Your Everyday Chef Knife – With a Little More Reach

A great chef knife should be the first knife you reach for when you start cooking.

The MAC HB-85 Chef Knife is designed to be exactly that.

Its versatile 21.5cm blade gives you enough length to confidently tackle larger ingredients while remaining nimble enough for detailed everyday preparation.

From rapidly dicing onions and chopping herbs to portioning boneless meat or slicing through a large collection of vegetables, the HB-85 is designed to move effortlessly from one task to another.

For cooks looking to invest in a premium Japanese knife that can handle the majority of their food preparation, the HB-85 is an outstanding all-rounder.

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Why Choose a 21.5cm Chef Knife?

Blade length can dramatically change the way a chef knife feels.

Smaller knives provide exceptional manoeuvrability, while longer blades offer greater cutting capacity.

At 21.5cm, the HB-85 sits in an excellent middle ground.

The additional length gives you:

• Greater reach when slicing
• More cutting surface
• Easier preparation of large vegetables
• Longer, smoother slicing strokes
• Increased efficiency during bulk preparation

Yet it remains compact enough for comfortable everyday use.

For many cooks, this is the sweet spot between a compact home chef knife and the larger knives commonly found in commercial kitchens.

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Premium Japanese Molybdenum Steel

The heart of the HB-85 is its premium Japanese molybdenum steel blade.

MAC is renowned for producing remarkably sharp knives that combine cutting performance with practical everyday durability.

The HB-85 provides:

• Exceptional sharpness
• Excellent edge retention
• Good corrosion resistance
• Smooth cutting performance
• Lightweight handling
• Straightforward maintenance and sharpening

Instead of relying on excessive weight to force its way through ingredients, the fine Japanese cutting edge allows the blade to slice cleanly with minimal pressure.

That means less effort from you and greater control over the finished cut.

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Made for Everyday Versatility

The greatest strength of the HB-85 is the sheer number of jobs it can perform.

Use it for:

• Chopping onions
• Dicing carrots
• Slicing tomatoes
• Preparing capsicum
• Chopping cabbage
• Mincing garlic
• Chopping fresh herbs
• Preparing potatoes
• Slicing fruit
• Portioning boneless chicken
• Slicing beef
• Preparing pork
• Cutting boneless fish
• Salad preparation
• General meal preparation

Rather than filling your bench with specialist knives for every small job, the HB-85 can remain in your hand as you move between ingredients.

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Excellent for Vegetable Preparation

A good chef knife can completely change vegetable preparation.

The generous 21.5cm blade gives you plenty of cutting surface when working with ingredients such as onions, carrots, zucchini, cucumber, cabbage and leafy greens.

Its sharp edge allows you to create cleaner cuts rather than crushing delicate ingredients.

This is particularly useful when presentation matters.

Whether you’re creating fine julienne vegetables, evenly diced onions or simply preparing vegetables for a family dinner, the HB-85 gives you excellent control.

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Confident Meat and Seafood Preparation

The versatility doesn’t stop with vegetables.

The HB-85 is also an excellent everyday knife for preparing boneless proteins.

Use it for:

• Portioning chicken breast
• Slicing steaks
• Trimming boneless beef
• Preparing pork
• Cutting fish portions
• Slicing cooked meats

The longer blade allows smooth slicing strokes that help produce cleaner portions.

As with other fine Japanese chef knives, however, the HB-85 is designed for precision cutting rather than chopping through bones or frozen ingredients.

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Lightweight Japanese Handling

One of the biggest differences cooks notice when moving from a heavy Western-style knife to a Japanese knife is the handling.

The HB-85 is designed to feel responsive rather than cumbersome.

Its combination of lightweight construction and balanced design gives you greater control over the blade while reducing unnecessary fatigue during extended preparation.

This makes a significant difference for professional chefs who may hold a knife for hours every day—but it’s equally enjoyable for someone preparing dinner at home.

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Comfortable, Controlled Cutting

The HB-85’s handle is designed to provide a comfortable and secure grip while maintaining excellent control over the blade.

Good balance helps the knife feel predictable as it moves through food.

Instead of fighting against the knife, you’re able to concentrate on your cutting technique.

The result is a knife that feels natural whether you’re:

• Push cutting
• Slicing
• Dicing
• Mincing
• Chopping

For experienced chefs, that translates into speed and consistency.

For home cooks, it means confidence.

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Professional Performance Without the Intimidating Size

Not everyone wants an enormous chef knife.

While large 25cm+ knives are excellent for commercial preparation, they can feel excessive on smaller chopping boards or in compact home kitchens.

That’s where the HB-85 shines.

Its 21.5cm blade provides professional-level cutting capacity without becoming unwieldy.

It’s large enough for serious cooking but manageable enough to become your everyday knife.

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Who Is the MAC HB-85 Best For?

The HB-85 is an excellent choice for:

• Professional chefs
• Apprentice chefs
• Culinary students
• Caterers
• Restaurant kitchens
• Serious home cooks
• Cooking enthusiasts
• Anyone upgrading from an entry-level chef knife
• Cooks wanting one highly versatile everyday knife

It’s particularly well suited to someone who finds an 18cm knife slightly too short but doesn’t want to move all the way to a 25cm professional chef knife.

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Key Features

• Versatile 21.5cm chef knife
• Premium Japanese craftsmanship
• Japanese molybdenum steel blade
• Razor-sharp cutting edge
• Excellent edge retention
• Lightweight construction
• Comfortable handling
• Excellent balance and control
• Suitable for vegetables, meat, seafood and herbs
• Professional-quality performance
• Made in Japan

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Specifications

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Care Instructions

A premium knife deserves proper care.

To keep your MAC HB-85 performing at its best:

• Hand wash after use with warm water and mild detergent.
• Dry the knife immediately after washing.
• Avoid placing it in the dishwasher.
• Use quality timber or suitable synthetic cutting boards.
• Avoid glass, stone and other extremely hard cutting surfaces.
• Do not use the knife to cut frozen foods or bones.
• Store it securely in a knife block, magnetic knife rack or blade guard.
• Sharpen using an appropriate whetstone or professional sharpening service when required.

Taking care of the cutting edge will help preserve the knife’s performance for years to come.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MAC HB-85 best used for?

The HB-85 is an all-purpose chef knife designed for chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing vegetables, herbs, fruit, boneless meat and seafood.

Is 21.5cm a good size for a chef knife?

Yes. It’s an extremely versatile size because it provides additional cutting length without becoming overly large. It’s suitable for both professional kitchens and everyday home cooking.

What’s the difference between the HB-70 and HB-85?

The main practical difference is blade length. The HB-70 has an 18cm blade, while the HB-85 provides 21.5cm. The HB-70 prioritises compact manoeuvrability, while the HB-85 provides greater reach and cutting capacity.

How does the HB-85 compare with the TH-80?

The TH-80 features a Granton-style blade designed to help reduce food sticking. The HB-85 offers a more traditional uninterrupted chef-knife blade.

Can I use the HB-85 for meat?

Yes. It’s excellent for slicing and portioning boneless beef, pork, poultry and other proteins.

Can it cut through bones?

No. The HB-85 has a fine precision cutting edge and shouldn’t be used as a cleaver. Avoid bones, frozen foods and other extremely hard materials.

Is the HB-85 suitable for home cooks?

Definitely. Its combination of manageable size, versatility and lightweight handling makes it an excellent premium chef knife for home kitchens.

Where is the MAC HB-85 made?

MAC knives are manufactured in Japan.

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Why Buy the MAC HB-85?

The MAC HB-85 is an excellent example of why Japanese chef knives have become so popular with professional chefs and passionate home cooks.

It’s sharp without being cumbersome, large without becoming difficult to control, and versatile enough to handle the overwhelming majority of everyday preparation.

For someone who wants to buy one excellent chef knife and use it constantly, the HB-85 deserves serious consideration.

Its 21.5cm blade provides that valuable extra reach over smaller chef knives while retaining the precision, lightweight handling and cutting performance that make MAC knives such a pleasure to use.