Let me begin this post by admitting that I'm far from an expert on knives. Until quite recently, we had few that were worth even picking up, but I invested in two winners and Santa left one under the tree so things are starting to look up around here. Knives can be a tricky thing to buy because department store sets often include repeats of what you already own, or knives that may not be useful for your cooking style. And then there are the choices, the brands, the pricing. There's so much to know.
I think the key to buying new knives or updating what you have at home is not to buy the sets. Think about how you cook and what you'd use most often and buy per piece. Some would argue that you save far more money when you purchase them in sets and this is certainly true if you're likely to use them all equally. But what's the use of a discounted knife if it sits in the drawer? I also am a fan of buying knives slowly. You don't have to jump in all at once: buy one, see how you like it, and live with it for awhile before buying another. Then in addition to researching online, I always ask my friends what knives they have and love, especially friends who really cook. Home cooks always have great advice that you won't find on major kitchen retailer's websites.
You'll notice that the list I've put together for you here is lacking a big chef's knife. That's not an oversight; we don't eat (and therefore, don't carve/slice) much meat at home, so I find these three knives get me around pretty much any task that comes our way. (Note: If you do want/need a chef's knife, check out a roundup of our picks here.)
3 Top Knives for 2013
1. Opinel Bread Knife : Produced in the French Alps since 1979, these knives are handsome and completely utilitarian. The bread knife is something that's often an afterthought for people, but once you have a good one, it changes things. From crusty baguettes to softer english muffins, this knife has made things a lot smoother in our kitchen lately.
2. Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro Slicing Knife: This will become your official tomato-slicing knife, sandwich cutter, and meat-slicing knife. It's an all-purpose star in the kitchen.
3. Wustoff Classic Serrated Paring Knife: A paring knife is something I use everyday for smaller kitchen tasks like dicing onions, quickly peeling vegetables or chopping garlic. From baking tasks to cooking projects, this is a knife that will likely get the most play in your kitchen.
Related: Chefs Show Off Their Favorite Knives
(Images: Elizabeth Passarella)
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I agree about not buying a set of knives. I told my students they should go to a store and hold the knife and pretend you are using it. You will soon find out whether you like it or not. Also, I don't have a big chefs knife either. They are too big and clinkey for me so I use smaller knives. Could have something to do with the fact I have small hands!!
Thanks for the post! I always have bought my knives in sets and consistently use only 2-3 of them - and, of course, the scissors! Still, in future, I think I will invest in individual knives picking those that really work for my style of cooking.
Excellent ideas!
When I got married I registered for knives individually and it has been wonderful. Not too long after the wedding I found a standalone knife block that is also wonderful. My favorite knife is my Anolon santoku knife followed by an all-purpose utility knife. I'm contemplating purchasing a filet/boning knife this year.
I recently bought a chef's knife and a bread knife from IKEA's Slitbar line for around $20 each, and have been surprisingly very pleased with the quality.
I need some help re: knives. I am bad about sharpening my knives. I mean, really bad. I never do it. When I was making my Christmas list I looked into knife sharpeners and quickly got overwhelmed. Between the honing steels, blocks, and other gadgets I just didn't know what was best. A few years ago my husband bought my this plastic sharpener thing that I despise because I feel like it does more harm than good. SO, to ask a question that I'm sure has been brought up here a million times, what are the basics I need for sharpening my knives at home?
I am kind of the opposite. I am a big knife guy, and I love collecting them and using them and cooking and camping and carving with them, etc., but personally I only use a single knife in my kitchen--an 8" carbon steel chef's knife made by David Loukides.
Speaking of David Loukides, it would be very worth it to support a custom knifemaker. My chef's knife outperforms every mass-produced knife out there from Shun, Wusthof, etc. (to me, of course), and it is a unique, beautiful piece of art from someone who's devoted his life to his craft, and it did not cost thousands of dollars. Best decision I've ever made. The well-maintained plain edge on my knife can take care of whatever serrated edges are made for absolutely fine.
At this point, I recommend having your knives professionally sharpened, then invest in a good hone to maintain them regularly. You're not going to get a good edge just by honing if they haven't been kept up.
There are tons of youtube videos out there that demonstrate proper honing techniques, or you can just ask whoever you take your knives to for sharpening.
Well, since you said "Knives to COVET" check out these gems - handmade by Joel Bukiewicz at Cut Brooklyn - cheers!
CutBrooklyn.com
I don't eat a lot of meat either but I reach for my chef's knife first for most slicing, dicing, chopping, etc. It all goes so much faster with a big knife.
DD Lizzy gave great advice, but to answer your basic question succinctly, you will need:
If you want to do it manually: a rough sharpening stone, a fine sharpening stone, optionally an extra fine sharpening stone, and a hone.
If you want to do it with those automatic sharpeners: the sharpener, and a hone. Probably the worse option because you don't have control of a lot of things, but it is convenient.
By the way, I don't understand the implication in the article that chef's knives are only for meat and that the author doens't really carve or slice, but then it suggests a slicing knife.
Nice selection of knives! I have to say though, we cook very little meat as well, but our large chef's knife is by far the most used in our kitchen. I find it much easier to do tasks like slicing large stacks of kale leaves, dicing onions, and cutting squash in half (which I can't even imagine doing with any other tool) with a large chef's knife.
Yeah, I'm just going to jump in the chorus and say that I don't eat/cook ANY meat, yet if I had to ditch all my knives but one, I'd keep the chef's knife. I feel pretty strongly about that, and I know a lot of other people do too.
That said (and I'm really not here to be the contrary one), I'd also like to point out that for some people, in some situations, a set may not be a bad idea. I bought a set when I first moved out on my own (the only knife I had was a cheap-o paring knife), and it has been perfect for me. I use all the knives about equally (the chef's knife gets the most action, of course), and I got them all for about the price of the chef's knife alone. So if you're currently knife-free (or functionally knife free) and you think a set might be right for you, you know yourself and your situation best.
Agree with Aunt Che Che about the IKEA Slitbar knives--I have the 6" chef's knife, utility knife, and paring knife from that series. They consistently perform as well as my (prized) Shun Classic santoku, weight-, balance-, and usefulness-wise.
Only downside to the Slitbars I've noticed is that the beautiful wood handle is not sealed, or at least not well sealed. I left my chef's knife in a puddle (like an idiot) and the handle swelled and cracked. Now I religiously avoid getting the handles wet and oil them frequently. It's a bit high-maintenance compared to my Shun, but worth it I think--at least, I wouldn't replace them on account of it.
A question for the author - how on earth do you break down a butternut squash with the knives you have? I ask because I find it a bit dangerous doing that task with anything BUT a 10" chef's knife.
I have a 6" Messermeister Meridian Elite knife that I adore. The balance is perfect for me. I also have a 10" chef's knife that is high quality, but I find the 6" safer to handle and that it tackles almost everything I need to do.
I couldn't function without my Global chef's knife. Not sure how many inches...I don't ever use it for meat. I usually use a serrated knife for that.
Yeah, as others have said, a chef's knife is useful for lots of things, not just meat. If an 8-inch knife feels too big, try a 6 inch one. I used to be particularly fond of my 6 inch santoku, but I think a classic chef's knife makes much quicker work of chopping anything. This is provided that you know how to hold a knife properly - many people really don't know how.
In any case, I'm certainly no pro. Do whatever works for you!
As for sharpening, I bought one of these really cheap sharpeners: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00.
It put a really sharp edge on some knives that I thought were beyond repair. And it's less than $9. Granted, I probably wouldn't use it to sharpen a Shun or anything really pricy, but it gets the job done.
I'm with others in the chef's knife camp. I don't eat meat at all but I still use one every day. It would just take too long with a smaller knife.
And when I say chef's knife, I actually use a 7 inch Santoku. It's nothing fancy (just a $30ish Henckels from Target) but I routinely sharpen the crap out of it and it works. I am looking forward to splurging on a great knife someday but I'm not desperate or anything.
My best knives have come from kitchen supply stores, so no reason to covet any crazy expensive knives. The Henckels knife does look nice, though. I'd give it a try if the price were a bit lower.
I can't say I understand why not eating meat would preclude buying a chef's knife. I almost never use anything except my chef's knife, especially for chopping vegetables. I find I'm much more likely to cut myself trying to chop or slice with a very small blade, and it's difficult and ungainly for very small items like garlic.
I second the Messermeister. I have the Meridian Elite paring, bread, and 8" chefs knife. The only three knives I'll ever need. The balance is perfect, with a comfortable bolster and all are cut to be closer to a japanese edge, rather than the normal german cut. I can chop my way through bones and squash with ease. And that bread knife...it's amazing. I even went to Sur la Table and tried out many of the knives, but none came close. I bought it as a set for $200, even.
When I set up my own home I knew I wanted quality knives, but I was on a budget, so I only bought three: serrated/bread knife, paring knife, and 8" chef's knife. We keep kosher and rarely eat meat, so these knives are only for vegetarian food. I chose the 8" chef's knife so I would be able to easily cut large produce like melons and squash. That said, my dad got me a 6" chef's knife for my last birthday and it's quickly become my favorite. I can't imagine ever needing more than the four knives I have, and because they are all high quality they should last for many years to come.
While those are lovely knives, I'd also suggest that you investigate Kyocera ceramic knives. Not only are they sharper than a serpent's tooth, they don't get dull. DON'T EVER PUT THEM IN THE DISHWASHER, lest they break. They're light, perfectly balanced, and as someone with arthritic hands and wrists I find these knives (I have 3 knives of different sizes, and a peeler) do most of the work for you. They're that sharp. I'd probably wind up in jail for homicide if Mr. Marion in Savannah ever put one of mine in the dishwasher... Here's a link:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=kyocera+ceramic+knives&sprefix=Kyocera+%2Cgarden%2C197&rh=n%3A1055398%2Ck%3Akyocera+ceramic+knives
Like Zerinia, despite having numerous knives in my kitchen, I almost exclusively use my chef's knife, with the exception of bread, tomatoes, and the like. But I have never heard of using serrated blades for garlic! Does it actually chop it all the way to the bottom?
Me too! About 8 months ago, I grabbed an IKEA Gynnsam chef's knife intending it to be temporary, but to my surprise it's well balanced, fits my hand beautifully and holds an edge as well as or better than many more expensive knives I've owned. (I cook alot and use this knife DAILY, so color me amazed)
Cheap and wonderful. I use this for almost everything: (I have a Santoku and a larger knife that also do the rotation for special items.)
http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Professional-6-Inch-Utility/dp/B000A13ODO/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1357740193&sr=8-9&keywords=oxo+knife
Fun post ! I wanted to share a new-favorite knife: the Victorinox 2.5" bird's beak paring knife. I bought it because I wanted to learn how to turn vegetables, but this knife has been particularly useful for peeling everything from potatoes and apples to squash and beets. Faster and has better control than a vegetable peeler.
My 6-year-old starter Henckels from Target aren't keeping their edges well anymore and I've been looking at getting a Sabatier or R. Murphy chef's knife—does anyone here have experience with them? And how worried should I be about caring for a carbon steel knife?
I've tried the Henckels and the Zwilling knives and they were pretty good as long as you can sharpen them properly. Even the best knives get blunt over time. Last year I got a cook's knife, a paring knife and a filet knife from Global. I've kept only the bread knife from the old set and use these 3 knives for everything. I can honestly say I don' t need any others and I cook from scratch every day. They aren't cheap, cannot go in the dishwasher and need to be sharpened properly. I say save for the Globals if you can, I paid over $500 for a block and set of knives and really it was a false economy as I only used half of them.
I've managed to build up a nice collection of knives and pots by slow investment in one piece at a time. My favorite go to knife is my 8" Wusthof Santoku. It's heavier than many other brands but I prefer the weight. For some reason I am a terrible knife sharpener, so I just bring my knives to the farmers market every 6 months or so.
My wonderful mother-in-law bought me a set of Wustof knives after I mentioned liking them. I use all but one of the knives nearly every day, so I don't think sets are always a bad thing.
I get the Henckels knife set for Christmas... it's a dream!!
My partner came with a set of Shun knives. They are wonderful, but need to be sharpened specially, because the steel is different from American steel. (We just get it hand sharpened.) It's definitely a luxury item, but it makes eating at home so much more fun (and probably saves us money in the long run).
Dishwasher safe beater knife: Victorinox Chef's knife with fibrox handle (~$25)
This one comes up repeatedly as the best value because of its relatively good steel at an affordable price point. I used to use mine as my primary knife but now it does duty as a makeshift butcher knife to go through roasted poultry joints.
If money isn't really an issue, you should decide whether you want german steel or japanese steel. German blades are sharpened at 20 degrees on each side, IIRC. Japanese brands usually go for something around 16 degrees on each side.
I went with Japanese (Shun classic) because the VG10 steel holds the 32 degree point about as long as German steel holds a 40 degree point. More expensive Japanese steel (SG2 I believe) can hold edges even longer. Also, after a 20% BB&B coupon, I got a set of Shun classics for about $200 out the door.
I use a 6" chef's knife for just about everything. It's that, paring knife, or shears.
Same as the Henckels Four Star in the photo.
Great to hear, because I've recommended the Messermeister on my website (kitchenknifeguru.com). But please please don't chop through bones. . .you'll dull your beautiful edges in no time.