Since the invention of cooking, kitchen utensils have been used to make our lives easier. They’ve evolved alongside mankind’s culinary skills and, in fact, have made possible some delicious dishes from all over the world.
Of course, the creation or improvement of said kitchen utensils often depends on technology’s advances so it comes as no surprise that objects as simple and straightforward as knives have evolved tremendously over the years and the best example of this are electric knives.
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What Are Electric Fillet Knives?
Simply put, electric knives are knives that use electricity in order to facilitate the process of cutting or slicing.
Have you ever seen those cartoons where two happy lumberjacks saw a tree in half by using a huge two-man saw?
Well electric knives work a little like that. There are two serrated blades that move back and forth continuously, reducing the amount of effort one uses when cutting.
- Check this article if you are looking for a sushi knife.
Related Video: How To Use an Electric Fillet Knife
How Do Electric Fillet Knives Work?
Unlike regular electric knives or electric carving knives, which often use two blades to accomplish their goal, electric fillet knives use single, very sharp blade in order to make slicing and cleaning fish and delicate cuts faster with considerably more ease than traditional fillet knives.
What Are The Advantages of Electric Fillet Knives?
- Speed: Filleting isn’t the kind of process you want to rush but electric fillet knives simply make it faster. Believe it or not, your filleting knife will slide through the fish as fast and smoothly as a hot knife through butter, making the process a matter of seconds.
- Ease of Use: Not only does electric fillet knives make filleting easier but it makes it possible for people with health issues (such as arthritis) that might prevent them from using a traditional knife.
- Affordability: Contrary to what you’d believe, electric fillet knives are actually more affordable than their traditional counterparts, maybe because the later are considered ‘speciality’ items.
- Safety: No matter how you look at it a knife is a dangerous tool, particularly if you’re not careful with them. Electric knives, however, come with security locks that keeps them from starting them accidentally which makes them safer than their traditional counterparts.
- Save Money: If you’re a fan of fishing, or at least a fan of fish, owning your own electric filleting knife makes life easier and cheaper, as filleting a whole fish yourself is cheaper than buying fish fillets.
What To Look For To Find The Best Electric Fillet Knives?
While all electric fillet knives work in relatively the same way, there are certain factors that are different from model to model.
Knowing about these factor will make choosing the right filleting knife much easier for you.
- Blade: The blade is easily the most important part of the electric knife which is why you should never be cheap when it comes to this. Stainless steel is the way to go as this will keep the blade from corroding or bending.
- Speed: A filleting knife without multiple speeds is a one trick pony. You want to be able to change the speed with which the blade moves in order to control how the filleting goes.
- Length: A small blade won’t help you for large fish and a large blade will be cumbersome and downright dangerous when filleting small ones. Think about the size you’ll need more often before choosing your knife.
- Corded vs Cordless: Electric fillet knives com both in corded and cordless versions so choose wisely. Corded knives are usually more powerful but considerably less portable. A cordless knife is far more practical but they’re limited to the battery life.
As a rule of thumb, if you plan on filleting at home then a corded option is better. If you like fishing and prefer filleting outside, then the cordless version is the way to go.
Now that you know exactly what to look for when it comes to electric filleting knives, it’s time to look at the best electric fillet knife models in the market so you don’t have to sort through knives that may not work for you.
Let’s get started!
Best Electric Fillet Knife Reviews 2018
via Amazon.com
This is a very lightweight knife that’s easy to use and versatile, thanks to its 5 blades which can be swapped for all your filleting needs.
This corded knife was designed to operate for long periods of time thanks to its powerful motor and soft and comfortable grips an the exchangeable stainless steel blades stay safely in place no matter what you do.
Talking about safety, this particular knife comes with a safety lock to prevent any accidents.
It’s worth mentioning that, despite the fact that this knife comes with a handy traveling bag, this knife is corded so you won’t be able to take it with you during your fishing trips. However, the cord is rather lengthy so you’ll be able to move around your kitchen or work station without any trouble.
There’s one rather negative aspect that takes points off from what’s otherwise an excellent knife and it’s the fact that, the knife gets really hot when operating.
Pros
- Comes with 5 blades
- Comes with a practical travel bag
- Very powerful and lightweight
- Ergonomic design that makes it easy to operate
Cons
- The handle does get rather hot after long periods of time
- Expensive
- Despite the travel bag, this is a corded knife
via Amazon.com
This is a rather affordable filleting knife that’s perfect to clean several fish at the time, thanks not only to its design, which keeps it from overheating, but also to its light weight and its blade which focuses on filleting over and over again.
In general, this blade was designed for quantity rather than versatility which means that it will help you fillet a whole lot of fish but you’ll only have one way of doing it as this knife lacks exchangeable blades.
What it lacks in versatility it makes up in comfort as not only was this knife designed to be as comfortable as possible but it’s also very quiet which is always a plus.
Of course, there’s not such thing as the perfect filleting knife which means that there are some negative aspects and in the case of the Rapala three thigns stand to attention:
The lack of exchangeable blades means that you’ll have to make due with only one size, which is a problem when it comes to more delicate fish.
This is a corded knife, so you’re going to have to use it somewhere with an electrical plug. That said, the cord is very long so that makes up for its lack of portability.
Thirdly, and this one is the whammy, while the knife was made to be comfortable during prolonged use it can overheat if you use it for a long time so you need to give it a break even if you don’t feel like you need one.
Regardless of the negative aspects, this is one of the most comfortable electric filleting knives out there and its sharp, stainless steel blade is perfect for skinning which is always great.
Pros
- Resistant and super sharp blade
- Designed with comfort in mind
- Long cord
- 1 year warranty
Cons
- Only one kind of blade, which might not be suitable to work with all kinds of fish
- Will overheat if left running for too long
via Amazon.com
While not a dedicated electric filleting knife, this electric knife comes with exchangeable blades to make filleting jobs possible. Of course, this is a bit of a double sided weapon (no pun intended) because it means that its filleting capabilities aren’t as good but it can be used for many more jobs.
This is the kind of electric knife you want if you plan on doing more than filleting.
This is a very eye catching knife, not only thanks to its elegant design but also becomes it comes with a wooden storage bay that combines perfectly with its sleek appearance. It comes with exchangeable stainless steel blades, a long cord, and an ergonomic design that makes it very easy to use.
Because this isn’t a dedicated filleting knife it does tend to have some trouble if used against bone or similar hard surfaces as this can permanently damage the knife. While beautiful, the handle does feel rather flimsy so if you’re looking for something sturdy you can use over and over again in all kinds of circumstances this is probably not the knife for you.
In general, the Cuisinart CEK-40 is the perfect filleting knife for those less interested in filleting and more interested in using it for a variety of purposes. Plus, this is one of the most affordable items in our list so it’s definitely one you should consider if you’re on a budget.
Pros
- Exchangeable blades
- Comes with a beautiful holding station
- Sleek and attractive appearance
- Can be used for more than filleting
Cons
- Not a dedicated filleting knife
- Handle is plastic and might feel too light for some
- Not strong enough to cut through bone
- Might overheat if used for long periods of time
via Amazon.com
Mister Twister is one of those classics that are constantly mentioned in reviews like this one and it’s easy to see why.
This is a very light weight and simple to use carving knife that simplifies the entire process thanks to its incredibly sharp, stainless steel blades which were designed specifically for filleting.
Its security mechanisms prevent accidentally turning it on, problems with the electric urgent (as it’s grounded) and it comes with a comprehensive two year warranty that has your back in case of manufacturer defects.
This knife cuts through fish incredibly quickly, is lightweight and very powerful which would make it ideal except for the fact that it’s a corded knife with a too short cord and that the handle isn’t all that comfortable to hold.
Another negative aspect, which is entirely subjective, is the color palette. Sure, Mister Twister’s knives are easily recognizable thanks to those colors but that doesn’t make it any better.
This wouldn’t be a problem if you were able to, say, take it with you fishing since the bright colors would help you find it even in less than perfect conditions but it becomes an actual eyesore when you use it in your kitchen and considering that’s exactly where you’re going to have to use it… well, sometimes less means more, particularly when it comes to design.
Despite everything, this is a very reliable purchase and also one of the most affordable in this list.
The best thing? Its affordability doesn’t sacrifice quality because the folks at Mister Twister have been creating quality knives for years!
Pros
- Affordable
- Cuts great
- Super sharp blades
- Comes with a warranty
- Lasts for a long time
Cons
- Not comfortable to use for long periods of time
- Too short power cord
- Distracting colors
via Amazon.com
Yes, this is a carving knife. Yes, we’re aware that carving is generally a less delicate process than filleting. Yes, this knife works great for filleting either way.
One of the best aspects of this knife is the handle, which was created to be able to be used for long periods of time thanks not only to its ergonomical design but also to its non-slip grip, which is perfect when working with slippery fish.
This is also one of the most affordable models in this list both in the short and long run as the blades are easy to find and replace so don’t be afraid of using this knife as often as possible!
The speed does leave a lot to desire or rather the lack of variable speed. It’s understandable than in order to reach a good balance between quality and price they had to leave some features behind but there’s no doubt people would’ve been willing to pay more for this model if this feature had remained untouched.
Pros
- Works very well
- Affordable
- The blades are sharp, easy to replace and dishwasher safe
- Simple to operate, even with only a single hand
Cons
- Safety settings can be disabled too easily
- The instruction manual is inadequate and this knife requires some trial and error
- No storage case
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