Great knives for kid chefs
Every chef needs a trusty knife! The knives are arranged on this page in order of skill level, starting with beginner knives at the top and working down to more advanced knives. We don't give age guidelines because we've seen 3 year olds using real chef knives and 12 year olds using plastic ones. It's all about the grown-up's level of comfort, the kid's personality, and the kid's individual skill level. When in doubt, start with the beginner knives and work your way to a sharper knife.
Curious Chef Knives
These knives are great for beginners. They're plastic so they won't cut fingers, but they can cut through lots of soft ingredients (zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.). And because they mimic the shape of real chef knives, kids can practice proper knife skills. They don't work as well on harder ingredients like carrots.
Foost First Knife
These knives hail from Australia and the Foost company, created by a dietician mom. They're designed for kids age 2+, and cut veggies but not fingers!
Joie Wavy Cutter
This knife is perfect for little hands- even kids without expert motor skills find the handle easy to grasp. It's great for cutting softer vegges and fruit. Kids love it because of the wavy pattern it makes on the food!
Kuhn Rikon Kinder Kitchen Set
This adorable set has roughly the cutting power of a butter knife and serrated knife. The knives are sized for kid-hands, and are super adorable (what kid doesn't love dogs?!). The set also comes with a bird shaped kitchen scissor, which is a great tool for cutting herbs.
Foost Next Knife
Just like the Foost First Knife, this knife won't cut fingers. But, it's designed for kids with more experience, so it's recommended for kids age 6+.
Mezzaluna rocking chopper
This knife can be used to dice most types of vegetables. Because kids' hands are on the handles, they're safely out of the way of the blade. It's great for beginners who are looking to expand their chopping options.
Opinel Le Petit Chef Set
This is a perfect set for kids who want a real chef knife to learn with. It is sharp (though probably not as sharp as adult chef knives), and will cut through anything. To help kids learn proper knife technique, it has a handy finger ring on the handle, and a finger guard for the other hand that's holding the food. This set comes with a great Y-peeler, which also has a handy finger ring.
Kai Kids' Real Chef Knife
This is another great real chef knife for kids (and is more budget friendly than the Opinel knife). It is sharp enough to cut everything, though not as sharp as an adult chef knife. It is perfectly proportioned for little hands, is quite light, and has a rounded tip. We also love the adorable kawaii packaging from the Japanese manufacturer (and the panda on the handle).