Throughout history, tools have been created in response to the variety of challenges that man faces. Utility knives are a good example of this as it is designed to be one of the most versatile cutting tools ever devised.
This handy piece of equipment is the amalgamation of thousands of years of cutting innovation. It was intended to be able to cut, slice, pry, and nick most things that are not metal or stone.
Utility knives are also more convenient, cheaper, and safer than many other types of knives. The blades are replaceable, so the tool can still be used. Their retractable nature also makes it easy to protect and preserve the sharpness of its blade.
To see just how amazing these tools can be, have a look at the five options you have here. They are durable, extremely sharp, convenient, and safe to use.
Also, be sure to click the buttons below to see their best deals on Amazon! With that, here are five of the best options that we rounded up especially for you.
Best Utility Knives Comparison & Rating
1. Home Planet Gear Box Retractable Cutter Utility Knife
This is an absolutely gorgeous utility knife with a unique design. It actually comes with a handguard, which can keep your hands safe from scrapes and bruising. Replacing the damaged blades is just a push of a button. This is a great tool for most light and medium jobs, from cutting paper to stripping a soft piece of wood. The retraction is smooth and consistent, as well, which helps with safety.
2. Fancii Folding Pocket Utility Knife
This is an absolutely beautiful piece of folding utility knife. It straightens out and folds back smoothly and safely. When locked in place, it stays that way, which makes it safe for cutting, puncturing, slicing, and carving. The folding action also makes this tool easy to put away and would even fit into your pocket. The blades themselves are exceptionally sharp, which makes cutting much easier.
3. Fiskars 770030-1001 Pro Utility Knife
This is a gorgeous utility knife that will serve you well. The handle is extremely comfortable in the hand and the deep groove provides you with an excellent grip. The body of the knife itself is exceptionally solid and enclosed. This ensures that it won’t rattle or wobble when you are using it. With the dual-lock feature, there is absolutely no chance that the knife is going to close by accident.
4. Internet's Best Premium Utility Knife
This is one of the most durable utility knives in the market. It is able to resist a huge amount of damage, both the body and the blade. The blades that came with the kit are exceedingly sharp and take a long time to dull. With its simple design, there is no need for instruction with regard to using this knife. It will easily cut through boxes, leather, paper, vinyl, and more.
5. Sheffield 12613 Ultimate Lock Back Utility Knife
This is an undisputedly solid utility knife that will last a long time. Its heavy-duty construction ensures that it won’t break easily. Its heft also provides a lot of help when cutting into thick carpets and cardboard. Holding it is incredibly comfortable and you can feel assured that it won’t easily slip from your grasp. The blade itself will securely lock in place and can be replaced easily through a quick-release mechanism.
Best Utility Knives - Buyer's Guide
Utility knives can be made of many different materials, including metal, plastic, rubber, and silicone. These will affect how reliable, convenient, comfortable, and safe the tool is to use. Ideally, you should match the utility knife that you get with the purpose that you have in mind for it.
Utility knives need to have reliable safety features due to the fact that they contain sharp blades. You should not have to risk injury to push out or retract the blade. The same goes when holding it, storing it, or carrying it. The sleeve and cover should cover the basics, but the design of the utility knife itself will be an important consideration.
In terms of size, utility knives can vary from those that can fit into pockets and ones that can cut large chunks of wood. The size will play a major role in the kinds of things that you could do with the tool. Bigger utility knives will be able to do what smaller ones can, but they will be less convenient to carry or store.
Thickness is something that you need to take into account when choosing a utility knife. Different brands, models, sizes, and designs can come with different thickness. The smallest ones are more likely to have thinner blades because they don’t really need thick ones. Likewise, utility knives meant for outdoor use are more likely to have thicker blades.
Although the basic designs of utility knives were roughly the same, they can dramatically differ in certain areas. The thickness of the handle, the smoothness of the retraction, the placement and positioning of the blade, and the length of the sleeve are important considerations. These will dictate how comfortable it will be to use, how long it will last, and how protected the blade will be.
Best Utility Knives - FAQs
Essentially, yes, they are. They both share the same features of being retractable or foldable and being encased in protective sleeves. The blades themselves are replaceable so that if they become dull or are damaged, they can be replaced right away. In some cases, however, utility knives are made thicker and more durable, especially those used outdoors.
As its name might suggest, utility knives have a wide variety of uses, mostly involving cutting for opening, dividing, unsealing, and more. One of the names of utility knives is box cutters, which means that you can use them to cut through the sealing tapes. However, you can also use this tool for slicing paper, sheets of plastic, cardboard, and on some occasions, food. Some of the tougher utility knives could even be used on wood.
Considering that a utility knife is a bladed tool, this means that there is a certain amount of danger associated with using it. However, it isn’t anything too different than what kitchen knives involve. In fact, utility knives are built with certain safety features that make them safer. This includes being retractable, the protective sleeves, the ergonomic grips, and the tough outer cover. All of these combined make utility knives much safer to use than regular knives.
Utility knives can be disassembled where you take the blade out of the sleeve. This then allows you to wipe them both down if they get coated in dirt or sludge. You do have to be careful when doing so, however, since the blades are quite sharp. If you haphazardly slide a piece of cloth over them, you could injure yourself.