A few years back my husband and I set out to find a moderately priced knife that would get the job done without leaving us unable to pay the rent. Knives can be pricey and we're proud to say we rather enjoy the middle of the pack piece we've come to love!

It's not often you'll hear me say I love celebrity branded products, but these knives by Furi are just that. Rachael Ray stepped up to the plate for them for a very specific reason. She wanted a knife that if your hands were wet or a little slimy that you still had a firm control. She was also looking for a product that was balanced for her smaller hands and wouldn't cause hand fatigue if you're doing a good amount of slicing and dicing.

That said, neither my husband and I have small hands and we've both enjoyed this product tremendously. For those who swear by smaller knives and aren't comfortable flipping a large, long bladed beast around the kitchen, this knife is balanced to pack a punch and cut with ease without having an extra long piece of steel flying about. The rubber handle is also shaped so your hand doesn't slide towards the blade as you cut which means you don't need as much pressure to cut, causing less overall stress.

We've owned the set (a 5" & a 7") for 4 years now and although we know they're not the best knives on the market, they get the job done. We purchased the knife as a set, but more often than not, the smaller of the two is what's used. The only thing I wish we would have done was purchase the special sharpening claw for it. I just couldn't bring myself to bring a uni-tasker into the kitchen like that, but the blade would have kept a slightly cleaner edge for longer.

• Find it: Furi Rachael Ray Gusto Grip Santoku Knife Set, $54.95 at Cutlery and More
• Find it: Rachael Ray Furi FUR826 Gusto Grip Li'l Edgy 5-Inch Santoku Knife, $24.21 at Amazon

Related: Knife Storage: Five Ways To Store Your Knives Safely

(Image: Sarah Rae Trover)