The 4 Best Oyster Knives of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

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The 4 Best Oyster Knives of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

Whether you like them raw, Rockefeller, or roasted, oysters are a delicious and versatile ingredient. They’re abundant and one of the most sustainable types of seafood thanks to their minimal need for resources and ability to filter out pollutants. You should probably be eating more oysters.

But oysters aren’t the easiest food to prep: Opening up the shell to get at the goodies inside requires a special technique and a special kitchen knife. The best oyster knives are a bit of a unitasker, but they can save a lot of effort — not to mention injury.

I enjoy oysters — how could someone go to college in New Orleans and not fall in love? — but I’m mostly content to let others open them for me. Until now. With a group of 10 oyster knives and two dozen shellfish from the Pacific Northwest, I set out to find the best oyster knives.

How Do You Open an Oyster?

Food & Wine / Jason Horn

The first and most important step is to keep your off-hand protected! You’ll want to use a folded-up kitchen towel, some cut-proof gloves, or a specialized tool like the silicone Oyster Grip. Hold the oyster by the open side in one hand, and work the tip of the oyster knife into the hinge with the other. You want to wriggle the oyster knife back and forth carefully until you can feel it firmly stick in place. Next, rotate the oyster knife back and forth until you feel the hinge pop and the oyster starts to open. It’s important not to push too hard on the oyster knife while you turn it, or it can slip out of the hinge.

Once you’ve gotten the oyster partially open, work the oyster knife back and forth to open it and separate the halves of the shell. The oyster should be attached to the large adductor muscle in one half. Scrape it gently away from the muscle and inside of the shell, while trying to keep it in one piece. At this point, you can serve the oysters raw, or cook them using one of our favorite oyster recipes.

Shucking a cooked oyster uses the same procedure, but it’s much easier because the shell should already be partially opened. Dense oyster shells get very hot in the oven or on the grill, so make sure to use an oven mitt.

PHOTO: Knife Merchant

Of the two oyster varieties I used to test the oyster knives, the Kumamotos were much more difficult to open. Their small, heavily ridged shells are often twisted at the hinge, and it takes some finesse and patience to work an oyster knife into the exact right spot without slipping.

F. Dick’s short, pointy, and heavy knife turned out to be the best for Kumamotos, and that’s why I named it my best oyster knife overall, too. Its hefty weight is balanced toward the handle, which sort of pushes it into your palm for a firm grip. The pointed tip also felt safer to use, as it could hold its place as I wiggled and twisted the knife to open the oyster. Knives with rounded tips were more likely to slip out — and potentially stab my other hand.

Another nice benefit of this oyster knife is that one edge is sharpened along the last half-inch or so of the blade. This helps to slice the oyster away from the adductor muscle cleanly to complete the shucking process. The F. Dick oyster knife is priced a bit below average, and it looks and feels professional for the next time you want to host a raw bar at a dinner party. The main downside I found is that the narrow blade works better for small oysters than large ones. You don’t get quite as much leverage while twisting the knife side to side. (On the other hand, larger oysters are easier to open overall.)

Amazon Messermeister 6.5-Inch Oyster Knife

PHOTO: Amazon

Opening raw oysters can be intimidating: You’re pressing a pointed blade into a rock-hard shell, and you have to be very careful it doesn’t slip out as you twist. It’s a technique that simply takes practice, but I found this Messermeister oyster knife to make things noticeably safer. The key is the unique shape, with a “thumb fin” that lets you apply a lot of side-to-side twisting force without pushing forward very hard. The flat, pointed tip can get a good grip on the hinge similar to the F. Dick above, but the blade itself is wider and provides tons of leverage. The whole thing is also one solid piece of stainless steel, easy to clean thanks to a lack of joints or seams that can hold onto bits of shell or oyster.

This is a fairly expensive oyster knife, the second-priciest in my set (though that’s nothing compared to the Williams below). My main issue was that the blade acquired some small chips in it during testing. Oyster knives aren’t supposed to be razor-sharp, so this isn’t as big a deal as it would be with a chef’s knife, but it does give me some qualms about long-term performance. I named this one the best oyster knife for beginners.

Oxo-good-grips-stainless-steel-non-slip-oyster-knife

PHOTO: Amazon

The oyster knife is one of those tools most people only need to break out a few times a year, so it might not be worth investing in an expensive model. This knife was the cheapest one I tried, but like OXO’s other kitchen tools, it’s well-designed and was up to the task. This is the best oyster knife from a value perspective.

The best feature of the OXO Good Grips oyster knife is, well, its good grip. The blobby oval handle has an almost sticky-textured silicone layer that’s easy to keep a hold on. It’s even dishwasher-safe, one of only two tested oyster knives that don’t need hand-washing. (You should keep almost all knives out of the dishwasher as it will dull their blades, but that rule doesn’t always apply to meant-to-be-dull oyster knives.)

OXO’s knife has a slight upward bend at the slightly rounded tip, a shape known as a New Haven–style oyster knife. This is meant to give you extra up-and-down leverage as you open shells, but I didn’t find the shape to be as effective as straight knives with a sharp point that was better able to hold itself in the hinge. Turning side-to-side was a better and safer way to open oysters, and the OXO’s blade is wide enough to offer good leverage.

PHOTO: Williams Culinary

For shellfish-obsessed households that go through oysters by the dozens, this is your ultimate luxury oyster knife. It weighs almost twice as much as any other knife I tested, with a needle-sharp tip that had no trouble finding the exact right spot in every oyster I tried. The wide blade needed just the slightest twist to pop the shells open, and it’s slightly sharpened on both edges to cut oysters (or clams) cleanly from the shell. I’d call my oyster-prep skills intermediate, but the Williams Edisto V2 made me feel like a seasoned pro.

Just get ready for sticker shock. This oyster knife costs more than four times as much as any other in my tests. It’s incredibly well-made, but it’s intended for dedicated oyster aficionados only. Another small design flaw is the screws in the handle, whose large hexagonal openings can hold onto bits of oyster or shell and need some careful spraying and scrubbing.

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

Food & Wine / Jason Horn

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.

Food & Wine / Jason Horn

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should you serve raw oysters?
Raw oysters don’t need a lot of dressing up; the whole point is to enjoy their naturally briny, minerally flavor. You can enhance this with a simple squeeze of lemon, some horseradish, or a mignonette, a mix of vinegar and chopped shallot that’s infinitely customizable. What’s most important is that you keep the oysters cold; put them or their container on a bed of crushed ice.

How can you open an oyster without an oyster knife?
One of the specialized tools above will work better, but if you find yourself with a bucket of raw oysters and no oyster knife, there are options, including a flathead screwdriver. Thoroughly wash the tool, and then use it in the same way you would an oyster knife, wedging it in the hinge and twisting it back and forth. This won’t get as good of a hold in the hinge as a pointed knife, so be careful and make sure to protect your off-hand. (You can also do this with a sturdy butter knife, but many have thin blades that will bend or even break.)
Two other ways to open oysters are based solely on temperature. If you freeze them overnight and then let them thaw, they’ll pop open without losing texture or flavor. You can also microwave an oyster for a few seconds to loosen the shell. Just be careful not to let it cook too long or you’ll end up with a rubbery oyster.
And of course, any kind of cooking should make most oysters open up easily. I personally love them grilled over high heat.

Is it safe to eat raw oysters?
Like many foods, raw oysters can potentially make you quite sick. Raw oysters can be infected with a bacterium called Vibrio, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and more serious symptoms, especially in people with weakened immune systems or those who are pregnant. If you’re at high risk, the USDA recommends cooking oysters to at least 145°F to kill any Vibrio that might be present.
With that said, the risk is low for most people, especially if the oysters are stored properly. Make sure to keep them refrigerated until just before shucking and serving. Raw oysters should be alive before serving: If any oysters in your batch don’t close tightly when tapped, it’s a good idea to to toss them out, too.

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.

Food & Wine / Jason Horn

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.

Food & Wine / Jason Horn

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.

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The 4 Best Oyster Knives of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

How Do You Open an Oyster?

My Favorite Oyster Knife

How I Tested Oyster Knives