Iceberg lettuce chicken sub loaded with freshly-grated parmesan, served with jalapeño salsa– your mouth’s about to water, is it?
Meat, being a member of the most consumed food item in the world demands the best meat cleavers as meat lunatics like it chopped into paper-thin slices or if not so thin, at least into small pieces. But like every other product, markets have an unbelievable variety of high-quality meat cleavers to offer.
Meat is a gourmet feast in itself. Meat eaters know that they can surf the wave of mouth-watering meat dishes and still not get tired. From classic cuisines to sandwiches, from subs to burgers, meat can match the vibe of every product, making it a wholesome protein package.
Still dubious about the popularity of meat and meat products? Here are some facts that the United States meat industry wants to offer.
Product | Features |
 | Mueller 7-Inch Meat Cleaver Knife
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 | Utopia Kitchen 7-Inch Knife
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 | XYJ Full Tang Butcher Knife
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 | Juvale Meat Cleaver Knife
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 | Freelander Hand-Forged 6.3-Inch Meat Cleaver
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 | Winco 8-Inches Chinese Cleaver
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 | Dragon Riot Hand Forged Cleaver Knife (7 inches)Product Name
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Contents
The US Meat Industry – A Prime Consumer Of The Best Meat Cleavers
The United States meat and poultry industry are among the most gigantic agricultural industries of the US, feeding approximately 326 million Americans. The industry recorded a total production of 26.2 billion pounds of beef and 48 billion pounds of poultry in 2017. Talking about beef, the industry could produce 26.2 billion pounds of beef in 2017.
The size of the United States meat and poultry industry can be estimated by its inventories. In 2018, 8he industry maintained a stock of 526 million chickens and nearly 244 million turkeys. Tyson Foods Inc. remained the leader, reporting sales of 38 billion US dollars in 2018.
In 2017, the following were the digits related to different kinds of meat processing by the US meat and poultry industry:
- 121 million hogs
- 241.7 million turkeys
- 2.2 million sheep and lambs
- 9 billion chickens
- 32.2 million calves and cattle
Area-specific meat and poultry producers
Meat is among the most commonly consumed food products, especially in developed nations like the US and Canada. The US meat industry has some of the largest slaughtering houses that are responsible for millions of pounds of meat and poultry every year. Following are the top meat and poultry producing areas of the US.
| Meat items | Areas |
| Chicken | Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia |
| Cattle | California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas, |
| Hog | Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Oklahoma |
| Turkey | North Carolina, Arkansas, Minnesota |
Meat and poultry industry as a pillar for the economy
The United States meat and poultry industry is undoubtedly a concrete pillar for the US economy, generating a considerable amount of revenue for the authorities. Besides, the industry is also a source of livelihood for millions of people.
According to the figures, the employees working at meat plants earned USD 14.98 (plus benefits) per hour in 2017. On the other hand, the poultry workers were given USD 13.58 (plus benefits) per hour. In 2016, the industry recorded total produce of $1.02 trillion, which was roughly 5.6% of the US GDP in that year.
And thus, humongous quantities of meat lead us to a single place – high demands for good meat cleavers and butcher knives.
Daily meat consumption in the US
As talked about above, meat is one of the staple diets of developed countries like the US and Canada. The section describes the average gender-based daily meat consumption of people in the US.
On average, men consume 4.8 ounces of meat every day, while American women consume 3.13 ounces of meat per day. The total expenditure on food by the people of the US is the lowest as compared to other developed economies (highest spenders include Austria, Australia, Ireland, etc).
Experts recommend the average daily meat consumption should be nearly 5.7 ounces for both men and women, which contains 160-200 calories per 3oz and a whole lot of protein. Besides, meat is an abode to several key micronutrients like iron, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B, and much more.
And automatically, countries that demand high quantities of meat also demand good quantities of best meat cleavers for the money.
The best meat cleavers – A short introduction
There’s quite a good probability that you land up to this article randomly and might be unaware of what a meat cleaver is. If that’s the scenario, here is what a meat cleaver is all about.
Have you ever visited a slaughterhouse or have seen retail vendors selling meat products? If yes, then you might have noticed a large knife they use for cutting the meat. That’s what a meat cleaver is. In other words, a meat cleaver is a big knife with a rectangular-shaped blade for cutting meat.
These knives are not necessarily found only with slaughterers. These are also a member of your kitchen. And thus, homeowners have been looking for the best meat cleavers for home use but can’t find the best for their kitchen. Well, that’s a topic for an extensive discussion that we’ll be looking at later in this article.
Best Meat Cleavers – Buying Guide
Scouting for a meat cleaver and not able to figure out what type of meat cleavers will go best for your needs and your kitchen’s ambiance? If yes, then you aren’t alone as these simple-looking knives can confuse you because of such a huge variety of high quality meat cleavers available in the market.
Factors to look for to get the best meat cleavers
Here are some factors that you should consider while choosing the best meat cleavers for your kitchen.
- Sharpness: Sharpness is the biggest factor you should look for while buying a meat cleaver. You can find sharp and blunt cleavers. Amateur chefs go for sharp knives, while professional butchers find blunt knives more compelling.
- Blade material: Blade material determines the durability and texture of the knife. Stainless steel knives are simple, shiny, and affordable cleavers, while carbon and manganese steel blades are premium and designer knives.
- Grip: Grip should be slip-resistant so that the user can enjoy a hassle-free chopping.
- Storage: Some brands offer a hole on the top corner of the knife. On the other hand, some brands provide a leather heath for storing the cleaver.
How are the best meat cleavers designed?
Meat cleavers can be called sturdy knives as their design is much more muscular than a usual knife. Meat requires a higher number of blows as compared to vegetables because it is much thicker and has cartilage and bones and thus, cleavers are made with a tough edge to withstand these blows.
Meat cleavers are swung like hammers and use momentum to cut through dense meat and bones instead of chopping like an ordinary kitchen knife. The efficiency of the best butcher cleavers depends upon two factors – firstly, how hard the cleaver is swung and second, the weight of the cleaver.
Fun Fact: The best meat cleaver knives are always made with blunt blades. In other words, sharp cleavers are undesirable.
In addition to this, some of the best butcher cleavers have a hole on their top front corner so that the owner could hang them on the wall as keeping them flat may damage their blades.
Why should your kitchen necessarily have a high quality meat cleaver knife?
Cleavers are defiantly one of the most essential tools in a kitchen but unfortunately, most people are pretty dubious regarding the use of these monster knives and the reason being the muscular look of these knives.
Meat cleavers are highly efficient not only in chopping, crushing, mincing, and dicing meat, but also for vegetables. But again, the buyer should have sufficient knowledge of these tools. Thus, it is very important to have this versatile knife in your kitchen.
The best meat cleaver brands manufacture meat cleavers that help the user in the following ways.
· “Must-have” equipment for your kitchen
If you own a kitchen, then congratulations we have something that’s well-suited equipment for your kitchen. This is, unquestionably, a meat cleaver! Homeowners should look forward to the best meat cleavers to buy so that their kitchen has a companion for meat.
People who spend most of their time in the kitchen know that meat cleavers are quite efficient in cutting meat in the desired shape and size so that it can match the vibe of the dish. Besides, homeowners should not hesitate in investing in the best meat cleavers for home use as these gigantic knives last pretty long, making them a one-time investment.
· Speeding up cooking
Meat cleavers, as you know, have huge blades and large handles. The blades are also designed to be quite broad. This design makes these knives ideal for chopping at a high pace without shattering the meat piece. And thus, top meat cleavers will help you speed your cooking and get the best out of the dish.
· Ideal for chopping tough vegetables
The top meat cleaver knives deserve to be in your kitchen even if you are not a non-vegetarian as these knives are highly efficient in chopping vegetables. Primarily, butcher cleaver knives are used for chopping tough fruits and vegetables like pumpkins, pineapples, etc.
Fitness is among the top concerns throughout the world, which has resulted in the increasing popularity of the keto diet. The diet involves replacing all the carbohydrates with fats and proteins and staying in a calorie deficit, which results in burning excessive body fat.
Fruits and vegetables are vital components of a keto diet, some of which are tough to cut from an ordinary knife. Thus, cleaver knives are again, your companion.
Best Meat Cleavers Reviews
Markets have always been known to possess a tendency to confuse buyers. And in this case, too, markets have a lot of the best meat cleaver knives to offer. The confusion is even more profound in products where the differences in the products are minor (meat cleavers are one such product).
Thus for the sake of simplifying the process of choosing the best cleaver, we have shortlisted some high-quality meat cleavers that you can go for if you too are looking for a meat cleaver. Here is a list of the top 7 best meat cleavers available in the market.
1. Mueller 7-Inch Meat Cleaver Knife
Terrifying chicken and cattle, Mueller’s 7-inch meat cleaver knife is the perfect companion for your kitchen knife set. Mueller Australia has been able to set several appreciable milestones in manufacturing cleavers and knife that makes it one of the best meat cleaver brands and an outstanding partner in cooking.
- Mueller’s butcher knife is known for its extremely durable stainless steel blade that is corrosion, rust, and discoloration proof and sharpens quickly.
- The razor-sharp blade can cut through the toughest meats and slice them like paper. Besides, it can also be used for chopping veggies.
- Mueller’s clever technology makes chopping, dicing, slicing, etc a doodle through their extensively safe knives that prevent finger numbness and fatigue.
- Trust of Mueller’s years of market-ruling technologies.
2. Utopia Kitchen 7-Inch Knife
Talking about the top 5 meat cleavers and the name Utopia kitchen doesn’t come up seems unrealistic, isn’t it? Utopia Kitchen’s 7-inch cleaver knives are able to secure a reputed position among the hot-selling meat cleavers, making it an eminent member of our list of top 5 meat cleavers in the market.
- The blade is manufactured out of 100% stainless steel, which makes it sturdy and versatile kitchen equipment.
- The Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene or ABS handle provides a superior grip to the user so that he/she can cut through tough meat pieces.
- The razor-sharp blade can cut through the most stubborn meat and vegetables, helping you chop it like anything.
- Utopia Kitchen’s cleaver knife is quite popular among professional chefs as its design is perfect for commercial kitchens.
- The product is also dishwasher safe and is capable of retaining its shine for a long time.
3. XYJ Full Tang Butcher Knife
Standing out among other butcher knives, XYJ’s butcher knife is definitely a one-stop destination for homeowners demanding elegance in every product they keep in their house. The sturdy matte finish of this cleaver would surely lure you to make it a part of your kitchen knife set.
- The high carbon manganese steel gives this knife a heart-melting look and enhancing the looks of your kitchen shelf.
- Soldered integration of the blade and handle makes it extremely durable and capable of withstanding repeated blows.
- The 30 years of expertise of XYJ offers handmade forged butcher knives with no-slip handles for an amazing grip.
- The knife comes with a premium leather knife sheath that not only gives it an extravagant look but also keeps it shiny, sharp, and safe.
The manufacture advises cleaning (or at least wipe) the knife after use as high carbon content can retain alkaline or acidic substances. Besides, it is recommended to apply some cooking oil and store it in a dry place for higher durability.
4. Juvale Meat Cleaver Knife
To sync with the popularity of meat and meat products, Juvale designed a heavy-duty butcher knife but like every other product, the brand didn’t compromise with elegance and minimalism. The product offers a sober vibe through a combination of a shining stainless steel blade and a wooden handle.
- Juvale designed an impeccable blade, which makes it one of the best meat cleavers for cutting bone and flesh.
- The wooden handle is triple-riveted for ensuing sheer durability and comfort.
- Like other meat cleavers, Juvale has also given a hole on the top corner of this knife for easy hanging and storage.
- The butcher knife is easy to clean and is dishwasher-friendly.
- Despite its large size, the cleaver is extremely light-weight i.e. 2.1 lbs.
5. Freelander Hand-Forged 6.3-Inch Meat Cleaver
Standing among the classiest meat cleaver knives, Freelander’s hand-forged meat cleaver is definitely a “go-to” product if elegance is what you crave. The high carbon steel blade with a brown handle will undoubtedly provide an aristocratic look to your kitchen shelves.
- Freelander has never compromised with durability and this time too, the meat cleaver is designed out of 5Cr15Mov high carbon steel that can reach hardness up to 58 HCR. The material is known for maintaining prolonged sharpness as compared to an ordinary stainless steel cleaver.
- The handle is made out of curved red sandalwood, which provides slip-resistance and bold grip.
- The 16-degrees edged blade makes this cleaver a super sharp knife for cutting meat carcasses.
- The hand-forged blade has a 45-degree cut top for an exotic look.
- The product passes through multi-level composite processing that provides endurance and stability to the cleaver.
- To enhance the extravagance, Freelander provides a premium leather knife sheath for safe storage.
- The manufacturer offers 30 days money-back guarantee on this cleaver
6. Winco 8-Inches Chinese Cleaver
Winco’s Chinese cleaver is one of the best options for buyers who emphasize affordability. The meat cleaver starts from as less as USD 5, which makes it affordable yet one of the best meat cleavers for the money.
But by calling it an affordable option, we don’t mean to call it a “compromised product”. The product is still a hot-selling product on Amazon and satisfying thousands of people.
- Winco’s Chinese cleaver is quite minimalistic with a sober wooden handle and stainless steel blade.
- The cleaver is corrosion and rust-resistant.
- The manufacturer has emphasized making the product dishwasher friendly.
- Ideal dimensions for making it a user-friendly product.
7. Dragon Riot Hand Forged Cleaver Knife (7 inches)
Dragon Riot’s meat cleaver is yet another elite meat cleaver that will light up your kitchen shelf’s ambiance. The forged cleaver is a perfect combination of style and durability, making it the best choice for homeowners.
- Dragon Riot carved its cleaver out of the most durable steel in the market i.e. high carbon and high manganese steel to make it a one-time investment for the homeowners. The hardness may reach up to 60 HRC.
- The cleaver is extremely lightweight and possesses an unparallel design with a practical liner that makes cutting a pleasurable doodle.
- The razor-edge can pierce through the most stubborn pieces of flesh and bones, making it one of the best meat cleavers for cutting bone.
- The ergonomic handle makes it very convenient to hold this cleaver.
- The cleaver has passed through 100 steps of processing and quality checks, making it a great choice for chefs and homeowners.
This is not the end of the list. If you are looking for the best meat cleavers made in USA, we have something for you. Dexter-Russell 8-inch cleaver knife is the best meat cleaver made in USA as it is made up of high carbon stainless steel and the handle is made out of rosewood.
If you are wondering that Can you Freeze Lunch meat? you can check our detailed article to know more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the meaning of a cleaver?
Meat cleavers can be called “monster knives” due to their massive size. To be precise, meat cleavers are specialized knives used for slicing, chopping, and dicing meat and meat products. These knives have a large, rectangular-shaped blade to cut through dense meat and bones.
Meat, being dense, demands a higher number of blows, which is quite tough to achieve through an ordinary kitchen knife. Besides, meat also has cartilage and bones, which again can’t be cut through ordinary knives. Thus, specialized knives called cleavers help in achieving this by using sheer momentum, and thus, meat cleavers are a “must-have” item in a kitchen.
2. What are meat cleavers used for?
Meat cleavers being quite versatile are used for the following purposes.
1. Cutting meat and meat products: Meat cleavers are used for cutting, chopping, and dicing meat and meat products. In other words, these are specialized knives that can cut through flesh, cartilage, and bones and help you get the meat pieces of the desired shape and size.
2. Speeding up the cooking process: Meat cleavers have huge blades and large handles with broad blades. This design makes these knives ideal for chopping much faster than a normal kitchen knife and that too, without shattering the meat piece. And thus, they help in speeding up your cooking and getting the most out of the dish.
3. Chopping tough vegetables: Meat cleaver knives should be in your kitchen even if you are not a non-vegetarian as these knives are highly efficient in chopping vegetables. Primarily, these knives are used for chopping tough fruits and vegetables like pumpkins, pineapples, etc.
3. Why do cleavers have a hole?
If you observe a meat cleaver closely, you might notice that many meat cleavers have a hole in the top corner of the blade. Have you ever wondered why do they have such holes? The reason behind this is very simple. These holes are used for hanging the knife. This helps in maintaining the shine and sharpness of the blade.
Many premium meat cleavers manufacturers provide a leather knife sheath with their cleavers that help in retaining the shine and sharpness of the blade. Besides, this also eliminates the need of providing a hole on the top of the cleaver.
4. Should a cleaver be sharp?
Well, this is quite controversial to talk about cleavers being sharp or not. Some or most of the homeowners like cleavers to be sharp so that they can cut through meat easily. This is because amateur chefs lack the skills of chopping meat. But if you ask a professional slaughterer, they like cleavers to be heavy, broad, and blunt as they find it ideal for cutting any kind of meat.
But we have seen in our list of top 7 best meat cleavers that almost every product we called the best meat cleaver had sharp edges. This makes them suitable for your kitchen.
5. What do you cut with a cleaver?
Cleavers are efficient in cutting every type of meat, being chicken, hog, lamb, turkey, cattle, etc. These gigantic knives can cut through the most stubborn meats, bone, and cartilage. And since meat is among the staple foods in developed nations like the US and Canada, the top meat cleavers are a “must-have” product in everyone’s kitchen. Even if you are vegetarian, your kitchen still should have a cleaver as they help in cutting tough fruits and vegetables like pineapples, pumpkins, etc.
6. What is the best meat cleaver?
We have already tried to answer this question in our list of the top 7 best meat cleavers to buy in the market. But still, if you can’t figure out the best cleaver knife for your kitchen, here is a cleaver that we would like you to use.
Freelander Hand Forged 6.3” Meat Cleaver
The following are the specifications.
• High durability because of its 5Cr15Mov high carbon steel build material.
• Can maintain sharpness for a longer time as compared to a stainless steel cleaver
• Curved sandalwood handle for better grip
• 45 degrees top for astonishing looks
• Includes a premium leather knife sheath
• 30-days money-back guarantee
Though all the products we have shortlisted won’t fail to impress you but still, Freelander’s cleaver will stand out among other meat cleavers.
7. What is a butcher’s cleaver called?
A butcher’s cleaver is known by several other names, depending upon regions. Some of the most common names used for butcher’s cleaver are as follows:
• Chopper
• Meat cleaver
• Bucher’s knife
8. How do you sharpen a cleaver?
A sharpened meat cleaver knife helps the chef to slice the meat into paper-thin slices and match the vibe of a dish. We have different methods of sharpening a cleaver, one of which is listed below.
• Sharpen your cleaver by keeping it at an angle of 22.5 degrees and rubbing the blade against a rough stone.
• After achieving a satisfactory sharpness at this angle, tilt the cleaver to 30 degrees and follow the same process of rubbing against the stone till you get the desired sharpness.
• Repeat the process with the other side of the blade.
And again, if you are too much into chopping and cooking, you don’t require a razor-sharp blade as this will make you end up ruining your dish by folding the meat. Thus, to achieve this, we advise you to keep the angle of the cleaver between 30 to 35 degrees.
9. Should I buy a cleaver?
Yes, large meat cleavers is definitely a “must-have” equipment for your knife set. If you love to cook, it’s recommended that you should buy a cleaver because of an appreciable range of advantages that these monster-looking knives offer.
You can slice, dice, chop, or mincemeat and meat items, no matter what type of meat it is (beef, pork, chicken, mutton, etc), and thus, cleavers can be called companions in cooking. Even if you don’t like meat, large meat cleavers would still help you cut hard fruits and vegetables like pumpkin, watermelon, etc.
We have talked about this in the above sections that how cleavers can help you cook by speeding up your cooking process, which implies that you need to fear the humongous size of these knives and welcome them warmly to your kitchen shelf.
