If you are looking for the Best Kitchen Knives then you have come to the right place. I have written this article that makes buying the best kitchen knives easy. You will find various insider tips professional chef’s use when buying knives, what to look out for, how to avoid dodgy kitchen knives that don’t do the job and more.
Little about Me
I am retired Professional Chef with over 25 years experience cooking for some of the finest 3 stars Michelin restaurants in the world. If there’s one thing I know a lot about its kitchen knives! Having personally tested hundreds of different brands and makes over my lifetime I’ve learned that having a good set of quality knives really makes a huge difference in the kitchen whether cooking at home or professionally. I’m hoping that by using the information on this blog that you too will be able to enjoy the difference having the best kitchen knives can make to your cooking and life.
How Do I Pick The Best Kitchen Knives for Me?
The best kitchen knives for you will depend on one important factor that you need to decide on before buying. You need to decide on what will you need the knives for in other words what cooking tasks will you be performing the most with them. Remember that different knives are built for different tasks so the best kitchen knives will depend on what you will need them for most. For example, the best knife for round vegetables would be a peeling knife whereas the best knife for slicing fruit would be a paring knife. If you like to cook Japanese food like sushi you must need sashimi knife.
After you’ve decided upon what type of knife set you’ll need then you need to start looking at the options available to you. This can be very difficult as there are so many knife sets out there! Finding the top kitchen knives can become a nightmare. To make this easier you can break down all kitchen knife sets into two categories.
1. Forged Knife Sets
2. Stamped Knife Sets
Personally, I use and swear by forged knives as they are of better build and quality however they are expensive. These knives typically range from $150 – $1500. Hefty price tag but well worth the investment if you’re seriously passionate about you’re cooking. It’s possible to pick up an amazing forged knife set for around $400 which should last you a lifetime provided you take good care of them.
However, not everyone is lucky enough to be able to spend that much on a knife set and different people will have different needs. If this you then stamped knives would be best. These are much cheaper ranging from $15 – $200 and can still do a satisfactory job provided you select the correct ones. There are a lot of substandard knives in this category so as a consumer you have to be very careful when choosing a set.
Over the years I’ve managed to find a few stamped knife sets (through trial and error!!) That measure up to professional chef standards without a massive hole in your pocket. This isn’t so be careful and make sure you look at manufacturers guarantees before buying any stamped sets. This tip alone will save you lots of money and time.
Some Tips to Help Make Buying the Best Kitchen Knives Easy
Consider What You Will Need the Knife For Before Buying
This is a key point as it will allow you to select the best kitchen knives for you. For example, if you need a knife for precision cutting then go for a branded Japanese forged knife set. Japanese knives have really sharp blades and tend to be much lighter than their European counterparts making them perfect for precision cutting. I highly recommend a Ginsu knife set as they perfect for precision cutting and built to last a lifetime making them a perfect long-term investment.
Forged Knives Are the Best Kitchen Knives You Can Buy
If you truly want the best then invest in a forged knife set as the quality of these sets is well worth the price. They are handcrafted and much stronger and durable than cheaper stamped sets. They also have great edge retention meaning they are able to keep their sharpness over a long time.
The Best Kitchen Knives Have a Full Tang
A full tang is when the blade of a knife runs all the way to the back of the handle. This is important as it makes the knife much more durable and strong than a knife that simply connects to back of the handle. One of the best kitchen knives for having a full tang is the Henckels professionals.
Buy What You Need
The secret to buying the best kitchen knives for the lowest amount of price is to purchase a full knife set instead of an individual knife. This can cut costs of up to 75%. However, don’t buy a knife set that you don’t need with knives that you won’t use. If you only need a chef’s knife than only buy a chef’s knife!
Lifetime Warranty
Finally look for the warranty offered on the knives as an indication to the quality of the knife. The best kitchen knives come with a lifetime warranty. Most forged knife sets will come with a lifetime warranty whereas stamped sets won’t. This tip is essential to follow when buying a budget knife as these tend to have the lowest warranties and highest breakage rate. Always check the warranties offered on your knife sets it will save you a lot of time and money!