How To Choose The Perfect Kitchen Knife You Should Know

The single most critical tool in your kitchen is a sharp knife. A full chicken may be halved with it, and it can also be used to mince garlic or herbs extremely finely. But, acquiring a high-quality knife or knife set might be challenging. To begin, almost all new knives are rather sharp, a fact that was verified in our most recent comprehensive evaluation of kitchen blades, in which the overwhelming majority of models received high marks for their cutting capabilities.

Focus on the knife's build, ergonomics, and feel instead of just how sharp it is; these, together with how you use and care for your knife, will decide how well it holds up over time and how simple it is to use for repeated cutting jobs day in and day out.

That's what we accomplished in a recent scientific study and evaluation of eight chef's knives, which we also performed in our own kitchens. It's important to know how to choose the right knife for your kitchen. Before you go out and purchase a kitchen knife, consider these points.

A Knife's Components

Bolster - Forged knives have a wide steel rim. It keeps your hands from being cut and provides extra stability for the knife.

Edge - the cutting edge of the blade. The meat of the thing is slicing and dicing. Knife steel, a textured rod, is recommended for sharpening knives before each usage. If you see that your blade is losing its edge, sharpen it using a stone or other suitable instrument to restore its effectiveness. Trim the paper's edge to evaluate its degree of sharpness. To avoid rust, wash the blade by hand immediately after use and let it air dry.

Handle - If you want the most comfortable grip possible, opt for an oval-shaped knife handle. Blades with finger grooves, slots, or curves aren't comfortable for most people to use. Handles made of metal or wood are much easier to hold onto than their synthetic counterparts.

Spine - The highest point of the blade, tang side up.

Tang - The tang, the section of the blade that continues into the grip, is responsible for the knife's weight distribution.

Tip - The blade's leading edge. Use it for slicing tiny or fragile items. Piercing is facilitated by the point. A word of caution: the knife's tip should never be used as a bottle opener or for any other purpose other than cutting.

Three Primary Knife Designs

Unlike what those 10-knife block sets would have you think, you only need a few different knives for the vast majority of your cutting needs. If you aren't convinced that you'll regularly use each knife in the set, then there's no use in getting the set even if it is a fantastic value.

What are the three knives you use most often?

Knife for the Chef: - This huge knife has several uses, including but not limited to chopping vegetables, dicing a bird, slicing meat, mincing garlic and herbs, and many more. Because of its many uses, it is the knife most often seen in culinary programs. Typical lengths for chef's knives vary from 5 to 10 inches. Choose as large a knife as you feel safe using, bearing in mind that a longer knife will provide more real estate on which to work. You should also test the knife's balance and comfort in your hand by holding it and making a few slicing movements.

Utility Knife or Paring Knife:- When it comes to the more precise jobs in the kitchen, like chopping herbs, clipping excess fat from meat, or slicing a slice of hard cheese, a little knife of 2 or 4 inches in length is most suited. If you feel that even the tiniest paring knives are too restrictive, you may find that the somewhat longer utility knives meet your needs more closely.

Dagger with Serrated Edge: - Bread, roasts, and particularly soft fruits and vegetables like tomatoes all call for the use of a long (think 9 or 10 inches) serrated knife. As many types of serrated knives are difficult to resharpen, this is one knife where you may save money by purchasing a cheaper one.

Several knife forms exist, some of which are designed for very specific uses. You may progressively expand your collection of cutlery as you gain knowledge of the various forms and decide which ones are most handy.

How to choose the perfect kitchen knife you should know Tips

Focus on Essentials

In general, high-quality knives come from either Germany or Japan. Knives with larger bolsters and thicker blades are typical of European-style knives produced by German manufacturers. Thinner blades with a finer edge are a popular choice among Japanese producers. Several of the highlighted brands have been tested by CR in the past, or have been examined by our in-house ergonomics specialist within the previous few months. here How to choose the perfect kitchen knife you should know 

Consider Size

Chef's knives are culinary workhorses, therefore size matters. Most are 6–10 inches. Longer knives can cut watermelons and roasts, while shorter ones are simpler to hold. The most popular chef's knife is 8 inches, which is ideal for many.

Know the Terminology

Stamped or forged knives. Forged knives, which cost more, are cut and battered from molten steel. The blade has a robust bolster, a flared piece of metal where the handle meets the blade, to protect the hand during cutting. Forged blades are less likely to bend than stamped ones.

Stamped knives, made by a cookie-cutter machine, are normally the same thickness except at the cutting edge, which is finer. No heel or bolster. Global makes high-end stamped knives.

Composition

Most knife blades are made of steel. Most knives employ stainless and carbon steel in variable amounts. Carbon steel may sharpen, but stainless steel resists corrosion. "High-carbon stainless steel" knives combine the best of both metals.

Hold the Handle

Use a knife or grasp the handle at the shop to get a feel for it. Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table offer knife exchanges within 30–60 days. To ensure comfort, control, and no cramping, try a new knife in your kitchen.

Popular Knife Manufacturers

In general, high-quality knives come from either Germany or Japan. Knives with larger bolsters and thicker blades are typical of European-style knives produced by German manufacturers. Thinner blades with a finer edge are a popular choice among Japanese producers. Several of the highlighted brands have been tested by CR in the past, or have been examined by our in-house ergonomics specialist within the previous few months.

1. Chicago Cutlery

 

• Chicago Cutlery Insignia Guided Grip 18-Piece knife set with block
• Chicago Cutlery Insignia2 Steel 4-Piece Steak Knife Set
• Chicago cutlery 62SP Stainless steel bone cutter
• Paring/Boning Knife

2. Cutco  chef's knife Cutco chef's knife best slicing knife according to experts

• CUTCO Model 1766 Santoku Knife... 7.0" High Carbon Stainless Straight Edge blade.
• New Model 1501 CUTCO Vegetable Peeler in a factory-provided plastic bag. . .High Carbon Stainless blade and black handle
• CUTCO Model 1721 Trimmer with White "Pearl" handle.4.9 High Carbon Stainless blade and 5.1" handle. in a factory-sealed plastic bag.
• Cutco Trimmer #1721

3. J.A. Henckels best slicing knife evaluated and recommended by customers

• HENCKELS Statement 14-Piece Self-Sharpening Knife Block Set for Paring, German Engineered Informed by 100+ Years of Mastery, Modern
• J.A. Henckels International Forged Premio 8-Inch Chef -,Black
• J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL Forged Premio 7-Piece Block Knife Set
• Henckels Classic 8 trong dao Chefs

4.  Keemake  chef's knife best slicing knife most durable and best selling

• KEEMAKE Chef Knife 8 inch, Kiritsuke knife with Hammered Damascus Steel Blade Kitchen Knife, Japanese Gyutou knife with Pakkawood Handle Chopping Knife, 
• KEEMAKE Japanese Chef Knife, Sharp Kitchen Knife Japanese 440C Steel, Professional Gyuto Cooking Knife for Meat Cutting with G10 Bolster Octagonal Wood Handle
• KEEMAKE Chef Knife Set 3 Piece, Sharp Kitchen Knives Set Professional Cooking Knife Set, German Stainless Steel 1.4116 Cutting Knives Set for Kitchen
• KEEMAKE Japanese Knife Gyuto Chef Knife 8-inch Kitchen Knife, Hand Forged Sharp Knife 3 Layer 9CR18MOV High Carbon Steel Cooking Knife 

5. Mercer chef's knife best knife for cutting meat excellent and durable

 

• Mercer Culinary M20000 Genesis 6-Piece Forged Knife Block Set, Tempered Glass Block
• Mercer Culinary 8-Piece Renaissance Board 7 Magnetic Knife Set, 14 1/8 x 10 1/4, Stainless Steel
• Mercer Culinary M13914 Millennia Black Handle, 14-Inch, Slicer
• Mercer Culinary M23210 Millennia Black Handle, 10-Inch Wide Wavy Edge, Bread Knife

6. Shun chef's knife best knife for cutting meat most loved

 

• Shun Classic 6-piece Slim Knife Block Set
• Shun Premier 7" Santoku Knife Hand-Sharpened, Handcrafted in Japan, Light, Agile and Easy to Maneuver, 7-Inch
• Shun Cutlery Classic Chef's Knife 8”, Thin, Light Kitchen Knife, Ideal for All-Around Food Preparation, Authentic, Handcrafted Japanese Knife
• Shun Cutlery Sora Chef's Knife 8”, Gyuto-Style Kitchen Knife, Ideal for All-Around Food Preparation, Authentic, Handcrafted Japanese

7. Wusthof Kitchen Knife 

 

 

• WÜSTHOF Classic 8" Chef's Knife
• WÜSTHOF Classic 6” Chef’s Knife
• WÜSTHOF Gourmet 2-Piece Chef's Knife Set
• WÜSTHOF Classic IKON 8-Inch Chef's Knife

8. Mac chef's knife

• MIGHTY MTH-80 Knife Professional 8 Inch Chef Knife
• MAC Knife Professional series 2-piece starter knife set PRO-20, MTH-80 Pro series 8" Chef's knife w/ dimples and PKF-50 Pro series 5" Paring knife, handcrafted in Seki, Japan
• Mac Knife Superior Santoku Knife, 6-1/2-Inch, Silver
• Mac Knife Series French Chef's Knife, 10-Inch, 8.5 Inch, Silver

9. Zyliss Kitchen Knife 

 

 

• Zyliss Comfort Pro 12-Piece Cutlery Block Set - German Stainless Steel Kitchen Knife Set 
• Zyliss E920144 6 Piece Knife Set , Multiple Sizes , Stainless Steel, Multicolour, 6 x Kitchen Knives With Protection Covers
• Zyliss Comfort Chef's Knife, Japanese Stainless Steel Knife,  Non-Slip Contoured Handle for All Hand Sizes, Travel Knife with Safety Kitchen Blade Guards 
• Zyliss Utility Paring Kitchen Knife with Sheath Cover,  Stainless Steel Kitchen Knife Perfect for Cutting Meat, Vegetables and Fruit,  5.5-Inch, Purple

FAQ: How to choose the perfect kitchen knife you should know

Q. How do I choose a good kitchen knife?

Stainless steel resists rust and corrosion, while carbon steel can take a better edge. Look for a knife that offers "high-carbon stainless steel" if you want to blend the best of both metals. The best way to get a feel for a knife is to use it, or at the very least, grip the handle in the store.

Q. What 2 things should you be looking for when purchasing a knife?

Regardless of the name, you should look for a blade that has a sturdy, pointy tip, a nice curve (this is called the belly of the blade and is basically the sweet spot), and a straight portion near the handle. I would avoid recurve blade shapes unless you have a lot of skill with a sharpener.

Q.  What are the 3 most important knives in a kitchen?

There are only three knives that are crucial in a kitchen: a chef's knife, a paring knife and a serrated knife.

Q.  How do you know if a knife is good quality?

The old fashioned way to test is to place your finger at the finger grip at the hilt or blade-end of the handle, holding the knife horizontally with the cutting edge down. A quality, well balanced knife will balance at that point and not fall off your finger. Naturally, utmost care should be taken when doing this test!