As it is said in the books of culinary arts, either you are a knife chef or a pot chef. Either ways, your knife remains the most critical tool that lets you carve the best in class recipes. Versatile in functionality, the chef knife comes across as the perfect tool for general slicing, dicing and cutting. Balanced weight between blade and handle along with the pointed blade, this remains the popular choice for professionals and home cooks. There are several versions of the chef knives viz French knife, Japanese knife and many more.
Ranging from blade size of 7-12 inch, they are your general utility knife in the kitchen. While some cooks would argue for owning a fleet of knives made for specialized purpose, the general utility knife still remains your best partner for chopping, mincing, slicing and peeling. However, the best chef’s knife would be the one that lets you perform multiple cutting jobs with ease and precision.
Ultimate Guide to the Best Chef Knife to Furnish Your Kitchen
Types of Chef Knives
Markets are flooded with broad assortment of knives designed to meet your exact requirements. You spot some or all of the following types at a kitchen store.
- Broad blade: This type is most versatile as they cut through both bread and meat. It’s also comfortable for dicing large vegetables and fruits.
- Thin Blade knife: It’s ideal for vegetables and fruits but may not be appropriate for beef and mutton.
- Long and Short Blade: Ideally, you should buy the length that’s comfortable for hands and suits your needs.
Advantages of a Chef Knife
The best chef knife would be your everlasting partner across cuisines. Your most cutting chores are made easy with a sharp, right dimensioned and comfortable knife.
- It’s more safer as it gives you a good grip and control.
- Sharpness of the knife spares you from unnecessary struggle. Moreover, sharp knife works well with fine chopping, dicing and even cutting herbs.
- Durability is another feature you would find in best chef knife. They last longer and stay sharp.
How to choose the Best Chef Knife
All of us want that one best chef knife in the kitchen. But you have to understand your requirements and pick the right tool accordingly.
- Blade Length and size: If you prefer an all-rounder then the appropriate blade size would be 6.5 – 8 inch. It would be ideal for most of your kitchen jobs
- Handle: A good handle can go a long way in offering better grip and comfort. Consider the one in which the blade goes fully inside and is riveted.
- Sharpness: This goes without saying that any compromise on blade sharpness would make your cutting tasks imperfect and cumbersome.
- Knife weight: If you are the one who uses knife all day then the best chef’s knife would be light weight. A heavy knife, however, effective can be fatiguing at times.
Choose the Best Chef Knife for your Kitchen
While there are a plethora of knives available, let’s take a heads up at five of the most popular ones.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000638D32″ locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”icamerarev006-20″ cart=”n” localize=”n” popups=”n”]Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef’s Knife:[/easyazon_link]
This 8 inch knife has the perfect dimensions for cutting, mincing, chopping and dicing. The multi-purpose knife is made of high carbon steel that ensures lasting sharpness. To minimize resistance while cutting the blade is conical ground both lengthwise and crosswise. Ergonomically designed and crafted from patented Fibrox, the handle is slip resistant and comfortable. It is made from a special tempering process that lets you sharpen and re-sharpen the blade with ease. Overall, this looks like the ideal all-rounder knife that will be perfect for home cooks and professionals too.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00004RFMT” locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”icamerarev006-20″ cart=”n” localize=”n” popups=”n”]J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife:[/easyazon_link]
The blade sourced from Germany and the product assembled in Spain, this large knife is high in quality and durability. The 8-inch blade is ideal for multifarious kitchen jobs like mincing, dicing, chopping and cutting. The high carbon stainless steel ensures maximum sharpness and lasting sturdiness of the blade. The triple riveted handle is not just strong but also gives good grip. The tip is pointed and overall design gives good control and precision. In a nutshell, this is a good knife if you want to have a single weapon for all your tasks.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00005OL44″ locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”icamerarev006-20″ cart=”n” localize=”n” popups=”n”]Global G-2 – 8 inch, 20 cm Chef’s Knife:[/easyazon_link]
Light in weight and ideal in dimension, this chef’s knife is a must have. The most distinct feature is the steel handle with design that lets you have comfort while cutting. Be it slicing, cutting or chopping, one may rely on this knife for ease and perfection. It gives better control and comfort and is less tiring for the hands. The edge is razor sharp and the blade is made from high-tech molybdenum stainless steel. In short, it’s the stylish form of the general utility knife that is all-inclusive and multi-purpose.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0000Y7KNQ” locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”icamerarev006-20″ cart=”n” localize=”n” popups=”n”]Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife:[/easyazon_link]
Japanese in style but global in utility, this classic knife is the ideal choice for any cook. The knife has a versatile 8-inch blade that lets you chop, mince, dice and cut very easily. The laminated black handle is crafted from Pakkawood and its D-shape is very comfortable for the hands. The 32 layers of stainless steel ensure lasting sharpness and re-sharpening ability. Made from VG-10 stainless steel, it has a layered surface. Just own one in your kitchen and see how it does all jobs seamlessly and perfectly.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00005MEGJ” locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”icamerarev006-20″ cart=”n” localize=”n” popups=”n”]Wusthof Classic 3-Piece Knife Set:[/easyazon_link]
This is a perfect assortment of three knives that will cater to most of your kitchen needs. The big knife is good for dicing and cutting soft meat and the small knife lets you skillfully peel and cut small vegetables. The medium knife is more of an all-rounder that performs your daily tasks of cutting and peeling. The handles are triple-riveted for firm grip and lasting durability. This set is your ideal pick for all cutting jobs.
Conclusion
Your pursuit of choosing the best chef knife is easy when you address your needs rightly. One has to own a knife that is not just multi-purpose for easy to handle and maintain. Someone rightly said, own the best knife to be the best chef and we can’t agree more.
