There's no questioning the utility of a good pocket knife. You don't have to be a wilderness survivalist or a working handyman to appreciate one either; a sharp blade has a broad range of everyday applications, from opening packages to harvesting herbs from your garden to slicing up food for a picnic.
But pocket knives number in the tens of thousands, and choosing one that balances features with your needs can be tricky. Our team has had hands-on with hundreds of them and has spent hours (if not days or even weeks) communicating with knife experts and pouring over reviews to research many more, all so that we can confidently produce a list of the pocket knives we believe are the best ones available today.
What to Consider When Picking a Pocket Knife
There are many reasons to buy a pocket knife, and those will guide you to the critical considerations to keep in mind while picking one. Is the knife for work? For camping? For collecting? A gift?
There's nothing wrong with buying a pocket knife for looks alone, though if you do have a specific knife in mind, you'll want to consider its size, weight, blade shape and the characteristics of its steel (more on that below). You'll also want to research what laws are in place that regulates what type of knife you can own and carry where you live.
We should also make a note of the price. Generally speaking, if you're buying a pocket knife from a respected brand, a higher price will get you a knife made of better materials. There are exceptions — bad knives can still be expensive. The inverse is less deceptive; lower-priced knives are typically the result of cheaper materials. Don't expect a $30 knife to last long enough to become a family heirloom (unless you take really, really good care of it).
What Is the Best Pocket Knife Steel?
The short and, admittedly, annoying (but expected) answer: it depends. Blade steel is characterized by a list of primary elements — corrosion resistance, edge retention, strength, toughness, wear resistance and ease of sharpening. Each one is the result of the chemical makeup of the steel in question. Chromium, for instance, is a key ingredient in stainless steel and generally lends corrosion resistance to the recipe.
The downside is that many of these traits tend to operate inversely with one another. Edge retention, a steel's ability to stay sharp through lots of use, typically comes at the cost of toughness, a steel's ability to resist cracking and chipping under sudden impacts. Steel with high edge retention typically isn't as easy to sharpen, either.
There's always a tradeoff, which is why it's wise to consider what you want to use the knife for and seek one out that has the steel to match those needs. That said, premium knife steels like CPM-S35VN can maximize most of these traits while keeping them relatively balanced, though they're also the primary contributor to an expensive pocket knife's high price, so there's a tradeoff there too.
For more on knife steel, click here to read our guide.
How We Tested
The whole point of tools like pocket knives is to use them to the best of their ability, and that's exactly what we had our testers do with these folding blades. Over the course of weeks and, in some cases, months, these knives were carried daily, called upon to open packages, trim stray strings and hang tags on apparel, cut fruits and veggies, remove staples and splinters, etc. Other factors that were taken into account include (but are not limited to) the knives' size (especially in a pocketable EDC context), the difficulty of maintenance (like sharpening and cleaning), overall practicality, and even ergonomics.
CRKT Pilar III
- Blade Length: 2.97 inches
- Overall Length: 7.25 inches
- Blade Material: D2 steel
- Blade Type: Spear point
- Handle Material: G10 and 2Cr13 stainless steel
- Weight: 3.8 ounces
CRKT and knife designer Jesper Voxnaes named the Pilar after the boat that Ernest Hemingway used to monitor German U-boats in the Caribbean during World War II. Its background is intriguing, sure, but it's the well-balanced combination of materials and form that makes this most recent iteration a fantastic pocket knife for nearly any application.
The original Pilar had a cleaver-like blade, but it's smoothed out for the Pilar III to create a sleeker shape with a finer point. It's also longer at just under three inches and made of D2 steel that our tester found holds an edge through lots of use before it needs resharpening. Other features they discovered worth highlighting include a thumb slot for one-handed opening, a frame lock for safe usage, and a G10 handle plus an oversized choil for a solid grip. No, it's not the cheapest pocket knife out there, but go cheaper and you'll start to sacrifice the characteristics that make it a great one.
The James Brand The Carter
- Blade Length: 2.75 inches
- Overall Length: 6.55 inches
- Blade Material: VG-10 steel
- Blade Type: Drop point
- Handle Material: Micarta or G10
- Weight: 3.0 ounces
Start seeking higher-quality pocket knives, and you'll quickly find yourself in very expensive steel. High-end knives can cost hundreds, and while many of those blades are great, you don't have to pay so much to get something premium that'll last for years. That's what makes The Carter a great upgrade and a gateway into the world of luxe knives — even at $139 (and up), it's quality at a fair price.
What do you get for the extra cash? For one, sleek, styled-out aesthetics are a result of a clean form factor and machined handle scales available in materials like G10 and micarta. Then there's the drop-point blade, which opens with a thumb disc and secures with a smooth sliding switch lock. It's made of VG-10, a high-end steel that's low maintenance thanks to excellent corrosion resistance and edge retention, which means you can use it freely without fear of messing up something you just spent a wad of cash on.
Benchmade Bugout
- Blade Length: 3.24 inches
- Overall Length: 7.46 inches
- Blade Material: CPM-S30V
- Blade Type: Drop point
- Handle Material: Grivory
- Weight: 1.85 ounces
Backpackers and serious campers prize ultralight gear, but it has to stand up to heavy use, and the Bugout makes that grade. Benchmade has made it in various constructions over the years, but the standard is with a Grivory handle and CPM-S30V drop-point blade that operates on the company's sliding AXIS lock. The whole thing weighs just 1.85 ounces, and yet the 3.24-inch blade is plenty hefty to handle any number of trail tasks. If you want to go even lighter, check out the 1.5-ounce Mini Bugout, which has a 2.8-inch blade.
Our tester, who loved this knife for its impressive balance of durability and portability, also thought it worth pointing out that, even if you don't intend to go hiking and/or camping, the Bugout is still an exceptional EDC knife that never ceases to impress.
WESN Allman
- Blade Length: 2.8 inches
- Overall Length: 6.65 inches
- Blade Material: CPM-S35VN steel
- Blade Type: Drop point
- Handle Material: Titanium or G10
- Weight: 3.6 ounces
One of the most beautiful and uniquely-designed minimalist everyday carry knives to come out in the last few years, the WESN Allman stands out from the crowd thanks to its wideset blade silhouette — an extremely unusual but welcome diversion from the typical point-favoring designs of other blades. Along with that instantly recognizable profile, this stout knife also benefits from a sturdy and reliable frame lock, your choice of titanium or G10 handle scales, and a high-end S35VN blade steel.
For reference, our tester loved this knife so much, they stopped carrying their other knives. If you want a minimalist blade that really stands out yet is still remarkably useful in your daily life, this might just be the EDC for you.
Opinel No. 8
- Blade Length: 3.28 inches
- Overall Length: 7.59 inches
- Blade Material: Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel
- Blade Type: Straight back
- Handle Material: Beechwood
- Weight: 1.5 ounces
Opinel's folding No.8 is about as simple as a pocket knife gets: it has a 3.25-inch steel blade, a wooden handle and a signature rotating collar that locks it open or closed. Nevertheless, the knife has become an icon since its release in 1890 and is remarkably handsome despite an apparent lack of over-the-top features. You can get one with a carbon steel blade or with premium wood handles — all of them are nearly as affordable.
According to our tester, this knife proves time and time again that you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get something you'll return to time and time again. They loved it and think you will too, especially with such a small investment.
The James Brand The Elko
- Blade Length: 1.74 inches
- Overall Length: 4.33 inches
- Blade Material: Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel
- Blade Type: Drop point
- Handle Material: Micarta
- Weight: 1.3 ounces
The best pocket knife in the world is no good to you if you don't have it on you, and that's the best case for owning one that can fit on a keychain. That doesn't mean tiny knives are always useful, but the elegant Elko sure is. Its Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade is notable for its hardness, wear-resistance and edge retention, while the keyring loop is cleverly designed for prying, scraping, twisting screws and opening bottles. These features add up to a knife that feels much larger than something the size of a flash drive.
Leatherman Free K2
- Blade Length: 3.3 inches
- Overall Length: 7.8 inches
- Blade Material: 420HC stainless steel
- Blade Type: Sheepsfoot
- Handle Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 4.9 ounces
Leatherman's known for multi-tools that put pliers front and center, but its relatively new Free K tools put all emphasis on the blade in a way that other multi-tools just don't — and that's a good thing in the case of this knife. The K2's is a 3.3-inch sheepsfoot made of 420HC steel. Embedded in its handle are a couple of shorter, highly useful implements that fill in on jobs where a knife's not enough — the list includes a pry tool, package opener, awl, bottle opener and three screwdriver heads. All of them swivel open smoothly with one hand thanks to magnetic integration.
Victorinox Mountaineer
- Blade Length: 2.28 inches (long blade), 1.42 inches (small blade)
- Overall Length: 5.87 inches
- Blade Material: X55CrMo14 stainless steel
- Blade Type: Modified spear point
- Handle Material: ABS/Cellidor
- Weight: 3.8 ounces
All Swiss Army Knives are classic in their own way, so we're probably splitting hairs by picking a favorite, but with so many implement options, it's also necessary. The prize goes to the Mountaineer, which packs 18 functions in half as many implements. Despite its outdoorsy name, this SAK is among Victorinox's most versatile: it has two knife blades, can and bottle openers, multiple screwdrivers, a sewing tool, scissors, file, toothpick, tweezers, corkscrew and more. Other models can get remarkably bulky, but this one is still small enough to remain practical for your pocket.
Case Mini Trapper
- Blade Length: 2.75 inches (clip), 2.75 inches (spey)
- Overall Length: 6.3 inches
- Blade Material: Tru-Sharp stainless steel
- Blade Type: Clip and spey point
- Handle Material: Varying
- Weight: 2.7 ounces
A lot of modern pocket knives are, frankly, ugly. They're overly tactical or practical, sacrificing looks for fully-loaded function. Case Knives, a company that dates back to the 1800s, continues to produce patterns that reflect that heritage. The Mini Trapper is a perfect example; its side-by-side, double-blade construction includes a 2.75-inch clip-point and spey-point blades (the latter a shape not often produced in new designs). It's available with a variety of handles, from bone to colorful synthetics. Each one comes with Case's unique tang stamp, denoting the year it was produced in for an added element of collectibility.
Quiet Carry Waypoint G10
- Blade Length: 3.31 inches
- Overall Length: 7.52 inches
- Blade Material: Vanax Super Clean
- Blade Type: Drop/clip point
- Handle Material: G10
- Weight: 2.7 ounces
Remember when we mentioned that higher quality, more expensive pocket knives are out there? This is one of those. Quiet Carry built this deceitfully straightforward folding knife with some of the best materials available. That includes a blade made of Vanax SuperClean, a type of steel that's highly resistant to corrosion and wear and is considered among a distinguished category known as "super steel." Quiet Carry gave it marine-grade hardware to match that rust resistance too, and handles made of G10 or steel are available in multiple colors and finishes. This knife might seem expensive at a glance, but it should be a good deal more expensive based on what it can do and what it's made of.
Benchmade Osborne
- Blade Length: 3.4 inches
- Overall Length: 7.97 inches
- Blade Material: CPM-S30V steel
- Blade Type: Reverse tanto
- Handle Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 2.9 ounces
For most folks, carrying a $200+ pocket knife around is a non-starter. After all, these are tools meant to be used and not simply fashion accessories to be carried for the clout. However, that doesn't mean there aren't workhorse knives in that price range that beg to be used... if you can swing the price. In fact, the Benchmade Osborne — a legendary knife in the EDC world — is exactly that.
This cutting tool, designed by and named after the late, great Warren Osborne, is certainly high-end, but it also has the durability and reliability to survive just about any punishment you can toss at it. From its reverse tanto S30V blade to its rock-solid AXIS lock-equipped anodized aluminum handle, this is the kind of EDC knife that just makes you feel powerful and unstoppable. Our tester found that it's a true joy to carry, so long as you can swing the investment.
SOG Knives Kiku XR Blackout
- Blade Length: 3.03 inches
- Overall Length: 7.375 inches
- Blade Material: CTS-XHP premium steel
- Blade Type: Tanto
- Handle Material: Linen micarta
- Weight: 5.6 ounces
Even if you never actually use this knife to, you know, cut stuff, you’ll derive endless pleasure from opening and closing it, with just one hand. A forefinger on the tab and deft flick of the wrist flips the blade out cleanly, while a forefinger and thumb sliding the XR lock brings it back into place with a smooth click. Oh, and the CTS-XHP steel blade boasts excellent corrosion resistance and edge retention, so actually cutting stuff with it is pretty damn delightful too.
Chris Reeve Sebenza 31
- Blade Length: 2.99 inches (small), 3.61 inches (large)
- Overall Length: 6.98 inches (small), 8.4 inches (large)
- Blade Material: CPM-S35VN steel
- Blade Type: Drop point
- Handle Material: Titanium, varying inlay options
- Weight: 3 ounces (small), 4.7 ounces (large)
The Sebenza 31 is the latest version of a pocket knife that was first released in 1987 and is widely considered among blade enthusiasts as the best pocket knife ever made. Chris Reeve Knives is known for its precision manufacturing, and the Sebenza has won the Manufacturing Quality Award at the annual Blade Show 16 times. It was also the first knife to incorporate a frame lock, a mechanism in which a piece of the handle falls into place behind the butt of a blade to secure it open.
History and iconic status aside, the Sebenza 31 is a fantastic albeit expensive pocket knife. It's available in two sizes — a small model with a 2.99-inch blade and a large one with a 3.61-inch blade — with various wood or micarta inlays. The base, however, is a premium CPM S35VN drop-point blade, a titanium handle that includes a pocket clip and a knotted lanyard.
New and Upcoming Releases
While our recommendations are based on the current market and real-world testing, there are always new knives being released out into the world. Here are a few significant releases we're looking forward to testing and considering for future updates of this guide.
CRKT Pilar IV: The next generation of our reigning pocket knife champ, this knife now comes equipped with a larger clip-point blade measuring up at 3.09 inches (as opposed to the III's 2.97). However, it still has the same D2 steel for the blade, as well as a combination G10 and stainless steel handle, meaning the chief difference between this one and its predecessor is largely stylistic.
