Knives are a vital part of food preparation. Whether you are cooking a meal from scratch or serving a snack, you need a knife for different tasks. There is a wide range of knife brands to consider buying. With the right pointers in mind, buying high-performance knives should not be hard. If you are stocking up your kitchen knives or replacing some, below is a guide to help in choosing high-quality functional blades. 

Whether you are a chef or a home-cooking enthusiast, you need a knife set that will get the job done. You need at least three types of knives in your kitchen, and a chef might need more, depending on the dishes an establishment prepares. Although the chef’s knife is a multipurpose blade, you need additional knife types for efficiency when preparing different dishes. 

What Are the Best Kitchen Knives Sets?

The best kitchen knife set carries high-quality, extremely sharp blades to give you an easy time in the kitchen. The knives are extremely sharp to keep foods intact when cutting and save you much-needed energy during food preparation. You can buy a knife set with provided knives or come up with your own set of kitchen knives from different brands if you like. 

A good knife set has at least three knife types; a che's knife, a serrated blade, and a utility knife. That way, you do not have to rely on one blade for everything, fostering convenience.

A chef’s knife is used for various tasks, including chopping meat, slicing, mincing ingredients, and dicing vegetables. It allows you to cut different foods easily and is usually 6-12inches. However, the Santoku knife is the Japanese version of the chef’s knife. It is usually 5-8 inches long but has a wide blade and no tip. It is thinner and lighter than the German and French chef’s knife. It enables more refined slicing for those delicate cutting tasks. 

A utility knife is smaller than a chef’s knife, making it ideal for tricky jobs like cutting small vegetables and chicken breast. It is also used for paring apples, segmenting oranges, and slicing small cheese blocks. On the other hand, a serrated knife comes in handy for cutting bread. The saw-like motion cuts easily through bread and fruits with fibrous skin like pineapple. 

Besides chef’s, utility, and serrated knives, a knife set can have more blade types, depending on a user’s needs. They include boning, paring, and carving knives, among others. A carving knife is designed for smoothly cutting joints of poultry and meat, while a paring knife is for coring, peeling, and fine-slicing foods. 

Felix Knives

What Should I Look for in a Kitchen Knife?

You should invest in a quality, well-made knife that cuts easily through foods. The best kitchen knife is razor-sharp for effortless cutting. You do not have to strain to slice, chop, or dice foods.  It is also easy to sharpen if the edge loses proper sharpness. 

The other factor to consider is the material a manufacturer utilizes. Brands use stainless steel, carbon steel, or a combination of the two materials to make knives. We'll look into the best steel for knives in a moment. Whichever path you take, quality knives consist of durable materials to give you value for your money. 

The design of the blade also matters. Forged knives are durable, often full tang, and hold an edge for longer. However, they are heavier, less flexible, and pricier. On the other hand, stamped knives are lighter, thinner, less costly, and easier to maneuver than forged ones. They are not as durable, and some have small tangs. The design you choose depends on you.

That aside, ensure you buy a kitchen knife with a comfortable grip. Brands use plastic, wood, and stainless steel on handles. You can also find knife handles in different shades if you have a preference. 

You should also check the weight and balance of a kitchen knife. A knife with proper balance feels good in your hands and is like an extension of your arm. It is not heavy in your hands to prevent fatigue, especially when cutting foods for an extended period. Go for a blade that is comfortable and does not tire your arms when in use. 

What Are the Top Knife Brands?

The knife market has a variety of brands to consider buying. However, the industry has renowned knife manufacturers that serious home cooks and chefs settle for. They include the following.

Knives from leading brands can be costlier, but the quality and performance they offer are well worth the price.

At House of Knives, we offer a large range of premium kitchen knives to choose from. Ensure you do your research and choose the best knives that fit your preference and budget. 

What Is the Best Steel for a Knife?

As mentioned earlier, knife makers use stainless steel, high carbon steel, and high-carbon stainless steel in making blades. Stainless steel is easy to sharpen and less likely to rust but dulls faster, while high carbon steel maintains a sharp edge but rusts if not cared for properly.

The best steel for a blade would be high-carbon stainless steel. It is durable, simple to maintain, and holds a sharp edge. Other brands like Wusthof use other materials to make a sturdy stainless-steel alloy for making quality knives.

Musashi Knives

The Best Kitchen Knives to Consider Purchasing 

Choosing the best kitchen knives should not be a challenge. We have discussed factors to keep in mind during purchase, and here are some of the best knives to consider for your kitchen. 

Wusthof Classic Series Chef Knife with Hollows 20cm 

Wusthof is a leading German knife maker that provides high-quality knives and accessories. The manufacturer provides a 20cm Classic Series chef knife with hollows. It is designed for mincing, slicing meat, hopping, and disjointing large cuts. The knife is made of alloyed stainless steel and is suitable for home cooks and chefs. 

It has a seamless handle that fosters hygiene, and the edge is extraordinarily sharp to ensure efficiency in the kitchen. Its full bolster ensures hand safety and balanced weight distribution for easy cutting. Besides, the handle has a comfortable shape, and the rivets foster durability and hygiene. Wusthof also provides carving, tomato, sausage, utility, fillet, and slicing knives if you need more kitchen knives.   

Wusthof Classic Series Chef Knife with Hollows 20cm

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro Santoku Knife 18cm

Zwilling provides an elegant multipurpose Santoku knife. Use it for mincing, chopping, and dicing ingredients for your delicious meals. It is smaller, thinner, and lighter, allowing you to make more precise cuts. The knife is also great for users with small hands, ensuring comfort for fun food preparation. 

The German brand utilizes high carbon stainless steel to make a one-piece, forged knife that is durable and fosters hygiene in the kitchen. The blade is ice-hardened, hand-sharpened, and polished 15° on every side. Its full tang ensures proper balance and comfort when cutting different foods. The manufacturer also provides bread, boning, paring, and slicing knives. 

ZWILLING J.A. Henckels Pro Santoku Knife 18cm

Tojiro Pro Flash Bread Knife 24cm 

Tojiro offers you a sharp, serrated bread knife with an ergonomic handle. It can cut hard or smooth surfaces, including tomatoes and salami. The blade is razor-sharp, offering you high performance in the kitchen. Besides, the handle is comfortable and well-balanced for effortless cutting. 

The bread knife consists of high-quality steel, which is hand-polished to give the blade a stunning finish. The manufacturer uses 63 layers of Damascus steel and VG-10 steel at the center of the knife to make the blade sharp and hard while maintaining strength and flexibility. Tojiro also makes boning, utility, vegetable, chef, paring, and carving knives.  

Tojiro Pro Flash Bread Knife 24cm

Musashi White Steel #2 Magnolia Handle Paring knife 13.5cm

The Musashi White Steel Paring Knife is a stunning blade that offers the sharpness you need in the kitchen. It smoothly cuts and slices fruits and vegetables and also does a good peeling job. You can also use it for precision work, including shaping and making garnishes. The knife is compact with a relatively narrow blade for efficient, controllable precision.

The knife features a magnolia handle and a carbon steel blade that has good edge retention and is easy to sharpen. It is a Japanese-style knife with a comfortable handle for an easy time in the kitchen. It is hand-made, durable, and sharp, making it a worthwhile investment for your kitchen. 

 Musashi White Steel #2 Magnolia Handle Paring Knife 13.5cm

Knife Cleaning and Maintenance

As you buy different types of knives, also invest in high-quality storage tools. You can keep your blades in knife blocks to maintain their sharpness and ensure safety in the kitchen. You can also store knives on a magnetic strip or an in-drawer organizer.

If you need to carry knives with you, use knife guards or a knife case to prevent the blades from damage and rubbing against each other. When cleaning knives, ensure you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. It is recommended that you hand-wash knives to prevent damage. Dry them thoroughly with care and store them safely.  

Final Thoughts 

Choosing high-performance knives gives you an easy time in the kitchen. They are super sharp, high-quality, and easy to use, as they cut through foods smoothly without destroying their shape.
At a minimum you should have a chef's knife, utility knife and a serrated blade in your aresenal. But to achieve a better result across different cutting tasks, you can also add other knife types to your collection, including paring, carving, and boning knives if you need them. 

Also Check Out: New to the Kitchen? Best Chef Knife Collection for All Your Needs

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