SANTOKU
SANTOKU
Updated August 2026 · 8 min read · UK Japanese-steel knife specialists
If you are choosing between a ceramic knife and a steel knife, the honest short version is this: ceramic can hold a fine edge for a long time, but it is brittle, it cannot be re-sharpened at home, and it struggles with the everyday jobs a kitchen knife actually does. For nearly every UK home cook, a good Japanese-steel knife — one made with hard Japanese steel such as VG10 or AUS-10 — is the more useful, longer-lasting and safer choice.
Below we compare the two materials fairly on the things that matter — sharpness, edge retention, durability, sharpening, safety and value — and then point you to the steel knives we would actually recommend. You can browse the full range in our single knives and chef knives collections.
What each material actually is
Ceramic knives are made from zirconium dioxide (zirconia), a very hard technical ceramic. That hardness is why a ceramic blade can stay sharp for a long time — but the same hardness makes it brittle, like glass. It has almost no "give", so a knock, a twist, or dropping it on a hard floor can chip or snap the blade.
Steel knives — the ones we sell — use hardened high-carbon stainless steel. Our blades are forged from Japanese steel such as VG10 and AUS-10, hardened to around 60–61 HRC on the Rockwell hardness scale. That is hard enough to take and keep a very fine edge, while still being tough enough to survive normal kitchen use. (Note: the steel is Japanese; we describe our knives as Japanese-steel knives rather than implying where they are forged.)
Ceramic vs steel: the honest comparison
Sharpness and edge retention
This is the one area where ceramic genuinely shines. Because zirconia is so hard, a ceramic edge can stay keen for months of light use without any maintenance. A quality steel edge does need occasional attention — but a hard VG10/AUS-10 blade at ~60–61 HRC holds its edge far longer than the soft stainless in a supermarket knife, and it can be brought back to razor sharpness in minutes. Ceramic's edge retention is a real advantage; steel's renewable sharpness is a bigger one.
Durability and everyday versatility
Here is where ceramic falls down. Because it is brittle, a ceramic knife should never meet bone, frozen food, hard squash, a twisting motion, or a hard chopping board — any of which can chip or crack it. A steel knife handles all of those. A hard Japanese-steel blade is still thin and precise, but it flexes and absorbs impact rather than shattering. For one knife that can do the daily mix of vegetables, herbs, meat and everything in between, steel is far more forgiving. If you want to understand why hard steel resists chipping, our guide on Damascus vs stainless steel goes deeper.
Sharpening and repair
A steel knife is repairable for life. Roll an edge, get a small chip, let it go dull — you can fix all of it on a whetstone at home. A ceramic knife cannot: its hardness means an ordinary whetstone or pull-through sharpener won't touch it, and it usually has to go back to the maker for a specialist diamond re-grind (if they offer one at all). When a ceramic edge finally chips, the knife is often simply done. Renewability is a major reason steel lasts decades.
Safety and feel in the hand
Ceramic feels very light, which some people like, but that lightness plus brittleness is a safety issue: chips can send small hard fragments into food, and a snapped blade is dangerous. Steel gives you weight, balance and a positive grip you can control through a full day of prep. For most cooks, that control is safer and more comfortable than ceramic's featherweight feel.
Price and value
Cheap ceramic knives look like a bargain, but factor in that they can't be sharpened and are easily broken, and the true cost over time is high — a chipped ceramic knife is landfill. A quality steel knife is a buy-it-once tool: maintained with a whetstone and sensible care, it lasts for decades, which makes the cost-per-year far lower. See our honest care guide for how simple that upkeep really is.
If steel is the answer, which knife should you buy?
Any of the four below will out-perform a ceramic knife for everyday cooking. They are all hard Japanese-steel blades (VG10 or AUS-10), all in stock, all with real customer ratings. Start with whichever suits how you cook and your budget.
Aiko Black Damascus VG10 Knife
From £64.99 · ★ 4.94 (119 reviews)
Hard VG10 core in a Damascus jacket, with a comfortable black resin handle. Keen, easy to live with, and buildable — buy one and add matching pieces later.
Pros: superb edge, highest rated, buildable range · Cons: hand-wash only
Best for: the everyday knife most people should own.
Haruta 8" VG10 Gyuto Chef Knife
£89.99 · ★ 4.87 (111 reviews)
A do-everything 8" gyuto (the Japanese chef's knife), with a wooden handle and a protective scabbard. One knife for veg, meat and herbs — exactly the versatility ceramic can't offer.
Pros: versatile, comes with a saya, great value · Cons: 8" may feel large in small hands
Best for: your main workhorse knife.
Minato Santoku Knife (AUS-10)
£79.99 · ★ 4.88 (73 reviews)
A hard AUS-10 santoku — the compact, flat-profiled all-rounder that's brilliant for fast, controlled veg prep. The tough steel shrugs off the push-cutting that would chip ceramic.
Pros: nimble, hard AUS-10 edge, great for veg · Cons: shorter blade than a chef's knife
Best for: vegetable-forward cooks.
Riku Damascus VG10 Knife
From £49.99 · ★ 4.89 (62 reviews)
The easiest way into real Japanese-steel quality. A VG10 Damascus blade for the price of a mid-range supermarket knife — and, unlike ceramic, you can sharpen it forever.
Pros: excellent value, VG10 edge, highly rated · Cons: simpler finish than premium lines
Best for: a first proper knife on a budget.
Ceramic vs steel at a glance
| What matters | Ceramic | Steel (VG10 / AUS-10) |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | Excellent for light use | Very good, and renewable |
| Toughness | Brittle — chips and snaps | Tough — flexes, resists chipping |
| Everyday versatility | Light cuts only | Veg, meat, herbs — all of it |
| Sharpen at home | No (specialist only) | Yes — on a whetstone |
| Safety | Fragments if it chips | Predictable, controllable |
| Lifespan value | Often disposable | Buy-it-once, lasts decades |
When might ceramic still make sense?
To be fair to ceramic: if you only ever slice soft fruit, boneless veg and sandwiches, keep the knife on a soft board, and never expect to sharpen it yourself, a ceramic paring knife can be a pleasant, ultra-light second knife. It also won't react with acidic foods. But as your main kitchen knife — the one that does the real work — its fragility and un-sharpenable edge are dealbreakers for most people. If you're just starting out, our best Japanese knives for beginners guide is a good next read.
Frequently asked questions
Are ceramic knives better than steel knives?
Only for one thing: holding a fine edge during light, straight cuts without maintenance. For everything else — toughness, versatility, sharpening, safety and long-term value — a hard steel knife is better. For most home cooks, steel is the more sensible main knife.
Do ceramic knives stay sharp longer than steel?
Yes, a ceramic edge can stay keen longer between sharpenings because zirconia is so hard. The trade-off is that when it does dull or chip, you can't fix it at home. A hard VG10 or AUS-10 steel edge doesn't last quite as long, but you can restore it to razor-sharp yourself in minutes on a whetstone.
Can you sharpen a ceramic knife at home?
Not with normal tools. Ceramic is harder than a standard whetstone or pull-through sharpener, so it usually needs a specialist diamond machine or a return to the manufacturer. Steel knives, by contrast, are fully sharpenable at home on an ordinary whetstone.
Do ceramic knives break easily?
They can. Ceramic is brittle, so dropping the knife, twisting it, prying, or cutting bone, frozen food or hard squash can chip or snap the blade. A hard steel blade is thin but tough enough to survive the knocks of normal kitchen use.
What steel is best for a kitchen knife?
For a keen, long-lasting yet low-maintenance edge, hard high-carbon stainless steels like Japanese VG10 and AUS-10 (around 60–61 HRC) are an excellent choice. They give you most of ceramic's sharpness with far more toughness, and they don't rust the way traditional carbon steel can. Our VG10 steel guide explains why.
Is a Japanese-steel knife worth it over a cheap ceramic one?
For most people, yes. A cheap ceramic knife can't be sharpened and is easily broken, so it's often disposable. A quality Japanese-steel knife, cared for simply, lasts for decades — which makes its cost-per-year lower and its everyday performance far higher.
Related guides
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