The best Carpet knives, compared.
Top pick: TradeUnderlay green carpet fitter knife Best value: LuLuxinxin sprung-arm carpet cutter – About £4.99 with 4.1 from 24 reviews, the cheaper body that still has a review file. Updated October 2026.
A carpet knife in the UK is a hand knife for carpet, and often vinyl, underlay, or felt. Fitters usually mean a dolphin handle: a fixed blade, spare blades in the handle, and a belt holster. amazon.co.uk also lists a heavy fixed trade knife and cheap sprung-arm cutters, a different body. Shears and cordless scissors stay outside this set. Judge the mount, whether a holster covers a fixed tip, and whether the style field agrees with the handle type. The [carpet knife buying guide](/hub/cutting-tools/carpet-knife/sub/carpet-knife-buying-guide) covers the mount, the holster, and the box. Scores use stars, review volume, listing detail, UK notes, and price.
A carpet knife in the UK is a hand knife for carpet, and often vinyl, underlay, or felt. Fitters usually mean a dolphin handle: a fixed blade, spare blades in the handle, and a belt holster.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What is the job?
The green TradeUnderlay fitter knife, listed under the brand CCA, is £12.99 with 4.6 stars from 135 amazon.co.uk reviews and a metal handle at 170 g. The bullets match the orange and yellow knives: a thumb screw, spares in the handle, and a holster in the box. Only six UK reviews are in the notes. Those notes praise a strong magnet, belt carry for plastering and board, and one buyer who recognised it as a dolphin knife. The same small sample is where the faults sit. Paint flaked straight away for one buyer, the magnet fell out on the second day, and the pin that holds the two halves came out until they glued it back. The style field says retractable and the handle type says manual-retractable, but no review in these notes describes a sliding blade. Extra blades are not on the included-components line. Score 70, after a deduction for the magnet and the hinge pin.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who wants the green holster version of this fitter shape and accepts the early-wear reports in a short UK sample.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs the magnet and the hinge pin to stay put through the first week.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the green knife include extra blades?
The included-components line lists a holster only. Extra blades are not stated.
What did UK reviewers report about durability?
Six UK reviews are in the notes. Praise centres on the magnet and belt carry. One reviewer said the paint flaked, the magnet fell out on day two, and the pin that holds the halves came out.
Is the handle described as retractable?
The listing says product style Retractable and handle type Manual-Retractable. No review in these notes describes a sliding blade.
The yellow TradeUnderlay cutter is £12.99, 4.6 stars from 130 amazon.co.uk reviews, 160 g, with a rubber handle and a yellow holster. Twelve UK reviews are in the notes. They say it does the expected job, that the colour is easy to see when you put it down, and that it holds Stanley-type blades. One reviewer said a blade was in the box, which the included-components line does not confirm. The listing contradicts itself: the style field says retractable and the handle type says non-retractable. A reviewer who disliked the title said it could be read as a genuine named brand, and that they would not buy it again. A joint that failed after about five openings appears only in a non-UK review, so it is not a UK pattern in these notes. Score 73. It is the same about £12.99 as the top pick, so it takes no value award.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants this colour of the £12.99 fitter knife and will treat the blade as fixed until they have checked it.
Less suitable: Anyone buying because the title sounds like a known trade brand, or who needs a clearly stated retractable mechanism.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the yellow knife come with a blade?
The included-components line lists a holster, not a blade. One UK reviewer wrote that a blade was included. The listing itself does not confirm that.
Will Stanley-type blades fit?
One UK reviewer wrote that it holds Stanley-type blades. The specification table does not name a blade code.
Is this a retractable knife?
The style field says Retractable and the handle-type field says Non-Retractable. Both are on the same listing.
Across 213 amazon.co.uk reviews the TradeUnderlay orange carpet fitter knife sits at 4.5 stars and £12.99, and the listing ranks it 3rd in Carpet Knives. At 170 g it is the curved fitter shape: a thumb screw for the blade, room for spares in the handle, and an orange holster in the box. UK reviewers praise a quick blade change, belt carry, and a cut on lifted carpet, and they say it takes Stanley-style blades. The included-components line lists the holster only, so a blade in the parcel is not something the listing promises. One UK reviewer wrote that the blade does not retract, which conflicts with the style field that says retractable. The holster is the practical limit: the fit is called loose, and one reviewer said the blade can stick out of the bottom if the knife is pushed in too far. A full day on plasterboard also drew a note that the handle feels small. It is the top pick at score 80, with that holster fault already deducted.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A fitter or renovator who wants a holstered dolphin-style knife at £12.99 and will check that the sheath covers the tip.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a blade that actually retracts, or who will trust the holster without checking the tip.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this orange carpet knife come with a holster?
Yes. The amazon.co.uk included-components line lists a holster. One UK reviewer said the fit was loose and that the blade could stick out of the bottom if the knife was pushed in too far.
Are blades included?
The listing does not name blades in the included components. UK reviewers have said no blade was in the box, and that the knife takes Stanley-style blades.
Does the blade retract?
The listing style field says retractable. A UK reviewer wrote that the blade does not retract. Those two statements are both on record and they conflict.
The Stanley FatMax FMHT10501-0 is the named fixed trade knife in this set, at £17.52 on the amazon.co.uk line used here, with 4.5 stars from 19 reviews. It weighs 182 g, the handle type is non-retractable, and the listing describes a coarse-thread thumb wheel plus magnetic storage for 10 blades. The included-components line is the knife only. Stanley UK page for FMHT10501-0 lists two induction-hardened blades, one 1996 hook blade, and a sheath, which is a different source from this Amazon extract. Only one UK review is in the notes, and it is positive about the magnetic hold and about the knife being easy to use for that task. A review written in France, which is not UK opinion, praised comfort, the magnets, the ten-blade store and a steel thumb wheel. No defect is written in those reviews, which is a thin file rather than a long clean record. No holster is stated. Score 50, after the under-20 review deduction.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants Stanley fixed FatMax trade knife and has read that this Amazon listing is the knife, not a stated blade-and-sheath kit.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a large UK review file, a holster in the box, or a blade that retracts.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Amazon listing include spare blades?
The included-components line says 1 x Heavy Duty Trade Knife. Storage for 10 blades is claimed. Blades supplied are not listed on that line. Stanley UK page lists blades and a sheath. Keep that kit list separate from this Amazon include line.
How do you change the blade?
The listing describes a coarse-thread quick-release thumb wheel.
Does the blade retract?
No. The handle type on the listing is non-retractable, and the style is a heavy fixed knife.
The LuLuxinxin sprung-arm cutter is £4.99, with 4.1 stars from 24 amazon.co.uk reviews, about 220 mm long and 140 g. The listing names an SK5 blade, an ABS handle, and a single screw for the blade change. No holster is stated. Eight UK reviews are in the notes. Some say it did the job at that price, one sewing user called it sturdy, and another said the size was right for them. The limit is in the same notes: one reviewer said it worked the first time, then stuck and would not cut straight, and another said not to buy it and gave no further detail. The listing asks whether there is a safety lock and does not answer. No thickness is given, only carpet, vinyl, leather and wallpaper as named materials. It is the best value because it is the cheaper body that still has a review file. The stuck-cutter note is already a deduction.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A low-stakes one-off trial if you accept that one review says the cutter stuck after the first use.
Less suitable: Daily carpet fitting, anyone who needs a holster, or anyone who needs a named spare-blade code.
Specifications
Common questions
Is there a safety lock?
The listing asks the question and does not answer it. No safety lock is described in the bullets.
How thick a material will it cut?
No thickness is given. The listing names carpet, vinyl, leather and wallpaper.
What went wrong in UK reviews?
One reviewer said it worked once, then stuck and would not cut straight. Another said not to buy it and gave no detail. Others said it did the job.
This sprung-arm cutter is also £4.99, with the same stated size of about 220 mm and 140 g, an ABS handle, and an SK5 blade described in the listing text. amazon.co.uk shows 3.0 stars from one review. That reviewer wanted to cut up a lifted carpet, had no carpet to hand, and found that cardboard did not cut easily. They wrote that notched utility blades did not match and that a blade with a hole seemed to be required. The included-components field says no, while the listing text still describes an SK5 blade on the tool, so what is in the parcel is not clearly stated. There is no vinyl result in the review, and no holster. One review is not a pattern, and it is not evidence that this cutter gets through carpet. Score 27. It does not take the best-value award.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a buyer who will test an unproven £4.99 cutter and can match a blade with a hole.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs to cut a real carpet this week, or who wants reviews of the tool on carpet.
Specifications
Common questions
Has it been reviewed on carpet?
The only UK review is from someone who wanted to cut up a lifted carpet. They had no carpet to hand and tried cardboard, which did not cut easily.
Which replacement blades fit?
The listing does not name a blade code. That reviewer wrote that notched utility blades did not match and that a blade with a hole seemed to be required.
Is it for vinyl?
The listing names vinyl among the materials. There is no vinyl test in the review.
Six amazon.co.uk listings were scored on 19 October 2026. Stars, review counts, and prices come from those listings. The score is an editorial 0–100 figure, not the star rating times 20, and not a laboratory cut. The five weights below sum to 100. Deductions sit outside the weights: a holster that can leave the blade exposed, a magnet or hinge pin that came out, a cutter that stuck, a review file under 20, a retractable claim that conflicts with the handle type, and a trial that never reached carpet.
Amazon stars
35%0–35. Round half up: amazon.co.uk stars divided by 5, times 35. A 4.5 line is 32 points before the other blocks.
Review volume
25%0–25. 200 reviews or more scores 22, 100–199 scores 16, 20–99 scores 8, and under 20 scores 2.
Listing detail
20%0–20 for what the listing states: blade change, spare storage, holster, and whether the handle type agrees with the style field. A conflicting retractable claim lowers this mark.
UK review fit
10%0–10 from the UK review notes. A described carpet job with the holster fault named scores 8. A short sample that mixes praise and an early failure scores 5. A single review that never reached carpet scores 3.
Price fit
10%0–10. About £13 with a holster and 100 or more reviews scores 8. About £5 with 20 or more reviews scores 6. About £18 with under 20 reviews scores 5. About £5 with a single review scores 4.
The choice is the body, then the mount, then the holster. A dolphin fitter knife, a Stanley fixed trade knife, and a sprung-arm cutter do not take the same spare blades, and a style field that says retractable can disagree with the handle type and with UK reviews.
A carpet knife, in the way UK fitters use the words, is a hand knife for carpet and often for vinyl, underlay, or roofing felt. The usual trade shape is a dolphin handle: curved, with a thumb wheel clamping a fixed blade, room for spare blades inside the handle, and a belt holster. amazon.co.uk mixes that shape with a heavy fixed trade knife and with flat sprung-arm cutters. Those are different bodies.
Shears and cordless electric scissors are a different category. This page keeps dolphin fitter knives, the Stanley fixed trade knife, and two sprung-arm cutters.
A UK review of the unbranded £4.99 cutter said notched Stanley-style blades would not fit and that a blade with a hole seemed to be required. Confirm the hole before you buy a pack.
One UK review of the orange knife said the blade could protrude from the bottom of the holster. HSE says not to carry hand knives in pockets. Check that the sheath covers the tip.
Standard utility blades are not one pattern. A UK review of the £4.99 sprung-arm cutter B0GMWP8B3Z said notched Stanley-style blades would not fit and that a blade with a hole seemed to be required. The TradeUnderlay notes say those knives take Stanley-style blades, and one yellow-knife review says Stanley-type blades. The specification tables do not name a blade code, so confirm the hole, the notch, or the hook before you buy a pack.
Trade dolphin knives are fixed blades in a holster. The TradeUnderlay style field says Retractable. A UK review of the orange knife said the blade does not retract. The yellow listing says Retractable in the style field and Non-Retractable in the handle type. The green listing says retractable and manual-retractable, and no review in the notes describes a sliding blade. The Stanley handle type is non-retractable, which matches a fixed trade knife. Check the knife, not the style word.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a holster, a thumb screw, and spare blades in the handle, and you will check that the sheath covers the tip. The orange TradeUnderlay is the top pick at about £12.99, with 4.5 from 213 reviews. One UK note says the blade can protrude from the bottom of the holster.
You have a single cut, not a fitting day. The LuLuxinxin sprung-arm cutter is the best value at about £4.99, with 4.1 from 24 reviews. One UK review says it worked once, then stuck and would not cut straight. It states no holster.
You want the Stanley FatMax FMHT10501-0, non-retractable, with a thumb wheel and storage claimed for 10 blades. The amazon.co.uk line used here is about £17.52, with 4.5 from 19 reviews, and the include line is the knife only. A holster is not stated on that listing.
The top pick is the TradeUnderlay orange carpet fitter knife, score 80, at about £12.99, with 4.5 from 213 reviews. UK notes include a carpet-removal cut, Stanley-style blades, a loose holster, and one report that the blade does not retract. The holster fault is already a four-point deduction. The best value is the LuLuxinxin sprung-arm carpet cutter, score 54, at about £4.99, with 4.1 from 24 reviews. It is the cheaper body that still has a review file. One UK review says it stuck and would not cut straight. The green and yellow knives are the same about £12.99, so they take no separate value award. The other about £4.99 cutter stays off that award because its only review never cut carpet.
LuLuxinxin sprung-arm carpet cutter
About £4.99 with 4.1 from 24 reviews, the cheaper body that still has a review file.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and amazon.co.uk listing lines; retrieved 19 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk with the tag pcuk26-21. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars, and review counts are the UK listing lines from 19 October 2026. We did not run a lab test.
