I need help looking for a good chef knife

[mikel18]

I am looking for a good chef knife but I dont have a ton of money. I dont want to spend more then $50.00 for the knife. now I have looked around a bit and I see there is a Santoku knife so witch is the better choice? or is there not much differance? BTW if you have not figured out this will be my 1st good knife buy.

 

[Maverick2272]

Better choice between which two? I see the Santoku listed (which in my opinion is a very nice knife), but no other?
They had more than a few really good knifes down at the Bed, Bath & Beyond and if you use a coupon you might even end up being able to get a couple of knives instead of one. Also the sales associates were very helpful in helping us make the selections.

 

[AMSeccia]

I think the difference is appreciable and very personal. I would recommend getting yourself somewhere that you can see and feel the difference in your own hands and compare them. Handle the knife the way you think you would handle it in your own kitchen. I would encourage you to double-check the warranty in case you aren't pleased with your purchase.

There are plenty of suitable knives out there under $50, especially for a first purchase. There are also plenty out there for 10x that price. Be careful.

 

[Maverick2272]

I agree, no matter where you go you gotta handle the knife first!

 

[mikel18]

do you have a brand preferance? for a knife in that price area?

I think the difference is appreciable and very personal. I would recommend getting yourself somewhere that you can see and feel the difference in your own hands and compare them. Handle the knife the way you think you would handle it in your own kitchen. I would encourage you to double-check the warranty in case you aren't pleased with your purchase.

There are plenty of suitable knives out there under $50, especially for a first purchase. There are also plenty out there for 10x that price. Be careful.

 

[mikel18]

I never thought of BBB I will go there tomorow. thanks a lot

Better choice between which two? I see the Santoku listed (which in my opinion is a very nice knife), but no other?
They had more than a few really good knifes down at the Bed, Bath & Beyond and if you use a coupon you might even end up being able to get a couple of knives instead of one. Also the sales associates were very helpful in helping us make the selections.

 

[buzzard767]

I am looking for a good chef knife but I dont have a ton of money. I dont want to spend more then $50.00 for the knife. now I have looked around a bit and I see there is a Santoku knife so witch is the better choice? or is there not much differance? BTW if you have not figured out this will be my 1st good knife buy.

Take a look at the Tojiro DP. It's a tad more money than you requested but there are a couple other alternatives if needed. This model Tojiro is made of stain resistant Sandvik Swedish steel. Excellent stuff. The blade profile is thinner than non Japanese knives so it cuts better. The Swedish steel can be made more sharp than non Japanese knives so it cuts better. The edge lasts longer than non Japanese knives so it cuts better longer. It is easy to sharpen.

etc.

edit: you can get a Santoku for $52

Buzz

 

[Rob Babcock]

+1 on the Tojiro DP, it's pretty much untouchable at the price. As per chef's knife vs santoku, both are useful, but the chef's knife is more versatile. If you were only going to one larger knife it should be the chef's, it will do almost everything pretty well.

The Forschner Fibrox line is also very good for the price: the 8" Chef's Knife is $25, and the 10" version is $27. They're sharp out of the box, hold an edge pretty well and are easy to resharpen. I've used the Fibrox knives at work quite a bit and consider them a real bargain.

 

[Scotch]

Masahiro knives are a great buy. This 180mm Santoku is only $42.95:

There are several other sizes and styles available for similar prices here.

 

[thymeless]

There are a surprisng number of good knives around your price point. While knives get expensive fast, the improvement is not linear with the cost. A knife costing 2x more is not 2x the edge holding and so on. At least once you hit a certian minimum level of quality.

The cheapest knives of decent quality are the Forschner Fibrox line. The japanese knives listed above are better than those. Whether they're worth it is a fairly subjective experience.

I own and use knives more expensive than the Forschners, but the Forschners I own I really like.

thymeless

 

[DrThunder88]

I've got the 10" version of this knife, and it is quite a bargain. VG-10 is a great blade steel when it's the core of a laminated blade.

I bought my brother a Forschner 8" chef's knife for Christmas two or three years ago, and he seems to like it. It was very easy to sharpen out of the box, and seems to hold the edge through his college-apartment cookery. Not that sharpening out of the box is necessary, mind you. I'm just terribly pedantic about my edges.

 

[dougery]

Good First Knife

I really like the Tojiro DP as well. I think all of the recommendations given so far are fantastic.

Personally, if this were my very first good knife, I would stick with Wusthof Classic 8". The Tojiro and other Japanese knives are fantastic (I have quite a few), but I think for a first knife you should stick with a European design with a bolster.

The thing about Tojiro and many of the Japanese knives is that they are made with a harder steel, and are sharpened at a shallower angle. I think that sharpening these knives correctly takes a bit more skill, and would require you to purchase some good sharpening stones or know of a good sharpener who wouldn't destroy your knife.

Santoku's are great, but for overall versatility I think a classic chef's knife would be your best bet. 8" is good length for all sizes of kitchen spaces and for someone just getting the feel of a good knife.

Santoku's are lighter and typically have a thinner blade as well, where the chef's knives have some heft for some light butchering.

Wusthof Classic 8" (not the Grand Prix)has my vote, but if your dying to jump into the world of Japanese knives, the Tojiro DP 240mm is an excellent quality starter knife (about 9.5") the ONLY draw back to Tojiro is that you will be ordering it by mail, and I've received one Tojiro knife where the finish was not top quality (scales were not sanded down, had sharp edges on the handle).

Forschner is a great knife as well. If all you are concerned about is making the cut, Forschner won't let you down, but it is a stamped blade, no bolster, and lacks the craftsmanship and "cool" factor of the forged blades.

Getting the knife in your hand and testing it out is the most important thing though. A $3000 dollar knife isn't worth it's weight in salt if you don't feel comfortable using it.

 

[Hungry]

Knives

I am looking for a good chef knife but I dont have a ton of money. I dont want to spend more then $50.00 for the knife. now I have looked around a bit and I see there is a Santoku knife so witch is the better choice? or is there not much differance? BTW if you have not figured out this will be my 1st good knife buy.

Mike,
I have been reading these postings on knives for quite a while.
I have opted for the economical route.
I have a 7" $9.95 Santoku that I have been using for about 6 months.
I venture to say that it will cut just as well as one costing $60.00 -- or more.
I can slice a tomato 1/16" thick. I cut all my vegetables for salads, trim steaks and roast. I will hit it with the steel every couple days. If it gets to the point that it will not hold an edge, I'll toss it and buy a new one. The $9.95 for a new one is a lot less than getting sharping stones and having to hone and sharpen a $60.00 one.

With the selection that is out there I'm sure you can find one that has the weight and feel you like.

Charlie

 

[mikel18]

wow I had no Idea there was such a wide range of knives! I can see there is a bit of work to finding a knife. well I guess thats part od the fun of cooking BTW I saw a knife that had a blade that says it never needs sharpened it looks like a cross between a surrated and a strait blade. whats your thoughts of that type of knife?

 

[buzzard767]

wow I had no Idea there was such a wide range of knives! I can see there is a bit of work to finding a knife. well I guess thats part od the fun of cooking BTW I saw a knife that had a blade that says it never needs sharpened it looks like a cross between a surrated and a strait blade. whats your thoughts of that type of knife?

Don't do it!!! There is no such thing as steel not dulling under use. Just_say_no to marketing BS.

 

[mikel18]

Mike,
I have been reading these postings on knives for quite a while.
I have opted for the economical route.
I have a 7" $9.95 Santoku that I have been using for about 6 months.
I venture to say that it will cut just as well as one costing $60.00 -- or more.
I can slice a tomato 1/16" thick. I cut all my vegetables for salads, trim steaks and roast. I will hit it with the steel every couple days. If it gets to the point that it will not hold an edge, I'll toss it and buy a new one. The $9.95 for a new one is a lot less than getting sharping stones and having to hone and sharpen a $60.00 one.

With the selection that is out there I'm sure you can find one that has the weight and feel you like.

Charlie

thank you for your insite on this matter I have seen a bunch of "cheaper knives" and I wondered how they might be.

 

[mikel18]

Don't do it!!! There is no such thing as steel not dulling under use. Just_say_no to marketing BS.

thats what I figured.

 

[DrThunder88]

thank you for your insite on this matter I have seen a bunch of "cheaper knives" and I wondered how they might be.

Just be aware that the 420 and 440 steel that these knives generally comprise take a really nice polish, meaning they will get nice and sharp pretty easily. Their low carbon content, however, means less time between steelings and sharpenings.

 

[jpaulg]

Furis make nice knives for beginners. Soft steel that sharpens easily and well designed blades plus they can take a lot of abuse. There are features that I don't like about them, but for a starting out knife they're not bad and once you're beyond them and decide to upgrade it's not as if you spent a fortune.

 

[SShepherd]

actually, the 440 grades of stainless are medium to high carbon content
(from .65-.75 for 440a, to .95- 1.2 in 440C)

low carbon steels are generally softer, and have less edge holding, meaning they need to be sharpened more often.

I over simplifyied things a little