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5 Best Electric Fillet Knives For Fish
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If you’ve ever used electric fillet knives you know how that can make preparing your fish a lot easier.
The best way to get clean fish filets with minimal mess and effort on your part is to use one of the 5 best electric fillet knives for fish we will list in this article.
One thing is clear: new electric knives aren’t like the old, loud, heavily vibrating models you may have used in the past.
If you’ve struggled to clean fish before manually, anything that speeds up the process is welcomed.
Electric fillet knives speed up the process in a huge way. We’re talking about reducing the time cleaning your fish to maybe a quarter or less of what it used to take you.
They’re ideal for speeding up the process when you fillet larger fish, and those with tough skin and scales.
Electric knives are also great to have around the kitchen. Since they have strong, sharp, and durable blades, most carving and cutting that you need to do for meal prep is accomplished with minimal time and effort for you.
The blades are designed differently than a regular knife, since the blade is meant to cut through fish bones too, making it one of the most durable items in your kitchen.
Electric fillet knives also have the advantage of sharper, more efficient blades.
For you, that means you’re getting cleaner cuts with less wasted meat due to a more dull blade, and less streamlined cutting action.
Factors to Consider
How it’s Powered
Electric fillet knives have two different options for how they’re powered.
They are either plugged directly into an outlet and have a cord as a result, or they’re battery powered.
Battery-powered knives give you more mobility, but then you also depend on the battery life to last long enough for you to finish filleting your fish.
Corded models are nice because you won’t run out of power, nor will you have to ensure the battery gets charged before you fillet the fish, and the trade-off is less mobility.
The Blades
In general, the best blades tend to be made of high-quality stainless steel. They tend to be tougher and more efficient than blades of other materials.
If you can only choose one blade type, opt for a thicker blade with decent serration; it’ll get through any fillet you need, and then some.
Electric fillet knives come with a wide variety of power levels, and the power comes from the motor.
Check for a well-built motor that has enough torque to get through your fillets.
While power can vary quite a bit, a good rule of thumb is the higher the power, the better the knife.
Extra Features (Safety Especially)
There are tons of extra features you might want, but the most important thing to look for is the safety features.
After that, anything else is the cherry on top. Look for electric knives that have a safety lock, or trigger guard, at the very least.
It’s better to have a safety feature and never use it than to have a preventable accident.
Other features that some electric fillet knives include are easy blade changing, which cuts down on the hassle.
You also might want to look for dishwasher safe models, which cuts down on clean up.
Extra blades are a nice bonus too since you can custom tailor the way you fillet a certain fish with a simple blade change.
If you opt for a battery-powered model, make sure it includes the batteries and a charging dock.
Some charging docks can even be wall-mounted, which saves space in the kitchen.
Corded vs Battery Version
As we touched on earlier, electric fillet knives are either battery-powered or corded. Which option will be best for you can depend on a few factors.
First, you’ll have to consider which you’re more comfortable using.
If you’re well at ease with either version, find the location where you plan on using your electric knife.
If you usually clean and fillet your catch at home, a corded model will work just as well as a battery-operated knife.
That’s especially true if you’re keeping it in the kitchen, and don’t want to have to remember to charge the batteries.
If you like to spend a lot of time outdoors, and camping, especially a battery-powered fillet knife may be a better option.
That’s because you can easily take it with you, no cords or outlets required. You can clean and fillet your catch without having to trek home.
With all that said, both corded and battery-operated electric fillet knives are great tools and provide a lot of conveniences wherever you prefer to use them.
When it comes down to it, the most significant deciding factor is you, how you plan to use your electric fillet knife, and what you want.
Still, it can be daunting to look for one if you aren’t familiar with the models of today.
For your convenience, here are the best electric fillet knives on the market.
Product Reviews
#1. Gent’s Best Fish Knife
This electric fillet knife is a classic for fishers and cooks alike. Don’t let that scare you though, it’s still quite user-friendly, even if it’s your first time using this type of knife.
#2 American Angler PRO Professional Grade Electric Fillet Knife
The Pro Series motor on the Rapala cordless fillet knife has enough torque to go through big bones without slowing down. The superior drive train components and design gives the Pro series a liong lifespan.
With an ergonomic design, the advanced airflow on the American Angler Pro series will remain cool for hours of continuous use.
The American Angler high-performance blades are flexible and hollow ground They provide reciprocating 2-blade action for greater precision and maneuverability.
The American Angler comes with a 10” saltwater blade, a 10” heavy duty shark blade, an 8” curved tip blade, an 8” heavy duty shark blade and a 5.5” curved tip blade.
It also includes a glove for using when handling the fish and a carrying case for the unit and blades.
Pros:
Comes with five blades
Great for filleting fish, but you can use the blades for chicken and turkey too
#4. Rapala HDEFACSC Heavy Duty Electric Knife, Fillet, Combo
This electric knife is fast and efficient, especially if you often catch and fillet larger fish like trout or walleye.
The blade is sized well for big fish, and strong enough to cut through their larger, tougher bones too.
It has a long power cord, which is helpful for a couple of reasons: first, you have plenty of room to move around.
Next, all you have to do is plug it in and get to work. There’s no worrying about whether the batteries charged or running out of power before you’re done filleting your catch.
It’s a smooth, quiet worker too, nothing like the old corded electric knives you might have used before.
There’s a filet fork, so you can keep the fish still while you work, which is a nice bonus.
#5. Mister Twister MT-1208 Mr. Twister SW Piranha Knife
If you like to fish in a variety of environments, you’ve probably noticed that cleaning saltwater fish can be a lot different than cleaning freshwater fish.
If you’re more of a fishing novice, then you need to know that saltwater fish have scales and skins that are a lot tougher, and therefore more challenging to cut and clean.
You can also opt for the piranha blades if you need something really tough; they’re thicker, more heavily serrated, and impressively sharp.
The clean, precise cut is what will ultimately win you over.
This electric knife works a lot like the original Mister Twister models, except that this knife is designed to clean saltwater fish just as easily as those you catch from a river or lake.
Even better, it’s great if you need a multi-use kind of knife. Whether you’re carving thanksgiving dinner, or fileting your latest catch, it gives you quick, clean cuts.
Electric fillet knives are a massive boon to avid fishers and cooks alike. They free up a significant amount of time that you’d otherwise spend manually cleaning and filleting your fish.
While it can be quite tricky to fillet large fish by hand and cut through tough scales, skin, and bones with a regular knife, high-quality electric fillet knives are designed to make it easy.
You might have hesitated to invest in one of these electric fillet knives; there’s a vast range of different styles, blades, and power levels on the market.
Our list gives you the five best, so you can have confidence in the fillet gear you choose.
Ian @ The Marine Lab
Although born without gills, the place you will find Ian is either on or in the water. Ian’s Everglades 243cc is his home away from home while he engages in all types of activities water-related.
He is passionate about creating a community of marine enthusiasts who benefit from each other’s knowledge and love of the water.
Dedicated to sharing valuable information (the best bait on Indian River is shrimp, sand fleas and mullet) and encouraging respect for marine ecosystems, Ian does some of his best work from the deck of his West Wight Potter 19 sailboat.
