Three Rules to Picking the Perfect Knife

Home + Dine

Oct 18

As Dickens wrote, these are the best of times and the worst of times. I never thought I’d be saying that about a post on buying knives, but here we are.

Best of times because the internet provides so many options with a few clicks of a button. Worst of times because the internet provides so many options with a few clicks of a button. Here are some of our best knife-buying guidelines to help point you in the right direction.

Rule number one: Avoid knife sets like the plague

Please don’t take the easy route by buying a bulky wooden block full of knives. For one, they clutter up your counter space, and secondly, you’ll end up with some you’ll rarely use and some extras that don’t make sense. I know it can seem like a deal, and sometimes they can be pretty, but just take our word on this one. Pick out your own damn knives.

Rule number two: Keep it simple

There are only three knives that are crucial in a kitchen: a chef’s knife, a pairing knife and a serrated knife. Other knives are like a cocktail dress; great for special occasions but not what you pull out every day.

If you only can invest in one quality knife make it a chef’s knife. The curved, rigid blade is designed for a smooth rocking motion, employing the tip as a stationary pivot. You can use the blade spine to scrape from the board and the flat side for crushing garlic. I prefer a 6-inch blade, Janelle prefers an 8-inch. Some people swear by a larger 10-inch. This just comes down to what feels good in your hand and gives you the most control.
Paring knives are helpful. It’s not just a tiny chef’s knife, it’s meant for better control for close-up work. I like to think of it as something I can hold in my hand and don’t need a board to work with.
A serrated knife is great for slicing. Think cutting crusty breads, as well as any tough skin fruits like oranges.

Many people think that a smaller knife is less scary but actually, it’s the opposite. A sharp knife with more surface area and better handle grip gives you a safer, more controlled experience. Trust us and our scarred fingers. Janelle swears that the only knife she’s cut herself on has been a small one, so be warned. Another tip is to have two chef’s knives in your arsenal. You’ll wash less as you go and if someone is helping you you won’t be fighting over The Good Knife. As for other cocktail-dress-type knives; an Asian style clever is super handy and a boning knife can be useful, but again… if you only have a small budget then stick to the basic three.

Rule number three: Buy what you can afford

Knife options are greater today because our habits have changed. We now have Western (think hefty German-styles) and Eastern (sleek Japanese design with thinner, razor-sharp blades and some that are a cross of both styles. You can drop some serious bucks, and spend an incredible amount of time and care babying the perfect knife. I know this is going to ruffle some feathers, but in our experience, it’s not always necessary.

I used to think I needed to save my pennies and invest in an expensive knife. I was convinced it made a difference until I learned a secret from a chef friend. He knew I was heading to Thailand and requested that I bring him back a brand made there called Kiwi Knives. He said it was the best affordable knife he’d used as they stayed super sharp for a long time & had well-balanced wooden handles. My mouth literally dropped when I saw the price.

I decided everyone in my life needed one. You don’t want to know how many knives I packed between our suitcases over the years. All I can say is that I always got notified that my suitcases were inspected by Customs Officials. None were ever missing but I do wonder what they told their family around the dinner table about the crazy lady who filled her suitcase with knives. Lucky for you, Amazon now carries them and no 13-hour flight is needed! They are mind-bendingly cheap (seriously, I’m talking $11 for a two-pack here), easy to sharpen, and stay that way a long time. Yes, it’s a cheap knife, which means it might dull over time and eventually need to be replaced. It also means that if a theoretical husband uses it to theoretically bash up giant chunks of ice and damages the tip, it’s not the end of the world. Theoretically.

Janelle is a bit of an America’s Test Kitchen addict. She geeks out over their in-depth reviews of common kitchen equipment, and will happily wax poetic to anyone who’ll listen about the virtues of their top-rated citrus juicer and their chosen cutting board. She is also a devote of their long-running favorite (they’ve chosen the same Best Chef’s Knife for 20 years!), which also happens to be a bargain at $40. Even I have to admit that it’s a great knife, and regularly gets fought over when we’re all in the kitchen together.

Once you have a great knife it really is hard to cook without them. I find myself packing my own knives when I rent an AirB&B for three days. Life’s too short to cook with a bad knife. Life is also too short to be so worried about protecting your investment knife that you can’t have fun in the kitchen. We’re all for the balance. Now go out there, sharpen up a blade, and get slicing.