How To

How to Purchase Kitchen Knives

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(6 Ratings)

No tool is as important in preparing food as a good, sharp knife. It's easy to choose a good one, and while the best knives are expensive, good ones are still affordable.

From Quick Guide: Cooking Utensils
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Assess how much you cook. You'll need a few decent knives even if you cook infrequently. If you cook a lot or plan to, it might be worthwhile to invest in fine cutlery.

  2. Step 2

    Visit a kitchen store or an online retailer and look through the selections.

  3. Step 3

    Look for a chef's, or French, knife. This is the standard workhorse knife of Western kitchens. It's a wide knife that tapers to a fine tip and can be used for cutting, chopping and slicing.

  4. Step 4

    Select a chef's knife with an 8- to 10-inch blade. Long knives are actually easier to use than smaller ones because there's more blade to do the work.

  5. Step 5

    Look for a chef's knife with a stainless-steel blade. The entire blade should be sharp and should continue for the entire length of the handle.

  6. Step 6

    Select a thinner, 6-inch utility knife and a 3- or 4-inch paring knife. Almost all kitchen tasks can be accomplished with these basic knives.

  7. Step 7

    Augment your basic set with a serrated knife for cutting breads and fruit and a honing steel to keep your knives sharp.

  8. Step 8

    Expect to pay $20 for the least-expensive knife of serviceable quality. Such knives often have plastic handles and are made from stamped steel.

  9. Step 9

    Plan to pay from $50 to $100 per knife for the finest kitchen cutlery. These knives have molded or riveted handles and are made from forged steel. They will cut well and last a lifetime with proper care.

Tips & Warnings
  • Sharpness matters more than cost. Sharp knives are safer and easier to use than dull ones (you'll need to use more force with a dull knife, and you might apply that force to yourself if you slip). Even good knives will need to be sharpened from time to time.
  • Avoid serrated knives that are said to never need sharpening. They're not technically sharp. They work by sawing through food instead of cutting cleanly and will make a mess of many ingredients.
  • Chinese cleavers are becoming more popular in Western kitchens as a substitute for the chef's knife. These are wide, thin-bladed knives meant for delicate chopping and slicing of vegetables, herbs and soft meat. They are not heavy meat cleavers.
  • Always be very careful when using or cleaning sharp knives.
  • Beware of gimmicks. Except for better materials, knife technology hasn't changed in hundreds of years.

Comments  

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agentjade said

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on 2/10/2009 Stainless steel is actually not a very good material for knives—it doesn't sharpen well. You're better off with an alloy that's part stainless steel and part carbon steel (often referred to as a "high carbon" steel by manufacturers).

Bedeo said

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on 9/7/2007 Nice article, though somewhat brief. Selecting the right materials, design, and size for your first few knives is very important. http://Www.cookingknives.weebly.com provides a few more details.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 All Chefs, and those who have held a great knife, will tell you that how the knife feels in your hand - the way it's balanced and how it fits in your hand - is just as important as quality of the blade. Good knives, well kept, can last many years and are a good investment for the serious cook. So maybe spend a little more money if you think you'll be using them for a few years.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 2/12/2007 Cutco knives are high quality and they will sharpen them for free, but please be careful. You can't treat a Cutco knife like a regular knife or you could end up in the emergency room.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Cutco blades offer the finest in materials, design, and craftsmanship and have a forever guarantee. They still cost less than every high-quality blade. Visit www.Cutco.com for more information.

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