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Babish High-Carbon 8" Review

This surprisingly good knife punches well above its weight in performance and value
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Babish High-Carbon 8" Review
Credit: Bradley Nichols
Price:  $30 List
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Manufacturer:   Babish
By Bradley Nichols ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Sep 25, 2024
62
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#9 of 13
  • Cutting Performance - 30% 7.5
  • Practicality - 30% 6.5
  • Ergonomics - 25% 5.5
  • Build Quality - 15% 4.0

Our Verdict

The internet chef known as Babish has created his own line of cookware, including the Babish High-Carbon 8" chef's knife. For the price, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality afforded here. For those on a very tight budget, the Babish is a fantastic value and a very capable knife for the price — and looks like something we'd like to keep in our kitchens. Although it isn't the highest quality and came with some manufacturing flaws we don't love, overall we feel that for the money, this is one of the best value knives you can buy. See how it stacks up to the competition in our full chef knife review.
REASONS TO BUY
Sharp out of the box
Holds and edge reasonably well
Great price
REASONS TO AVOID
Finishing could be better

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Best Buy Award
Best Chef Knife on a Tight Budget
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Chef Knife
Best Buy Award
Best Value for a Chef Knife
  
Price $30 List
$24.99 at Amazon
$170 List
$139.99 at Amazon
$61 List
$44.98 at Amazon
$34 List
$33.99 at Amazon
$25 List
$18.45 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
62
91
82
53
31
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A great value for a solid knife that holds its own against stiff competitionA weighty and elegant knife, this chef knife is a pleasure to useA fantastic value for an all-around excellent blade, offering great performance at a low costIts looks don't translate into performanceCheap and dull, this blade needs some work to be an acceptable cutting implement
Rating Categories Babish High-Carbon 8" Wusthof Classic 8" Victorinox Swiss Cl... Paudin Universal Cl... Mercer Millenia 8"
Cutting Performance (30%)
7.5
9.0
8.0
5.0
3.0
Practicality (30%)
6.5
9.0
8.5
6.0
3.0
Ergonomics (25%)
5.5
9.5
8.5
5.5
2.0
Build Quality (15%)
4.0
9.0
7.5
4.0
5.5
Specs Babish High-Carbon 8" Wusthof Classic 8" Victorinox Swiss Cl... Paudin Universal Cl... Mercer Millenia 8"
Reported Blade Bevel Angle 15° 14° 16° 15° 15°
Measured Blade Bevel Angle 12° 15.75° 20° 15° 15°
Reported Steel Hardness 55 HRC 58 HRC 56 HRC 56 HRC 53.5 HRC
Measured Steel Hardness 51 HRC 54 HRC 54 HRC 57 HRC 52 HRC
Measured Factory Sharpness 185 BESS 140 BESS 213 BESS 205 BESS 245 BESS
Country of Origin China Germany Switzerland China Taiwan
Construction Method Stamped Forged Stamped Stamped Stamped
Model Tested 8" Classic 6.8063.20G N1-Chef Knife M22608
Metal Type 1.4116 X50CrMoV15 Not specified 50Cr15Mov High carbon steel (unspecified)
Measured Weight 8.3 oz 9.1 oz 5.7 oz 6.9 oz 6.2 oz
Measured Blade Thickness at Spine 2.00 mm 2.60 mm 2.20 mm 1.90 mm 2.41 mm
Full Bolster No Yes No No No
Handle Material Polymer Polymer Nylon Pakkawood Rubber and Plastic
Dishwasher Safe Hand wash only Hand wash only Dishwasher safe, hand wash reccomended Hand wash only Hand wash only
Interesting Features Babish face etched onto handle end None None Faux Damascus pattern on blade None

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Babish is an 8-inch stamped steel blade made in China. It comes with a polymer handle with an etching of Babish's stylized face on the end. We measured it at a hefty 8.3 ounces.

Performance Comparison


babish high-carbon 8" - the babish looks more expensive than it is and offers solid...
The Babish looks more expensive than it is and offers solid performance for most typical cutting tasks.
Credit: Bradley Nichols

Cutting Performance


The Babish pleasantly surprised us with its cutting performance. Despite some manufacturing flaws in the blade when we took it out of the box (which we discuss in the build quality section), once we got it cleaned up, we found it to be surprisingly capable.

Key Cutting Performance Scores
ProductEdge RetentionPrecision
Best54.5
Babish High-Carbon 8\"4.54
Average3.84
Worst2.52

The reported HRC (a measure of steel hardness) of this blade is 55. Our laboratory measurements found it to have an HRC of 51, which is still well within the bounds of what we would expect from a quality blade designed to hold its edge.

Steel Properties and Construction Methods
 Reported Steel HardnessMeasured Steel HardnessBlade ConstructionMetal Type
Babish High-Carbon55 HRC51 HRCStamped1.4116 German steel
Shun Classic60.5 HRC51 HRCForgedVG-MAX (propietary)
Victorinox Swiss Classic56 HRC54 HRCStampedNot specified
Misen58 HRC53 HRCStampedAUS-10
Imarku57 HRC53 HRCStamped7Cr17MoV stainless steel

Throughout our several months of testing, we found that the Babish did, in fact, hold an edge quite well and had no issues with some common hang-ups like soft tomato skins and floppy basil leaves.


With a classic chef's knife shape, the Babish falls within the realm of what we expect in terms of making precision cuts like the ones we made during our testing — chiffonading some herb leaves and employing a brunoise cut on some onions and peppers.

babish high-carbon 8" - making the specific cuts we wanted for our food was no sweat using...
Making the specific cuts we wanted for our food was no sweat using the Babish High-Carbon chef knife.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Practicality


Despite its strengths, the Babish performed just average during our tests of this metric. It has the appearance of a pretty standard chef's knife, but the shape and weight of its handle held it back from being as dextrous as many others.

Key Practicality Test Scores
ProductUnusual CutsBreak Down ChickenWet Handle
Best554.5
Average43.63.5
Babish High-Carbon 8\"443
Worst222

The surprising weight of the handle means that any grip other than your textbook grip becomes rather awkward, particularly during unusual cuts. We had a harder time doing things like splitting a butternut squash or breaking down a chicken, as the heavy, rounded handle of this knife just didn't stay securely in our hands the way it should.


With wet hands — from washing vegetables or fatty raw meat — the rounded handle of the Babish proved a weak point in its grip. The strongly angled, metal front end of the handle helped to stop the whole thing from twisting in our hands while breaking down a chicken and chopping a canteloupe, but our confidence using this knife was less than many others.

babish high-carbon 8" - though a similar shape to other top-tier knife handles, the babish...
Though a similar shape to other top-tier knife handles, the Babish handle wasn't nearly as adept at maintaining friction in wet or greasy hands.
Credit: Bradley Nichols

Ergonomics


The basic shape and style of the Babish High-Carbon are based on other high-end knives, some of which are also in our full testing lineup.

Key Ergonomics Test Scores
ProductComfortBalanceBolster
Best555
Average3.53.53.5
Babish High-Carbon 8\"3.514
Worst221

The handle shape itself, our testing team found to be quite comfortable across many different grips — similar to the knives this affordable model is based on.

Physical Characteristics
 Measured WeightMeasured Spine ThicknessBolsterHandle Material
Babish High-Carbon8.3 oz2.00 mmPolymer
Shun Classic7.4 oz1.92 mmPakkawood
Victorinox Swiss Classic5.7 oz2.20 mmNylon
Misen8.4 oz2.00 mmPolymer
Imarku6.7 oz2.01 mmPakkawood

Its long handle gives a fair bit of versatility during normal cutting actions. Though it doesn't have a bolster, the front of the handle features a well-angled slope and defined edges that fit well in the hands of our whole testing team.


However, one significant drawback to the overall comfort and ergonomics of the Babish is the imbalanced weight of the handle. It is intensely weighted towards the back of the knife, and we felt out of balance when we were cutting. However, if you prefer to have the bulk of your knife gripped in your fist, perhaps this skewed blade won't bother you.

babish high-carbon 8" - the babish is a shockingly imbalanced blade, holding the vast...
The Babish is a shockingly imbalanced blade, holding the vast majority of its substantial weight in the handle.
Credit: Bradley Nichols

Build Quality


Although the Babish is a solidly built knife, we found some significant issues with its finishing. Immediately after unboxing, we noticed several small patches of rust on the metal portion of the handle!

Key Build Quality Test Scores
ProductPaper Slice TestManufacturing Finish
Best55
Average4.24
Babish High-Carbon 8\"43
Worst2.53

Additionally, the tip of the blade had a small but noticeable burr left over from the manufacturing process and was not sharpened or polished away. Fortunately, we were able to clean all of these things up with about 20 minutes of light work in our shop. However, receiving an unfinished blade rubbed us the wrong way, and it was by far our biggest complaint about this knife.


Once the obvious faults of the Babish were fixed, the Babish easily passed our paper slice test.

babish high-carbon 8" - several tiny rust spots were on the base of our babish blade when it...
Several tiny rust spots were on the base of our Babish blade when it arrived. We were able to sand them off without any issue, but we don't think that should be standard practice for a good-quality chef knife.
Credit: Bradley Nichols

Should You Buy the Babish High-Carbon 8"?


If you are looking to save money, you want the look of a more expensive knife, and you don't mind potentially having to make a few fixes to your chef knife, the affordable Babish could be just the knife for you.

babish high-carbon 8" - the babish is shockingly affordable, looks good, and performed...
The Babish is shockingly affordable, looks good, and performed better in our tests than many other chef knives double its price.
Credit: Bradley Nichols

What Other Chef Knives Should You Consider?


If you still want a great value and aren't bothered by the unconventional looks, the Victorinox Swiss Classic is an upgrade you should strongly consider. During our testing, we found that it exceeded the Babish in all categories for only a marginal increase in cost — but it looks completely different.

Bradley Nichols
 

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