The world of cutlery is full of countless different knives, each with its own characteristics that determine their main functions: chef's knives, paring knives, knives with hard or soft blades, stainless steel or carbon steel knives, ceramic knives, smooth or serrated blades... It is not always easy to distinguish the blade best suited to your needs. Here is how to choose the best kitchen knife to cook like a chef!
How to choose the best kitchen knife among the tools available on the market?
The main cutlery items used by cooks
The shape and thickness of knives, more precisely those of their blade, determine their use and the applications for which they are manufactured. There are multiple varieties of knives that generate precisely the actions for which they are most effective: long or short blades, narrow or wide, rigid or flexible… Choosing the best kitchen knife is first of all thinking about the use you want to make of it. The following list lists the main blades used in the kitchen as well as their different characteristics:
The chef's knife
Wide and rigid blade with a length between 15 and 25 cm. It is one of the most versatile knives in the kitchen. Ideal for cutting, slicing, mincing or chopping all kinds of foods, meats, vegetables or herbs;
The paring knife
Short, pointed and rigid blade. It is used to peel and cut small vegetables and fruits;
The universal knife
It is a small chef's knife of about fifteen centimeters, very effective for cutting and slicing meats, vegetables and herbs;
The Santoku
The famous Japanese chef's knife has a wide, rigid blade measuring 15 to 25 cm in length. Easy to handle and versatile, it slices, minces and chops cleanly;
Specific knives
There are a multitude of them. They are used for the accomplishment of very precise tasks. Let us mention the butter knife, the bread knife, the slicer, the boning knives, the various folding pocket knives, etc.
In cutlery, each shape has a use, and each use has a suitable shape: this is the motto to remember in order to choose the best kitchen knife!
Choosing the best kitchen knife for your needs
While the tools mentioned above represent the ideal and almost indispensable set of knives in a kitchen, many specific knives provide many services. This is particularly the case for "sole fillet" knives, whose narrow and flexible blade of around twenty centimeters is highly recommended for cutting fish.
Cooking habits are unique to each individual and are also a good way to determine which cutlery is best suited to the use you want to make of it.
In the case of intensive cooking, the three essential knives are: the chef's knife, the universal knife, the paring knife.
If you had to choose only two, choose the chef and the paring knife, which are the best kitchen knives because they can perform all the tasks commonly performed in the kitchen.
For an occasional cook, a utility knife or a small, handy, all-purpose chef's knife will do the trick.
Our advice: opt for a universal knife or a small 15cm chef's knife, easy to handle and versatile.
If you cook exclusively fruits and vegetables, the choice of the best kitchen knife will fall on a high-performance paring knife, mid-range at least. It will allow you to cut thin and regular slices of apples, pineapples, tomatoes, melons, etc.
The characteristics of a robust and quality cutlery
Silk and handle
Paying attention to the type of tang it is made of is a good way to choose the best possible kitchen knife.
The tang refers to the extension of the blade, its invisible part being in the handle which is attached to it.
It can take different forms:
Half silk
Attached by two rivets, the tang is approximately half the length of the handle and remains visible on the upper edge of the handle;
Long silk or ¾ silk
The silk extends over the upper edge of the handle, all the way down. The attachment system is the same;
Full silk
The tang is visible over the entire handle. Two plates, or ribs, are fixed on each side by rivets. Particularly robust, this type of traditional assembly is used for the manufacture of the best kitchen knives.
The quality of the handle should also attract attention when choosing a cutlery item. The ergonomics facilitating the grip and the type of coating or material in which it is designed are the main evaluation criteria:
Plastic handles
Widely used in cutlery. Many polymers provide high strength and excellent resistance to knife handles. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyoxymethylene (POM) are among them. The latter allows for so-called Soft touch finishes for a very pleasant grip;
Wooden handles, raw or synthetic
Also very widespread. Raw wood offers a certain cachet when choosing the best kitchen knives classified in the high-end category. A mixture of wood and resin, synthetic wood combines resistance and comfort;
Steel handles
In the case of monobloc knives, they symbolize strength and robustness. The handle can be mounted with wooden or plastic plates, fixed to the tang by rivets, or molded (injected) directly onto the blade. This last solution prevents the appearance of a possible gap between the blade and the handle and guarantees perfect hygiene.
The bolster of a knife is the part that separates the blade from the tang. Playing on its design and appearance, its role is to provide protection to the tool. Some knives do not have it. The guard defines the extension of the bolster to the cutting edge of the blade.
Steel blades or ceramic blades?
Steels and alloys used in cutlery
In cutlery, the quality of a steel (alloy of iron and carbon) depends mainly on its hardness, which strongly influences the cutting power of the blade as well as its resistance to wear and breakage (resilience).
Two main types of steel are used to make the blade, forged or cut, of the best kitchen knives:
- carbon steel: its hardness increases depending on the carbon content present in the material;
- stainless steel: it is composed of iron, carbon and chromium. The latter element gives it its stainless properties. Chromium present at a minimum rate of 13% in the final composition of the steel certifies the possession of a so-called "anti-corrosion" blade.
Please note: the harder a blade is, the more difficult it is to resharpen! Its sharpness and cutting quality, however, are well above average. The hardness of a knife is expressed in Rockwell index (HRC). This generally varies between 50 and 60 HRC for cutlery items. From 54 HRC, a blade can be described as excellent quality.
Choosing the Best Ceramic Kitchen Knife
Ceramic knives are renowned for their hardness and superior cutting power, which is partly true depending on the range of tools available.
Ranked among the best kitchen knives, a high-end ceramic knife stands out from other cutlery items by the presence of high-level zirconium oxide (95% minimum). Similar to diamond, the purest and hardest mineral in the world, this material offers exceptional abrasive power that is currently highly prized.
The indestructible nature of ceramic knives, with almost no need for resharpening, is not a legend. Non-stick and chemically neutral, this type of tool also guarantees hygienic cutting without leaving any marks or odours.
Once you have chosen your best kitchen knives, do not forget to take care of their maintenance and resharpening, which will prolong the effectiveness of the edge. Unless otherwise specified, it is advisable to avoid cleaning in the dishwasher. Also use a suitable support such as a wooden or plastic cutting board so as not to damage the blade.
