Benchmade Station Knife Voted Best New Kitchen/Culinary Knife 2021

Presented by: Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpeners

The Benchmade Station Knife is the KnifeNews Readers’ Choice for Best New Kitchen/Culinary Knife 2021! Benchmade’s versatile victual vivisector vaults into victory over the TOPS Filet Knife, We Knife Co. Yakula, and Xin Cutlery XinCross Tactical Chef Knife.

In recent years we’ve watched interest in kitchen cutlery grow and grow in the knife enthusiast community. It grew at such a clip that we knew we had to add a kitchen knife category to the Readers’ Choice Awards last year. And you know it’s an important section of the market when the big name companies bend their efforts towards breaking into it. Benchmade made its first foray into foodie fixed blades last year with the Meatcrafter. That knife was a contender in for the 2020 RCAs, but this year Benchmade clinched it with the Station Knife.

We’ve talked to designers many times about the challenges inherent in kitchen knife design. The genre invites an entirely different set of concerns compared to the more established categories like EDC or outdoors knives, and it gets even more complicated when you want to make a kitchen knife look like it belongs in a catalog that includes mainly modern outdoors and EDC knives.

Whatever challenges there were behind the scenes, the Benchmade Station Knife comes across as effortless; you see it and think, “Yes, of course, this is what a Benchmade kitchen knife would look like.” Their riff on the santoku shape has the clean, aerodynamic, utilitarian look of classic Benchmade blades like the 940 or the sheepsfoot Griptilian. It’s a shape ready for big and little kitchen chores, equally adept on the line, in the home, or at camp. Speaking of the camp, the Station Knife’s handle seems like it was inspired by the grip on outdoors fixed blades, with the palm swell in the middle and big lanyard hole at the tail end. It’s comfortable and balanced, and the faux reverse bolster look nods to traditional knife aesthetics while putting a little twist on them.

Benchmade chose to release the Station Knife through its Custom Shop, which means that every material on it can be tweaked. You can have a blade made from 440C if you want to keep maintenance to an absolute minimum, or upgrade to CPM-154 to maximize edge retention. And then you’ve got a buffet of G-10 and Richlite flavors for the handle scales – or even carbon fiber if you prefer. It’s easy to imbue the Station Knife with your personal style, which is fitting for a knife made to be a lifelong companion in the kitchen. We’re on the cusp of seeing what sort of releases Benchmade has planned for this year, and we don’t know yet if they include any kitchen knives; but with the Station Knife they’ve already made a mark in the genre.

No lock? No problem! tomorrow we’re giving out the Readers’ Choice Award for Best New Non-Locking Knife/Slipjoint Knife!

AWARDS SCHEDULE

Monday, January 3rd: Best New Tactical Fixed Blade (WINNER: Benchmade 375 Adamas)

Tuesday, January 4th: Best New EDC Fixed Blade (WINNER: LionSteel H2)

Wednesday, January 5th: Best New Outdoors Fixed Blade (WINNER: TOPS Bestia)

Thursday, January 6th: Best New Kitchen/Culinary Knife (WINNER: Benchmade Station Knife)

Friday, January 7th: Best New Slipjoint/Non-Locking Knife (WINNER: Tactile Knife Co. Bexar)

Monday, January 10th: Best New High-End Knife (MSRP of $300 or more) (WINNER: Monterey Bay Knives Sea Otter)

Tuesday, January 11th: Best New Value Folder (MSRP of $100 or less) (WINNER: Civivi Lumi)

Wednesday, January 12th: Best New Folder (WINNER: Demko Knives AD20.5)

Thursday, January 13th: Best Knife Upgrade (WINNER: Benchmade 275 Adamas)

Friday, January 14th: Best Overall Lineup (WINNER: We Knife Co. + Civivi)

Knife in Featured Image: Benchmade Station Knife