How to Buy Kitchen Knives

Tips for buying kitchen knives

1. A good kitchen knife, whether it is a large chef’s knife or a small paring knife, has certain qualities that make it worth owning. First, the knife should be made of steel, a strong metal that can withstand years of use. Ceramic knives cannot be sharpened, which may be a big problem over time. Make sure you only consider knives with full tangs. The tang is the metal portion of the knife that extends from the blade through the handle. The tang should run the full length of the handle and should be visible as a metal line between the two handle halves. Some knives have bolsters, the bulge of metal between the handle and the blade. The bolster is there to provide a barrier between your fingers and the knife edge.
2. Steel kitchen knife blades are generally made in one of two ways. Stamped blades are mechanically cut out of a sheet of steel, while forged blades are at least handled by a human while the forging process occurs. Forged kitchen knives tend to cost more than stamped ones, and some chefs claim they are the better-made knife of the two.
3. Know your knives. A set of kitchen knives should at least have the following components. The chef’s knife is the one with long, wide blade. The point of the knife rises off the cutting surface when the knife edge is resting on that surface. This enables the knife to rock as you chop and mince. The paring knife is much smaller, and is used to peel and to make small, precision cuts. The utility knife has a blade that is between the chef’s and the paring knives in length. The utility knife does all sorts of prep jobs and is good to have around when the chef’s knife is otherwise being used or dirty. A serrated knife comes in very handy for cutting fresh bread loaves, as well as tomatoes. You can also opt to buy other kitchen knives made for specific tasks.
4. Before you buy your kitchen knives, pick them up and see how they feel in your hand. Depending on the materials to used to make the blade and the handle, kitchen knives will have different weights. A chef’s knife with a steel blade and a synthetic handle will weigh and feel differently than a chef’s knife with a steel blade, a bolster and a wooden handle. The feel of a kitchen knife in your hand is called its balance. You want to pick a set of kitchen knives that feel right when you handle them.
5. Check out the warranty. Many kitchen knife manufacturers offer lifetime warranties, especially for more expensive designs.

Caution

Before you buy, find out how your knife should be sharpened and cleaned. Some knives can be put in the dishwasher, but others should be hand washed and should never be left soaking in standing water. Water can get between the tang and handles, causing the handle to rot.

Where to buy kitchen knives

You can purchase a set of kitchen knives from one of these online retailers—

Chef’s Catalog will set you up with a professional set of kitchen knives. Find several brands and many set configurations.

Take your pick of all types of kitchen knives at iKitchen.com. Includes Japanese kitchen knife brands.

Amazon offers a big selection of kitchen knives. Find ceramic and steel blades, Asian knives, cutting boards and knife blocks.