Internet knife snobs need to chill when talking about budget pocket knives. They sip merlot while looking down on the rubbish that, for lesser folk, passes as cutlery. But there’s a problem. That merlot they’re sipping is garbage. Snobs sip Château Latour Grand Vin and look down on the rubbish that, for lesser folk, passes as wine.
But who cares what the snobs think? A budget pocket knife will still open a box, and the cheapest wine still tastes like rotten grapes. If that’s good enough for you, then rock on! That said, I, a certified knife snob, have curated this list of the best budget pocket knives. These all punch way above their price tag, and they can handle just about any cutting job you give them.
Best Overall – Kershaw Iridium
For decades now, Kershaw has had a death-grip chokehold on the budget knife market. Just go to any knife type category on BladeHQ.com and sort it by popularity, and you’ll see that Kershaw has at least one knife on the first page, and it’s probably a fair bit less expensive than its neighbors. But of all of Kershaw’s banger deals, the Iridium stands supreme. Its built from a solid aluminum handle and a D2 blade, with a stout crossbar lock and a bearing pivot. Its functional design can squeeze into anything from hunting and camping to self-defense and EDC. No matter who you are, you can’t go wrong with the Iridium!
Best EDC – CIVIVI Elementum II
Ever since the release of the Pro-Tech Malibu, there has been a craze of button lock flippers. Many of them blend into the background, but the Elementum II stands proud as one of the best, and you won’t break the bank getting one! This knife has Nitro-V blade steel, a slightly bulkier handle than the original Elementum, and a slick-as-butter action that will have you fidgeting for hours. It comes in several different color and handle material variants, so whatever your EDC style is, you can match it with the Elementum II and have some great performance to boot.
Best Outdoor – Spyderco Tenacious
A good outdoor knife needs a proper balance of traits, and the Tenacious gives it to you. When you’re on the trail, you might need to slice up food for lunch, and the Tenacious has a tall flat grind that slices like a chef’s knife. When it comes time to start a fire, you’ll want something nice and strong for dealing with wood, and the full steel liners and extra-wide blade can handle it with ease. And while knife snobs my scoff at the steel, I think it’s a great pick for this knife. 8Cr13MoV is tough, but it has ease of sharpening in spades. You can sharpen it in no time with a wet rock from a stream and a quick strop on your belt. That makes the Tenacious perfect for the outdoorsman – rugged enough to use without worry, and easy to maintain in the backcountry.
Best Tactical – Kershaw CQC-6K
When Ernie Emerson invented the Wave opener, he created the fastest way to deploy any collapsible knife in history. All you do is hook the opener on the corner of your pocket while drawing it, and the blade swings open with authority. Most Emerson knives are fairly pricey, but the CQC-6K takes that iconic Emerson design and outfits it with a D2 blade and polymer handle to keep the price down. Other than that, it’s an Emerson through-and-through, and a worthy companion for self-defense or military and police applications.
Best Auto – Boker Kalashnikov
In all of Blade HQ history, we’ve sold more Kalashnikov’s than any other knife. Why is this knife so popular? It could be its tough-as-nails materials, quality USA-made springs, bomb-proof build quality, or its wide variety of sizes, styles, and colors. Whatever it is, the fact that this amazing knife is available for $75 at most certainly doesn’t hurt!
The Kalashnikov is an important part of knife history as well. It was the first knife to feature the incredibly and absurdly popular Dessert Warrior craze!
Best OTF – Smith & Wesson M&P OTF
OTF knives are often quite expensive. Their mechanisms are complicated, so they must use high-end materials to prevent parts wear, and they’re challenging to assemble. But the Smith & Wesson M&P OTF manages to provide a great quality OTF at a great price through a few clever tricks. First of all, it’s a single-action. It will launch with all the power and authority you like, but you’ll have to manually recharge it. Much of the recharge mechanism is housed outside the handle, and the lock is separate from the opener. This means the knife is much simpler than pricier OTFs and allows people on a budget to have the easy one-hand opening, safe deployment, and tactical cool factor an OTF offers!
Best USA-Made – Buck 110 Slim Select
Buck is known for their USA-made knives, but it’s not just where they’re made that made Buck who they are today. They offer one of the best warranties in the business, and their heat treatment is second to no one. The 110 Slim Select is a much lighter version of the iconic 110 with a polymer handle and a pocket clip. It’s got the same four-inch blade of Bos-heat-treated 420 steel that has proven itself for decades but is a modern EDC knife through and through. Best of all, it only costs $35!
Best Hard-Use – Cold Steel SR1 Lite
The Cold Steel SR1 Lite is one of those knives you have to hold to fully appreciate. I know the word “lite” is in the title, but don’t read into it. This knife weighs over six ounces, is thicker than most fixed blades, and uses the Tri-Ad Lock, one of the strongest knife locks ever invented by humans. It was designed as a folding alternative to the Cold Steel SRK, which for years has been the go-to standard issue knife for military SERE training. If you plan to outright abuse your knife, this beastly folder can be yours for less than $50, and it can take anything you can throw at it. Honestly, you would probably break before it would.
Best Fixed Blade – CRKT Razel Fixed Blade
John Graham designed the Razel as a true user of a blade. It’s a combination of a knife and a chisel. That means it can cut and slice like a knife but scrape and split like a chisel. The big reason anyone wants to carry a fixed blade over a folder is for the added sense of security, knowing that your knife can withstand a bit more abuse without failing. If you’re using your knife hard, this chisel blade shape is just incredible. That top edge is perfect for prying and scraping. But not just any fixed blade is good for pocket carry! This one has a Kydex sheath with a simple pocket clip. Right out of the box, you can clip this knife in your pocket and get to work!
Best Multitool – Victorinox Super Tinker
Lots of people prefer multiple tools in their pocket to a dedicated knife. If this describes you and you’re on a budget, look no further than Victorinox. I picked the Super Tinker because it has a handy selection of everyday tools like a screwdriver and a pair of scissors, but it’s just one possibility. Whatever toolset you dream of, I’m sure Victorinox has it, and that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. The classic Swiss Army Knife is still alive, and it’s better than ever before!
Why carry a budget pocket knife?
Carrying a budget pocket knife is great for people who want to save money or like tools with low replacement costs. Don’t get me wrong, I love all my ultra-premium knives dearly, but when I have a job like digging window sealant out of a concrete wall, scraping gum off my driveway, or prying nails out of drywall, I grab a budget knife. Sure, more expensive knives may be technically better, but I love the peace of mind I get when I know that replacing my knife wouldn’t break the bank. So, whether you’re after a replaceable beater or pinching pennies, rest assured there is a quality cutting tool that will fit your needs and budget!
