# 210 verus 240?



## jonhaber (Oct 21, 2012)

Hi all,

Just looking for some input into which is a better all round, do it all knife. The 240 to me looks huge but I see people on this forum tend to list it as the standard go to chefs knife. My current go to knife is a 7" santoku which works great for me.

Is the 240 worth it if I want one good everyday chefs knife or should I go with the 210? what would I use the extra length for? cutting pumpkins/watermellon (I never really cut these kind of things anyways)

Thanks!

Jon
Knife - Newb
Home cook


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## El Pescador (Oct 21, 2012)

I think you should look at the 240mm. While it will look big, the weight will be similar to a 9" chef knife.


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## jayhay (Oct 21, 2012)

It's just personal preference. I like a 240 for work, as the added length is good for large volume prep. At home I use a smaller knife, like a 210 or nakiri. My home kitchen is pretty small and 240 is overkill. And I'm not usually doing the volume, so the smaller blade is appropriate. If you have the space in your kitchen/large enough cutting surface and want to give the 240 a go, I say do it. It is a more versatile knife, and when you get used to it in your hand, it won't feel large. But you won't be disappointed with a 210.

What knives are you considering?


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## Mingooch (Oct 21, 2012)

Much like TVs, if u have the room, go larger!!! I use a 270 for almost everything at home. Then again I have the room to use it. Once I was used to it, I never looked back.


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## Zwiefel (Oct 21, 2012)

I used an 8" chef's for 15+ years, then got a 210MM gyuto, then a 240 gyuto. I like the extra length, and will probably get a 270 next time around. I haven't found it any more difficult to use for any of my prep work. I agree with the other posters about making sure you have the space for it though: make a mockup to compare to your cutting board, get a sense of what it will do to your elbow, etc. 

I can't imagine ever making good use of a 300MM though. Perhaps if I were in a professional kitchen instead of my home.

If it's a ? of $$, I'd rather have a good 210 than a decent 270.

Good luck!


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## cclin (Oct 21, 2012)

I'm home cooker, my favor is 240mm gyuto pair with 165mm santoku. sometime 240mm just overkill for simple light home cooking; satoku is good for all around utility knife!! It's just my preference..:lol2:


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## eaglerock (Oct 21, 2012)

If you are a home cook then i would recommend 210mm. but as other pointed, if you have more space go for bigger


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## Lucretia (Oct 21, 2012)

And to add to the confusion...

Home cook, cooking for 2. My knife of choice is 180. I have a 210 for my "long" knife. I don't know that a 240 would work in my tiny kitchen. I have a big old 11" Henckels when I need to split a watermelon. I haven't used a 240, but am very happy with my "short" knives.


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## Cutty Sharp (Oct 21, 2012)

Me too. I have a 180mm nakiri and santoku that I grab the most, along with a smaller petite. I've got a 240mm gyuto and another bigger one too, but I find that they seem a bit much when cooking just for myself and wife at home, as much as I like to use that 240 when possible. I'll be in Japan in another couple days and am considering getting a 210 gyuto or sujihiki. My home kitchen workspace is so small, the board I normally use isn't big enough for anything more than a 210, even if a 210 might sometimes feel small to me.

In a pro kitchen I'd want a 270 gyuto for big prep work (or bigger) and maybe a 210 suji or gyuto as a go-to.


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## mc2442 (Oct 21, 2012)

I am a home user, and would suggest the 240. 

I mistakenly got a 270 as a first knife (internet order), and it looked like a freaking sword, but now looks pretty managable. I think the 240 I think is the sweet spot for the workhorse knife. The 210 is fine, but I would push the boundries a bit.


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## Mike9 (Oct 21, 2012)

I have both and tend to use the 240 more especially on my bigger board. For a small board the 210 is perfect and besides it's a great knife and fun to work with.


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## Chuckles (Oct 21, 2012)

In a pro kitchen I'd want a 270 gyuto for big prep work (or bigger) and maybe a 210 suji or gyuto as a go-to.[/QUOTE]

This is my set up at work. Both feel too big at home. I use a 7 inch santoku and a 4 1/2 inch pairing/petty at home. Everything is smaller at home. Onions are smaller, two cloves of garlic instead of seven, two potatoes instead of a 50# case, etc. 

Very much prefer smaller knives at home.


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## jonhaber (Oct 21, 2012)

btw I do most of my work on a 17.5 x 13 " board which I guess is considered small


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## stevenStefano (Oct 21, 2012)

Cutty Sharp said:


> In a pro kitchen I'd want a 270 gyuto for big prep work (or bigger) and maybe a 210 suji or gyuto as a go-to.



Yeah that's what I like, 270 gyuto and 210 suji

I'd never buy a gyuto less than 240. To me, you can't get a true feel of the knife with it being so small, you can't appreciate it really. A 240 is better or to be honest I'd always recommend 270s now. As as soon as I got a 270 I never used my 240s and will never buy another


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## Benuser (Oct 21, 2012)

Two elements you may consider as well: 
The active, most used part of the edge is some 50% larger with a 240 compared to a 210. That means slower dulling.
The 240 are more popular amongst pros. It won't be hard to get it sold.


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## Keith Sinclair (Oct 21, 2012)

jonhaber said:


> btw I do most of my work on a 17.5 x 13 " board which I guess is considered small



Jon,240 is good size for home use.


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## jonhaber (Oct 21, 2012)

thanks for all the input so far everyone


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## Canadian (Oct 21, 2012)

Both my chef's knives are 10" (255mm). I find that to be the perfect length for me. 

The girlfriend likes 6-8" blades.


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## NO ChoP! (Oct 21, 2012)

Also, the longer the blade, the less you will have to lift it when rocking/ board chopping; less fatique.

Plus, If you push or draw cut, there is more edge to pull/ push through the food in one swoop, meaning less pressure; cleaner cuts...


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## EdipisReks (Oct 21, 2012)

I like 240 on the edge. I used 270 for a while, and they are just a bit long for me. I find 210 to be too short for maximum efficiency.


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## Deckhand (Oct 21, 2012)

I think 210mm is just too small. A 240mm will be a lot better for you.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Oct 21, 2012)

Japanese knives (or Japanese style knives) are so light and nimble feeling, that a little extra length feels very manageable. My first Japanese style knife was 270mm, and while it's clearly overkill for a single guy often cooking for himself, it's so much fun to use! Before the "disease" took hold and the size of my collection increased, I used it for everything from one shallot on up and felt just fine doing so (not in a terribly large kitchen either, though I have a decent amount of counter space and a 14x20 cutting board).

If you have to choose just one "standard" size, 240mm seems like a good compromise between 210mm and 270mm; not too big and not too small. If you buy a good 240mm knife and find that the size doesn't suit you, you should be able to unload it here in the B/S/T subforum.


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## Deckhand (Oct 21, 2012)

Deckhand said:


> I think 210mm is just too small. A 240mm will be a lot better for you.


Btw when I was originally around here I tortured myself on your same thoughts, santoku vs 210 vs 240. Now I have a very nimble and not large at all 270mm and would never buy smaller. If I get another size it would be a 300mm. My two favorite knives are 270mm.


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## ThEoRy (Oct 21, 2012)

240mm gyutos are light and nimble.


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## Lucretia (Oct 21, 2012)

Is there a knife store nearby where you can try some different sizes? Best thing to do is check them out in person.


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## eaglerock (Oct 22, 2012)

Lucretia said:


> Is there a knife store nearby where you can try some different sizes? Best thing to do is check them out in person.



Good advice. hold both and see which one feels better.


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## Benuser (Oct 24, 2012)

May I respectfully disagree? Your first impression is often wrong. I would rather say, get one size larger than the one you're comfortable with. You'll get used to it in no time, and later you will appreciate the extra possibilities.
I've found my 240 gyuto somewhat intimidating until I got a 270 suji. During a few weeks I've been using a 290 chef knife and my other knives seemed short. So, it's very relative. And to get used to it, do everything with it. A small onion, garlic, one tomato, a sandwich: take your 240.


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## Korin_Mari (Oct 24, 2012)

eaglerock said:


> Good advice. hold both and see which one feels better.



+1
I always tell people this too. What sounds like a good length might be too short or too long. You should also consider how much space you have and what you're going to be cutting. Personally, I never need more than a 210mm knife, since I'm not a professional. Most things are already portioned for me at the grocery store. 

Yes, it's good to get used to a longer knife, because it will make life easier later. But if you're not going to use the extra length or if it's going to get in the way, no point.


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## Cipcich (Oct 24, 2012)

Wow. An old debate with lots of new opinions.

I have to jump in on the side of the "small knife" adherents. My most often used knife is a 180mm Marko. I mean, 240mm to make a sandwich? I can't remember the last time I slaughtered a pumpkin, and even big screen TV's have their useful limits.

So try a 210mm; get the right one and you won't have to worry about it getting dull fast either.


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## Marko Tsourkan (Oct 24, 2012)

I got to second Steve on 180mm. I use it exclusively for small cutting tasks, and bigger knives or more substantial, like making dinner for more than 2 people. 210 or 225 would be my suggestion.

M


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## Vertigo (Oct 25, 2012)

I'm pretty happy with 200mm at home cooking for two, and 300mm at work cooking for 500.


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## dreamwrx (Oct 25, 2012)

If any consolation, I started with a 210mm but soon wanted a 240mm. For more detailed intricate work I like my 210 but for more basic work a 240 seems to be quicker.


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## VoodooMajik (Oct 25, 2012)

210 is much to small for me, If I need a smaller blade for tight space or what have you I go to a nakiri. But if I have the space or can word around things I go for 270mm most time. I even cheat and choke up on the blade when the board/counter space isn't sufficient for the size of blade. I was considering a 210 for finer tasks and line work but I think if I where to go that small I would get a Petty... 

210 works great for one of my good friends at work and home, She's tiny and has small hands so it's more comfotable.


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## Vertigo (Oct 25, 2012)

As for the OP's question: find a knife in your price range with steel you like, aesthetics you like, a profile you like, a handle you like, and which you can hopefully wield before purchase. It doesn't matter if it's 210 or 240. They're the same damn knife. As with all knives, some 240s are measured short and some 210s are measured long, and either way we're talking the difference between an 8 inch knife and a 9 inch knife. Lol. Are the exact tasks requested of the knife, the space in which it will be used, and the skill level of the user really considerations?

Knives are like stones, but instead of being sold in iterations within the categories of "coarse, medium, and fine," they're sold in iterations within the categories of "small, medium, and long." 210 and 240 knives are both within the medium category. All the discussion about the merits and flaws between one or the other within the same category is the obsessive minutia of hobbyists (as it is with stones), and very little of it has practical merit. For starters, a 240 can become a 210 by pinching it just a wee bit further down the spine. The extra "useable edge before you need to sharpen" is, as mentioned, about the width of a bottle cap, and completely useless anyway: people cut things the way they learned, and will sharpen when that way stops working (not readjust their technique just to procrastinate). An extra inch adds little to a knife's weight and agility compared to it's geometry and profile, therefore a thicker and taller 210 will be clunkier than a thinner and narrower 240. The amount of product you can cut at once might theoretically increase with an extra inch of edge length, but it depends entirely upon the edge profile (and how you use it). 

Just sayin'. There's a lot more things to worry about when picking a knife besides a measurement which is often borderline arbitrary, and not at all reflective of how it'll perform.


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## SpikeC (Oct 25, 2012)

True dat.


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## Canadian (Oct 25, 2012)

Vertigo said:


> As for the OP's question: find a knife in your price range with steel you like, aesthetics you like, a profile you like, a handle you like, and which you can hopefully wield before purchase. It doesn't matter if it's 210 or 240. They're the same damn knife. As with all knives, some 240s are measured short and some 210s are measured long, and either way we're talking the difference between an 8 inch knife and a 9 inch knife. Lol. Are the exact tasks requested of the knife, the space in which it will be used, and the skill level of the user really considerations?
> 
> Knives are like stones, but instead of being sold in iterations within the categories of "coarse, medium, and fine," they're sold in iterations within the categories of "small, medium, and long." 210 and 240 knives are both within the medium category. All the discussion about the merits and flaws between one or the other within the same category is the obsessive minutia of hobbyists (as it is with stones), and very little of it has practical merit. For starters, a 240 can become a 210 by pinching it just a wee bit further down the spine. The extra "useable edge before you need to sharpen" is, as mentioned, about the width of a bottle cap, and completely useless anyway: people cut things the way they learned, and will sharpen when that way stops working (not readjust their technique just to procrastinate). An extra inch adds little to a knife's weight and agility compared to it's geometry and profile, therefore a thicker and taller 210 will be clunkier than a thinner and narrower 240. The amount of product you can cut at once might theoretically increase with an extra inch of edge length, but it depends entirely upon the edge profile (and how you use it).
> 
> Just sayin'. There's a lot more things to worry about when picking a knife besides a measurement which is often borderline arbitrary, and not at all reflective of how it'll perform.



Very good advice.


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## add (Oct 26, 2012)

Vertigo, _sticky worthy_ writing.


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## bieniek (Oct 26, 2012)

At home I use 390mm santoku that is 70mm tall. My board is 40x40cm so the edge length is perfect for me cause I can slice an onion, a sandwich and a tomato all in one clean swipe. 
Sometimes while at home on my day off, I make parties for up to 100 people so the extra length helps when I have to cut through that 200KG potatoes or onions, sometimes I just do a small meal for family of 50 then I just take out my 330mm petty. 

At work I used to use Sandokans sword something like that:







But now its waaaaaay to small, so I just bought small katana one meter of usable edge. This way I can slice onions and stab someone as far a 2 metres away! How good is that? 

Im thinking what Im going to get next cause tuna sword I bought is not enough for me to slice sashimi, just a tad too short.


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## Lucretia (Oct 26, 2012)

:rofl2:


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## Vertigo (Oct 27, 2012)

bieniek said:


> At home I use 390mm santoku that is 70mm tall. My board is 40x40cm so the edge length is perfect for me cause I can slice an onion, a sandwich and a tomato all in one clean swipe.


If you can't chop the bacon while doing the tomato, onion, and sandwich at the same time, you have failed. Bigger knife IMO.


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## cclin (Oct 27, 2012)

two points to consider:
*240mm is more easy to sale if you want upgrade later on!
*some 210mm is too narrow for chopping


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## bieniek (Oct 28, 2012)

Vertigo said:


> If you can't chop the bacon while doing the tomato, onion, and sandwich at the same time, you have failed. Bigger knife IMO.



Oh I thought it was the skill[which I clearly lack] not the tool, but anyway was soooooooo right to order that 450mm honyaki chefs knife. 

An some bigger sanituff


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## bluntcut (Oct 28, 2012)

I am not going to show off my mod 365mm gyuto since you guys are envious of stupidly long knives :lol2:. For home cook, most of the time I use 210mm, next is 240mm, then 180mm petty, 150, 120, 365. Excellent excuses for getting knives.


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