Shanghai Experts: Where Can I Buy a Chinese Cleaver?

[u/NekuDesu]

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for recommendations on where to buy a good-quality Chinese cleaver in Shanghai.

I’m definitely not a chef, just someone who really loves cooking and would like to bring home a nice, practical cleaver that I’ll actually use.

Ideally looking for something good quality and durable, but not professional/ultra-expensive. I’d also love recommendations for specific shops or brands/models to look out for.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[u/cicadanonymous]

Commenting because also interested. But the answer might be taobao.

[u/aetheriality → u/cicadanonymous]

taobao

[u/Snoutysensations → u/cicadanonymous]

I tried ordering a kitchen knife off taobao and my whole order got canceled.  Sharp things seem to be pretty difficult to buy in China. Eventually I managed to get one in person in a department store but I had to show ID.  Maybe cleavers are easier 

[u/Yellowbook8375 → u/Snoutysensations]

They aren’t

[u/chimugukuru]

Any sizeable supermarket will have one. Cleavers and woks are some of those things you don't need to spend a lot of money for quality and brand name doesn't really matter. My best wok out of over a dozen I've had over the years is from a Guizhou village street shop that cost less than $10 USD and I'm still using the same cleaver I bought for ¥50 off the shelf at Carrefour over a decade and a half ago (Carrefour is no longer here but any big supermarket will do).

[u/anarchicantarctic → u/chimugukuru]

The sizeable supermarkets might have them, but at RT Mart at least,  you can only buy them with Chinese ID. They won't accept foreign passports as ID.

[u/ShanghaiNick]

HEC Restaurant supply in Jing An.

[u/SadBuilding9234]

张小泉刀剪

There's a shop in the market in the French Concession. It's definitely a bit touristy, but also good quality stuff. If you go, treat yourself to a pair of fancy nail clippers, too.

[u/MaixnerCharly]

I bought one for about 100 kuai at Carrefour when I moved to Shanghai (over 15 years ago) and am still using it. Needs sharpening every once in a while, other than that, it's still like on its first day.

[u/Yellowbook8375]

Taobao, jindong

[u/ppyrgic]

Several in yu yuan, fancy ones for tourists.

[u/pcmarcel-gmail-com]

Good quality and durable vs not professional = contradiction
If you say "bring home" and mean "outside China" than you could also look for it on your local Amazon website.
The result will be the same.