A Kids Knife with a stainless steel blade.
By Timothy Hales | Updated: February 27, 2021
Kai Kids Chef Knife Quick Review
The Kai Stainless Steel Chef Knife is a perfect knife for kids to use with its lightweight design. The knife comes with a stainless steel blade and a plastic handle. The blade also has a rounded tip to provide safety. It comes with a sharp edge like a regular knife which allows it to cut most foods. Don’t be surprised when everything from the package to the instructions is in Japanese. I was able to figure out how to open and use the knife, and hopefully, you can do the same.
My kids did not have any hesitation grabbing this knife and start cutting with it. Their small hands easily gripped the handle, and the sharp blade was perfect for cutting. They were able to cut a variety of food such as apples, deli meat, and cheese.
Pros
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Cons
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Materials and Construction
The Kai Little Chef Knife’s blade is made from stainless steel and a handle made of polypropylene that is heat-resistant up to 110 degrees. The blade is molded directly around the blade’s tang. The blade comes sharpened, but don’t expect it to be extremely sharp. It sliced through a piece of paper with minimal effort.
Design
The Kai Chef Knife’s design is geared towards keeping your child safe. The round tip of the stainless steel blade helps to ensure there are not any accidental pokes. Another safety feature I noticed was that the blade is not sharpened all the way to the tip or heal. The blade shape is flat, similar to the santoku knife. The handle is easy to grip and control the knife. It even comes with a little animal imprinted on the side. The bolster area was a concern to me as the heel of the blade is exposed. The area is not sharp but could cause injury since it is a thin steel edge.
Have you seen the other kid’s knives that I have reviewed? Here is a quick summary of the best children’s knife.
Durability
The Kai Little Chef Knife is made of a lightweight stainless steel blade and plastic handle. It’s not going to compare to regular-sized chef knives as the quality and durability are scaled down for kids. The handle is strong enough to handle drops. One thing that I did notice is that after some use, the blade started to dull. This is expected with the quality of the steel the blade is made out of. I found honing it helped to make it sharp again.
Cleaning and Maintenance
This knife is not dishwasher safe since the handle is rated to 110 degrees, and dishwashers exceed 120 degrees. Even if it were, I would still recommend washing by hand. The Kai Little Chef Knife was easy to clean up with soap and water. Regularly rinsing off during use will help to keep food from building up on the blade. I found that I could hone this knife; however, this thin blade would not hold up to extensive sharpening on a whetstone.
Warranty
I searched all over, trying to find any warranty information that may apply to this knife, but I could not find anything. There may be something on the instructions, but once again, it’s in Japanese. There are some favorable features, but the lack of a warranty or guarantee adds a slight hesitation to purchasing. If you purchase through a reputable company such as Amazon, there is some buyer protection if you initially have any knife problems.
Other Details
| Weight | N/A |
| Length | Blade: 125 mm |
| Blade | Stamped Stainless Steel |
| Handle | Plastic |
| Tang | Half Tang |
| Edge Angle | N/A |
| Made In | Japan |
Who Should Buy the Kai Little Chef Knife?
I would recommend the Kai Little Chef Knife to parents who want:
- A Lightweight Tool – The Kai Chef knife is designed with a lightweight handle and blade. This allows your child to maneuver the knife as they cut up foods easily.
- An Inexpensive Option – There is a wide range of prices for kids chef knives. This one is on the lower end when it comes to stainless steel blades. You may have to sacrifice a few minor features, but for the price, this knife does its job helping children become comfortable with kitchen knives.
- A Beginner-Friendly Knife – This knife is not intimidating as many large chef knives can be. The smaller handle makes it a perfect option for little hands. The rounded tip and modified edge help keep your child safe.
Summary
This is an average stainless steel beginner knife for children. As compared to some other knives available, it has fewer safety features and a little less quality. The stainless steel blade is sharp to allow the user to cut more varieties of foods than other kid safety knives. At about $14, this knife would be a good knife for children to begin using adult supervision.