The 5 Greatest Oyster Knives, Utilized by a Skilled Chef

Recent oysters have severe fancy-restaurant vibes, however with the appropriate device, you may serve them up at dwelling. Whilst you can open an oyster with a screwdriver or paring knife, the most secure and most effective means is to make use of an oyster shucking knife. If you happen to’re a newbie, don’t fear—we discovered the very best oyster knives for you.

As fellow seafood lovers, Meggan and I teamed as much as discover the very best oyster shucking knives, contemplating value, security, blade fashion—Boston, New Haven, and so forth—and required expertise stage. From the knife in Meggan’s personal kitchen to shopper favorites, we discovered the very best shucking instruments value shopping for.

Our Prime Picks

1. What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Non-Slip Oyster Knife – $11.99 at Amazon
2. Additionally Nice: Mercer Culinary Boston Model Oyster Knife – $18.99 at Amazon
3. Greatest for Novices: Dexter-Russell New Haven Model Oyster Knife – $21.05 at Amazon
4. Greatest for Professionals: Messermeister Oyster Knife – $29.95 at Amazon
5. Greatest Designed: R Murphy New Haven Oyster Knife Shucker – $38 at Amazon

Evaluations of The Greatest Oyster Knives

1. What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Non-Slip Oyster Knife

OXO’s Good Grips Oyster Knife proves that you simply don’t have to spend so much to start out shucking. Meggan first used this New Haven-style oyster knife in culinary college, and it has been her go-to ever since. The bent-over tip of the blade makes it safer to make use of when separating the shell and helps ease the scooping course of with out damaging the meat. “[It’s] tremendous simple to carry and use, sturdy development, [and] will get the job accomplished,” she says. “OXO is one in every of my long-time favourite manufacturers and I exploit and have their merchandise usually on the positioning.”

The Specs:

• Materials: Stainless-steel and plastic
• Blade Size: 2.75 inches
• Dishwasher-Protected: Sure

What I Like:

• Bent tip useful for scooping
• Sturdy and durable
• Cheap
• Straightforward to scrub

What I Don’t Like:

• Deal with can grow to be slippery
• Blade could possibly be thinner and sharper

What Others Are Saying:

That is additionally beneficial by Severe Eats and Saveur. Plus, it has greater than 4.7 stars from 2,600 Amazon opinions.

Purchase the OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Non-Slip Oyster Knife:

2. Additionally Nice: Mercer Culinary Boston Model Oyster Knife

The Mercer Boston Model knife has an simply graspable deal with and a rounded blade to stop accidents, which is a good security precaution if it’s your first time shucking. This oyster knife’s lengthy, slender blade offers you loads of management for a whole tray’s value of oysters—simply ensure you don’t stick it within the dishwasher.

The Specs:

• Materials: Stainless-steel and plastic
• Blade Size: 3 inches
• Dishwasher-Protected: No

What I Like:

• Straightforward to make use of
• Snug deal with

What I Don’t Like:

• Not dishwasher-safe
• Could not work on small oysters

What Others Are Saying:

This knife has nearly 1,300 Amazon opinions and 4.7 stars. The Spruce Eats and Severe Eats named it the very best price range and finest straight-blade as properly.

Purchase the Mercer Culinary Boston Model Oyster Knife:

3. Greatest for Novices: Dexter-Russell New Haven Model Oyster Knife

Not like a Boston-style oyster knife, this New Haven-style knife from Dexter-Russell sports activities a shorter and wider blade with a convex tip, which is nice for opening the oyster with out slicing up the meat. For these new to oyster shucking, this knife feels simpler due to the big blade—simply remember to hand-wash after use, because it’s not dishwasher-safe.

The Specs:

• Materials: Stainless-steel and plastic
• Blade Size: 2.75 inches
• Dishwasher-Protected: No

What I Like:

• Lengthy-lasting
• Upturned tip simply opens oysters

What I Don’t Like:

• Deal with might be arduous to grip
• Not dishwasher-safe

What Others Are Saying:

With greater than 2,000 Amazon opinions and 4.8 stars, the Dexter Russell New Haven Model Oyster Knife was named the very best plastic deal with choice by Severe Eats.

Purchase the Dexter-Russell 2.75″ New Haven Model Oyster Knife:

4. Greatest for Professionals: Messermeister Oyster Knife

If you happen to’re a longtime oyster-shucking professional seeking to improve your gear, then Messermeister’s glossy, all-stainless metal oyster knife is for you. Whereas it prices greater than all the different knives on this record, this Dutch choice is way extra sturdy than a plastic-handled choice. The deal with includes a “thumb fin” grip that makes prying open shells take much less effort—excellent if you happen to’re serving for a crowd. Simply know that the slick surgical-grade metallic also can make it slightly tougher to deal with, which is why we advocate it for professionals. It’s additionally hand wash solely.

The Specs:

• Materials: Stainless-steel
• Blade Size: 2.25 inches
• Dishwasher-Protected: No

What I Like:

• Manufactured from sturdy stainless-steel
• Specifically formed deal with permits for higher torque when opening shells
• Can deal with huge oysters

What I Don’t Like:

• Costly
• Doubtlessly slippery deal with
• Not beginner-friendly
• Not dishwasher-safe

What Others Are Saying:

Severe Eats and The Spruce Eats additionally advocate this as the best choice for skilled oyster shuckers and professionals.

Purchase the Messermeister Oyster Knife:

5. Greatest Designed: R Murphy New Haven Oyster Knife Shucker

In order for you a knife that shucks properly and appears good doing it, then give the R Murphy New Haven Oyster Knife Shucker a strive. As is the New Haven fashion, the knife has a conveniently curved tip to make fast work of leveraging an oyster open and scooping out the meat. Its wood-handled design by no means will get slippery, and it’s made within the U.S. However as a result of it’s wooden, you continue to can’t wash it within the dishwasher.

The Specs:

• Materials: Stainless-steel and plastic
• Blade Size: 2.63 inches
• DishwasherSafe: No

What I Like:

• Sturdy, curved wooden deal with
• Lengthy-lasting development
• Made within the USA

What I Don’t Like:

• Not dishwasher-safe
• Dear

What Others Are Saying:

Each Saveur and Severe Eats named the R Murphy New Haven Oyster Knife Shucker the very best general.

Purchase the R Murphy New Haven Oyster Knife Shucker:

Different Oyster Knives to Think about

Toadfish Oyster Shucker’s Bundle

Toadfish gives a complete oyster shucking package—nice for these hoping to host this summer time—full with two totally different kinds of oyster knives and a shucking material. With 4.8 stars on Amazon and a suggestion by Saveur, it’s a disgrace that the bundle is so highly-priced, making it an excessive amount of of an funding for a newbie and slightly greater than the standard oyster lover would possibly want. The Toadfish Oyster Shucker’s Bundle is obtainable at Amazon for $77.01.

Victorinox Oyster Knife

This Victorinox Windfall-style is similar to the New Haven-style choices on this record however with out the upturned tip, and it’s earned 4.8 stars and 1,377 opinions on Amazon along with a suggestion by Severe Eats. Nevertheless, it’s not fairly as environment friendly or hardy as Meggan’s favourite—and it prices twice as a lot. The Victorinox Oyster Knife is obtainable at Amazon for $24.49.

Opinel No.09 Stainless Metal Folding Oyster & Shellfish Knife

Chances are you’ll know Opinel for its esteemed pocket knives, and this one’s look is simply as spectacular. The knife’s stainless-steel blade and beautiful wooden deal with are conveniently foldable and ring up at a really affordable value level. Sadly, it’s not sharp sufficient to make this record. The Opinel No.09 Stainless Metal Folding Oyster & Shellfish Knife is obtainable at Amazon for $21.90.

Why You Can Belief Us

Initially from the East Coast, I really like seafood, particularly oysters. So I teamed up with Meggan to make this information to the very best oyster knives, leaning on her skilled chef background and work on Culinary Hill. Meggan’s favourite oyster knife, the OXO Good Grips Stainless Metal Non-Slip Oyster Knife, is the one she utilized in culinary college when she was studying the right way to shuck oysters.

We put our heads collectively to seek out the very best oyster knives by researching suggestions from different meals blogs, reliable publications, and main retailers. We combed via buyer opinions for the professionals and cons of every product to seek out the very best of the very best at a wide range of costs and experience ranges.

The whole lot to Know Earlier than Shopping for an Oyster Knife

What to Think about Earlier than Shopping for an Oyster Knife

Not like a butter knife or steak knife, oyster knives can fluctuate of their blade development. Whether or not a newbie or a professional, listed here are some components to remember as you store.

Expertise Degree: Be sure to’re taking your expertise stage into consideration when selecting one. Whereas frequent oyster shuckers could possibly deal with sharper blades, novices ought to go for rounded or duller blades to guard themselves from accidents.

Security: As a result of one slip-up can simply trigger damage, you need to just be sure you and the knife you purchase are prepared for the job. “I exploit the oyster knife with an oven mitt for further hand safety on the hand that’s bracing the oyster,” Meggan says.

Blade Model: The form, dimension, and angle of the blade can fluctuate by knife. Be sure you familiarize your self with the frequent kinds. The extra pointed New Haven-style blade is finest for novices, whereas the straighter Boston fashion is best for these extra experiences. Different standard kinds embody Galveston, Duxbury, and Windfall and all are primarily based on the area and the oysters that develop in that space.

Deal with: The deal with is mostly fabricated from stainless-steel, plastic, or wooden. As a result of oyster shucking might be fairly laborious, you’ll need to be certain that the deal with in your knife is sturdy, comfy, and grippy—particularly when moist.

How Do You Open Oysters With out an Oyster Knife?

If you happen to don’t have an oyster knife, Meggan recommends a few options that you might have mendacity round. “You should utilize a flat-head screwdriver as an alternative of an oyster knife,” she says. “A paring knife, if it’s thick and durable, might also work.” Simply take further care with a pointy blade.

What’s the Distinction Between a Clam Knife vs. Oyster Knife?

Whereas oyster knives are fairly sharp on all edges of the blade, clam knives are inclined to have one sharp facet that’s nonetheless duller than an oyster knife. This makes it simpler to wedge into the tighter fringe of clam shells, which have a extra fragile exterior. Due to this, it isn’t beneficial to make use of a clam knife on an oyster.

Can You Use a Butter Knife to Open Oysters?

In keeping with Meggan, there’s a technique by which a butter knife can be utilized instead of an oyster knife—you’ll simply have to warmth the oysters first, which is able to solely work if you happen to’re making a cooked oyster dish. “You possibly can bake oysters within the oven at 350 levels for about 3 minutes, and they’ll open,” she says. “Then you may pry them aside with a typical butter knife. It’s superb!”

How Do You Eat Oysters?

As soon as your oyster is open, it’s also possible to use your knife to loosen the meat from the underside half of the shell. Then, you may add any condiments you need— like lemon, vinegar, or sizzling sauce—and slurp the oyster instantly from its shell.

The Greatest Oyster and Seafood Recipes

Whereas many individuals favor to eat oysters uncooked, they may also be fried, broiled, or baked. If you happen to’re a fan of cooked oysters, Oysters Rockefeller is a traditional that Meggan makes again and again. For seafood lovers, Meggan has a ton of different recipes that don’t embody oysters to get your repair.

Costs have been correct at time of publication.