The Best Meat Cleavers We’ve Found In 2021
There are several tools that chefs use in the kitchen. One of the oldest – and perhaps most efficient – is the meat cleaver.
Many think of the meat cleaver as a rough knife that offers no finesse. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The meat cleaver is an excellent knife that can be integral to any chef’s cooking journey. So, keep reading on to learn more about the meat cleaver and how you can buy the best one.
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Our Top Meat Clever Picks
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Product
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Recommended Products
- 7 Inch blade
- Made in Germany
- Ice Hardened Blade
- 8 inch blade
- Hardwood Handle
- Made from Japanese Steel
- 7 inch Blade
- Stainless Steel
- Easy to clean
- 14 inch Blade
- Award-Winning Design
- Money-Back Guarantee
An Indepth Look At Meat Cleavers in 2021
Chef Craft Stainless Steel Cleaver
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Chef Craft Stainless Steel Cleaver Review
It is an excellent budget-friendly cleaver for you to use around the house or the butcher’s shop. It’s simple, it’s functional, and it does what it needs to do.
It has a somewhat larger than usual blade, at 7 inches, thus making chopping considerably easier.
Moreover, it has an extremely durable handle, so you can put some force into the meat through the blade if you need to.
Zwilling 150 mm 4 Star Cleaver
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Zwilling 150 mm 4 Star Cleaver Review
The best part about this meat cleaver is that it has a considerable amount of weight. At just over half a kilogram, chopping through bones and dense meat becomes much more comfortable than before.
You don’t have to stand on top of the blade and press down with the other hand. A swift chop should do the trick and cut the meat in half in the first swing.
WMF Chinese Chopping Knife
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WMF Chinese Chopping Knife Review
An excellent stainless steel knife for when you are cutting tough meat with lots of blood involved. One of the most annoying things about cleaves with wooden handles is that blood might remain on the wood later after using it.
The best thing about this cleaver is that it has a stainless steel handle and blade. It can make this knife incredibly resilient and long-lasting.
It also means that your knife isn’t going to get rusty and contaminate your food.
Mercer Culinary M14707 Kitchen Cleaver
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Mercer Culinary M14707 Kitchen Cleaver Review
This is your basic, functional cleaver. There isn’t a lot to it; it does what it has to do and does it perfectly.
One good thing about the knife is that it’s quite long. So at 7 inches, you can be sure that you might get a great deal of range on the chopping board with this meat and cleaver.
DALSTRONG - Bull Nose Butcher & Breaking Knife
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DALSTRONG - Bull Nose Butcher & Breaking Knife Review
This enormous knife is probably going to be the most oversized blade on this list. It technically counts as a cleaver; however, it happens to be double the size.
This knife clocks in at 14 inches. It’s perfect for dealing with bones that need to be broken and meat that won’t tear.
You can use something like this for much larger meat that you need to break at the bone.
Arcos 296725 series 2900-cleaver
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Arcos 296725 series 2900-cleaver Review
Weighing in at a 143g, this is decent enough blade for breaking bones and slicing the meat in one single chop. Keep the blade sharp and a steady hand, and this is going to be your best friend when it comes to meat.
Be careful with something like this; one wrong move and it’s coming down with a razor-sharp blade. However, when used the right way, this can be a chef’s best tool.
Arcos 276900 Series atlantico-Cleaver
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Arcos 276900 Series atlantico-Cleaver Review
A classic knife with one of the most elegant rosewood handles you have ever seen in the kitchen. Its simplicity and grace are what is captivating.
The handle gives the blade so much charm, and the blade itself stands out through its glorious silver sheen. It is also incredibly functional, letting you slice cleanly through any cut of meat.
Mercer Culinary M33220 8-Inch
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Mercer Culinary M33220 8-Inch Review
It is another excellent cleaver which features in our list of the best cleavers you can buy. We particularly like the handle design on this one as it’s both unique and comfortable to hold.
The Mercer culinary cleaver is durable, robust, and straightforward to use. Moreover, the handle makes for an excellent grip, one which you can easily slice through tough meat and bone with if you apply a slight amount of pressure and force.
School of Wok - Slice & Dice Cleaver
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School of Wok - Slice & Dice Cleaver Review
It is another completely stainless steel meat cleaver. We talked about how getting meat juices and blood on the handle can be extraordinarily gross and annoying.
No matter how much you have cleaned it, you will always think it’s still there. That’s why this entire cleaver is made of stainless steel.
It makes for a much better clean and one which will eliminate the chance for any residual blood.
Zwilling Chinese Chef's Knife
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Zwilling Chinese Chef's Knife Review
This authentic Chinese meat cleaver takes the number one spot on our list of best meat cleavers. The quality and comfort it provides in the kitchen Are the best you will receive from any meat cleaver.
It is cost-effective, functional, and a fantastic tool to have when cutting meat and other tough vegetables in the kitchen. Consider this next time you are shopping for the best-rated meat cleaver.
Frequently Asked Questions About Meat Clevers
Why is there a hole in a meat cleaver?
Traditionally, chefs would hang their cleavers if they weren’t using them. It allowed them to store their cleavers quickly and safely.
It allowed chefs to access their knives easily from a height. Furthermore, hanging was the only way to store cleavers as we couldn’t use a knife magnet or drawer due to their large size.
What makes a good meat cleaver?
You want to look for an incredibly sharp blade, for starters.
Do I need a meat cleaver?
Using any other knife to chop thick cuts of meat or bone can ruin your meal. You can end up with hastily butchered, unattractive cuts of beef.
With a cleaver, you will correctly butcher your meat each time.
If you eat out a lot or prefer to get pre-butchered meat, you might not need a cleaver. However, if you want to hone your cooking skills, a cleaver is a must-have.
What is the difference between a butcher knife and a cleaver?
The meat cleaver is much heavier compared to the butcher knife, owing to its thicker back. The added weight makes it ideal for chopping through thicker cuts of meat or bone with a sharp movement.
Furthermore, the meat cleaver has a much thinner, sharp blade, which makes it ideal for greater precision.
Why do Chinese chefs use cleavers?
The Chinese cleaver is easily one of the best all-purpose knives in the market. You can use it to cut through meat, vegetables, herbs, or anything in between.
You can also use it for mincing, dicing, and slicing—however, the delicate Chinese cleaver isn’t for smashing through bones.
The blade is delicate, and you use it to chop and slice through various foods finely. Chinese chefs use cleavers because Chinese food calls for precisely cut and minced meat and vegetables.
Meat Cleaver Buying Guide
What is a meat cleaver?
A meat cleaver is one of the biggest and most efficient chef’s knives. It is a large knife used to cut through large pieces of meat and bones.
It has a large, rectangular blade and looks like a hatchet. While the meat cleaver seems pretty dangerous, it’s a delicate knife and works with immense precision.
Why you need one
If you like to handle the butchery yourself, a cleaver is essential for your kitchen arsenal. Without a cleaver, chopping through meat can be a herculean task.
If you need to cut through a roast, separate wings, or hack through a thick slab of meat, only a meat cleaver can help. Without a cleaver, you can destroy even prime cuts of beef beyond repair.
A meat cleaver UK can also help you cut through bone. It is a robust knife that can withstand hard chops easily.
How to use a meat cleaver
Before using a meat cleaver, it’s essential to have the correct technique. Without the right strategy, you can end up hurting yourself, others or damaging your meat.
You need to firmly grip the cleaver with your cutting hand and angle it to face the cutting board horizontally. Then, use your free hand to hold the meat in place so it doesn’t move.
If you’re cutting through bone, you’ll need to bring the knife down with some force and slice cleanly through the bone. If you’re slicing meat, you can angle your knife to get thin strips or slice through horizontally for blocks of meat.
Buyers guide
There are several things to consider before you purchase your meat cleaver.
Blade
The foremost thing to assess is the blade. You want a stainless steel blade that won’t rust or shatter because the meat cleaver needs to do some serious work.
You also want to check the thinness of the blade. The thinner the edge, the cleaner you can cut through your meat.
A thin blade also means that you won’t have to apply too much force to your meat or bone to slice through.
Size
Meat cleavers generally are much larger than any regular knife. The larger your cleaver, the greater functionality it has.
So, when picking a cleaver, don’t select one that’s too small, or you won’t be able to chop through as many things.
Handle
You want a large handle that is easy to grip. Without a firm grip, using a meat cleaver can be incredibly dangerous.
Therefore, the handle needs to have an ergonomic grip, letting you slice through pounds of meat without fatigue.
Conclusion
The meat cleaver is an excellent addition to any kitchen. You don’t need to be a top chef to have this knife in your arsenal.
It is a multi-purpose knife you can use to mince, slice, and cut through bone. Therefore, it helps expedite your cooking process immensely.
Furthermore, no knife can give your cooking the finesse that a meat cleaver can. Although it looks big and clunky, the delicate, sharp blade is anything but.
So, get your hands on a meat cleaver today and take your cooking to the next level.
Andy
Ever since I started cooking I’ve been fascinated by how different people’s techniques are and how they best utilise the ingredients around them. Even the person living next door will have their own unique way of frying an egg or cooking a salmon fillet.
This fascination led me on a journey across the globe to discover the countless practices and traditions the world of cooking has to offer. I thought you’d enjoy and find value in sharing that journey with me so I created Cooked Best!
