How to choose a quality kitchen knife and which ones can you do without at home?

You simply can’t do without quality knives in the kitchen, as any professional chef will attest. That’s why they pay great attention to them and take care of them more than anything else. When they are good quality and sharp, they make the job of cutting easier and add precision to the food. Make the right choice and learn to care for them so that they last as long as new.

How to choose a good knife?

To make the right choice, it’s definitely not enough just to have a nice look or a nice advertisement. The right knife tapers gradually from the handle to the tip, which cheap ones often don’t. You can tell quality primarily by precise workmanship, a sharp and sturdy blade, and a well-fitting handle. It is not advisable to be too flexible, large knives should not flex at all. This greatly influences the hardness and toughness of the manufacturing material. The blade should resist corrosion. The minimum hardness (HCR) is 52 and the maximum 60. We can also come across HCRs from 64 to 68. Remember that the harder the steel, the more brittle the blade. You should also choose a knife based on other parameters, which include the weight of the knife, purpose of use, material, length, shape and blade wedge.

It is true that a sharp knife is less dangerous than a dull one, and the harder the knife, the longer it will stay sharp, but the harder it is to sharpen. Soft knives are easier to sharpen, but they don’t last long.

Which knives must not be missing at home?

You don’t need a pile of knives in your kitchen that you won’t end up using anyway. It’s better to get basic, but good quality ones. Don’t forget a cutting board, preferably wooden, which is best for knives. The most common mistake that most people make is to buy one small knife and use it to cut everything. Although of course you can do a lot with a chef’s knife, small fruits are better cut with a smaller knife, vegetables are better cut with a Santoku knife. What others are useful?

Chef’s knife

The chef’s knife is one of the most versatile and should not be missing in any kitchen. It is suitable for slicing and cutting meat, cutting larger pieces of vegetables or fruit, chopping herbs. It is generally one of the most popular. Thanks to its width, you can be sure that almost no juice escapes when slicing. It can handle most slicing tasks in the kitchen as well as different slicing and gripping techniques.

Santoku knife

Santoku knife is suitable for crushing, chopping and dicing. It can easily process meat, fish, herbs and vegetables. As the name suggests, it is a Japanese type and is very popular here, thanks to its wide range of uses. It has a wide blade that ensures a smooth and neat cut. The smooth surface of the meat is then sealed very quickly in the pan. Not much juice escapes from the fruit and raw meat and the dish tastes much better. The meat does not dry out. You can use the Santoku knife for fish, meat, vegetables, bread and you can also easily cut pepper with it.

Boning knife

You need a knife with a narrow pointed blade at home if you frequently debone meat. Thanks to the special design, you can turn the knife in all directions and get rid of bones, skin and tendons. It is much faster and safer to work with than a conventional knife. Plus, you won’t lose too much meat. Because it is very similar to a filleting knife, you can use it for this job too and save money on a filleting knife.

Pastry knife

A long knife with a serrated blade is a great help when cutting pastries. It does not weigh as much as a chef’s knife, but it is very easy to handle. The blade is 22 to 25 centimetres long and can handle a large loaf of bread. It is also suitable for cutting dough, cakes or baguettes. Compared to conventional knives, it has the advantage of not dulling the blade against the crust. You can choose a knife with a classic or curved blade. It depends on which you prefer to cut with.

Vegetable and fruit knife

A vegetable and fruit knife is definitely not to be missed in the kitchen. The advantage is its smaller size and good manoeuvrability. It is suitable for cutting, peeling and cleaning fruit, mushrooms and vegetables. There is no uniform shape for these knives, but they are usually small, around 10 cm long and have a classic blade shape. Some models have a serrated blade and are used for original slicing of vegetables into different shapes. For easier peeling and trimming, a straight blade with the tip down is sometimes used.

Slicing knife

The paring knife features a sharp tip to make it easy to skewer, slice, clean vegetables and chop. Suitable for meat and vegetables. Although the name speaks clearly, this knife finds a versatile use in the kitchen and can be used in a variety of ways. They have a slim blade and a smooth or serrated edge and a sharp point. Besides slicing and skewering, which is easy thanks to the sharp tip, you can comfortably clean meat, vegetables, cut baguettes, tomatoes or hard salami, for example, with it.

Illuminate the kitchen work surface with LED strip

Meat cleaver

The meat cleaver has traditionally had its place in our kitchen. It is of course useful for working and cutting meat and bones, for chopping, trimming and carving. Again, quality wins over quantity when it comes to cleavers. Choose your model carefully so that it lasts a long time and has a high-quality blade and especially the cutting edge. A blunt cleaver does not cut bones very well.

In addition to the knives mentioned, there are steak knives, cheese knives, slicing knives, filleting knives, and others. You are far from having to have every one available in the market at home. Why buy a steak knife if you hate steak with all your heart? What’s the point of a cheese knife if you only eat cheese sporadically, and you can get by with an all-purpose chef’s knife. Buy only the ones you’ll actually use and invest the money you save in quality instead.

Do you know how to take care of your knives?

Maybe your knife says you can wash it in the dishwasher, but most professional chefs would talk you out of it. It is better to wash knives in lukewarm water and dry them immediately after washing. This will prolong their life. Too high a temperature in the dishwasher can also damage the handle of the knife, and dried food stains can damage the blade. Maintain the blade regularly with a sharpener. A whetstone or whetstone sharpener comes in handy once it has worn down. Grinding stones are classified by grit from coarsest to finest. Don’t forget to pay attention to the handle, especially the wooden one, which should be rubbed with a little olive oil to prevent water from soaking in. Store all knives in a safe place so that they don’t just run loose in the drawer, and protect the blades from bumping or rubbing against other objects.