When it comes to Misen (pronounced Mee-Zen), you will know that it is all about quality.
It is not unusual for somebody to like a Misen knife so much that they slowly replace their entire collection of old knives for this brand (just take a look at their reviews).
Whilst they do have a plethora of items to their name (including knife storage), we are going to be looking at the collection of Misen knives only.
Misen began because they realized a lot of people either had to choose between terrible cheap knives, or terribly expensive premium knives.
The former being low in quality, and the latter being overpriced.
Misen was born in 2015 via a Kickstarter campaign to fill the gap by being both quality and reasonably priced.
They also do not deal with retail stores, and instead only are available online.
Now that we’ve got you covered with some basics, let’s take a look at their products in more detail.
The Knife Collection
Misen have six different knives, with the Chef’s knife being the multitasking bestseller. Let’s take a look at each one in more detail:
OUR TOP PICK
EDITORS CHOICE
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OUR TOP PICK
Chef’s Knife
If you are unsure which knife to get, the popular Chef’s Knife is the way to go.
It uses features taken from Japanese-and Western-style blades to give the knife its unique edge.
It also means that it is super sharp and can handle most situations you throw at it.
The versatility of it makes it suitable for practically anyone who needs a quality knife to add to their kitchen utensils.
Specifications
The knife is made of Japanese steel and features a ‘50/50 symmetrical grind at 15 degrees on both sides.
It has a weight of 230g (or 0.5 Ib).
The total blade length is 8 inches (or 203 mm)
EDITORS CHOICE
Short Chef’s Knife
The Short Chef’s Knife has the same features as the regular Chef’s Knife, however, it is better for those who have smaller hands, or who are new to using sharper and more precise knives.
Also, if you just want extra control, then the smaller Chef Knife is an overall great option.
It is a bit safer too, seeing as the blade is smaller by just over an inch.
Specifications
Has the exact same specifications as above, however, the blade length measures 6.8 inches (or 172mm).
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Paring Knife
The Paring Knife is another favorite in the collection. It is seen as a companion to the Chef’s Knife due to it being able to cut through fiddly areas and provide precise detail.
If you only want to start small with your collection, then we recommend purchasing the Chef’s Knife (either size) and the Paring Knife.
Specifications
At only 3 inches (or 76 mm) it is perfect at tackling detailed work in the kitchen.
Just like the Chef’s Knife line, it uses a 15 degree angle with a symmetrical grind for super sharp cutting.
Again, it is also made from Japanese steel.
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Utility Knife
Whilst perhaps more favorable with chefs, this do-it-all knife is a medium-sized blade that falls between the Chef’s Knife and the Paring Knife.
It is a good staple to have in the kitchen, especially if you want to go away from the trend of buying the Chef’s Knife.
If you want to work with a multitasking knife that is even smaller than the Short Chef Knife, then this is it.
Specifications
At only 5.5 inches (or 140 mm), it is a small multitasking knife appreciated by chefs.
It weighs 140g (or 4.9 oz).
Made of Japanese steel, it has a 15 degree angle blade on both sides for a sharp cutting ability.
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Santoku Knife
As you can tell by now, most of the Misen knives are all-purpose. Again, the Santoku Knife allows for many uses within the kitchen.
The difference between this one and the knives above is the fact that it has a rounded-down edge at the top, making it very good at chopping anything.
Although similar to the chef’s knife, it has a shorter blade, making it the perfect choice for precision cutting — this is a favorite of the pros!
Specifications
At 7.5 inches (or 190 mm) it is quite a big knife, perfect for covering a long distance of food to chop finely.
Like every other knife in the collection, it is made with Japanese steel.
There is also a 15 degree angle on both sides of the blade for better chopping.
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Serrated Knife
A knife collection wouldn’t be complete unless it included a bread knife.
This Serrated Knife has been created to be delicate enough to slice a fluffy loaf of bread, but also be able to finely chop fruit such as pineapple and squash, which is hard.
It is also the longest knife in the collection, but that is to be expected!
Specifications
At 9.5 inches (or 241 mm) it is a long knife, perfect for cutting bigger items like bread and awkward fruit shapes.
It is made from Japanese steel giving it an extra amount of quality.
This one has 32 very wide set serrations to allow the blade to cut cleanly without dragging something like the bread along with it.
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Steak Knife
Exactly what it says – it is used for cutting steak. Whilst not a knife available as a singular due to it being used alongside a fork during a meal, it felt necessary to mention.
In fact, you can only buy this knife in packs of 4 or 8.
Specifications
Tiny knife at 4.6 inches (or 117 mm) perfect for cutting protein like steak.
The only other obvious difference to the others (though you can’t tell) is that the steel is from Germany.
The Advantages Of The Misen Knife
There are many advantages to the Misen knife collection which include:
60 day return (or test drive) – the brand gives you enough time to test the products.
There is a good chance that by the 60th day you will have already fallen in love with your knife, which is why Misen are confident enough to offer a wide return window.
Free returns – and just like the fact they offer 60 days to return their items, they also offer it for free. This means you will not have to pay any money to return the item.
A guarantee for a lifetime – if you hadn’t already realized how confident Misen are, then you might do now. They also offer a lifetime guarantee on their products.
It also gives you the confidence to know that if something does go wrong, you can get it fixed.
Four colorways of blue, black, gray, and red – Whilst they mainly advertise the blue version, there are three other color options to choose from. Maybe in the future they might even release some more?
It would be nice to see limited edition colorways too!
The Disadvantages Of The Misen Knife
Whilst it would be great to have all advantages, there are some disadvantages too. These are:
Only available online – if you were hoping to find these at a local store, then you’d be disappointed.
Misen makes a point of removing the ‘middleman’, and that includes retailers.
So, if you do want to buy a Misen knife, then you will have to do it directly via their online store or somewhere like Amazon.
Not dishwasher safe – not all of us like to hand wash, especially if we have a lot of dishes to do.
Unfortunately, the Misen knives cannot be put in the dishwasher as this can damage them (and perhaps your dishwasher).
To avoid anything terrible happening, always hand wash the knives. Another good tip is to also make sure you dry them immediately.
For something that oozes so much quality, you will need to look after them too.
Not made in the USA – whilst this isn’t a bad thing – they use Japanese steel after all – it would be nice to see them as being made in the USA. They are, however, made in China (PRC).
Again, this doesn’t mean that they lack in quality, far from it; it’s just that it would be nice to see a company like Misen use local tools to produce such fine quality knives.
Why Should You Buy A Misen Knife?
The great thing about a Misen knife is that it is suitable for everybody.
Whilst they look like they belong to a professional chef (which they probably do), they are super accessible to anybody, no matter the kitchen experience.
There are different types of knives for a variety of ways to use them, but there is also a knife or two suited to those who are starting out in the world of better kitchen tools, or who have smaller hands and are looking for a safe, more compact option without sacrificing quality.
Final Thoughts
Misen knives are perfect for those who want to up their game in the kitchen.
Not only will they make you feel like a chef, they will also improve your cooking too.
There are several knives to choose from, so it’s all about finding the one (or a few) that suits your needs.
