MAC vs Shun:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, MAC had more branded searches than Shun among chef knife brands worldwide. MAC had about 8,100 branded searches, while Shun had 480. MAC made up 52.7% of all chef knife brand searches we track, and Shun accounted for 3.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about chef knife brands, MAC and Shun each appeared in three of the five answers. MAC was mentioned before Shun in every answer that named either.
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Top chef knife brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, MAC was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Shun was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. MAC was listed before Shun in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Wusthof5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Victorinox4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- MAC3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Shun3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
ZWILLING1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
GLOBAL0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about chef knife brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which chef knife brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best chef knife brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best chef knife brand for a home kitchen?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best chef knife”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“good kitchen knives”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is MAC or Shun more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for MAC and Shun by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six chef knife brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for MAC, Shun. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | MAC | Victorinox | Wusthof | GLOBAL | ZWILLING | Shun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 37.1% | 16.5% | 30.4% | 3.3% | 3.7% | 9% |
| Nov 2025 | 41.8% | 15.3% | 28% | 3.7% | 4.5% | 6.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 33.4% | 12.2% | 33.4% | 3% | 8.1% | 10% |
| Jan 2026 | 31.2% | 13.9% | 31.2% | 3.2% | 11.4% | 9.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 32.3% | 14.3% | 39.4% | 3.5% | 2.9% | 7.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 25.3% | 11.3% | 37.8% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 20.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 30.6% | 11% | 45.8% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 7.2% |
| May 2026 | 40.3% | 14.4% | 26.9% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 11.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 33.4% | 14.7% | 22.3% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 22.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 39.3% | 17.5% | 32% | 3.5% | 4.3% | 3.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 45.5% | 20.2% | 24.8% | 4% | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| Sep 2026 | 52.7% | 23.4% | 10.4% | 5.7% | 4.7% | 3.1% |
How has the MAC and Shun comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- MAC was ahead of Shun in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, MAC’s share of searches among chef knife brands worldwide moved from 37.1% to 52.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.9K to 8.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Shun’s share of searches among chef knife brands worldwide moved from 9% to 3.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.4K to 480.
How did search popularity change for chef knife brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, MAC gained share of searches among chef knife brands worldwide, from 45.5% to 52.7%.
In September 2026, Shun gained share of searches among chef knife brands worldwide, from 2.2% to 3.1%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using MAC’s and Shun’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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