Article By: Suraiya Fardous
- December 9, 2023 , Last updated on : December 10, 2023
The experts are able to make shucking look easy because they have their hands on the best oyster knife. While it also depends on experience and expertise, a quality oyster-shucking knife definitely helps out a lot. That is why professional oyster shuckers are willing to spend good money on an oyster shucking kit, even though they have developed their skill with time and practice.
Buying guide for the best oyster knife
As it turns out, selecting an oyster opener tool for yourself is not that straightforward. There are a few different things that you need to consider when selecting the best oyster knife for yourself. The best oyster opener will fulfill these requirements.
Blade Material
First and foremost, the best oyster knife will be made from either stainless
steel or high-carbon steel. Since oysters contain seawater, stainless steel
tools for opening oysters are preferable because they resist corrosion. On the
other hand, high-carbon steel oyster knives perform better but corrode easily.
Handle Material
The handle material of the oyster knife also matters a lot because shucking requires skill. To clarify, the best oyster shuckers will have handles that you can comfortably hold to perform the task with ease.
Kits and Sets
You can also buy oyster knife sets and kits if you want to get everything you need for shucking at once. For example, you can get the best gloves for shucking oysters in these sets for a good price. Besides gloves, you can also consider sets with anti-slip clothes, oyster holders, lemon squeezers, etc.
Last but not least, the blade shape also plays an important role in determining how easily you can shuck the oyster. The best oyster shucking knife for you will have a blade shape that is specifically designed for shucking the type of oysters that you usually come across on a daily basis. If you are based in America, go for a New York Oyster Knife. Alternatively, you can get the Frenchman Knife if you are based in Europe.
Best oyster knife | Top 11 Picks
If you are wondering where to buy oyster-shucking knives, you can get the best oyster knives on Amazon. However, since there are a lot of options, it can get confusing to select the best one for yourself. That is why we have ranked the best oyster shucker knives on the market based on personal experience and user reviews.
List of the best oyster knives
WENDOM Shucker Set
HiCoup Shucking Knife
OXO Oyster Knife
Victorinox Oyster Knife
Rockland Guard Shucking Set
Dexter-Russell Oyster Knife
Mercer Culinary Oyster Knife
Zyliss Shucking Knife Set
TANG SONG Oyster Shuckers
SPEENSUN Shucking Kit
Nonley Oyster Knife Pack
WENDOM Shucker Set
Blade Material: Stainless Steel
Handle Material: Plastic
The knives in the WENDOM Shucker Set consist of durable stainless steel blades and comfortable plastic handles. The blades are sturdy and strongly attached to the handle, so you do not have to worry about it popping off when you are shucking. Additionally, the stainless steel blade can handle seawater in oysters without any problems.
Besides providing you with great oyster knives, the WENDOM Shucker Set also gives you a lucrative deal thanks to all the accessories it comes with. It includes two oyster knives with spear point blades, a pair of gloves, an anti-slip cloth, and a lemon squeezer, all in a beautiful package.
Pros:
Comfortable handle
Strong blade
Rust-resistant
Comes with various accessories
Cons:
Hard to clean
The only drawback of the knives in the WENDOM Shucker Set is that they are hard to clean. Additionally, the cloth can easily soak up the seawater smell and needs to be washed properly with detergent after each use. Other than that, their robust blades, combined with their comfortable handles, make them the best oyster knives on the market.
If you are looking for wooden handles on oyster knives, the HiCoup Shucking Knife is the perfect one for you. In addition to being aesthetic, the wooden handle is also easy and comfortable to hold, so you can shuck your oysters without creating a mess.
Besides the handle, the blade of the HiCoup Oyster Knife is outstanding as well. It has a full tang build, which means the metal runs all the way from the blade to the handle. Other than that, it comes with a premium leather sheathe and a pair of protective gloves.
Pros:
Beautiful wooden handle
Full tang build
Premium leather sheathe included
Protective gloves included
Cons:
Not suitable for bigger oysters
The HiCoup Shucking Knife has a Frenchman blade, which is meant for smaller European oysters. As a result, it has trouble shucking bigger Atlantic oysters. Other than that, its premium accessories, combined with its wooden handle, make it the best oyster knife that you can get.
The OXO Oyster Knife is perfect for opening tricky oysters because of its Providence blade, which is specialized for this job. It is able to accomplish this because of its bent tip that lets you cut the abductor muscle easily, no matter where it is hiding inside the oyster.
Besides the functional blade, the OXO Oyster Knife also has a soft and comfortable handle. It has a good grip that ensures that the knife does not slip out of your grip when you are shucking. Other than that, the knife is dishwasher safe, which makes it very easy to clean.
Pros:
Functional bent tip
Soft and comfortable handle
Corrosion-resistant
Easy to clean
Cons:
Tip can snap if used incorrectly
While the OXO Oyster Knife works wonders in the hands of experts, beginners may accidentally snap the blade off the handle because of incorrect technique. Other than that, its stainless steel blade, combined with its features, makes it the best oyster knife.
The Victorinox Oyster Knife is approved by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), which inspects products and certifies them to guarantee the safety of public health. So, you can rest assured that the knife is free from toxic materials. Besides that, it has an ergonomic handle with a good grip.
Oysters can leave a smell if you do not clean the knife right after opening
them. This knife is dishwasher safe, so clean-up after shucking is very easy.
Even though the handle is plastic, it is very durable and is not damaged inside
a dishwasher.
Pros:
Ergonomic handle
Dishwasher safe
NSF approved
Cons:
Handle can get discolored
While the Victorinox Oyster Knife is dishwasher safe, the handle can get discolored if you use strong detergents. However, this will not be an issue if you use handwash to clean it. Other than that, its NSF certification, combined with its ergonomic handle, makes it the best oyster knife for shucking.
If you want the best oyster knife and glove set, go for the Rockland Guard Shucking Set. Both the knife and the gloves in the set perform well. The knife has level 5 cut resistance, which is the highest on the market. Additionally, the gloves are machine washable and easy to clean.
The gloves that come with the knife are available in various sizes to fit your needs. Besides the gloves, the New York-style blade lets you easily shuck your oysters. For those who are not familiar with the shucking blade types, New York-style shucking blades are ideal for opening larger oysters.
Pros:
Level 5 cut resistance knife
Machine washable gloves provided
Available in different sizes
Cons:
Not ideal for smaller oysters
While the Rockland Guard Shucking Set has an outstanding knife with functional gloves, it is not ideal for smaller oysters because of its larger blade. However, besides oysters, it is also the best clam-shucking knife so that you can hit two birds with one stone.
The Dexter-Russell Oyster Knife has an outstanding handle with a superior grip. As a result, you can ensure that the knife stays in your hand when you skillfully pull off your shucking technique. While the handle alone makes it one of the best oyster shucker knives, it also has an NSF-certified blade that is strongly attached to the handle. As a result, the blade will not snap off the handle when you are shucking.
One of the most common problems when shucking with cheap knives is that the blade snaps off when you use a bit too much pressure. The blade on this knife is strongly attached to the handle. As a result, the blade will not snap off the handle when you are shucking.
Pros:
The handle has a good grip
NSF certified blade
Blade strongly attached to handle
Cons:
High maintenance
While the Dexter-Russell Oyster Knife is able to slice through oysters like butter, it requires high maintenance to ensure its performance lasts. Other than that, its superior handle, combined with its NSF-certified blade, makes it the best oyster knife that you can buy.
The Mercer Culinary Oyster Knife has a Boston blade that makes it perfect for a majority of the oysters found in North America. Other than that, the blade’s stainless steel build ensures that it does not rust even when it comes into contact with the salty seawater in oysters.
The handle of the knife has a textured handle that is both comfortable and provides a superior grip. It also enhances the look of the shucking knife. If you usually open oysters in front of other people, then you can get this knife. Its looks will allow you to be more confident when shucking.
Pros:
Can be cleaned with handwash
Rust-resistant blade
Textured and comfortable handle
Cons:
Handle can get dirty
While the handle of the Mercer Culinary Oyster Knife can be cleaned easily, it also picks up stains easily because of its white color. However, if you do not have a problem with cleaning it each time after usage, then this will not be an issue. Other than that, its features make it one of the best oyster knives out there.
The Zyliss Shucking Knife Set is one of the most beautiful oyster knife sets out there on the market. It comes with an oyster knife and an oyster pocket, which is an oyster holder. Additionally, the oyster pocket has a slot for holding the knife, so you can store both easily after usage. Lastly, the handle has a safety guard to prevent any accidents when shucking.
The handle of this knife has a safety guard to prevent any accidents when shucking. We suggest this knife for beginners who are just getting started with this delicious hobby. However, if you are a professional or at least intermediate, then we will suggest the Mercer Culinary oyster knife.
Pros:
The handle has a safety guard
Comes with an oyster pocket
The oyster pocket has a knife holder
Cons:
Not suitable for bigger oysters
While the Zyliss Shucking Knife Set is one of the most attractive sets, the knife in the kit is not suitable for bigger oysters. Other than that, its innovative handle, combined with the versatile oyster pockets, makes it the best oyster knife set that you can buy.
The TANG SONG Oyster Shuckers has eight oyster knives in the set for the price of one. Besides providing you with this lucrative deal, the knives in the set are outstanding as well. They did not leave out any features you bring you this offer at this price point.
The knives in this set have aesthetic and smooth wooden handles connected to durable and rust-resistant blades. Overall, we loved both the durability and the design of this knife. Other than that, it has functional features as well that make it very easy to shuck oysters.
Pros:
Smooth wooden handle
Durable and rust-resistant blade
Lucrative deal
Cons:
Can cause sore thumb
While the metal guards on the TANG SONG Oyster Shuckers offer good protection, they also cause your thumb to become sore when using the knives for a long time. Other than that, the lucrative deal, combined with the wooden handles, makes the knives in the TANG SONG Oyster Shuckers set stand out from the crowd.
If you hate it when your hand slips onto the oyster knife’s blade, the knife in the SPEENSUN Shucking Kit will quickly become your best friend. This is because the knife has a protective shield on the handle to separate your hand from the blade.
This knife set contains a sheathe and a pair of gloves that provide level 5 cut protection. So, if you are relatively new to shucking oysters, you can use gloves to ensure you do not hurt yourself. Additionally, you can clean and store the knife in the sheathe to ensure longevity.
Pros:
A protective shield on the handle
Comes with a sheathe and gloves
Level 5 cut protective gloves
Cons:
Glove coaks liquid
While the SPEENSUN Shucking Kit comes with a pair of gloves that protect your hand against the knife, they do not prevent the seawater from reaching your hand. However, if this is not an issue for you, the protective shield and the wooden handle make it one of the best knives for shucking.
The Nonley Oyster Knife pack contains eight knives for a very affordable price. The knives have nonslip handles that let you easily show off your shucking skills. Other than that, the knives have Galveston blades, which are neither too long nor too short. They have just the right length to be able to shuck different types of oysters.
The knives in this set have just the right length to shuck different types of oysters. It is one of the most versatile oyster knife sets on the market right now. Besides its versatility, it also beats the competition with its affordable price point that you can easily afford.
Pros:
Nonslip handle
Affordable set
Versatile options
Cons:
No hand shield
While the handle on the Nonley Oyster Knife Pack has a nonslip grip, it does not have any protective shield. However, they do have an option for a pack of two knives with a pair of gloves for a comparable price. As a result, it is one of the best oyster shacking sets you can get.
You can select the perfect shucker for yourself from these best oyster knife reviews. Remember that the best shucking knife will only work well when you know what you are doing with it. As a result, remember to get a lot of practice to get the most out of the oyster knives. If you liked this list, check out our top picks of the best knives for cutting watermelon.
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