Mac Professional Series 8" with Dimples MTH-80 Review

The Mac Professional MTH-80 is an 8-inch stamped steel blade made in Japan. It comes with a pakkawood handle. We tested the version with dimples in the blade, which we measured at 6.4 ounces.

Performance Comparison

Cutting Performance

The Mac, quite simply, felt like the sharpest knife we had ever used. In all of our testing no knife cut as sharply or cleanly as the Mac. Reported with a steel hardness measure of 60 — one of the hardest steels in any chef knife in our lineup — we measured the HRC in our lab at 53.

Because of the impossibility of knowing exactly how and where Mac measures (or perhaps, simply calculates) steel hardness, we were unable to replicate most manufacturer specifications. Still, the steel of this knife proved more than capable of holding its edge through all our intensive testing.

When it came to our cutting performance tests, it easily topped the field. The Mac easily cut razor-thin sheets of whatever vegetable was put in front of it and sometimes felt more like a vegetable scalpel. Ripe tomatoes fell easily into transparent slices under our tester's hands, wielding the Mac. We've never diced onions so small as we could with the Mac Professional MTH-80.

Some of our more inexperienced knife users felt the knife was almost too sharp and could dig into the cutting board if they applied too much force to the cut. This technically falls into the category of good problems to have, but it's worth noting how much of a step up it is from a 10-year-old hand-me-down dull knife.

Practicality

The Mac is produced with dimples along the blade. The manufacturer claims that this helps prevent fruits and veggies from sticking to the blade. During our testing, however, we never really noticed a big difference in the way veggies got stuck. It wasn't any worse than any other knife, but it wasn't any better either.

The Mac has a much shorter-than-average handle. Although it was quite comfortable, we felt it wasn't the most practical. When cutting large or oddly shaped items, it's almost always better to have more room on the handle. This allows you to move your hand as needed to get a safe and effective grip and apply more leverage as needed. We noticed this drawback when breaking apart chickens and cutting through large gourds.

That said, when cutting most items, the short Pakkawood handle forces the user to use a pinch grip and adds a lot of stability and precision to cutting motions.

Ergonomics

The handle on the Mac is comfortable but very short. Some of our larger-handed testers felt it could be slightly awkward to hold in certain positions. All of them felt the positioning in a pinch grip was acceptable.

Weighing 6.4 ounces, the Mac has exceptional balance and feels lightweight in hand, making it more enjoyable to use over longer periods of time. This impressively low weight also makes it easier to maneuver into awkward places and perform unusual cuts.

Mac describes the metal portion at the front of the handle as a bolster, and while it isn't the thicker, fuller bolster of many other models, its angular shape functions in much the same way. This understated section is well-shaped to add exceptional grip and control.

The Mac has a much straighter blade than you will typically find on knives in North America. This is due to its inspiration from the Japanese gyuto shape. This style favors a push-pull cutting motion, as there is less curve to develop a smooth rocking motion.

Build Quality

The Mac is a simply built blade, made to do its job and nothing more or less. It may not look the fanciest, but all the details that we scrutinized, measured, and tested proved this blade is well-built.

Although it's constructed using a metal stamping process normally reserved for “lower-end” knives, the Mac Professional MTH-80 shows how much clever engineering matters.

Right out of the box, the Mac Professional sliced easily through paper like a hot knife through soft butter. We measured its edge at 187 BESS, which is in the same bracket of “sharp things” as a brand-new utility razor blade. In our paper slice test, it didn't catch anywhere, offering a smooth glide the whole way through.

Even after using this knife for months and inspecting it under a microscope, the impeccable quality of the Mac continued to show itself. Both in finishing details and the lasting quality of this knife under heavy use, we're impressed by the build quality of the Mac.

Should You Buy the Mac Professional Series 8" MTH-80?

If you are an advanced chef with strong knife skills who aspires to produce precise cuts and Michelin-quality food, the Mac is your best choice. You would be hard-pressed to find a consumer knife on the market today that can match its level of precision. If you're after a better all-arounder for use in everything from slicing herbs to chopping watermelon, this high-precision knife with a small handle best suited to the pinch grip of seasoned cooks might not be your cup of tea.

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