Dexter-Russell, with ancestors like the Harrington Cutlery Company and the John Russell Cutlery Company, both known for excellence in cutlery, has continued this tradition, churning out cutlery that exceed expectations. It has become the largest maker of professional cutlery in the United States.
The Dexter Russell Traditional 8" Stainless Heavy Duty Cleaver does the job of cutting beef, lamb, pork, fish, poultry, and bones very well. This cleaver, like all cleavers produced by Dexter-Russel, saves you from breaking your kitchen knives while chopping meat.
This cleaver also features:
Dexter-Russel cleavers are made of stainless steel blade, high-carbon steel blade or a patented Dexsteel blade built with enough weight to smash bone and meat easily.
Utopia Kitchen, an innovative retail company, strives to serve its customers by providing well-priced and top-quality products. Its variety of lifestyle products meets the needs of its well-defined customer segments.
The Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel Cleaver Knife is a top-rated, heavy duty stainless steel chopper with safe, long-lasting and superior blades. The very sharp blade and perfect weight combine to make cutting meat and large items like melons and pineapples almost effortless.
See here some of the other reasons we have selected this cleaver:
This cleaver comes with Utopia Kitchen’s full, no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.
Global prides itself in the production of knives whose blades embody the famed sharpness of the swords used by the Samurai, the feared Japanese warrior caste.
The Global Meat Cleaver is the commercial meat cutter’s trusted companion with its very sharp blades sharpened by hand at a 15% angle. This means that meat and bones are cut through with much less difficulty and to perfection.
This cleaver, like all of Global’s cleavers, possess the following:
This cleaver has a no-bolster design, allowing for full edge use and full-blade sharpening.
Product Stop, founded by a Harvard alumnus 12 years ago, was established out of an intense desire to stop the selling of cheap and overpriced products to unsuspecting customers. It has delivered on this promise ever since, selling its products exclusively on Amazon.
The Product Stop Inc. Japanese Cleaver Knife is a professional stainless steel butcher knife designed and built to last a lifetime. With a 7-inch size, it is perfect for chopping fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, poultry and fish.
Here are some of its other features:
If for any reason you are not satisfied with any of Product Stop’s cleavers, you are covered by a 100% money-back guarantee.
Established in 1992, Winco, a manufacturer and global importer of kitchen and table ware, has dedicated itself to providing professional chefs and restaurateurs with top notch products and services.
The Winco Heavy Duty Cleaver with Wooden Handle is made of highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel. It has the right weight necessary for cutting through soft and hard stuff.
You should consider its other features to help with your decision making:
Slashing through bones or tough vegetables requires a sufficient amount of energy and momentum. Aside from a good-quality meat tenderizer, a meat clever is the only kitchen appliance designed to be swung around like a hammer, which puts it on the list of the few chef knives that are tough enough to survive the daily abuse of hacking through animal bones, taking apart chickens, mincing meat, or chopping hearty vegetables. While a serrated knife can come in handy when cutting through those steaks, nothing beats a reliable meat cleaver, especially when it comes to separating wings or cutting through a thick roast.
With its large, rectangular blade offset from the handle, the force is transmitted to the cleaver’s blade to prevent the user from knocking their hands against the cutting board or table while chopping. Also, the blades are heavier and wider than those of other knives, and this generates enough momentum required to chop through large chunks of food in one easy cut.
Aside from all the chopping, the wider side of the cleaver helps in crushing ingredients such as ginger and garlic during food preparation, while the blunt side of the blade can be used in place of the traditional meat tenderizer to tenderize meats. To enjoy a variety of meat recipes, do not forget to invest in a good grinder to help you grind those ingredients.
So, how do you choose the best meat cleaver? When shopping for a cleaver, it is good to bear in mind that this tool is used more like a hammer than a slicing tool, so its edges do not have to be particularly sharp. Well, it’s true that a cutting edge has to be maintained, but it needn’t be carefully honed like that of a chef’s knife.
Let’s look deeper into some of the factors to consider when shopping for a cleaver before diving into our picks.
Quality is paramount when choosing a meat cleaver. Every chef knows that low-quality or unreliable knives can be risky in any situation, so you may want to avoid very cheap meat cleavers that will not stand all the daily abuse that you intend to subject it to – one particular safety issue with low-quality cleavers is that the blade might come loose from the handle while you are swinging it down. You definitely want a high-quality product that will last you a long time. Prepare to spend between $10 and $230 for a good-quality cleaver, with the price depending on the features of the cleaver and the materials it is made of. For instance, you will pay more for cleavers that are completely made of stainless steel, compared to those made of other materials.
Despite its versatility, there is one thing that the meat cleaver does best, compared to any other hand tool – breaking large, difficult chunks of food into smaller, manageable pieces. But, be very careful not to choose the wrong tool or you will make cutting meat seem like a real chore.
Here are some of the features that you should prioritize:
There are many options when it comes to choosing the right cleaver for your needs. Chinese cleavers, for instance, are thinner and more delicate. They are ideal for cutting both meat and vegetables, but are not good for splitting bones. Western cleavers, on the other hand, have a thick spine and are ideal for poultry and meat. They are excellent for cutting tough food or bone!
Here are other construction and design considerations that you should make when buying a cleaver:
Design
Meat cleavers are the kitchen’s machete. Well, to be able to cut through animals’ thick meat, bones, cartilage, and sinews, you will need a solid blade that can perform the task with just a single swing. As a rule of thumb, it is better to go for a heavier meat cleaver!
Blade
As mentioned above, a cleaver is specially designed to be slightly blunt, as a razor-sharp blade will make it fragile. A fairly blunt edge increases the lifespan and capability of the blade.
Commercial cleavers are made using one of two techniques – stamping and forging:
Forged blade
A forged blade is made by roughly shaping a heated steel bar under a drop hammer, making the steel take massive pressure. The blade then goes through honing and grinding to attain the final shape and smoothness. While forged cleavers are known to be more expensive than stamped ones, they are stronger, heavier, and thicker. They also have a shaft between the heel and the handle and offer better balance.
Stamped Blade
A stamped blade is made by cutting a flat steel sheet into a suitable blade using a hydraulic press. Thereafter, the blade blanks are sharpened by going through multiple grinding and honing steps. Stamped blades do not have a shaft between the heel and the handle, and do not offer the same balance as their forged counterparts. They are thinner, lighter, and less expensive than the forged ones.
A cleaver does not work like a regular kitchen knife, which uses less power to make precision cuts. This tool is designed for heavy-duty tasks, so spending a little extra for a rustproof blade and sturdy handle can go a long way, especially in a setting where cooking large meals is the norm. The handle should not cause redness or any discomfort on your hands! It should also be ergonomically designed to safeguard the wrist and provide powerful cutting action without excessive weight.
Many meat cleavers come with perforated grips to prevent slipping and potential injuries, while also reducing fatigue from continuous use. Also, choose a cleaver with a built-in hole to allow easy rack or wall hanging, as something of its size could take up quite a bit of space in the cutlery drawer. Storing it in a knife block will also ensure there is minimal damage!
As for caring for the cleaver, the most important thing is to protect the blade when cleaning and storing. While there are some dishwasher-safe models, the best way to wash your cleaver is by hand, using warm, soapy water. And, always remember to dry meticulously before storage – even stainless steel is prone to rust!