The best knife for cutting through bone is the Juvale Meat Cleaver. The blade cuts through bone without any hesitation, the ergonomic handle makes it an easy knife to use, it is made from high quality materials and it is simple to clean.
As a chef, having a good knife to cut through meat and bone is key to meal prep efficiency. So, I have spent many years putting various knives through their paces to make sure that I only have the best ones in my kitchen.
In this post, I will show you the best knife for cutting bone, give you some additional options, and give you tips on choosing your own knife!
Here are the best knives for cutting through bone:
Best Overall
This meat cleaver has been specially created to cut through bone and it does its job well. It has a good amount of heft to it, allowing you to cleanly cut through thicker cuts and bone without any issue at all.
The only complaint that I do have with this knife is that it is pretty heavy. Now, if you are used to handling big knives, this isn’t a problem. However, if you are in the smaller size or have only recently started using cleavers, the weight can come as a surprise.
For this price point, I was really happy with the quality of the knife. One of the things that makes this knife the best meat cleaver on the list is that I used it to cut through bone several times and then checked the blade. There was no scratching, nicks, or any kind of mark on the blade at all.
I also like the quality of the handle as well. It feels sturdy and well attached to the knife. Even when repeatedly bringing the blade down on the bone, the entire knife had a stable feel to it.
I was quite pleased with the overall design of the handle as well. There are three grooves in the handle. This makes it easier for you to get a good grip on the knife. And, since there are so many grooves, people with small and large hands can use them without issue.
Maintaining your knife is important. This is why it is nice to see that this cleaver is dishwasher safe or it can be cleaned by hand. In any case, cleaning the knife will be a breeze.
Best Bone Saw
Do you hunt? Or, do you need to cut large carcasses or large cuts of meat at home? If so, then this is the saw for you! The strong and sharp blade cleanly cuts through bone, allowing you to separate the meat, bones, and cartilage from each other with minimal hassle.
In fact, this knife blade is capable of cutting through frozen chunks of meat and bone without any problem!
My only complaint is that the blade is a bit too long. The flexible blade can be a little tricky to maneuver by yourself, especially with smaller cuts of meat.
Do you struggle with heavier knives? Well, you will love this one! Although it is tough enough to cut through bone cleanly, this is also an incredibly lightweight knife – less than an ounce! Due to this, you get maximum impact with minimum effort.
One of the things that I like about this saw is that you can switch out and replace the blade as needed. This can come in handy for people who have to cut through bone frequently but want to keep the blade sharp.
As an added bonus, it is actually really easy to switch one blade for another and is quite safe as well.
Best for Large Bones
Do you feel like a saw is a bit too much knife for you but still want a good meat cleaver that will help you cut through those tough cuts and bones? If so, then this carbon steel cleaver is for you! It makes cutting bone an absolute breeze, even if you aren’t used to cleavers.
In fact, this cleaver is so good that it is able to cut through frozen cuts of meat without any issue at all. So, it is great if you are looking for hardcore knives for cutting bone.
One of the downsides of such a great performance, though, is that the carbon steel knife is pretty heavy. So, if you are on the smaller side or don’t have as much upper body strength, you may struggle a little.
One of the things that I really like about this knife is that it has double sided edges. This means that it works just as well for right handed people as it does for left handed people. I think this is a nice touch as everyone can use this knife with equal efficiency.
This is one of the highest quality knives for cutting bone that I have come across. From hot forging to heat treatment, this knife has been very carefully crafted. This is what makes it an incredibly strong and sturdy blade.
So, you can use this knife for quite a while, cutting through bone without experiencing any kind of damage at all.
As you can imagine, such a well crafted knife comes with a rather hefty price tag. So, you should be expect to pay for quality. On the upside, the knife is a good investment and will last you a long time.
I really like the handle on this meat cleaver. On the one hand, it is made from good quality wood and like the blade, will last for a long time. I also like that the length and the design of the handle makes it a perfectly balanced tool.
Best Budget Cleaver
Don’t let the affordable price tag of this cleaver fool you – this is one of the best knives for cutting because the blade has been beautifully designed, using the best stainless steel. As a result, it is able to cut through meat bones without any issue at all.
I was also pleasantly surprised at how durable the blade is when cutting bone. Not only do you get clean cuts, but there isn’t even a hint of a scratch on the blade. It is ideal for anyone cooking meat on a regular basis.
The only hit when it comes to quality is the handle. It is made from ABS plastic and may not be able to withstand rough use for too long.
The other thing that makes this a great knife is that it is simple for anyone to use. The knife is fairly lightweight but at the same time, you can cut through bone with minimal hassle.
I also like the ergonomically designed handle. It is easy to grip and maneuver so that you can cut right through the bone.
It is great that this knife has no fancy instructions for cleaning it. You can hand wash it or you can put it in the dishwasher. So, if you are looking for the right knife with no hassle, this is definitely the top option.
When I saw the price of this cleaver, I really wasn’t expecting much in the way of quality or performance. However, I do have to tip my hat to the designers as this knife has almost everything you need and want for cutting bone!
This blade has been designed incredibly well. As a result, you are able to cut through any kind of bone that you want – chicken bones, pig bones, etc. without any issue at all. The quality of the bone also means that it holds up well to continuous use.
After every time I used the knife, I examined it for any kind of marks or imperfections and couldn’t find any. This is one of the reasons that it is the best knife for cutting bone.
Of course, the quality of the handle is just as important as the blade. And, the handle is made from high quality wood and the rivets holding the handle in place are doing an excellent job.
My only issue with the handle is that it is a bit short in comparison to the blade. As a result, the balance is a bit off, meaning that you have to be a bit stronger to handle this knife, especially when cutting through bone.
If you are all about function as well as aesthetics, then you are going to love what this knife has to offer you. It really is a work of art and will liven up your kitchen immediately. Not to mention, it is also a lot of fun to use.
Between the quality of the blade and the heft behind the knife, this knife is able to easily cut through meat and bone with minimal hassle. It is an absolute dream with chicken bones and even cuts through heavy duty bones quite easily.
The only hiccup here is that the knife gets dull rather easily. Due to this, I found myself needing to sharpen it after every few uses.
Many of the knives for cutting bone tend to be on the longer side and this can be a bit difficult for some to use. However, this slightly shorter blade is perfectly balanced with the handle, making it a lot easier for the Average Joe to use.
I like the handle on this knife. For one thing, the design is pretty cool so if you are tired of boring knives, this will do the trick for you.
On top of this, the handle is well designed, making it easy to grip. It is also well molded to the knife to prevent it from coming apart later on.
Here are the top tips to follow when choosing your own knife to cut through bone:
The one thing that confuses people the most about choosing knives for cutting bone is the type of knife to go with.
The first thing to realize is that there are a lot of different types of knives – chef’s knives, butcher knives, boning knives, meat cleavers, and more.
So:
What kind of knife do you need to cut through bone?
Well, contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t use a boning knife for this purpose. I know that it has the word bone in it, but in reality, this knife is meant to remove the meat from the bones. A fillet knife is a type of boning knife that is used to cut fish into fillets.
Then you have the chef’s knife which is sometimes to referred to as a kitchen knife. Kitchen knife or a chef knife is a general purpose knife. Due to this, it isn’t tough or strong enough to cut through bone.
Then you have the butcher’s knife. Now, once again, the name of this knife can be quite misleading. Yes, a butcher’s knife is the kind of knife that butchers use. However, a butcher’s knife isn’t great for cutting through bone.
Instead, the butcher knife is better suited to sectioning off larger cuts of meat.
My personal preference when it comes to cutting through bone and meat is a meat cleaver. It is strong, has a sharp edge, and gets the job done with minimal effort.
Also, unlike along of other knives, cleavers are designed to cut through bone. As a result, they are less likely to get damaged during the cutting process.
Last but not least, yo have the bone saw. I wouldn’t typically recommend this for someone who is looking for knives for cutting bone. This is simply because these saws are better suited to someone who needs to cut through an entire carcass like a hog, deer, etc.
If you are using it to break down run of the mill cuts of meat, it is unlikely that you will need so much firepower. This is especially since these knives can feel a little clumsy to use for first timers.
In case you are wondering:
I would recommend a cleaver. However, a butcher’s knife will work in this case. In fact, even a chef’s knife can be a good option but you may need to apply a bit more strength and pressure.
The reality is that most meat cleavers are a bit pricey – the Utopia Kitchen cleaver is the exception on this list. Due to this, it can be tempting to want to choose a cheap option.
Before you do that, though, it is important to consider the quality of the knife. The blade should always be made from stainless steel, no exceptions. It is also a good idea to have a well-balanced handle made from wood.
In case you are wondering why this is so important, the answer is simple. Bone, especially beef and pork bone, is very thick and sturdy. Due to this, you need good quality knives to cut through these. If you choose a cheap blade, it is unlikely that it will get through the bone. And, even it does, the risk of damage to the blade is high.
The first thing to consider is the length of the blade. See, you want a blade that works well with the kind of meat that you are cutting.
If you tend to deal with smaller cuts of meat, then it is best to go with a shorter blade. On the other hand, if you primarily deal with larger cuts of meat, then choose a longer blade.
Then there is the weight. Always choose a blade that has a good heft to it but is light enough for your wrists to bear the weight. This is especially important if you are on the smaller side or don’t have much hand or arm strength.
The Juval knife is the best meat cleaver for cutting through bone. It has a sharp edge blade with good heft that can cut through bone easily. At the same time, it is a simple knife to use and it is made from high quality materials. It is also simple to clean.
Of course, I would recommend checking out all the knives on this list. You can never tell which will be the right knife for what you need. So, go ahead and check out what each one of these knives has to offer you!
