Comparison chart
Fillet Knife Comparison Chart
All 17 knives side by side. Our overall #1 is the BUBBA 7-Inch Tapered Flex Fillet Knife. The cheapest is the Kershaw 9-Inch Clearwater Fillet Knife, and the longest blade comes with the BUBBA Li-Ion Cordless Electric Fillet Knife. Sort by blade, flex, price or score.
| Steel | Handle | Saltwater | Sheath / case | Buy | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUBBA 7-Inch Tapered Flex Fillet Knife | Manual | 7" | Flexible | 8Cr13MoV stainless, non-stick finish | Non-slip textured grip | Yes | Yes | $45.00 | 9.2 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 2 | Rapala Fish 'n Fillet 6-Inch Knife | Manual | 6" | Flexible | Swedish stainless steel, full tang | Varnished birch | No | Yes | $30.50 | 8.9 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 3 | BUBBA Li-Ion Cordless Electric Fillet Knife | Electric | 7" / 9" / 12" | Medium flex | High-carbon stainless, Ti-nitride coated (4 blades) | Non-slip grip with trigger guard and safety lock | Yes | Yes | $169.00 | 9.0 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 4 | Kershaw 9-Inch Clearwater Fillet Knife | Manual | 9" | Medium flex | 420J2 stainless steel | Non-slip co-polymer | Yes | Yes | $16.61 | 8.6 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 5 | KastKing Speed Demon Pro 9-Inch Fillet Knife | Manual | 9" | Flexible | G4116 German stainless, corrosion-resistant black coating | Non-slip super polymer grip | Yes | Yes | $25.49 | 8.7 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 6 | Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe 9-Inch Flexible Fillet Knife | Manual | 9" | Flexible | DEXSTEEL high-carbon, high-alloy stain-free | Textured polypropylene (NSF) | Yes | No | $41.44 | 8.7 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 7 | BUBBA 9-Inch Stiff Fillet Knife | Manual | 9" | Stiff | 8Cr13MoV stainless, non-stick coated, 2 mm thick | Non-slip grip with trigger grip and finger guards | Yes | Yes | $59.95 | 8.5 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 8 | Morakniv Fishing Comfort Fillet 155 | Manual | 6.1" | Flexible | Sandvik 12C27 stainless | Polymer with soft friction grip | Yes | Yes | $31.99 | 8.5 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 9 | Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Flexible Fillet Knife | Manual | 8" | Flexible | Stamped stainless steel | Fibrox non-slip thermoplastic rubber | No | No | $42.50 | 8.4 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 10 | KastKing Folding Fillet Knife (6.5-Inch) | Folding | 6.5" | Flexible | G4116 German stainless, titanium-bonded non-stick finish | TPE rubber over glass-reinforced polypropylene | Yes | Yes | $25.99 | 8.4 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 11 | Outdoor Edge Fish & Bone Folding Fillet Knife | Folding | 5" | Medium flex | 440A stainless steel | Zytel with non-slip rubber TPR inserts | Yes | Yes | $16.95 | 8.3 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 12 | Outdoor Edge Razor-Fin Replaceable-Blade Folding Fillet Knife | Folding | 5" | Medium flex | Japanese 420J2 stainless, replaceable blades | Grivory fiberglass/nylon with rubber TPR inserts | Yes | No | $39.99 | 8.1 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 13 | WORKPRO 12V Cordless Electric Fillet Knife | Electric | 8" / 10" | Medium flex | Carbon stainless steel (8" flex + 10" stiff) | Rubber-coated non-slip grip with safety lock | No | Yes | $69.99 | 8.2 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 14 | Rapala Heavy Duty Electric Fillet Knife | Electric | 7.5" | Medium flex | Stainless steel, serrated reciprocating blades | Ergonomic 'Relaxed Grip' body | No | No | $66.72 | 8.3 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 15 | KastKing Speed Demon Pro Lithium-Ion Electric Fillet Knife | Electric | 7" / 9" | Medium flex | 420 stainless, titanium coated | Soft TPE (rubberized) grip | No | Yes | $71.99 | 8.0 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 16 | American Angler PRO Electric Fillet Knife | Electric | 8" | Medium flex | Stainless steel (8" freshwater blade) | Vented handset (Fanjet air cooling) | No | Yes | $89.99 | 8.3 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
| 17 | KastKing Speed Demon Pro 5-Inch Bait & Fillet Knife | Manual | 5" | Stiff | G4116 German stainless | Non-slip super polymer grip | Yes | Yes | $18.69 | 7.8 | Check price (opens Amazon in a new tab) |
Quick answers from the chart
- Best overall: BUBBA 7-Inch Tapered Flex Fillet Knife (7" blade, flexible).
- Cheapest: Kershaw 9-Inch Clearwater Fillet Knife at $16.61.
- Most expensive: BUBBA Li-Ion Cordless Electric Fillet Knife at $169.00.
- Longest blade: BUBBA Li-Ion Cordless Electric Fillet Knife (up to 12").
- Highest Amazon rating: BUBBA 7-Inch Tapered Flex Fillet Knife (4.8 out of 5 from 1,692 ratings).
- Most reviewed: BUBBA Li-Ion Cordless Electric Fillet Knife (6,330 Amazon ratings).
- Best for saltwater: BUBBA 7-Inch Tapered Flex Fillet Knife.
- No sheath in the box: Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe 9-Inch Flexible Fillet Knife, Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Flexible Fillet Knife, Outdoor Edge Razor-Fin Replaceable-Blade Folding Fillet Knife and Rapala Heavy Duty Electric Fillet Knife. Budget for a separate sheath if you carry your knife while fishing.
Fillet knives by price
Manual knives on our list cost $16.61–$59.95; electric knives cost $66.72–$169.00. Here’s where each knife falls at the prices we last checked.
| Price range | Knives |
|---|---|
| Under $20 | Kershaw Clearwater 9" ($16.61) · Outdoor Edge Fish & Bone ($16.95) · KastKing Speed Demon 5" ($18.69) |
| $20–$35 | KastKing Speed Demon 9" ($25.49) · KastKing Folding 6.5" ($25.99) · Rapala Fish 'n Fillet 6" ($30.50) · Morakniv Comfort 155 ($31.99) |
| $35–$60 | Outdoor Edge Razor-Fin ($39.99) · Dexter Sani-Safe 9" ($41.44) · Victorinox Fibrox 8" ($42.50) · Bubba Tapered Flex 7" ($45.00) · Bubba Stiff 9" ($59.95) |
| $60–$120 | Rapala Heavy Duty Electric ($66.72) · WORKPRO 12V Cordless ($69.99) · KastKing Speed Demon Li-Ion ($71.99) · American Angler PRO ($89.99) |
| $120+ | Bubba Li-Ion Electric ($169.00) |
Which fillet knife should you buy?
Find your situation below. Each pick is the top-ranked, in-stock knife for that job.
How to read this chart
- Blade
- Length of the cutting edge. 6–7" suits most freshwater fish; 8–9" suits salmon and saltwater. Electric kits list every blade in the box. Blade length by fish.
- Flex
- Flexible blades follow the backbone and skin small fish cleanly; medium flex and stiff blades give more control on big, thick fish. Most flexible picks.
- Steel
- Softer steels (like 420J2) resist rust and sharpen easily but dull sooner; harder steels (like Sandvik 12C27) hold an edge longer. Which knife stays sharpest.
- Saltwater
- “Yes” means corrosion-resistant steel or coating plus a synthetic handle. Every knife still needs a fresh-water rinse after salt.
- Sheath / case
- Whether something to protect the blade comes in the box. Kitchen-style knives often skip it.
- Price
- Amazon price on the date we checked. Prices change often, so the “Check price” button always shows today’s.
- Score
- Our editorial score out of 10 for how well the knife fits its job, based on specs, maker information and verified buyer feedback. It isn’t a lab measurement. How we score.
Still deciding? Read the buying guide or the full ranking with pros and cons.