Francky Knapp/Jordan Moss
Imarku’s blade is the best 8-inches of steel I ever bought.
My knife collection used to make me feel like a magpie. My old Bakelite paring knife? Cool, but more of a collector’s item. The chef’s knives from Target that I’ve had since college? Begging to be put out to pasture. I explained all of this to a friend who is a much better cook than me, and his advice was simple: If you don’t want to spend more than $50 on a great chef’s knife, either cross your fingers for a blowout sale (do those really happen anymore though?), or get an Imarku.
As an impatient person who was tired of not being able to slice ripe tomatoes well, I jumped at his suggestion. Along with Kewpie mayonnaise and a set of scalp massagers (according to my Amazon purchase history), I tossed the brand’s 8-inch chef’s knife into my cart, and I have since become something of an Imarku blade preacher. Given that the knife is 54 percent off right now (an actually enticing discount), I am stepping on my soapbox to once again sing the praises of the affordable blade:
I’m still building my confidence as a home cook, and that’s where the Imarku blade came in especially handy. Aside from arriving in a regal little red velvet-lined box, the knife’s sharpness is no joke; it’s able to slice even the toughest of sourdough loaves better than my bread knife, and introduced me to the incredible sensation of using a blade with actual balance. The handle is made out of Pakkawood, a hardwood and resin blend that is designed to reduce splintering and water damage, and the blade is made out of high-carbon stainless steel, which makes it even harder than your average stainless steel knife. All of these specs are lovely on their own, but they especially comforted me when a roommate ran my precious Imarku through the dishwasher.
You don’t have to spend nearly $200 on a Wüsthof blade to level-up from your sad knife drawer. Years later, this Imarku remains one of my best kitchen workhorses. And whether you’re new to cooking or looking for a new addition to your knife drawer, I would say it’s definitely worth the add-to-cart button — especially when it’s on sale for around $30/the price of a two martinis.
