It’s classic advice: Use the right tool for the right job. Many a home or car repair goes awry when you try to improvise. The same often goes for cooking. Not only do you want the right knife for the right cutting purpose, but you also want to stock your drawer (or wood block) with quality tools that get the job done right—and last a long time.
Meet the Expert
Chef Michael Handal is an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. He’s recognized by the American Culinary Federation as a certified chef de cuisine and a certified culinary educator. He graduated from Fordham University and the Culinary Institute of America and previously worked at The Knickerbocker Field Club, La Côte Basque, and The Helmsley Palace Hotel.
What Makes a Good Knife?
“Chef knives are the most integral tools that chefs will use throughout the course of their work day,” Handal said. Chopping vegetables, cutting intricate garnishes, carving meat, and cleaning bones—a chef’s arsenal needs to meet all the demands of a busy kitchen. Once chefs find their favored picks, they’ll often take their knives with them even when they move jobs.“A good knife is one that, most importantly, has a sharp, well-maintained edge,” Handal said. “This edge, for the most part, is what gives a knife its value.” Prices range from economical sets to single pieces that may cost hundreds of dollars, depending on type, material, and quality.
So where to start? The first consideration for a home cook is “a knife that may be held comfortably, as well as confidently, in their hand,” Handal said. That’s a personal matter, since hand sizes and grip strengths vary. Your best bet is shopping in person, such as at a kitchen supply store, so you can test a range of options for the most personalized match.
“Nothing beats being able to hold a knife to judge the feel of it in your hand,” Handal said. “Is it heavy? Is it too large? Does it balance? Maybe too small?”
Handal suggests using the “pinch method,” placing the thumb and index fingers on the opposite sides of the blade, just in front of the handle. “You literally will be able to hold the knife by pinching it between your fingers, while resting the handle of the knife in your palm, with your remaining three fingers curled around the handle,” he said. “This is the most common grip used by chefs.” Hefting the knife this way helps you determine your comfort level with its weight and size, and whether it balances nicely in your hand.
Choosing a Style: German Versus Japanese
The types of knives available vary greatly, as do their countries of origin. Two countries with good knife-making reputations are Germany and Japan.German-made knives have an excellent reputation and aren’t budget breakers. Prices may start around $80, and many are in the $100 to $200 range. “But a handmade Japanese knife with a Damascus steel blade, forged by a venerable artisan and fitted with a specialty wood handle, could easily exceed this cost,” Handal said. “Many specialty knives become a beloved part of one’s knife collection and are true investments for their owners.” Artisan-made knives can cost thousands—probably not something for the average home cook.
Two German manufacturers Handal recommends are Wusthof and Zwilling. He cited their “time-tested knives” and the companies’ “exacting standards.” Their blades are made of stainless steel, which is good at resisting rust and staying sharp—both important qualities—and he considers them relatively easy to sharpen. He noted that the handles are made from durable materials, precisely fitted to the blades, and comfortable to hold. Like many makers, Wusthof and Zwilling have several different product lines to choose from, “allowing the consumer to choose a design, style, and price that suits them,” Handal said.
In contrast, Japanese knives are more difficult to sort out. Handal recommends doing more research before you buy. “Variations in blade metals and care, handle materials, and a wide variety of knife shapes mean the buyer needs to be equipped with a bit more knowledge before plunging into the exciting world of Japanese knives,” he said.
For starters, he recommends Shun brand knives. He’s a great admirer and calls them “the ‘Wusthof’ of Japanese knife manufacturers”—in other words, more affordable than most. For an upgrade from there, consider smaller, artisan knifemakers. Many craft carbon steel knives, which tend to be harder and thus sharper—and easier to sharpen—than stainless steel, but “require more care because they rust easily.”
But Handal cautioned against confusing the word “steel” with the sort of durability that allows one to use a knife for any task. “Different steels may be hardened to different degrees, meaning care must be taken not to use the knife incorrectly or on products that may cause harder knives to chip or bend,” he said.
Japan has a unique cultural history of blades, so the knives with traditional handles and blades may seem unfamiliar in the hands of cooks more accustomed to Western-style knives. Japanese blades are thinner and harder, but more brittle, requiring more care in cutting. Many are beveled only on one side, making them right- or left-handed with handles to match.
“Having first used a traditional Western-style knife allows you to use that knowledge when deciding on whether a Japanese handle is something you might like to try,” Handal said.
4 Knives Every Home Cook Should Have
A wood block of knives is a fairly common gift, especially for weddings or housewarmings, but these sets often include blades we might not need. (Who needs so many steak knives at the ready?) Here are Handal’s recommendations for building a set that can handle just about anything you aim to cook.If you only get two knives, make them these: an eight-inch chef’s knife with a wide blade, and a three- or four-inch paring knife. “Probably 95 percent of prepping needs would be covered by these knives,” Handal said. A chef’s knife works well for chopping up large quantities of vegetables, or mincing garlic or herbs, but you’ll want the smaller paring knife for finer work, including peeling onions, coring tomatoes, and trimming vegetables such as artichokes.
There are many budget options on the market, but “don’t skimp too much on quality or you’ll need to upgrade very soon,” Handal warned. He recommends Victorinox’s Fibrox line as “a good starting point for the novice cook.” Sizes are numerous for both chef and paring knives.
From there, he recommends an upgrade to the Wusthof Classic line. “I like the weight of the Wusthof Classic chefs’ knives, the quality of the steel, the ease of maintenance, and the fit and comfort of the handle material and design,” he said. If you wonder how serious his faith in this brand is, just know he’s used Wusthof knives for more than 30 years!
This is a long uniform blade, about an inch tall, with a serrated edge. “The bread knife is very useful for crusty, large-sized breads, such as sourdough loaves and baguettes,” Handal said. Just remember not to press down too hard, which will crush the bread. Instead, draw it across the surface like a saw, letting the knife’s “teeth” penetrate the loaf’s crust and crumb.
Boning Knife
This knife features a narrow six-inch blade with an upward curve and a sharp point. It’s designed for shaping meats, especially bone-in cuts. Handal recommends it especially for poultry, “such as a spatchcocked chicken, or boning and separating chicken and turkey legs and thighs.”He prefers Victorinox’s boning knives, which he’s used for many years. “Their boning knives hold up to the rigors of all types of butchering and fabrication, and they sharpen very well,” he said. “The proprietary Fibrox handle material provides an excellent grip when working on proteins that have a lot of natural fat and moisture.” He also likes how the one-piece design makes them easy to clean and sanitize.
Hone Your Skills
Handal’s previous warning about taking care not to chip a blade speaks to a skillset budding cooks need to develop in the kitchen. Learning what knife to use when will help you develop your skills. Think of chefs speedily chopping a carrot with fingers bent against the advancing blade or knowing not to force an inadequate paring knife into the joints of a turkey.“Information is available in abundance, online, in written material from major booksellers, and in-person through educational classes,” Handal said. “Once you have purchased your knives, I highly recommend these resources as an opportunity to learn how to use your knives properly and safely.”
