
- The price is on the higher side
4. Wusthof Gourmet 4685/19 – Best Chinese Meat Cleaver
Photo: Wusthof
- Blade Length: 7 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon German Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: Synthetic
- Weight: 30.08 ounces
There is a reason this knife is known as the best Chinese meat cleaver, and it is because of the heavy-duty blade with suitable width that is required for cutting through the meat and bones.
The product is suitably sized in 7 inches, and it is made of high-carbon German stainless-steel material to ensure that it has the finest-quality construction.
The bolster helps with effortless usage of the knife. The synthetic handle is firm and strong and comes with 3 rivets to add more strength to it. This product has been laser tested for edge retention and will hold the edge for the longest period.
This model weighs 30.08 ounces which makes it the heaviest knife on our list. Also, the price is also extremely high.
Pros:
- Made of highly-promising material
- Heavy-duty blade is used for cutting the meat
- Laser tested for edge retention
- 3 rivets on the handle for added strength
Cons:
- This is the heaviest knife of the list
- The price of the product is too high
5. Imarku Chinese Cleaver – Chinese Cleaver with Sharp Edge
Photo: Imarku
- Blade Length: 7 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon German Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: Pakkawood
- Weight: 13.1 ounces
This knife from Imarku is best known to hold the edge for the longest time and have the sharpest edge that ensure maximum cutting performance. The blade material used in the construction is high-carbon German stainless-steel material which is among the most superior types.
The versatile and multi-purpose knife can be used for chopping, mincing, slicing, and dicing. Interestingly, this one is suitably weighed at 13.1 ounces.
This Chinese cleaver has great balance between the handle and the blade with 7 inches long blade and 5 inches handle. Plus, it comes with 100% money-back guarantee to safeguard your purchase.
The Pakkawood handle is of great quality, but it is neither full tang nor ergonomic in nature. Since it is not full-tang, it might not be as durable and break from between. There is no groove on the handle to give support to the hand for prolonged usage.
Pros:
- Comes with a sharp edge
- Constructed with high-carbon German stainless-steel material
- Suitably weighed at 13.1 ounces
- Comes with 100% money-back guarantee
Cons:
- The handle is not full tang so the knife can break from between
- The handle is not ergonomic in nature
6. Spevorix Chinese Cleaver – High-quality Chinese Cleaver
Photo: Spevorix
- Blade Length: 7 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon German Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: Pakkawood
- Weight: 13.6 ounces
This high-quality product is a strong contender in the race of the best Chinese vegetable cleavers as it comes with an amazing crafting and designing.
It is made of superior quality carbon German stainless-steel material and is used for slicing, cutting, chopping, and shredding. Due to the blade width of 3.5 inches, you can also crush the vegetables like tomato, ginger and garlic with utmost easy.
The knife is forged in an authentic way through hot-forging process. This increases the durability and sharpness of the knife. As far as the handle is concerned, it is made of Pakkawood, full tang and triple riveted to add more strength.
Also, there is a groove on the handle that makes it ergonomic. It comes with 100% money-back guarantee. The only downside is that this product it is not dishwasher safe.
Pros:
- Great in slicing, chopping, cutting, shredding, and mincing
- Hot-forged in a traditional way
- Comes with increased durability and sharpness
- Full tang Pakkawood handle
Cons:
- The knife is not dishwasher-safe
7. Shi Ba Zi Zuo F214-2 – Chinese Cleaver with Rosewood Handle
Photo: Shi Ba Zi Zuo
- Blade Length: 7 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: Rosewood
- Weight: 8.5 ounces
This product comes with an amazing Rosewood handle and this is the USP of the knife. The 7 inches large blade is made of high-carbon stainless-steel and has non-stick coating on the top to prevent food from sticking.
This is a lightweight product weighing merely 8.5 ounces. It could be suitable for the people with limited hand strength.
It has an amazingly sharp edge and a pointed tip that helps with convenient mincing and dicing. The blade is not forged in any special way, unlike many other products, so this could be susceptible to rusting and corrosion. Also, it is not dishwasher-safe.
Pros:
- Comes with an interesting rosewood handle
- Available in a perfect 7 inches size
- Very lightweight and easy to handle
- Sharp edge for great cutting experience
Cons:
- This knife is not dishwasher-safe
- The knife is susceptible for rusting and corrosion
8. XiaoYao Chinese Cleaver – Cleaver with Large Blade
Photo: XiaoYao
- Blade Length: 8.5 inches
- Blade Material: Stainless Steel
- Weight: 23.2 ounces
If you are fond of large blades then this one will settle your needs. This knife has got 8.5 inches superior-quality stainless-steel blade. It is ultra-sharp and has great performance.
The cleaver can be used for cutting bones, ribs, vegetables, frozen meat, chopping, and mincing purposes. All these features make it a perfect multi-purpose product.
Furthermore, it comes with cutting-edge technology and stunning design. The handle is non-slip and made of high-quality material. Interestingly, the product is available on an affordable price.
This product has got a lot of weight, 23.2 ounces thus, it is not suitable for people with little hand strength. Secondly, the brand fails to provide any guarantee or warranty with this product.
Pros:
- The knife can be used for multiple purposes
- It comes with cutting-edge technology
- The knife is really stunning
- It is available on an affordable price
Cons:
- This knife is really heavy weight
- There is no guarantee or warranty with this product
9. Wusthof Gourmet 4688-2 – Standard Chinese Cleaver
Photo: Wusthof
- Blade Length: 8 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: ABS Polymer
- Weight: 12.5 ounces
From Wusthof, this is a standard Chinese cleaver. It comes with 8 inches large blade made of high-carbon stainless-steel. Wusthof is known to manufacture best carbon steel Chinese cleavers as the blade is prepared in such a way that it does not corrode or oxidizes.
This is a full-tang knife with ABS polymer handle that is triple riveted and have grooves on it to make holding simpler and easier. The high-impact handle is known for its durability.
The price of this product is on the higher side, and it does not come with any warranty. Also, the blade is not dishwasher safe.
Pros:
- Full tang knife for more safety
- Comes with a large blade in 8 inches size
- Have high-carbon stainless-steel material
Cons:
- This product is not dishwasher safe
- It does not come with any warranty
- The knife is supremely expensive
10. TUO Chinese Cleaver – Luxurious-looking Chinese Cleaver
Photo: TUO
- Blade Length: 7 inches
- Blade Material: High-carbon German Stainless Steel
- Handle Material: Pakkawood
- Weight: 10.4 ounces
The first product in our list of the best Chinese cleavers is this one with luxurious looks, thus making a perfect gifting option for all.
This Chinese cleaver is made of great materials, and it is available on a suitable price. The blade construction is done with high-carbon German stainless-steel material which is impeccably sharp.
The steel is further hand-polished and the blade hardness is ensured to reach on a higher level. It is also precisely tempered and stain-resistant, so you can chop the vegetables or cut the meat without worrying about staining.
About the handle, it is made of Pakkawood material and has a gentle curve and ergonomic design to great comfort. This one has a suitable weight of 10.4 ounces, and it will not tire your hand.
Interestingly, you get 100% money-back guarantee. The knife is not dishwasher-safe.
Pros:
- Comes with a 100% money back guarantee
- Ergonomic handle made of Pakkawood material
- Suitable weighed for 10.4 ounces
- Has got the most stunning looks
Cons:
- The knife is not dishwasher-safe
How to Buy the Best Chinese Cleaver
Photo: knifeplanet.net
In this section of the Chinese cleaver review, you will be able to find all the search guidelines that are required for founding the finest product.
The best Chinese cleaver knife is the one that is appropriately sized and the entire knife is made of the most promising materials. In the content below, you will find the best materials, sizes, and other major details about the best knives.
1. Purpose
Cleaver is mostly recognized as a heavy-duty boning knife however, same is not in case of a Chinese cleaver. These knives are used for cutting vegetables, fruits, or meat without bones i.e. less harsh food materials.
It is important to identify your purpose before buying a Chinese cleaver. If you have the requirement of cutting and chopping semi hard food items, the Chinese cleaver will be a magical solution. However, a standard cleaver will work effectively as a boning knife.
2. Blade Size and Material
An ideal blade length of a Chinese cleaver is 7 inches. This length makes a knife perfectly versatile. You can go beyond with the size however, if the size is lowered even with a single inch i.e. 6 inches, the versatility will become questionable.
The blade length can be anywhere between 7 inches to 11 inches. The blades that are large will need a lot of metal, and it may add some extra heft to the knife. The weight will increase automatically.
The heavy-weight knives are not too ideal for everyday usage. People with less hand, wrist and forearm strength will not appreciate the extra weight.
Next important thing that you should look in a Chinese cleaver is that it has at least three-quarters tang into the handle so that you can enjoy better strength, edge stability, and balance of the knife.
Now, coming to the next important part which is the blade material, you get a lot of versatility in stainless-steel. In stainless-steel, you will find a lot of variety like 9Cr15, VG-10, 7Cr17mov, Friodur, etc.
It is difficult to understand these types from their name but in totality, you should know that the best stainless-steel Chinese cleaver is the one that is made of high carbon German steel as it has maximum resistance to rusting and corrosion, and it can hold the edge for the longest time.
3. Handle
A Chinese cleaver’s handle plays a significant role. These are heavy-duty knives and need to have a handle that can provide maximum comfort while being in the hand.
Mostly, the handles are made of wood, polymer, or synthetic material. Most people prefer wood material as it looks better than the other materials. Also, it offers great hold to the user.
Irrespective of the material you pick, you need to make sure that the handle is ergonomic in nature because you will only be able to hold a handle for a long time if it is ergonomic.
4. Weight
As mentioned earlier, weight of a Chinese cleaver is highly important. Since these are huge knives, they already have the extra weight to them. People with limited hand strength should make sure to buy a lightweight knife, ranging from 8 – 15 oz.
The weight can go up to 30 oz as well, but such knives are not suitable for everyone. Also, you cannot use these knives for everyday cutting and chopping.
Conclusion
We hope that these tips and recommendations will help you find the best Chinese butcher knife that can be used to cutting and chopping meat as well as vegetables.
You have to be careful with the purchase because the most suitable products come with a high cost. That is why, in this Chinese cleaver review, we have given you all kinds of options that vary in materials, lengths, and prices.
Explore the recommendations mentioned above and also read the buying guide as it will be helpful in finding the most favorable product and will satisfy your needs.