Whether you’re a seasoned fisherman, a professional chef, or simply enjoy cooking at home, having a top-notch fillet knife is indispensable for expertly handling fish. After filleting hundreds of fish with the Rapala R12 HD Lithium Fillet Knife, I want to share my experience with this premium cordless electric knife. This newly launched product on the market allows for quick and convenient fish cleaning anywhere. The R12 Knife Combo includes a durable EVA foam zippered case, two lithium batteries each capable of multiple uses per charge, a charger, two sets of PTFE-coated HD blades in sizes 7 1/2 inches and 9 inches, along with an owner’s manual.
Smooth cuts
The PTFE coating reduces friction, allowing the blade to glide through the meat effortlessly. As a result, you can cut close to both sides of the fish, leaving only a thin layer of backbone and maximizing the amount of meat obtained from each side of the fish.
Large Heavy Duty
Heavy-duty form factor I really appreciate the weight and grip of the Rapala R12 HD Lithium Fillet Knife. The knife has a moderate weight and a suitable size, allowing for a comfortable hold. Even with blades as long as 12 inches, it remains easy to use and not cumbersome. The balanced weight helps you easily apply pressure to the fish when guiding the blade through the filleting process.
Fast, clean cuts
The R12 HD Lithium blade oscillates at high speed, delivering clean and smooth cuts as you guide the knife between the skin and the fillet. This allows you to obtain more meat with less effort, helping you quickly process large quantities of crappie or other types of fish.
Cleaning multiple fish in one battery charge One thing I love about the newer lithium electric knives is their ability to charge a few battery packs and use them almost throughout the entire season without worrying about constant recharging. I’ve filled dozens of crappies on 5 or 6 consecutive trips, and the battery still has plenty of power. The Lithium R12 HD knife provides great convenience, as I can clean fish at the mobile fish cleaning station without worrying about hooking up, etc., and remove fish guts easily and quickly.
I have both a standing fillet table and a large Rapala fillet board, along with a bucket that I carry with me or leave at home. I usually wipe out the trunk of the car, toss fish guts into the bucket, clean the fish, tidy up, and then dispose of the guts in the garden or down the fish cleaning station drain to avoid odor in the trash can.
This knife can get quite hot when cleaning 25 crappies, but that doesn’t affect its performance. The knife doesn’t get too hot to hold, and the next time I fillet fish, it still works perfectly. I’ve seen some comments about heat issues, but from my personal experience, it’s not a big problem.
Comprehensive Electric Knife Set This knife set provides everything you need in a compact and convenient package. I also include a few original Rapala electric fillet knife sets because they are compatible with this new electric knife. I like to change blades to maintain sharpness for longer.