I Shucked Oysters by the Dozen to Find the 4 Best Oyster Knives

My Favorite Oyster Knife

The simple and high-quality F. Dick 3-Inch Oyster Knife topped my tests thanks to its quality construction and pointy tip for accuracy with oddly shaped shells. If you have some worries about your oyster-shucking skills, I suggest the Messermeister 6.5-Inch Oyster Knife, whose unique shape makes opening shells simpler and safer.

How I Tested Oyster Knives

Based on test kitchen suggestions, previous test results, and extensive online research, I chose 10 of the best oyster knives to put through their paces. First, I examined each oyster knife's shape and design, holding and moving it around to judge the comfort and solidity of the grip and get a general overall impression. Next, I started opening shells.

• Small oyster test: I used each oyster knife to open and shuck a small oyster: a Kumamoto, a round oyster with a fairly thick shell. Native to the Pacific Ocean, Kumamotos are notoriously difficult to open because of their size and shape. If I was unable to open the first oyster I tried, I attempted two others; three of the knives weren't able to open a Kumamoto at all.
• Large oyster test: I used each oyster knife to open and shuck a larger oyster — in this case, Fanny Bay oysters from Vancouver, British Columbia. These were generally easier to open, but their thinner shells were more prone to chipping. All but one of the knives were able to open a Fanny Bay oyster, though it took multiple attempts for some.
• Washing: After completing my oyster-opening tests, I washed all the oyster knives following the manufacturer's instructions. Two oyster knives were dishwasher-safe, while the rest required hand-washing. I noted any screws and crevices that held onto bits of food, as well as any other design factors that made cleanup easier or more difficult. I also inspected the cleaned oyster knives for chipped blades or any other damage following testing.

After I finished my performance tests, I revealed the retail prices of the oyster knives to compare and consider their value. At the time of testing, prices ranged from $13 to $179, with an average of $41. (The ultra-expensive Williams Edisto knife pulled up the range significantly; without it, the highest price was $40, with an average of $26.)

What to Look for in an Oyster Knife

Blade Type

All oyster knives share a short, fairly narrow blade, but there are some subtle differences in shape, named for various oyster regions. A New Haven–style oyster knife is very easy to spot, as the tip of the blade bends upward. This gives you extra leverage to pop open shells by tilting the blade up and down. New York–, Boston-, and Providence-style oyster knives have straight blades that are similar to one another, but a New York knife tends to be longer and thinner, while a Boston or Providence one has a blade that's thick in the middle you can use to open a stubborn oyster from the side instead of the hinge.

In general, an oyster knife with a narrow blade and very pointy tip is best for small oysters, while a wider blade makes it easier to wrench open larger oysters.

Handle Material and Design

Oyster knife handles can be made of the same range of materials as any other knife handles, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Smooth plastic is easy to clean but can be slippery when wet, while textured plastic or silicone have more grip — on both hands and food bits. I tested one knife with an unfinished wood handle, but its rough surface wasn't comfortable to hold and it didn't make the list of winners.

Another thing to look for in an oyster knife handle is any gaps, crevices, or open screws. These are areas where bits of shell or oyster liquid can get stuck and often need special attention while washing.

Weight and Balance

With most knives, you want a light, maneuverable blade that's fairly evenly balanced between handle and tip. But with an oyster knife, something that's heavy for its size and weighted toward the handle works best. This pushes the handle securely into your palm and adds to your leverage without making it any more likely that you'll slip.

Other Oyster Knives I Tested

Strong Contenders

Mercer Culinary Boston-Style Oyster Knife ($16 on Amazon)

I liked the textured plastic of this oyster knife's handle, which gave me a great grip, along with its value price. But the blade was a little thick, and the point a little rounded, both of which made it more difficult to work into the hinge. It's also strangely delicate, as you're not supposed to submerge the handle in water.

Toadfish Put 'Em Back Oyster Knife ($38 on Amazon)

Filter-feeding oysters is incredibly important to clean ocean water, and I love Toadfish's commitment to planting 10 square feet of new oyster habitat for each knife sold. This oyster knife worked well in testing thanks to its pointed tip and a thumb rest that gives you extra leverage, but it's significantly pricier than similar models that delivered similar results.

Williams Sonoma Seafood Oyster Knife ($22 on Williams Sonoma)

Williams Sonoma's oyster knife has a sharp and substantial blade, but I didn't love its handle design. The wide bolster makes it very easy to push forward against the oyster rather than wrenching up and down or side to side, and you're likely to slip if you're not careful.

What Didn't Make the List

The two major problems with the bottom oyster knives in my test were dull points and slippery handles. Oyster knives with rounded tips at the end don't "stick" into the hinge effectively and can slip out dangerously as you try to open the oyster. A handle that's too smooth or too large to hold onto effectively has the same problem — you need precise control of the oyster knife to keep it in the oyster and out of the flesh of your hand.

Our Expertise

Jason Horn is a Food & Wine senior writer with a master's degree in journalism, an associate's degree in culinary arts, and more than 20 years of experience covering food and drinks. After going to college in New Orleans and living in Alabama for 7 years, he developed a lifelong love of Gulf oysters, which are sadly near-impossible to find in his current home of Los Angeles.