Kitchen knives - recommendation please

[mumu]

Starting off,would you suggest a set and what is the best set? Or would individually Be the way to go?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Individual knives according to what you will use. Sets, tend to have knives you won't use. Knives are very personal, your best bet is to go to Bed Bath and Beyond and test the knives for hand fit and weight. Then go from there.

 

[TrdtnlJapaneseKnife]

Agreed, you would be better off getting an 8" Chef and a paring knife, or maybe a santoku. Sets do tend to have knives in them you won't use.

 

[Kayelle]

Agreed, you would be better off getting an 8" Chef and a paring knife, or maybe a santoku. Sets do tend to have knives in them you won't use.

I'd vote for a santoku, it's the knife I use 95% of the time. A paring knife is essential, along with a serrated knife. I'd never buy a set.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

True, I love my santokus and have several paring knives, I recently bought a serrated bread knife which has been brilliant with sandwich meats and tomatoes along with bread.

 

[KatyCooks]

I have managed perfectly well with a set of knives I was given as a wedding present - around 24 years ago.

I replaced two with Sabatier knives recently - and to be sure, the weight and feel was superior to what I had before.

But knives can be really expensive, so I think if you want advice about knives you need to give us a little more information about your cooking experience and needs?

 

[Kayelle]

Add a good pair of kitchen sheers, and maybe a boning knife.

 

[Kayelle]

I have managed perfectly well with a set of knives I was given as a wedding present - around 24 years ago.

I replaced two with Sabatier knives recently - and to be sure, the weight and feel was superior to what I had before.

But knives can be really expensive, so I think if you want advice about knives you need to give us a little more information about your cooking experience and needs?

Katy, from your picture, I would have never dreamed you were old enough to be married 24 years. Then again, there's PF's picture who isn't even old enough to cook.

 

[KatyCooks]

Add a good pair of kitchen sheers, and maybe a boning knife.

Absolutely agree with this.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Katy, from your picture, I would have never dreamed you were old enough to be married 24 years. Then again, there's PF's picture who isn't even old enough to cook.

Nope, just old enough to eat... No current pic since the weight loss and surgery.

 

[KatyCooks]

Katy, from your picture, I would have never dreamed you were old enough to be married 24 years. Then again, there's PF's picture who isn't even old enough to cook.

Sadly I am old enough, but I have not been married for 24 years. (My ex ditched me for a 20 year old 12 years ago.) And my maths is out - I was only married for 10 years... maths has always been a problem for me!

The picture is me though - taken last July when there was a weird yellow thing in the sky. Allegedly, it is something called "the sun".

 

[chrismcphee]

I recently replaced some old knives with Victorinox (the Swiss Army Knife people). Cooks Illustrated rated them very highly so I picked up a chef's knife, filleting knife, santoku & carving knives. All at around $40 each. Very happy with them. I deliberately didn't get a knife set as I had one or two knives I wanted to keep and only needed to replace a few.

And I don't even feel it anymore when I cut through my finger

 

[RPCookin]

I'd vote for a santoku, it's the knife I use 95% of the time. A paring knife is essential, along with a serrated knife. I'd never buy a set.

The only serrated knife I own is a bread slicer. If you have sharp knives, you don't need a serrated knife for anything else. It's a common myth that you need a serrated knife for tomatoes.

 

[Andy M.]

The only serrated knife I own is a bread slicer. If you have sharp knives, you don't need a serrated knife for anything else. It's a common myth that you need a serrated knife for tomatoes.

I actually have a tomato knife as part of a Henckels set. I use it to slice bagels.

 

[Kayelle]

The only serrated knife I own is a bread slicer. If you have sharp knives, you don't need a serrated knife for anything else. It's a common myth that you need a serrated knife for tomatoes.

It may be a myth in your house but not in mine. My knives aren't always perfectly sharp when I want to slice a tomato.

 

[RPCookin]

It may be a myth in your house but not in mine. My knives aren't always perfectly sharp when I want to slice a tomato.

Not aimed directly at you, but why would anyone who frequents this forum not have sharp knives? I can take any knife in my block, give it a couple of swipes on the hone, and slice a fresh, garden grown tomato paper thin. I'm not as anal about it as some are - I can't shave with them, but I do keep my knives functionally sharp. It takes almost no effort to do so.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Not everyone here are knife people...

 

[Dawgluver]

I don't shave with mine either. Though I probably should look into it. DH gets extremely disappointed when I get out the ceramic knives, he loves to use the electric Chef's Choice knife sharpener. And I do like a serrated knife to cut tomatoes and bread.

 

[Kayelle]

Not aimed directly at you, but why would anyone who frequents this forum not have sharp knives? I can take any knife in my block, give it a couple of swipes on the hone, and slice a fresh, garden grown tomato paper thin. I'm not as anal about it as some are - I can't shave with them, but I do keep my knives functionally sharp. It takes almost no effort to do so.

I'm amused that a member since 2005 is shocked that many of us who hang our hats here, often don't care how sharp our are knives are at any given moment.

 

[taxlady]

Every once in a while Stirling complains that a knife could be sharper. I grab it and hone it (He won't do it. I think he is afraid to.) He's always surprised.