What Style Kitchen Knife Should I Buy?

[Lord_Impaler]

Unless it's complete crap as long as you sharpen it properly and regularly it that is what's most important. I went from never sharpening my main chopping knifes to sharpening it everytime I use it just about.

Do you use a steel honing rod or actually use a real sharpening stone?

 

[mb23100]

Do you use a steel honing rod or actually use a real sharpening stone?

I have both but I use the honing rod the most. Quick and easy once you get the hang of it. I've probably thrown away countless knives in the past that just needed a quick sharpening to be like new

 

[Billthebutcher]

the one that cuts pineapple like butter.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

Chef's knife

 

[Pizza Werewolf]

This is a pretty versatile knife and not too expensive. Its around $40.
Its grown to be one of my favorite knives.
I have more expensive knives but they seem to be better at specific things not all around.
When Im at work sometimes I have to work several different events in multiple different parts of the building so I cant exactly carry an entire bag of knives. (usually 2 max and a paring knife).
This one I can pretty much do everything with so alot of the time I wont even bother with a second knife unless I have to cut a bunch of bread or something like that.

 

[Te Huna Matata]

Unless it's complete crap as long as you sharpen it properly and regularly it that is what's most important. I went from never sharpening my main chopping knifes to sharpening it everytime I use them just about.

I hone every time but I only sharpen periodically.

 

[usfbrah]

Santoku knife is best for home in my opinion . Can pretty much navigate through any type of food in a pinch. Chef knife is good to but the length could be a problem for someone who has no knife experience.

 

[Plutoburn]

Victornox Fibrox Chef knife is one of the best starter knife you can get.

 

[90 50]

I use my chefs knife the most. A really good pairing knife is good to have too.

but to start with one goo one go 8” chefs imo

 

[aerius]

I run a 3 knife system; a cleaver for hacking ribs & poultry apart, a smallish petty knife for tasks like deveining shrimp, and a Gyuto for everything else.

I find it hard to recommend a traditional Japanese knife (high carbon steel core, mild steel cladding) unless I know the other person's using it in a home kitchen, takes good care of his knives, and knows how to use them. The cutting performance is unmatched but they need to be wiped down & maintained properly, and you can't be a hack with them or you'll warp the blade and take chunks out of the edge.

Personally I'd recommend something like this one.
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tagrchgy21.html
You get a pretty hard stainless steel which is optimized for edge stability so it can be sharpened to a finer edge than almost all other stainless steels and it'll hold that edge for a pretty respectable length of time. The cutting performance is significantly better than the Henkels, Globals, Shuns, or other off the shelf knives once you get the edge sharpened properly, and it's still tough enough to deal with minor abuse.

If you want more cutting performance without too much of a maintenance headache, grab this one.
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kohagy21.html
It's a thinner grind with the main difference being that it has a high carbon tool steel core which forms the cutting edge. It's harder than stainless so it'll hold a fine edge for a very long time, and the stainless cladding keeps it fairly low maintenance. The core isn't stainless so it will corrode if you leave it lying in wet slop too long, but unlike traditional Japanese carbon steels it tends to discolour rather than rust.

 

[KaNesDeath]

Chef knife, Santoku style, Utility knife, etc.

This is what i use for prepping items at work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q1FFC65/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Included sharpener does a good job at keeping it sharp. I use it for everything from carving to cake cutting.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

If it aint Japanese steel you are wasting your money.

Valerian?

 

[Stranger Come Knocking]

Name checks out. All his knives are pointy.

So its not a gay thing?

 

[minute bull]

So its not a gay thing?

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

This only said by weaboos who don’t actually cook for a living

Isn't German steel excellent?

 

[droolingliver]

The Global NI 11cm paring knife is my go to for everyday prep. Sharp and solid. I have longer ones for larger pieces of meat or veg.

 

[JSN]

Isn't German steel excellent?

In general quality german steel will be softer than Japanese (and thicker). It will tend to not take as extreme a cutting edge and hold that edge for less time than a Japanese blade that hasn't been abused, but be easier to sharpen and hold up to abuse better.

Neither is really better than the other in general; just a different way. Considering most home cooks don't use their knives than much, probably do abuse them, can't sharpen them, and don't even hone them, I think it's still a wash lol.

 

[BoogerDawson]

Get a ginsu

 

[Da Speeit]

Isn't German steel excellent?

Wusthof is amazing especially for butchering, poultry specifically. 8” Wusthof can do surgery on a chicken.

 

[Deleted member 581430]