New Haven, Boston or Galveston? The Best Oyster Knife

1. R. Murphy New Haven Oyster Knife – The Classic Upturned Tip

Best overall

The New Haven shape from R. Murphy has the best record of any knife we looked at. America’s Test Kitchen named the R. Murphy New Haven Shucker its winner in a July 2025 review, saying it dispatched oysters of all sizes easily. Its 2.6-inch blade gave testers superior control, and the upturned tip adds leverage to pop the shell open.

There is one catch, and it matters. The knife America’s Test Kitchen scored, model NHOYSPH, has a recycled plastic handle. The version in stock on Amazon has a wood handle. The blade style and length match, but the handle does not, so the grip findings do not carry over. Wood has its own support: a review reposted on Dexter-Russell’s blog, with photos credited to Serious Eats, named this wood-handled R. Murphy its best overall and said the handle fit like a glove. Dexter sells a rival knife, which makes that praise more interesting, not less.

R. Murphy says the knife is made in the USA with cutlery-grade steel. The listing does not give care instructions, so treat a wood handle the way you would any wood kitchen tool: wash it by hand and dry it soon after.

Why we like it

• Same style that won America’s Test Kitchen’s review
• Short 2.6-inch blade gives good control
• Upturned tip adds leverage at the hinge
• Made in the USA, per the listing

Why we recommend it

It suits nearly anyone who eats oysters at home, from a first dozen to a regular habit, and it handles most shells well.

Skip it if you want a handle that shrugs off the dishwasher. The OXO is the easier one to clean.

Pros and cons

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2. OXO Good Grips Oyster Knife – Grippy and Dishwasher Safe

Best buy

This is the same model America’s Test Kitchen scored, number 35681, and it was named the review’s Best Buy. Its upturned tip did a great job of popping open oysters of all sizes, and it has the longest blade of the New Haven-style knives in that review, which some testers liked for the extra leverage.

The handle is the point of the design. OXO uses a soft, non-slip grip meant to stay secure when hands are wet, and the listing says the knife is dishwasher safe. That is a useful detail on a tool that spends its time in brine. The complaint from the same reviewers is the shape of that handle: some found the bulbous form less comfortable to hold.

A Chowhound roundup adds that some owners wished the blade were wider or thicker for bigger shellfish. It is a good knife for a mixed bag of medium oysters, and less of a specialist for very large ones.

Why we like it

• America’s Test Kitchen Best Buy (same model)
• Upturned tip for leverage
• Non-slip handle stays secure when wet
• Dishwasher safe, per the listing

Why we recommend it

It suits the cook who shucks a few times a year and wants a reliable knife that goes in the dishwasher with everything else.

Skip it if you often buy very large oysters. A wider blade gives more leverage there.

Pros and cons

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3. Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe New Haven Oyster Knife – The Shuckers’ Standard

Best plastic handle

America’s Test Kitchen rated this model, the S121, Highly Recommended and called it a standard-bearer among professional shuckers. Its upturned tip and narrow blade let it open oysters of all sizes, and it slices through the adductor muscle cleanly once the shell is open.

Dexter uses its own stain-free, high-carbon DEXSTEEL for the blade, and the textured polypropylene handle is white and slip resistant. The knife is NSF certified, which is the standard that foodservice buyers look for. Dexter’s sister Providence listing says its products are guaranteed against defects for the life of the product, but this S121 listing does not repeat that, so confirm it before you rely on it.

If you want the restaurant-supply version of the New Haven shape, this is it. It is plain, and plainness is the appeal: there is little on it to go wrong.

Why we like it

• Highly Recommended by America’s Test Kitchen (same model)
• NSF certified
• Stain-free high-carbon steel
• Textured handle for wet hands

Why we recommend it

It suits someone who shucks often and would pick a plain, proven commercial tool over a nicer-looking one.

Skip it if you like a wood handle in the hand. The R. Murphy is the warmer choice.

Pros and cons

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4. BUBBA Oyster Shucking Knife – Wide Blade, Non-Slip Grip

Best for large oysters

BUBBA is best known for fishing knives, and its shucking knife looks the part. The 2.5-inch blade is 440C stainless steel, with a curved tip for leverage, set in the brand’s non-slip grip. Chowhound’s roundup of ten oyster knives describes the blade as wide and suited to large oysters, and it reports no notable downsides.

Treat that as a useful pointer and not as a test. Chowhound says it drew on experts, oyster farmers and buyer comments, and it does not say the writer used the knives. America’s Test Kitchen did not include this model in its review.

The warranty is shorter than most here: one year, limited, according to the listing. The listing does at least name its steel, 440C, and calls it commercial grade, which is more than several knives on this page tell you.

Why we like it

• Named by Chowhound as suited to large oysters
• 440C stainless steel blade
• Non-slip grip for wet hands
• Curved tip for leverage

Why we recommend it

It suits a cook who buys large oysters and wants a wider, shorter blade with a firm grip.

Skip it if you want a scored independent trial behind your purchase. The first three picks have that and this one does not.

Pros and cons

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5. F. Dick Oyster Opener – Thin French Blade

Best for experienced users

America’s Test Kitchen rated this opener, number 91094000, as Recommended and Best for Experienced Users. It has a thin, very narrow French-style blade, sharpened on one side. That made it especially agile in tight hinges, though it had trouble with large, thick shells.

This is the sharpest knife type here, and you should know what that means. Some testers feared for their safety, because it looks a lot like a paring knife, even though no blood was shed. The fine tip also chipped a little after repeated use. Think of it as a tool for clean work on smaller shells, in hands that already know how a hinge gives.

The listing gives a 7-centimeter blade, a little under 3 inches, and a plastic handle. America’s Test Kitchen lists the blade at 3 inches and calls the handle solid, if small.

Why we like it

• Recommended by America’s Test Kitchen (same model)
• Thin blade fits tight hinges
• Sharp enough to cut the muscle cleanly

Why we recommend it

It suits a confident shucker working mostly with small and medium oysters who wants a neat, clean cut under the meat.

Skip it if you are new to this. America’s Test Kitchen prefers an unsharpened knife for beginners.

Pros and cons

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6. Mercer Culinary 3-inch Boston Style Oyster Knife – Slim Blade, Pointy Tip

Best Boston style

America’s Test Kitchen rated this Mercer, model M33028A, Recommended. The Boston style means a straight, slim blade, here with a fairly pointy tip that fits into tight hinges. The blade occasionally felt a little long for smaller oysters, so it works best on medium shells.

Two honest notes. The review saw a few rust spots develop on the blade, and Mercer’s listing calls it high-carbon steel, so wash it by hand and dry it straight away. Mercer says not to put it in the dishwasher or leave it soaking. And the bumpy plastic handle was a tiny bit slick for a few testers.

Sources differ on the tip: Chowhound’s roundup calls it somewhat blunted and says larger oysters can be tricky. The listing says white in the title and black in the color field, so check the photo before ordering if the color matters.

Why we like it

• Recommended by America’s Test Kitchen (same model)
• Slim blade fits tight hinges
• Textured handle
• Clear care instructions from Mercer

Why we recommend it

It suits a home cook who prefers a straight blade and is happy to dry a knife after use.

Skip it if you leave tools in the sink. Rust spots appeared after a brine soak.

Pros and cons

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7. Mercer Culinary 4-inch Galveston Style Oyster Knife – Long Blade for Gulf Oysters

Galveston style

The Galveston style exists for big Gulf oysters. America’s Test Kitchen found that a similar Dexter-Russell knife had a wide 3.75-inch blade that provided extra leverage on those, and that it felt clumsy on smaller ones. Its thick, rounded tip was harder to wedge into the hinge. That Dexter was not in stock when we checked, so this Mercer is the Galveston knife we can point to.

Be clear about what you are getting. Nobody we read has reviewed this exact knife, and the listing gives almost nothing beyond its name, size and style. The part number is M33021A. We kept it because Mercer’s Boston knife above has a clear independent record, and because a Gulf Coast cook should know the shape exists. We list the unknowns below rather than guess.

Why we like it

• Galveston shape for large Gulf oysters
• Sister knife recommended by America’s Test Kitchen
• Long blade for leverage

Why we recommend it

It suits a cook who regularly opens large Gulf oysters and already owns a shorter knife for everything else.

Skip it if you want full specifications, or you only own one knife. A New Haven shape handles more sizes.

Pros and cons

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8. Swissmar Shucker Paddy Malpeque Oyster Knife – Grip Lines Up With the Forearm

Best pistol grip

This is the odd one out. Swissmar’s Shucker Paddy has a pistol grip that lines the forearm up with the blade, and the listing says it is designed for either hand. It was developed with Patrick McMurray, whom the listing names as a world champion shucker. A finger guard sits between the handle and the blade, and the listing says it is dishwasher safe.

The Malpeque is the 2-inch version. Chowhound’s roundup covers the 3-inch Original, which was nearly sold out when we checked, and it says the handle takes some getting used to. It also says the Original is user-friendly for people with arthritis. That is a report from buyers, and the 2-inch knife is a different size, so take it as a reason to look and not as a promise.

One important warning. Swissmar says the notched blade is sharpened on the top and bottom edges. America’s Test Kitchen recommends an unsharpened knife for most users, so handle this one with more care than the others.

Why we like it

• Pistol grip lines the forearm up with the blade
• Finger guard
• Works in either hand
• Dishwasher safe

Why we recommend it

It suits someone who finds a straight handle awkward and is willing to learn a different motion.

Skip it if you are a beginner who wants the simplest route. The blade is sharpened on both edges.

Pros and cons

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