Top 10 Best Electric Knives in 2021 (Cuisinart, BLACK+DECKER, and More)

Here we’ll go over the most recommended cordless electric knives, comparing them by factors like price point, accompanying blades, and battery run time.

Now that we've gone over the best cordless options, we'll move on to the traditional corded knives. Despite the addition of the cord, these knives are no less amazing to use.

Again, what you’ll be cutting determines which knife you need. For filleting fish, cutting small produce, or chopping up smaller pieces of tender meat, a 7 to 8-inch blade is ideal. For bigger foods requiring more power, like that Thanksgiving turkey, roasted pig, or tougher vegetables like acorn squash, go with a blade that is at least 9 to 10 inches.

Ergonomic is a key word these days as more people are cluing in on the need to adjust their environment to fit their body’s natural movements. It’s no different with food prep, especially if you use the blade often—your point of contact with the knife is the handle, so you want an ergonomic handle that will fit the contour of your hand.

To tell whether a handle is ergonomic, it should not have any squared off or sharp angles, but should have naturally curved contours that match the contours of your hand. These handles will also be longer, as most of your grip strength comes from your ring and pinky fingers, making a short handle not healthy to use for long periods of time.

Ergonomic handles are also “ambidextrous”—that is, they can be held comfortably in either the left or the right hand—this is especially important if you’re a leftie!

Buying online means you can’t see or feel the length or contours of the handle, but product descriptions should always note if the handle is ergonomic or not. If in doubt, read the reviews, as customers will usually praise a comfortable handle and complain about a painful one.

With all knives, you have to take safety precautions, but with electric knives, it’s even more important to do so. After all, these knives have more power than your typical kitchen knife. When selecting your electric knife, make sure it has all the safety features you need.

Some knives have the switch and control buttons in impractical areas, which, of course, you should avoid. Instead, choose a knife with buttons close to the handle.

By having these buttons close to the handle, you can easily switch the knife on and off, meaning there’s less risk of hurting your hand or accidentally cutting through a cord on the counter or anything else.

Since people tend to be busy with the fast pace of life these days, the last thing you want is another item promising convenience that’s a pain to clean. In the case of cordless knives, remember that they use batteries, and batteries—or the battery section of the knife—must be taken out before washing the product. 

By selecting knives that can be disassembled easily, you'll also be able to wash them more quickly. For corded knives, this means that the blade can be easily separated from the handle. It's better if they're also dishwasher-safe since then you can just throw the blades in the dishwasher, wait until the cycle is done, and then put them away! 

As an extra note, stainless steel blades are rust-resistant, making them ideal for dishwasher cleaning, so you can also check your electric knife for the make before buying.

Though 20 minutes doesn't sound like a lot, you can actually get a lot done in that time by just cutting, slicing and dicing. Knives with this short of a battery run time will also have a much shorter charging time, as well (typically around 30 minutes).

Again, pick a knife based on how long you’ll need the knife to run. 20 to 30 minutes is fine if you’re doing most of your cooking next to a power source, but for 2 to 3-day fishing or camping trips, look for knives with a battery run time of at least 1 hour.

When purchasing a corded electric knife, cord length is one of the most important features to check out. In general, a cord over 3 feet is best. Of course, this will depend on the build of your kitchen, but you always just want to make sure that it will be able to stretch from your wall socket to the place you intend to cut your meat or bread on.

Once you start getting higher up—around the $125 price point, you’ll find knives that have even more power and closer precision for cleaner cuts. For knives at this price point, you can confidently cut through tougher chunks of meat, like that pesky Thanksgiving turkey, or even notoriously tough vegetables like acorn squash.

You shouldn't necessarily use an electric knife for all food preparation. Electric knives are most beneficial for cutting those harder-to-slice foods, such as in-bone meat, bread, and tough veggies like acorn squash. For tender foods such as strawberries or bananas, electric knives can be too powerful and you’d run the risk of making a mess of your food.

If you're looking for a knife more on the traditional side, then look no further. We've got buying guides covering Japanese knives, kitchen knives, and bread knives, so check them out based on your specific needs!

Each knife has its positive and negative points, so to choose the right one, focus on what is most important to you. Consider the weight of the knife, number of blades included, battery run time, amongst other things, and choose accordingly. 

Whenever you chop and dice foods, you really want a cutting board to protect your table. It's also to keep what you're cutting stable, making it a bit safer for your hands. If you don't know where to start when considering what to buy, though, then take a look at this one recommended by nutritionist Kara Swanson.