MAC vs Shun:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Shun had more branded searches than MAC among kitchen knife brands worldwide. Shun had about 22,700 branded searches, while MAC had 8,100. Shun made up 2.8% of all kitchen knife brand searches we track, and MAC accounted for 1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about kitchen knife brands, MAC appeared in three of the five answers and Shun in two. MAC was mentioned before Shun in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Shun, about 3 searches for every 1 for MAC
Follow MAC vs Shun and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top kitchen 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 two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. MAC was listed before Shun in three out of four answers.
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.
Victorinox4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Wusthof4 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
ZWILLING2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Shun2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
GLOBAL0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about kitchen knife brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which kitchen knife brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best kitchen knife brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best kitchen knife brand for everyday cooking?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best kitchen knife”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“kitchen knife set”
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 21, 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 kitchen knife brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Shun, MAC. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Victorinox | ZWILLING | Wusthof | GLOBAL | Shun | MAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 58.6% | 26.1% | 6.1% | 4.4% | 3.8% | 1% |
| Nov 2025 | 47.8% | 31.8% | 7.2% | 6.5% | 5.4% | 1.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 51.6% | 28.3% | 7% | 5.7% | 6% | 1.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 49.3% | 33% | 6.4% | 5.5% | 4.7% | 1.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.2% | 33.3% | 6.8% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 1.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 54.7% | 29.8% | 6.3% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 0.98% |
| Apr 2026 | 50.4% | 33.5% | 7.1% | 4.6% | 3.3% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 55.8% | 30.4% | 5.7% | 4.2% | 3% | 1% |
| Jun 2026 | 58.7% | 26.1% | 5.8% | 4.4% | 4.1% | 0.86% |
| Jul 2026 | 59.7% | 26.6% | 5.2% | 4.4% | 3% | 1.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 58.7% | 26.1% | 5.9% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 1.3% |
| Sep 2026 | 56.7% | 30.8% | 4.3% | 4.2% | 2.8% | 1% |
How has the MAC and Shun comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Shun was ahead of MAC in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, MAC’s share of searches among kitchen knife brands worldwide held steady at 1%, 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 kitchen knife brands worldwide moved from 3.8% to 2.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 35.5K to 22.7K.
How did search popularity change for kitchen knife brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Shun lost share of searches among kitchen knife brands worldwide, from 3.6% to 2.8%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for MAC worldwide fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 9.9K to 8.1K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
4 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.
Other head-to-heads among kitchen knife brands
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.