Kitchen knives are important tools in your modern or traditional kitchen. You can use them for cutting, slicing, boning, chopping, peeling and dicing food during the preparation process. However, kitchen knives are not all made equal. In order to dice and slice faster through your recipe, you need to have the right kitchen knife set.
A typical knife set will have a chef’s knife, also known as the multipurpose knife, a serrated bread knife, a paring knife for peeling and skinning fruits and a utility knife. You can also find a deboning knife, a santoku knife and a butcher knife and shears in bigger knife sets. With so many knife sets in the market to choose from, how do you pick the right one?
Here are a few tips on what to look for when buying a knife set.
Construction
Steel knife blades can be made by either stamping or forging. Stamped blades are made from sheets of steel while forged knives are made from melted steel which is then pounded into shape. This actually makes forged steel stronger. If you are looking for a blade that will not break or chip if dropped then forged steel is the best option.
Hold the Handles
One way to know that you have found the right knife set is by requesting the salesperson at the shop to allow you to hold each knife and try them out. The shop may not allow you to slice real food but at least you can mimic the slicing and the rocking motion and see if the knife balances in your hand and is comfortable.
Corrosion Resistance
Buy a high-quality knife set that will save you the hassle of constant cleaning and oiling. The steel composition of the knives is the most important factor to consider before making your purchase. Remember carbon steel is easy to sharpen but will rust easily. Stainless steel is affordable but they tend to go blunt very quickly. If you want value for money invested in blades that have an extra chromium content for durability and corrosion resistance to the blade.
Check the Blade Geometry
Kitchen knives can be broadly categorized into two major options; the Wa or Japanese knives and Western Knives. Western knives are heavier, therefore, they tend to have a more powerful cut with a rocking motion. Japanese blades, on the other hand, have thinner and flatter blades which allow for precise and effortless slicing. For tasks like filleting a catfish, a thinner blade performs well than a heavier western knife.
If you are looking for more precision then go for the Gyuto knives. Gyuto is a hybrid between the Japanese and the German knife and it’s specially designed to make it more nimble and precise. It is always a good idea to choose the blades that go hand in hand with your cooking.
Warranty
Invest in a high-quality knife set that comes with a warranty and exceptional customer service. If by any chance your knife set fails or is defective, the products can be repaired, replaced or substituted with a better product. However, you should know that most knife set warranties do not cover pitting, discoloration, accessories, imprinting, color finishes and engravings. Also, if you modify your knife set beyond what it was initially intended for, you will end up voiding the warranty.
