Knife Guy

How to pick the best kitchen knives

Choosing the best kitchen knives can be a hard proposition. There are literally hundreds of knife companies around the world all of whom are telling you their product is the best and their way of making knives is the only proper knife manufacturing process. So how do you pick the best knife for your need?

The first step is defining a budget for how much you can spend to get the best kitchen knives possible. These are truly a lifetime purchase if done right so don't skimp unless you're primarily a fast food connoisseur. Typically now days you can equip your kitchen for 400 - 500 dollars, possibly much more possibly much less.

The next step in finding the best kitchen knives is to figure out if you want to purchase them one by one or in a set. It's touted by many to purchase a set to minimize cost and get the best deal, but you may find that you don't need or use half the knives in the set. I recommend buying them one by one instead. Start with a chef's Knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife and add to your collection over time. This will minimize cost, and bad knife purchases, and maximize your purchasing power.

After you figure out your starting budget it's now research time. If you're going to go high end which I recommend don't listen to the manufacturer bologna about their knives being the best. Every single knife out there has benefits and drawbacks - many of which the manufacturers don't even mention.

While doing your research for the best kitchen knives make sure you actually feel them in your hand. If this means ordering them online 2-3 at a time and then returning the ones you don't like then so be it. The other option is to visit your local Williams-Sonoma or gourmet store and try them there, just remember that while their knife selection is great it's not by any means exhaustive. There are hundreds of smaller companies that would love to make a knife just for you.

When you feel the kitchen knife make sure you are actually mimicking a cutting setting. If you're looking to be a part time gourmet chef you should also check that your grip is the classic C-grip that's taught to all new chef students. This grip minimizes muscle strain and maximizes cutting power and precision. If you're just happy doing it your way then don't worry about it, feel the knives the way you would use them in your own kitchen.

So to recap the way to find the best kitchen knives is to 1. have a budget, 2. do some research, 3. feel them in your own hand. This should give you a solid foundation on which to build your knife hunt. Enjoy your search and happy cutting.

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posted by Kitchen Blogger @ 12:06 PM 47 comments

3 Essential Knives for Men

Chef's Knife - The name of this knife says it all, which makes it a bit redundant to have it on a mans complete knife guide. Still, every good chef is never far removed from his good chefs knife. The chefs knife is the workhorse of the kitchen -- the most indispensable knife you will own -- and it can be used for just about any purpose, from trimming and slicing to chopping and mincing. When shopping, consider a nice eight- to 10-inch model. The chefs knife should have a good, even weight to it. Weight distribution is important because you want the heft of the knife to do most of the work for you while youre chopping, just as a good hammer makes driving in nails easy.

Paring knife - If a chefs knife is too large for a job, turn to your paring knife. Sure, a paring knife seems a bit girlie for a mans complete knife guide, but this is the tool that enables you to get into tight spaces and make quick turns. Think of the paring knife as the delicate precision knife. Its smaller blade (3.5 to five inches) is designed to make light work of one-handed tasks such as taking the tops and tails off vegetables, skinning or coring fruits and mincing small foods such as garlic and herbs.

Serrated Knife - A serrated knife (also known as a bread knife) is an excellent tool in the right circumstances. So, while an eight- to 10-inch serrated knife is excellent for sawing your way through a crusty bit of bread or a nice roast beef, its almost useless for chopping a carrot or chicken breast. Most guys misuse this knife, which is why its on our mans complete knife guide.

posted by Kitchen Blogger @ 12:04 PM 0 comments