Imarku is a brand known for offering affordable kitchen knives with attractive designs, combining features from both German and Japanese styles. In this detailed review, we explore the steel, craftsmanship, knife sets, sharpening options, and performance of some of their popular knives to help you decide if Imarku knives are right for your kitchen.
Steel Matters: Understanding Imarku’s Knife Blades
The quality of a knife blade largely depends on the steel used, along with how the knife is made—whether stamped or forged—and the heat treatment process that strengthens the steel. While Imarku may use various steels, here are the main types we found in the knives we tested:
- 5Cr15MoV
Used in Imarku’s Deba knife and possibly other unspecified blades labeled as "high carbon Japanese steel" or "high carbon German steel." This inexpensive Chinese steel is roughly equivalent to German X50CrMoV15 found in brands like Wusthof and Zwilling. It offers good corrosion resistance, is easy to sharpen, and typically rates about 54-56 HRC. With only about 0.15% carbon, it’s one of the softer high-carbon steels, which means it requires more frequent sharpening but is affordable and fine for basic kitchen use.
- 7Cr17MoV
Seen in some mid-range Imarku chef knives, this Chinese steel corresponds to Japanese SUS440A and American 440A steels but includes more vanadium for improved hardness. With about 0.7% carbon, it’s harder (56-58 HRC), has better edge retention, and improved corrosion resistance. However, higher sulfur content may make it more brittle and prone to chipping. Opinions on its quality vary, and it’s mostly found in budget-friendly knives.
- Damascus Steel
Traditionally, Damascus steel is made by layering hard and soft steels to create beautiful patterns and improved blade qualities. Imarku claims to use Damascus steel on some expensive knives, but the knives we tested lack typical Damascus patterns. Instead, Imarku may refer to a protective steel wrap around a harder cutting edge as Damascus, but this doesn’t affect cutting performance.
- High Carbon German and Japanese Steel
These generic terms are often used without specifying exact composition, likely referring to Chinese equivalents of known steels like SUS440A or X50CrMoV15.
- Powdered Steel
Found in Imarku’s most expensive knives, powdered steel is made through powder metallurgy, creating finer grain structures. This leads to greater hardness (up to 61-63 HRC), improved edge retention, and better corrosion resistance. Although Imarku doesn’t specify the exact powdered steel type, even inexpensive versions offer performance advantages over regular steel.
- SUS440A
A budget Japanese steel similar to 7Cr17MoV, it contains about 0.7% carbon, offers moderate hardness (55-58 HRC), good corrosion resistance, and decent edge retention when properly heat treated.
Handle Design and Materials
All Imarku knives tested feature Japanese-style handles—either oval or D-shaped—with one unique diamond-shaped handle on their premium $130 chef knife. Handles are made of pakkawood, a durable wood-resin composite commonly seen in high-end knives like Shun. This material is dishwasher safe, though hand washing is recommended for longevity.
Some larger sets include knives with soft plastic or stainless steel handles, which we did not test. Overall, Imarku handles are comfortable for all hand sizes and among the most user-friendly we’ve tried.
About Imarku Knife Sets
Imarku offers both large and small knife sets. The large stainless steel knife sets with block, priced around from $100 to $200, is one of their more expensive offerings, which are highly recommended fro those who has a low budget on kitchen knives. Large sets (14-16 knives) can be found for at the price range from $69.99--$199.99, equating to about $5--$13 per knife.
We suggest purchasing individual knives or small sets (3-5 pieces) instead of large bundles. Large sets often include unfamiliar or less useful knives, are mostly stamped rather than forged, and generally lack detailed information about steel quality or manufacturing.
Imarku’s small sets, usually without blocks, tend to be better quality. Their steak knife sets are decent deals but mostly serrated, which may or may not suit your preferences.
Honing and Sharpening Imarku Knives
To maintain sharpness, a honing steel is essential. Imarku recommends a whetstone and also sells a rolling knife sharpener that accommodates multiple angles (12°, 13°, 15°, and 20°) suitable for most Imarku blades. Rolling sharpeners are effective, safe, easy to use, and require little skill, but Imarku’s model costs about $200, which is higher than comparable options.
If you’re comfortable with a whetstone, it’s a good choice, especially given Imarku knives’ variety of cutting angles. Pull-through sharpeners aren’t ideal unless you have one matching your knife’s exact angle.
Imarku Chef Knife Review
Best-selling 8'' Chef Knife Key Specs
Out-of-box sharpness: 250g on Bess C scale (comparable to high-end cutlery)
Hardness: 56-58 HRC
Weight: 6.6 oz
Spine thickness at handle: 2.5 mm
Steel: High carbon stainless steel (likely 5Cr15MoV or similar)
Handle: German-style pakkawood, available in 5 colors
90-day returns and lifetime warranty
7-Inch Deba Knife Key Specs
5cr15mov steel
HRC 56-58
Weight: 10.9 oz (heavy)
Pakkawood D-shaped Japanese handle (best for right-handed users)
Bess C Sharpness rating: 80g (average of 3 tests)
90-day returns and lifetime warranty
8" Damascus Chef Knife Key Specs
High carbon German stainless steel with powdered steel cutting edge
HRC 61-63
Hammered Tsuchime finish (dimples helps reduce food sticking to blade)
Weight: 9oz.
Pakkawood oval handle
Bess C sharpness rating 165g (average of 3 tests)
90-day returns and lifetime warranty
Professional Japanese Damascus 8'' Chef Knife Key Specs
7Cr17MoV steel blade
HRC 62-65
Weight: 8.5oz.
Square-shaped handle with steel endcap
Bess C sharpness rating: 115g (avg of 3 tests)
90-day returns and lifetime warranty
This knife arrived in protective packaging with instructions and blade guards. It was very sharp out of the box and maintained sharpness for about a week without honing. Afterward, a few passes on a ceramic honing steel kept it razor-sharp for a variety of tasks, from vegetables to meats and even cutting through chicken bones and hard squash.
The 1.7-inch blade height provides excellent knuckle clearance, and the pakkawood handle fits comfortably in both small and large hands. It’s impressive to see such quality handle material on a $40 knife.
Compared to similarly priced knives like Victorinox or Mercer, this Imarku model stands out for its aesthetics and solid performance.
Recommendation:
This knife offers good edge retention, a comfortable handle, and solid workhorse performance resembling a German chef knife despite its Japanese styling. It’s a good choice if durability is your priority, but not if you want a light, nimble Japanese-style knife.
Pros and Cons of Imarku Knives
Pros:
- Affordable price points
- Comfortable, durable pakkawood handles
- Very sharp out of the box
- Attractive packaging
- Good blade height on chef knives
- Blend of German and Japanese design elements
Cons:
- Some steels are relatively soft, requiring frequent sharpening
- Limited transparency about steel composition and manufacturing origin
- Occasional customer service issues reported
- Typos and confusing product information on some pages
Conclusion
Imarku knives offer excellent value for those seeking affordable, attractive, and functional kitchen tools. Their use of various steels—while sometimes unclear—provides options for entry-level to mid-range performance. Handles are a particular highlight, combining comfort and durability.
While large knife sets are generally not recommended, individual knives and small sets are good buys, especially the 8-inch Gyuto chef knife, which competes well against similarly priced competitors.
If you want a reliable workhorse knife with some Japanese styling at an affordable price, Imarku is worth considering. However, if you desire high-end steel details, lightweight nimbleness, or premium craftsmanship, you may need to look toward more established brands with clearer specs and finer finishing.
Review by The Rational Kitchen
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