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In this article we review, what we believe to be the best utility knife currently available on the UK marketplace. There are a few good choices, and if you are not sure exactly which one to pick, this article will help you out.
People always ask us what is the best utility knife? As you can see below, its the Stanley model that comes out number one for value though the Bessy model is by far the best quality and would be my personal choice.
We have investigated and researched these in quite a bit of depth, and hopefully that will save you the trouble. Based on the information, that we have been able to gather, a large proportion of homes in the UK, have at least 2-3 of these.
When you then think of the number of businesses in the UK, I am sure there are a few million more. They are of course a very useful tool to have, and are used for a whole range of tasks.
Those include cutting up cardboard, cutting string, opening those annoying plastic packages, and are used often in the home, garden or office. Every tradesman I know, will have a few of these rattling about in their tool kits.
Let's have a closer look though, and see which one is actually the best.
Generally speaking utility knives anywhere from £3-20, depending on which brand you decide to go for. You can also buy these in small kits as well. The kits may come with a pouch, hanging loop and spare blades so you will pay a bit more for those.
Top 5 Utility Knives
Just below you will find a table, where we have placed our choices of knives in order. The order we have used is simply the order of what we believe will be good choices for most buyers.
The ratings are ours, and we update these on a regular weekly basis.
If you click on the product name, you will be taken to Amazon UK, where you can read other buyer reviews. In this table we have included our ranking, the product name, an average UK price, our rating and our grade. The Rating is out of 100%
Rank | Product Name | Rating | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stanley SM9 Snap Off Knife | 92% | A+ |
2 | Bessey Manufacturer Displays Knife | 96% | A+ |
3 | Klein Tools 44131 Folding Utility Knife | 92% | A+ |
4 | Bosch Professional Universal Folding Knife | 96% | A+ |
4 | Draper 24383 Folding Trimming Knife | 88% | B |
These are our top 5 picks. We have based these on what we believe to be the best value for money. At the end of the day, the one you pick will come down to your available budget, and how much use it is going to get.
Utility Knife Summary Reviews
Underneath, we have completed short and concise reviews, on these top 5 products. That way you can see at a glance, which one is the best choice for you.
Best Overall - Stanley SM9 Snap Off Knife
92% buyer satisfaction from over 3,000+ customer reviews
You get a set of three knives and the snap off blades width is 15 mm
The blade slides up and down by a small side button and the position can be locked in
When the blade goes blunt, you snap it off, and underneath you have a new blade to work with.
They are really easy to use and we think they are excellent value for money
A good choice for any crafters out there and also for any hobbyists
This is just a handy small and cheap knife set to have around the home. They are designed to be disposable, but once finished you can still buy replacement blades. They are a bit flimsy but as long as you use them for light work, you will have no trouble with these.
These are not designed for any type of heavy work, so please don't expect miracles from a plastic knife with snap off blades. They are really useful for those small jobs, like cutting up cardboard, whenever you need a sharp blade.
Professional Choice - Bessey BESDBKPH A-K Displays Knife
96% buyer satisfaction from over 200+ customer reviews
In our opinion this will be the best utility knife you will ever own
Painted chrome body
German made, heavyweight, great grip and balance
Spare blades in the handle when you need them
Sturdy and built to last
A bit more expensive than the disposable models but well work the extra
86% of all buyers rate this 10 out of 10
This is one tough knife with all the right features. The blade folds away, comes with 5 spare blades and can also clip on to your belt.
Super simple to change a blade safely. There is also a nice little thumb grip on top, when you need to apply some extra pressure such as when you are trimming or cutting carpet as an example.
It is more expensive but will last you for years.
Best Lock Knife - Klein Tools 44131 Folding Utility Knife
92% buyer satisfaction from over 1,200+ customer reviews
A popular choice for many UK buyers
This is a lock back knife and a utility knife and one that is very high quality
It uses a very cleaver snap lock and sliding mechanism that allows you to change blades in a heartbeat
Many buyers said thanks to the rubber grip, this blade is very comfortable to use and ideal if you need to use one of these a lot
The aluminum cutter uses a very sharp trapezoidal blade that works very well as a cable cutter, cardboard cutter or working knife for linoleum or plasterboard. A real DIY and work knife!
It has a perfect ergonomic shape and thanks to its ribbed structure, it sits firmly in your hand, even when your palms get sweaty during work.
The blade locks in the unfolded state, so that you can cut even hard materials easily and safely.
It comes with 10 spare blades in the refill magazine.
Best Folding - Bosch Professional Universal Folding Knife
96% buyer satisfaction from over 4,000+ customer reviews
This is classed as a professional knife with a practical folding mechanism
Safe to handle thanks to the secure knife, which can be released using a button, and a rubber handle
The blades can be replaced quickly and spare blades can be stored in the housing
It will last for years thanks to the die-cast aluminium housing
Best seller in the UK
The king of utility knives as far as many people in the trade are concerned. It has a hole in the handle, which enables you to hang this on hooks in tool shed etc. It also has a belt clip for storing on the move.
This knife is comfortable to hold and use. It is handy that it can store several spare blades in the handle.
Best Trimming - Draper 24383 Folding Trimming Knife
86% buyer satisfaction from over 100+ customer reviews
Buyers like this one as it works well but also has a really nice look and style to it
Buyers say it is strong. light in weight and very comfortable to use
No tools needed for a fast blade change
Handy belt clip for when you are on the go
Push button locking system
This is a proper looking utility knife and overall buyers rate this one highly enough. It is however at the higher end of the price point for a utility knife
This one does fold up nicely when not in use.
So there you have our round up of some of the best utility knives on the UK market.
Stay Safe
One of the most important things with anything with a sharp blade involved is of course to stay safe. It is vitally important to keep these away from smaller children, as they could do untold damage with one of these in their hands.
Make sure it is in a tool box, or locked away in a cabinet or drawer. When carrying out your work, it is very easy to get carried away on the task, and forget that it is sitting around.
Most of the knives on our list are designed with that safety in mind. They will fold away or retract to keep the blade hidden and locked.
Our Recommendation
If you have not made your mind up then we would recommend our number one rated knife available at Amazon UK Stanley Sm9 Snap Off Blade Knife.
This model sells under £4 on most online stores.
Sharpening a Utility Knife
It is honestly not worth the bother trying to sharpen blades. You can normally buy replacement blades for these in any DIY store or online. We would recommend getting a few packets when they are available, and keeping the somewhere safe.
Don't leave them anywhere here is moisture as they will rust at the blade edge, and then they become useless. I usually have mine tucked into my Tool Belt and it's ready to go when I need it on a job.