Thread: What's your favorite electric fillet knife?

I just picked-up 4- Black & Deckers at SprawlMart for $52, 2 for me and 2 for a buddy who ask me to get him a couple in case I'd found some. I just wanted them for spares, plus I spent nearly $30 for a M/T that probably ain't cleaned 100 fish before it failed. I'm hoping to get a chance to use one while I'm still here, if I do I'll post some input.

I just purchased a mister twister to replace my repala, I am really please, yes it's a little bigger than the others but it runs through the fish really quick and smooth. It has my vote

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After many years cleaning salmon, walleye, steelhead, and everything else with a high quality knife (several different ones) my dad decided that we "might" want/need an electric knife. I have always been hesitant for a couple of reason.
1. I like to think that I am pretty darned good at filleting fish. Oftentimes I have people at the cleaning station stop and watch what I am doing. Part of it is the knife "Forschner" curved knife. Part of it is the thousands of salmon I've done over the years. Last time I was timed I think I could do one in 22 seconds for a 20lb fish.
2. I see a ton of guys butcher fish with these things.

We came back from walleye fishing and had 24 fish to clean. Dad breaks this thing out of the truck and I decide that, I might as well try it (don't want to hurt his feelings). If it is junk, doesn't work right, or whatever, I'll throw it!!!!

It is a battery operated Rapala model. Somewhere around 100 bucks. I was able to clean all 24 walleyes (plus 2 perch) on one battery. That was a plus. Because I know what I was doing, there really wasn't a learning curve. Cutting through the ribs and to the tail was equal to my Forschner but I will give the edge to the electric as my arm and hand was not hurting after completing the chore!

Where it really shined was skinning. Yes, I can skin a fish pretty good. Too good as a matter of fact. Usually leaving a little while residue or dark meat on the fillet. With a double knife electric design, it leaves a tiny buffer of meat on the skin. You end up with a very clean fillet. Something you couldn't duplicate with a manual knife. The edge again to the electric.

My consensus with the individuals that butcher fish.. it isn't the knife, it was the individual. SOOOO, I was sold on the electric knife!!!!! Which I hate because I enjoy using a good old fashioned filet knife to display some skills.

That said...
The BAD
The trigger on this knife is horrible. It has a safety that needs to be pulled before pushing the button. Something that is hard to do with small hand and with the knife on it's side. Horrible design. The battery is also heavy and I could see it being an issue when cleaning 200 perch or a couple hundred crappies.

I will be looking towards a plug in electric and my two choices have been both the Mister Twister, and the American Angler. As long as I can push the button without having to use some stupid safety, I'm good. Thanks for the information guys. I'm slowly coming around to being converted!!!! Not there yet though

I've used a American Angler Saltwater version for about 15yrs.. A few years back I was filleting 74 tilapia in the 3-5lb range and a friend, whose dock I was cleaning them on, had a Mr. Twister. I would use one until it got a little hot to hold and then switch to the other one, this was a steady paced ordeal with no problems out of either one. Both of these were 110v corded models, I can't speak for the rechargeables as I haven't used them. This is an important topic with some fine feedback from members, thanks for posting it.

After 3 years with a MT I bought an American Angler. The only problem I have is, it gets very HOT if cleaning like 25 fish. I now try to just keep 10, been working great.


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I've had a Berkley, tore the gears out cleaning walleye. Now I have a MT, green and yellow, and love it and an old black and red AA and love it. I don't like the curly cord on the MT but keep a cheap 6' cord in the box with it so it doesn't bother me too much. I also have a Cabelas brand and it's a piece of crap.

I like the Ozark Trail one from Wal Mart, for $15 it's considered disposable. Usually can get almost a year out of one, or a few hundred fish. If I could get replacement blades it would last longer, never had a motor go out yet.

Buck knife for me. Rapala for me.