Best commercially available kitchen knives?

[milemaker13]

Looking to improve our kitchen knife collection. What are some companies that make good quality kitchen knives? One thing in particular is steak knives. We have the standard half serrated tree saw type steak knives but I like using a smooth blade 4.5" paring knife instead.

 

[hso]

What's your upper price limit since you can easily blow through most people's budget for kitchen knives?

Eating utensils (steak knives) aren't usually included in Kitchen Knife descriptions. Are you looking for steak knives or knives you prep food with, i.e. kitchen knives? If the former, how many steak knives are you looking for? If the latter, what food prep knives are you looking for, the minimum 8", paring and shears?

Who does the cooking and prep?

My personal favorites for "chief" knives are santokus because the broad blade allows for a lot of other uses and picks sliced and chopped veg up off the cutting board very easily.

You won't go wrong with the following.

https://www.amazon.com/KRAMER-ZWILLING-EUROLINE-Damascus-Collection/dp/B00GCIWI68/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2DTQEUGXD3XUO&dchild=1&keywords=kramer+chef+knife&qid=1586712669&s=home-garden&sprefix=kramer,garden,176&sr=1-2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...be-20&linkId=d751202eedfdcc430447975028236464

https://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-SK-65-Superior-Santoku/dp/B0006MM4RE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14JCYYUADA79N&dchild=1&keywords=mac+superior+santoku&qid=1586712573&s=home-garden&sprefix=max+sup,garden,179&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.com/VICTORINOX-SWISS-5-2523-17US2-santoku-granton/dp/B07HMB3G9Y/ref=sr_1_6?crid=J6S11KVWP6WA&dchild=1&keywords=victorinox+santoku&qid=1586712617&s=home-garden&sprefix=victorinox+,garden,196&sr=1-6

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

For steak knives, we favor the fixed blade, Laguiole style, French knife.

The non serrated and all-metal should they find their way into a dishwasher though I prefer the wood handled versions.

Todd.

 

[Slamfire]

This is the best buy that I have encountered in a "steak knife"


https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Products/Cutlery/Paring-Knives/Swiss-Classic-Paring-Knife/p/6.7431

They are about $5.00, when the edge wears down, because ceramic plates dull knives, it can be sharpened a couple of times, and then, tossed out.

I don't see a reason to spend a lot of money on expensive cutlery that will be dulled against dinner plates. In fact, I prefer the Japanese method of cutting food into bite sized chunks, before it is served. So, I don't use "steak knives" as much as I used to, and hardly ever on food. I tend to use them opening parcel post packages.

For steak knives, we favor the fixed blade, Laguiole style, French knife.

The Laguiole pattern knife makes for an excellent paring knife. I used one yesterday, coring bell peppers, slicing onions, mushrooms, zucchini and pork loin!

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

For cooking knives I prefer the Henckel's Four Star line. They are high quality and the handles hold up much better than the Wusthof knives. I have both so I speak from experience. As far as steak knives go, I just use the Walmart 99 cent knives that come in a 4 pack. They are serrated but it is a mild version. Not the heavily serrated version you see in steakhouse restaurants.

 

[rabid wombat]

For kitchen, food prep - consider:

Wusthof
Henckel
Zhen Damascus
Shun
Whatever your budget allows....

If there is no budget, Kramer....
https://kramerknives.com/

More important than brand, is fit....if it does not feel good in the hand, it will never be used. Along with fit, is sharpness. My sister in law was plenty surprised by using a sharp knife when she visited....

Lastly, buy the knife you like vs a set. You may find you like different knives from different manufacturers depending on purpose....









EDIT: include images

 

[bikerdoc]

Over time we accumulate a bunch of Old Hickory kitchen knives.

Steak knives are still a problem. Thinking of making my own.

 

[Armored farmer]

I ordered Victorinox field dressing kit from Amazon for my son and for my inlaws.
They are excellent knives. They have their own travel bag.
Son cooks, smokes meat for his family and buddies.
Inlaws spend winters out of state. The travel bag is nice, even if just to carry out to the shop.

Edit to add a pic

 

[hso]

Next utility knife in the kitchen is going to be one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Enso-5-5-Pre...rep+Knife&qid=1586715876&s=home-garden&sr=1-1

Boning/Fillet - https://www.amazon.com/DALSTRONG-Fi...garden&sprefix=dalstrong+fi,garden,178&sr=1-3

 

[George P]

For kitchen, food prep - consider:

Wusthof
Henckel
Zhen Damascus
Shun
Whatever your budget allows....

If there is no budget, Kramer....
https://kramerknives.com/

More important than brand, is fit....if it does not feel good in the hand, it will never be used. Along with fit, is sharpness. My sister in law was plenty surprised by using a sharp knife when she visited....

Lastly, buy the knife you like vs a set. You may find you like different knives from different manufacturers depending on purpose....

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EDIT: include images

All good choices - but you need to actually handle them to find which one is comfortable for you. There are a lot of good brands, and you need to learn how to properly sharpen and maintain them with a steel and a strop. Do so, and you will pass them down to your children and they will pass them down.

 

[rust collector]

We can appreciate and will spend the time to maintain a high quality tool. I am not sure that applies to many of our children, who have grown up in a "no user-serviceable parts inside" culture.

We have had good luck with old and rehabbed Wusthof, Henckels and Sabatier, as well as newer Victorinox and Dahlstrong. Fit, weight and balance are certainly important factors. Our steak knives were sturdy Tramontinas but have just been ousted from the kitchen, as a "slab of mammal" is a rarity in our kitchen these days.

 

[AJumbo]

I set myself up with a very complete Old hickory set off Ebay. The 4" parer made such a nice steak knife that I ordered 5 more so I can set six places at the table.

Old Hickory is very basic-looking cutlery- 1095 steel and walnut handles. I happen to like that look, and Ontario knows how to temper 1095. It's rare that any of them need more than a little attention with a steel, or a few swipes on a diamond stone. They never get anywhere near the dishwasher, of course. The oddball in my knife block is a Chicago Cutlery BT43 "breakthrough" carver, with about 2" of serrations on the tip to help start the cut. It was bought used and I had to rehab the entire edge, but it's a great knife to use.

I wouldn't have a problem with any of the other choices posted here. For daily hard-use knives, the Victorinox professional knives may be the best value out there, though they're not the prettiest things ever.

 

[CapnMac]

I have a set of Henckels steak knives, which were a most excellent gift. And mostly come out for company.
My ordinary steak knives are a set of Cutco that my dad ordered near sixty years ago.

For working kitchen knives, I'm less impressed with Cutco in its modern iteration. Chicago Cutlery is a better "entry level" brand--although they need a trip to a pro sharpener.

 

[George P]

I bought my Henckels by the piece -1 big chef knife, 2 santukos, paring knife, bread knife, boning knife, and a thin "lady's chef knife - which is more like a6" utility knife.

This reminds me that I need to touch some of them up

 

[unclenunzie]

The minimum for a kitchen (it is said and I believe) is a chef's knife (min 8"), a paring knife, and a bread knife.

I am a fan of America's Test Kitchen. They have excellent videos/shows on YT for choosing kitchen gear. While I have a couple sets of Shuns bought on sale, I also appreciate the Forschner/Victorinox chef's knife that works great: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008M5U1C2 currently less than $33. This is one of their recommendations.

Depends on how much money you want to spend (and how much counter space you have), many great brands have already been listed, Wusthof, Henckels, Shun(Kai), Mac, Cutco, etc.

Keep your fingers tucked

 

[Riomouse911]

I primarily have Henkel’s and Wustof knives, and one Cutco 12” chefs knife I use for cutting spare ribs, carving prime rib, large tri tips, etc.

I have a Chefs Choice 120 sharpener that I use regularly to keep the edges sharp. (Secret, if you have a knife block with vertical slots like the one shown here, store your knives spine-down to keep the edge from sliding on the block as you insert-withdraw them.)

For dinner / steak knives I bought several from Ikea. They’re plenty sharp, dishwasher ok, can be resharpened with the Chefs Choice and if they dull out they’re not expensive to replace.


Stay safe.

 

[Buzznrose]

I just ordered a couple Mercer knives from Amazon bu they have not arrived yet. They have a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Here is one I ordered, an 8" Chef knife:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005P0OIP8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1



The reviews are remarkable for very inexpensive and seemingly good quality knives. For under $60, I am giving three knives a run. They are manufactured in Taiwan.

I have some expensive knives, and I have some inexpensive knives. I had a set of Cutco I bought 10 years ago, but have given several away to kids, and am finding myself replacing the ones I use a lot for multiples of the same type of knife. I sharpen my knives myself using a Work Sharp Ken Onion and ceramic sticks. I mostly use my kitchen knives to prepare vegetables on plastic cutting boards. We subsist on primarily a whole food-plant based diet and I rarely cut meat these days, so "chef knives", paring knives, and Sankotu style knives are my go to's. I have some boning, carving, and butcher knives that rarely get used these days.

I have family that lives in Western NY near Ocean, where Cutco knives are made, and wish I could support them, but their costs have gone way up while I feel their quality has gone down.

YMMV

 

[skeeterfogger]

Found a complete set of Old Hickory, Case XX and threw everything else away.

 

[Toml]

There are a lot of good brands, and you need to learn how to properly sharpen and maintain them with a steel and a strop.

Case XX steel sharpener.

 

[nettlle]

I chose knives by the steel they are made of. I prefer harder steels that will hold an edge longer. If the option were available all my knives would be D2 like my hunting knives. D2 in kitchen knives is expensive and more than I am comfortable spending on a kitchen knife. I purchased a VG10 knife almost a year ago. This VG10 knife has close to the edge holding ability of D2 and at a price I am comfortable with. I sharpen it with a Wicked Edge Go and diamond stones.

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/todpchkn24.html

 

[labnoti]

I appreciate the Mercer for value. They have a few series, some with santoprene handles and some with Delrin. I've bought "better" knives like Shun and Henckels, but to a certain degree they mostly add luxury without a substantial practical benefit. There are diminishing returns. Another brand that has some fairly low-price but high value is Tojiro. They make a great bread knife and good kitchen shears in Japan. Again, these are not top-of-the-top luxury brands, but they have the kind of utility that a professional would appreciate without the pretense of the snobs' favorite brands. I've bought a lot more cutlery for gifts than I have for myself. You probably know some people that will most appreciate a high-end brand name, and others that aren't as pretentious and for the same expense, you can give them more.

 

[Toml]

Here’s what’s in our knife block:

Deglon Grand Chef (Hers)
Paring
Boning
8” Chef

RH Forschner Co (Mine)
8” Chef

Wusthof
Paring

Ernst Rottgen (carbon)
Skinning
Paring

JA Henkel
8” Bread

No-name antique carving fork (carbon)

Ka-Bar
10” Carving

Case XX Steel

 

[Slamfire]

I appreciate the Mercer for value. They have a few series, some with santoprene handles and some with Delrin. I've bought "better" knives like Shun and Henckels, but to a certain degree they mostly add luxury without a substantial practical benefit. There are diminishing returns.

I agree on that. I will buy knives for their size, shape, and steels, but I think Damascus in kitchen knives just makes pretty blades. Does not stop from owning a few. The multi layers of Damascus might mean something if I were using the knife as a crowbar, or chopping anvils, but on tomatoes!?



the hammer indents have zero functionality. Food sticks like like flat blades.



Both of these are sharp, I don't leave them wet for long, because I am pathological about rust, so I don't know if they will rust or stain faster than mono stainless knives. I have a long chef knife in 1095, great steel, except for the fact it stains and rusts so quickly. 1095 steel takes a fantastic edge and just glides through veg's and meat.

 

[nettlle]

The VG10 knife I have is Tojiro. Tojiro is a lot of knife for the money.

 

[hso]

The multi layers of Damascus might mean something if I were using the knife as a crowbar

They don't.