How to Rate Kitchen Knives
If professional cooks had to select a kitchen tool they find indispensable, surely the kitchen knife would be their choice. And it's no wonder: Kitchen knives help at every stage of cooking, from preparing to chopping added ingredients and then to slicing the finished product. Consider a dish such as chicken francaise: The knife butterflies the cutlet, then slices the lemons for the sauce, chops the parsley tossed in later and, finally, portions out the servings. Knowing what separates a good knife from a great knife can make all the difference. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Consider whether a knife is forged (hand-molded after an intense heat process) or stamped (flattened into shape by standard cutters). Because they are stronger and more durable, forged knives cost more. Professional chefs used forged knives almost exclusively.
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Hold a chef's knife to consider its handle. Look for a sturdy handle that isn't so heavy you'll have to put it down in the middle of chopping just to give your hand a rest. If finding a comfortable handle is your goal, consider newer knives with ergonomically designed handles.
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Test steak knives for sharpness and ease of cut. Straight-edge blades cut meats easily without tearing, as serrated blades do.
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Select paring knives that can perform many tasks, from peeling apples to mincing scallions. That means the blade should measure at least 3 inches. You don't need to rate them as forged since you won't be using a paring knife for heavy kitchen cutting. Rate paring knives on their sharpness (ability to cut smoothly) and flexibility (ability to get under poultry skin).
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Rate a serrated knife by its sawing motion. Consider how easily the knife slices bread, cakes and dough. Pointed serrations do this better than scalloped serrations, which don't provide enough grip. Choose serrated knives with pliable, 10-inch to 12-inch blades.
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Judge a boning knife by its tip, which should be sharp enough to break through poultry skin. The blade should be straight and narrow so that it is easy to slide into tough spots to separate meat from bone. A boning knife's handle should be made so that it doesn't get slippery even when coated with grease or fat. The best boning knives are about 6 inches long.
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Tips & Warnings
You don't need to buy a separate knife for steaks, chopping, boning or paring. Manufacturers such Kai and Wusthof each have designed one model that can perform all these functions.
