Misen Perfects the Affordable, Quality Chef’s Knife
The most important tool in your kitchen begs for upgrading
We all know what a nice knife worth its money feels like—that surprise when the blade actually slips swiftly through a tomato or onion. But for those who can only feel that effortless sensation when occupying a friend’s kitchen, there’s hope yet. Enter Misen, a new company that wants you to bury your cheaply-made knife set once and for all, and replace it with just one quality knife made from tough Japanese AUS-8 high-carbon stainless steel. The game-changer is that the cost isn’t in the hundreds, but will retail close to wholesale pricing for $65 once successfully Kickstarted: and it comes with free lifetime sharpening.
“We truly believe it’s the single most important tool in the kitchen and it’s definitely the go-to knife for the vast majority of cuts,” Misen co-founder Josh Moses tells CH about their chef’s knife. Testing and fine-tuning prototypes over 18 months, they’ve developed a design that champions proper grip, comfort, sharpness and versatile cutting techniques. The resulting product is 8.2 inches long and weighs about 7.75 ounces, a little lighter than the classic German knives, notes Moses. (We also like the color choices, which eschew traditional black for light blue or grey). And they’re able to offer it at an accessible price by selling directly online.
There’s something about owning a premium knife that’s akin to saying you’ve made it into adulthood. Regardless of the symbolism, the perks are clear: efficient prep time, increasing comfortability in the kitchen and, overall, making cooking a more enjoyable experience.
“Right now, we’re laser-focused on getting the chef’s knife into as many people’s hands as possible,” says Moses on Misen’s mission. “That said, many cooks like a paring knife for smaller tasks and we may already have a prototype or two in the works.”
The Misen will eventually retail for $65, but you can snag up to a $20 discount by being an early backer of their Kickstarter campaign; the only downside is the wait until it ships in March 2016.
Images courtesy of Misen
