Best Fillet Knife
Do you love to fish? Have you thought about buying a fillet knife so you can easily debone your freshly caught fish?
A fillet knife is lighter than most other knives, and the blade measures four to 11 inches in length. Fillet knives have great flexibility and a blade point that is slightly curved. This makes it easier to make small, precise cuts and maneuver around bones more easily and accurately. It is the ideal choice for skinning and slicing a fish. Fillet knife blades usually have an extremely sharp and thin edge, with an angle ranging from 12 to 17 degrees. It is important to keep this blade sharp, as it is much safer to fillet a fish this way.
Here are a few of the most popular fillet knives available on the market today:
Mercer Culinary Millennia Fillet Knife M23860
This fillet knife is affordable yet beautiful and versatile, from one of the biggest cutlery suppliers in North America. It is an extra-long, narrow fishing fillet knife with a design that makes it very durable. It is highly prized by home cooks and professional chefs alike.
It has a flexible, eight inch blade made of high carbon Japanese steel. This strong steel makes it easy to cut, slice, and fillet without chipping or breaking the blade. It is high quality and non-staining, and resists corrosion and rust. It is a suitable choice for deboning and filleting your fish, as well as for every tasks like slicing bread. The blade is super sharp, perfect for making those smooth cuts, and it is easy to sharpen if necessary.
It is lightweight for maximum control.
The ergonomic handle is made of Santoprene and polypropylene. The Santoprene makes it comfortable to hold and the polypropylene makes it more stable. The knife also has textured finger points. These provide you will an excellent, non-slip grip.
This knife should be hand washed to keep the blade and handle at their best. Never put this knife in a dishwasher as the heat and detergent can damage the handle. Do not submerge this knife in water for a long time because this can lead to pitting and discoloration of the blade. Try to store this knife in a cutlery block to prevent damage.
One drawback is, the knife is not a single constructed piece and it does not have full tang. There are no rivets to keep the blade securely fastened to the handle. Also, some users feel the blade is too long.
Pros
- Affordable
- Extra-long, narrow fish fillet knife
- Flexible blade made of strong, high quality carbon Japanese steel, which is non-staining
- Rust- and corrosion-resistant
- Super sharp blade which is easy to sharpen again when needed
- Ergonomic handle with comfortable, non-slip grip
Cons
- Knife is not a single constructed piece and it is not full tang
- There are no rivets to keep the blade securely in place
- Some users feel the blade is too long
Rhinoreto Fillet Knife
This affordable fish fillet knife is available with a choice of a five, six-and-a-half, or eight inch blade. The blade is flexible and curved, which makes it ideal for filleting both saltwater and freshwater fish. You’ll feel like chef while you are using this knife!
The blade is made of durable, long lasting, and corrosion-resistant stainless steel. It has a non-stick coating, and the fish will simply slide off the blade. This means easier and cleaner filleting and deboning.
The ergonomic rubber handle is easy to grip even when wet. It fits all hand sizes and can be used easily in the right or left hand. The knife has a guard, and it extends 360 degrees around the handle, for added safety.
This knife comes with a vented plastic sheath to keep the blade dry when it is being stored, and help prevent odors or rust.
And – bonus – this knife has a ceramic single-stage sharpener. It uses angled ceramic plates to keep your blade sharp. You will need to sharpen your blade frequently because it is made of stainless steel, which tends to get dull over time.
This knife is not dishwasher safe. Wash it by hand, dry it thoroughly, and then store it away in the vented sheath.
One drawback is some users have found the blade may crack or chip over time.
Pros
- Affordable
- Available in five, six-and-a-half, and eight inch blade lengths
- Flexible curved blade, with a pointy tip, ideal for filleting
- Blade is made of durable stainless steel with non-stick coating
- Ergonomic rubber handle is easy to grip, even in wet conditions
- Comes with ceramic sharpener and vented plastic sheath for storage
Cons
- Blade may chip or crack over time
American Angler PRO Electric Fillet Knife
This high end, electric fillet knife is great for cutting through bones and scales. It has twice as much torque as other electric knives, which means bones are not a challenge for this one. It can handle tough fish or small fish, which tend to be harder to fillet. This is the knife commercial fishermen choose more than any other.
The blade is eight inches long, made of titanium-coated stainless steel. One benefit of this knife is you can change the blades, which is handy if you tend to catch different types of fish. Choose from blades that range from 5.5 to 10 inches long. There is also an option to replace the blade with stainless steel, which is less expensive.
The handle is ergonomic and comfortable to hold, which allows more control when you use it. The handle reduces strain and fatigue in your wrist while you are filleting.
It carries 110 volts of power and has a cord measuring eight feet long. The knife has venting and a built in cooling fan which lets you cut for longer without overheating.
One drawback is the high price.
Pros
- Electric knife, great for cutting through bones and scales, and for fish that are harder to fillet
- Eight inch blade is made of titanium-coated stainless steel
- Option to replace the blade with other sizes, which is handy for different types of fish
- Ergonomic handle is comfortable to hold and reduces strain in wrists
- Built in venting and cooling fan allows for long hours of cutting without overheating
- Power cord is eight feet long
Cons
- Expensive
Dacodget 6.5 inches Fillet Knife Kit
This fillet knife has a premium 6.5 inch stainless steel blade that is perfect for deboning and descaling, as well as skinning and trimming. The blade is ice-tapered, which allows it to last for a long time. It is flexible, extremely sharp, and has a fine point, which is handy for piercing fish skin. The serrated edge is great for removing scales or cutting through tough skin.
The blade is corrosion-resistant.
The ergonomic handle is contoured to your hand and has a non-slip grip, to ensure optimum maneuverability and safety. It is rubber-textured, and the shape reduces wrist fatigue, which makes this knife comfortable to use for long periods of time.
It has an odor- and stain-resistant sheath for protection, which has water drainage holes to keep your knife dry. It also has a portable ceramic rod sharpener that you can clip onto your key ring, sturdy tweezers that can remove even the finest bones, and a food grade BBQ brush for glazing. The accessories (and handle) are all bright red to add some color to your kitchen.
This knife is easy to clean and durable. As an added bonus, it is dishwasher safe!
One drawback is the blade does not hold a sharp edge for long, but this is why the portable sharpener is handy.
Pros
- Premium 6.5 inch stainless steel blade, perfect for deboning and descaling
- Corrosion-resistant blade has serrated edge for cutting through tough skin
- Ergonomic rubber handle is non-slip and contoured for maneuverability and safety
- Knife is easy to clean and dishwasher safe
- Odor- and stain-resistant sheath has water drainage holes
- Includes portable ceramic sharpener
Cons
- Blade does not hold a sharp edge for long (which is why they include the sharpener)
Sani-Safe White Narrow Fillet Knife S133-8PCP
This narrow fillet knife has an ultra-sharp, flexible, eight inch stainless steel blade. It makes filleting and skinning easy, and glides through your fish. The blade is a high alloy and high carbon, which results in it being stain-free. This blade has great edge holding ability and performance, and it is very durable.
This affordable knife is available in seven, eight, and nine inch lengths. This knife is certified by the NSF, which is the world’s most recognized food safety organization.
Its famous white ‘Sani Safe’ polypropylene handle gives you great control.
It is not dishwasher safe. Instead, hand wash and dry it.
While it does not come with a sheath for storage, you can purchase one separately. Avoid placing this knife in contact with other metals or keeping it in a moist environment.
Pros
- Affordable
- Eight inch stainless steel blade, also available in seven and nine inch lengths
- Narrow, flexible, and ultra-sharp
- Glides through fish and makes filleting and skinning easy
- Blade is high carbon, making it stain-resistant
- Great edge holding ability and performance
Cons
- None mentioned by users
Dalstrong Gladiator Series Fillet & Boning Knife
This fillet knife has a six inch curved blade that is ideal for filleting, scaling, boning, trimming, and butterflying fish. The blade is flexible and narrow, and It curves up at the tip, which allows for easy maneuverability around skin, joints, and bones. It is precision forged out of one piece of high carbon German steel using an expert heat treatment.
This quality knife is made with premium materials and has a luxury feel, with good heft. The blade is razor sharp with a 14 to 16 degree edge. It is engineered to 55 Rockwell hardness and polished by hand to a satin finish. There are divots along the blade to encourage easy release of food. This knife can carry out ultra-thin slicing and dicing with very little effort.
The blade is full tang and triple-riveted to the handle, which makes the knife incredibly strong and balanced. The blade contains added chromium for stain resistance. It is highly resistant to heat, cold, and moisture.
The sophisticated black handle is made of gorgeous pakkawood. It has a comfortable grip that maximizes maneuverability and lessens wrist fatigue. The handle is laminated and polished which keeps it sanitary. The knife includes a water- and stain-resistant, BPA-free sheath for storage and protection.
This knife is best washed with a light soap and dried by hand. Because of the high quality of the blade, it does not require much sharpening.
One drawback is the sheath is loose and can fall off the knife, which could be a safety risk.
Pros
- Six inch curved blade ideal for scaling, boning, skinning, etc.
- Blade is flexible, narrow, and curved at the tip for expert maneuverability
- Blaide is precision forged out of one piece of high carbon German steel
- Razor sharp blade has 14 to 16 degree edge and is engineered to 55 Rockwell hardness
- Blade is full tang, and gorgeous pakkawood handle is triple-riveted to it
- Blade contains added chromium for stain-resistance
Cons
- Sheath is too loose, which could be a safety risk
How to choose a fillet knife
You have seen some of the most popular fillet knives on the market today, but what features should you consider when looking to purchase one of your own? Here are a few suggestions.
Blade sharpness
An ultra-sharp blade is safest and will make the most precise and accurate cuts when you are filleting a fish. You will have more difficulty if your blade is not sharp, and may find it hard to separate the skin and bone.
Blade retention
Sharpness at the outset is important but you also want a blade that will maintain its sharp edge over time. This is called blade retention. Knives made of higher carbon metals will retain their edge and stay sharp longer, but of course they are more expensive. If you want to pay less for your knife, consider buying a sharpening tool to make the most of your knife.
Construction
Look for the highest quality materials for your price point. A fillet knife needs a blade that is thin, flexible, and strong. If your knife is made of higher carbon metal, it will be thinner and sharper, and the thinner metal will naturally lend itself to increased flexibility.
Also think about the materials used to make the handle. A full tang knife is ideal, especially if the handle is attached to the blade with at least three rivets. This will make your knife strong and durable. Check that the handle is ergonomic, lightweight, and feels good in your hand.
Good luck with your knife purchase. It will be sure to be well used in the years to come.