Kitchen Knives

With so many knives available for use in your home kitchen, we thought it would be a good idea to do a short write-up with some recommendations for knives.

What to look for and how to find a top-quality kitchen knife.

1. Country of origin. Knives made in the USA, Germany, Japan, or other countries with similarly skilled-high tech labor produce the best knives. Don’t buy a cheap knife – ever, but especially one made in China.
2. Brand. Even great brands may make knives that don’t work for you. Sometimes great brands make a cheap version of a knife and put their name on it. Just because a brand sounds German or Japanese doesn’t mean that’s where a particular knife was made. Check the packaging and labels for country of origin.
3. Recommendations. Ask the chef at your favorite restaurant what knife and why.
4. Store. Make sure you buy your knife at a store that will allow you to return a knife if it simply doesn’t work for you. There are many reasons why a knife might work great for someone else but not for you. Your hands may be small, or large. Even a promising looking knife may have a hidden flaw.
5. Buy a knife for you. Buy a knife that fits your hand and that matches your strength and style. Pay particular attention to the weight distribution and center of balance. My mother has small hands and the knives that suit her don’t always suit me with my much larger hands.
6. Metal and type. Buy knives made from high-quality stainless steel. Not all stainless is made the same nor equal in rust-proof capabilities. Will you put your knife in the dishwasher or wash by hand? Will you use a steel to keep the knife aligned? Don’t buy a “stay sharp” or “ever sharp” knife – the steel is harder and is typically serrated which will tear your food.
7. Quality, not quantity. Buy 2 or 3 great knives rather than a lot of inexpensive knives. The more knives you have, the more you need to keep sharp and become adept at using. I once read about a cooking student who refused to use anything but a small knife for everything. The instructor tried to get him to stop, but soon realized that with that one knife he was cutting better than the other students could with any knife. He had grown up using a pen knife to whittle and stuck with what he knew and was good with. He eventually branched out and started using a cleaver and a fillet knife, but a big set of knives were not for him. Buy what you will use and what you need
8. Ignore your ego. Don’t buy the most expensive knife simply based on price, but don’t buy a cheap knife – you should make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for. Don’t buy a knife based on it’s size. Bigger is not better. Sometimes bigger is simply bigger. Do some research and find the knives that work for you.

We’ve included our recommendations below:
Shun Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife with Scallops
Wüsthof Classic 7-1/2-Inch Heavy Cleaver
Wüsthof Gourmet 9-Inch Cleaver
Wüsthof Classic 10-Inch Wide Cook’s Knife
Wüsthof Classic 7-Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
Shun Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife