One of the more realistic kid’s chef knives available.
By Timothy Hales | Updated: November 5, 2021
Opinel Chef Knife Quick Review
The Opinel Kids Chef Knife has a simple-looking wooden handle and stainless steel blade. Opinel puts safety first in how they design this knife. It has several features that stand out, such as the red plastic ring to help your child maintain their grip on the knife. Their knife sets include other supplemental tools such as a knife guard to help kids hold the foods they are cutting without making their fingers open to the knife blade.
Pros
- Blade is made of stainless steel like a normal kitchen knife.
- This knife gives your child a better learning experieince than comparable nylon or plastic knives.
- The handle and finger ring maximize safety.
Cons
- There are several areas between the handle and the blade that can be difficult to clean.
- The price seems a little high at first, but the chef knife offers quality and usability.
Materials and Construction
This kid’s kitchen knife has a handle made of beech wood. This durable hardwood creates a place for kids to grip the knife while also adding an elegant character to the knife. The color and grain of the wood are pretty consistent. Its light color ranges from yellow to pink with small dark dashes. The handle is attached to the blade with 2 rivets. The blade is stainless steel with a flatter edge that comes sharp. Each part is created and put together in France.
Design
Opinel’s design of the Opinel Chef Knife shows their primary focus is safety. The stainless steel blade brings basic similarities of a regular kitchen knife to this kid’s knife. The blade is shaped similar to the Santoku knife and is rounded at the tip. They have added a simple red ring behind the bolster to train young chefs with the handle or hammer grip. The ring also prevents the fingers from moving under the blade while it is being used. In the Opinel knife sets, they also provide a red plastic finger guard to help teach kids how to hold the food they are cutting without allowing their fingers to get in the way.
Curious as to how this knife compares to other kid kitchen knives? Check out: Best Kids Chef Knife
Durability
This chef knife for children is well made. From its stainless steel blade all the way to the wooden handle. Even the red ring is sturdy and does not flex or bend. The stainless steel quality is not the absolute best like professional chef knives, so the edge did tend to dull after several uses. For a kid’s knife, it does not have to be extremely sharp. It worked well for the food that my kids like to cut.
Cleaning and Maintenance
You can wash this knife in a dishwasher, well they say this it is dishwasher friendly. However, washing it by hand is recommended to prevent damage that may be caused by the dishwasher. If you cut up some really messy foods you may find it difficult to clean juices and food bits from around the crevasses where the blade, handle, and ring comes together. Rinsing it off immediately after use will help prevent food build-up in that area. Although the blade is not crazy sharp, the knife does hold a decent edge and requires little maintenance. I found a few pulls on honing steel helped to bring back its sharpness.
Warranty
Opinel has a warranty that guarantees its products. If an item breaks or does not perform as designed because of manufacturer defects, they will replace it. The knife seems to be pretty well made, so I don’t expect any issues. It’s still nice to see them have this guarantee in place to provide a little more assurance before buying.
Other Details
| Weight | N/A |
| Length | Blade: 4″ Full: 8 3/16″ |
| Blade | Stainless Steel |
| Handle | Beeck Hardwood with Rivets |
| Tang | Partial Tang |
| Edge Angle | N/A |
| Made In | France |
Who Should Buy the Opinel le Petit Chef Knife?
I would recommend the Opinel le Petit Chef Knife to parents who want:
- An Educational Tool – The primary focus is to teach and train young kids the proper use of a kitchen knife. The ring on the handle help to ensure that the child uses a proper grip. The finger guard also holds the food they are cutting safely.
- A Safe Option – Safety is important to the design of this knife. The rounded blade tip helps to prevent injury. The same ring that teaches the right way to grip a knife also keeps the child’s hand from slipping onto the blade. The knife sets include a finger guard to keep their fingers safe from cuts while holding food.
- A Realistic Feel – Many kid’s kitchen knives are made of plastic or nylon, but the Opinel Chef Knife is made of stainless steel. The blade even has a sharp edge to help teach the essential knife skills that other kiddie knives do not provide.
- An Attractive Design – You can see the well-thought-out design of this knife through the details of the blade, handle, and safety features. The knife is esthetically pleasing with the beechwood handle, red ring, and steel blade. It definitely doesn’t say “cheap knife.”
Summary
The Opinel chef knife costs about $35 and maybe on the high side of kid’s knives, but there is a reason for that. You can see the quality of it while comparing it with other children’s knives. It also provides outstanding safety features with the rounded tip, grip ring, and finger guard. This is the best knife on the market with quality safety features while keeping the true characteristics of a steel chef knife. This is a perfect investment for any child interested in learning how to cook with basic knife skills.
See how this knife compares to other kid knives: Best Kids Chef Knife