Mac Knife
Mac MTH-80
Excellent
Our score: 83 / 100
Read our full Mac MTH-80 review →
What we like
- Hollow-ground dimples along the blade noticeably reduce food sticking on potatoes, squash, and other starchy vegetables
- Thinner blade profile than any German knife in this price range, so it slices rather than wedges through produce
- Harder steel holds a working edge far longer between sharpenings than a soft Western blade
- Light in the hand, which reduces fatigue during long prep sessions
What we don't
- Pakkawood handle is thin and uncontoured — hands used to a full bolster or a fat Western grip need an adjustment period
- Costs roughly three times what a Victorinox Fibrox does for a real but incremental performance gain
- Harder steel is more brittle at the edge — twisting it against bone or using it as a pry bar can chip it
- The dimples that stop sticking also collect gunk that needs a scrub brush, not just a wipe, to fully clean out
Specifications
| Blade length (in) | 8 |
|---|---|
| Steel | MAC proprietary molybdenum-vanadium high-carbon stainless |
| Hardness (HRC) | 58 |
| Handle | Pakkawood — resin-laminated wood composite |
| Bolster | Small integrated bolster, no full guard |
| Weight (g) | 170 |
| Warranty (yr) | Limited lifetime |
How it compares
Mac MTH-80 vs. similar chef's knives.
| Specification | Mac MTH-80 | Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch | Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife | Zwilling Pro 8-Inch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 83Best | 78 | 78 | 76 |
| Blade length | — | — | — | — |
| Steel | MAC proprietary molybdenum-vanadium high-carbon stainless | X50CrMoV15 high-carbon stainless, forged | X50CrMoV15 high-carbon stainless | Special formula stainless steel, ice-hardened (Friodur process) |
| Hardness (HRC) | 58Best | 58Best | 56 | 57 |
| Handle | Pakkawood — resin-laminated wood composite | Triple-riveted synthetic polymer | Fibrox — textured thermoplastic elastomer | Contoured synthetic polymer, full tang |
| Bolster | Small integrated bolster, no full guard | Full forged bolster | None (no full bolster) | Full bolster with curved finger guard |
| Weight | — | — | — | — |
| Warranty | — | — | — | — |
| Blade length (in) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Weight (g) | 170 | 240 | 180 | 230 |
| Warranty (yr) | Limited lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime (limited) | Lifetime |