Knives: What's the best set for the home chef?

[foodie]

Any favorites out there? List the cost for the set if you remember what you paid.

Thanks

[Chris Rey]

There is no simple suggestion. It is a really personal thing. I would suggest you go try them out. Depending on where you live, both Sur La Table and William Sonoma give you a chance to handle the various lines of knives by actually allowing you to cut and chop things. It is really the best way to do it. Knives are, in my opinion, the most important tool a cook can have. Take your time and research them well. Sets aren't necessarily the way to go. Think about buying your knives á la carte. Cheers.

[adminforum]

Both trying out the knives and buying a la carte are good ideas. Choosing your own "custom" set allows you to buy for the types of cuisine you are going to prepare most often. Trying out the knives allows you to choose the right size handle for your hand, the weight that feels best to you, etc.

[epsilon95phi]

I've tried them all, and I have to say that I am still most impressed with "Cutco" knives. They are the worth the $$$ in my opinion. They have required the least maintenance and have performed better than any of the henckels and other brands that I have bought in the past.

[woody]

If you live in or close to a medium(or bigger) sized city, find a restaurant supply store. Once you do this, go in and test the knifes out. Which ones feel comfortable in your hands? Which ones will suit your needs? I m a home cook, and there are times when i m cutting and chopping for hours. If you go to a Williams Sonoma or another high end speciality store you'll pay more for your knifes, and the salespeople are a lot less knowledgable than folks in restaurant supply stores.
Best of luck, a good knifes can make so much differnet in the kitchen. If you have the correct equipment, it makes things much easier and more enjoyable.

[chiffonade]

I tend to veer away from "sets." I believe a good cook needs a few basic knives and they don't even necessarily have to be the same brand.

I recommend:

10" or 8" Chef's knife
Paring Knife
Serrated Bread Knife
Santoku (aka Veggie Cleaver)

I also have a bird's beak parer I swear by.

Knife "sets" tend to have a few b.s. pieces in them - same as pan sets. Buy what you need unless you think you can use every single piece of any set you buy.

[Cynic]

Go to www.cutleryandmore.com

I would suggest you check out their "knife sets" link and have a look at a Forschner 3 piece rosewood set. This will give you a beautiful to the eye 8" chefs, a 10 " slicer and a 4 3/4 " paring/utility knife, all for $75.00. This is about all you will need...with perhaps the exception of a handy-dandy Chinese cleaver which is basically all the knife ANYONE would ever need...it slices, dices, skins/peels, mashes, slashes, and you can use the blade as a spatula and the handle as a pestle! You can also impress your dinner friends by holding it above your head Samurai style while charging across the room screaming, "KY-EEEEE-LEEEEEEE":D

If you turn pro or gourmet, as the other posters said, it is best to shop around for individual tools. You may want a certain brand of chef's knife but prefer another brand's scimitar etc...;)

[cookafloat]

Chinese cleaver! Gawd, I don't have one - used to but I think the ex got that.

I have the 799.00 Cutco set. It sits on the counter on one side of the kitchen. My Henkels are on the Island - but I use my Santoku (Calphalon) the absolute most. I love the Cutco - and I'm past the band aid stage with them, we use the steak knives all the time, the bread knife - and my husband loves the chef's knife (it's big and fits his hand better).

Chinese cleaver and a birds beak are on my list!

[Chris Rey]

When looking, be aware of the type of knives you are purchasing in regards to their maintenance. A proper knife maintenance routine is essential in keeping your investment functioning well. Keep in mind, European knives such as Henckel or Wüstof, have a beveled cutting edge, where as Asian knives, such as Shun or Global have a straight, non-beveled edge. Knowing this is important when it comes to sharpening your knives. A steel is a necessary part of your knife kit.

[rkish]

I bought my forged set of Lion Sabatiers from

knivesandtools.com
http://www.knivesandtools.com/en/

They're in The Netherlands, I get them within 2 weeks in the mail. I've never had a problem with the knives. They are different from the German knives, these French knives have a triangular straight edge.

I also have Wusthof Trident Classic (chef's) and Wusthof Gourmet (pastry knife and spatula). My small cleaver is from Russell-Harrington. Amazon.com used to have some amazing Friday sales. I got my Wusthof chef's for $25

[kitchensqueen]

I have a Chicago Cutlery Centurion set, and I actually really like them. We get the most mileage out of the chef's knife, shears and steel. We also use the steak knives. I never use the paring knife or the utility knife. With regular sharpening, they have held up for 2 years and counting. They are full tang and carbon steel. We got them as a wedding gift, but I think they retail for around $70-- so very affordable, especially if you're looking for a basic starter set.

[chiffonade]

My BF just bought a 10" chef by Henckles. He also got a 3.5" Wusthof bird's beak. The attraction to these knives may have been that he got spoiled using mine :D. We saw a few 8" knives in Wms. Sonoma but he really wanted the 10" so we passed.

We were in BB&B and I said, "They sell knives here, what could it hurt to look?" Walked over to the knives and there it was - a 10" Chef!! We grabbed the nearest salesperson (who didn't know a chef's knife from a machete :rolleyes: ) and he had his 10" chef...From Bed Bath and Beyond, of all places!

[Cynic]

I don't know about best, but THIS guy makes his knives the OLD SCHOOL way from high carbon steel, not stainless. Wow. I saw his ad in the back of my Saveur mag for this month. His stuff is on my wish list!:eek:

www.wildfirecutlery.com

[jnobis]

Some great posts on knives. Really, the tool that a cook cannot do without so it should be such a personal choice. I agree with a lot of the posters here that you should buy your knives individually. I maybe have two of the same brand in my entire working collection. As you know, each knife has a specific function or range of functions. I find that you should choose a knife based on its feel in your hand, it's shape for the appliciation as well as its hardness (chopping bones vs. fine vegetable cutting for example).
Knives in my set:
Shun, Kyocera, Mac, Henckle, Wustof and several no-name brands from restaurant supply companies that I've had for years. All varying price levels.

I prefer to feel my knives in person prior to purchase. However, when it comes down to it, I like to purchase my knives from two online sources:
http://www.korin.com
http://www.knifemerchant.com
If you are in to sharpening your own, I like the Shapton ceramic water stones to get that supersharp polish. You can buy them online but I buy mine from the local Woodcraft retailer here in Arizona. Apparantly, woodworkers like them as well to sharpen their tools and I like to visit while they are having a sale.
http://www.woodcraft.com/depts.aspx?DeptID=4026

[chiffonade]

I don't know about best, but THIS guy makes his knives the OLD SCHOOL way from high carbon steel, not stainless. Wow. I saw his ad in the back of my Saveur mag for this month. His stuff is on my wish list!:eek:

www.wildfirecutlery.com


While for the most part I looked at the site while http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/chiffonade/smileys/panting.gif I had to wonder about the extremely curved shape of the knives. Do you have any experience using these knives? Did you find you needed any time to adjust?

[pgheats]

I'm glad this is being discussed, as I'm also in the market for some new knives. However this:

You can also impress your dinner friends by holding it above your head Samurai style while charging across the room screaming, "KY-EEEEE-LEEEEEEE":D

has to be the best advice yet!

[Cynic]

Do you have any experience using these knives? Did you find you needed any time to adjust?

I have used all kinds of knives in all shapes and sizes and for all kinds of purposes. I have used the lids from aluminum cans in lieu of knives. I have cooked (in the field, I was "volunteered") for 20+ soldiers using #10 cans as my cooking vessels. The only problem I can personally see with this guy's knives would be the heft, or better put, the weight of the knives. They certainly do seem to be somewhat heavier than your usual kitchen knife (somewhat like a Roman short sword for the longer ones):eek: but they just look so darned sweet:rolleyes: and again, the old school fact that they are not stainless steel....I just really like that. I shop at yard sales all the time for old knives. I prefer the high carbon steel for the keener edge you can give them. Nothing against stainless;)

[morelakw]

Speaking of a really good set of knives, I just purchased a set of Warther Knives recently. They are a small family owned and operated knife company in Dover, Ohio. They make high quality, handmade kitchen cutlery. My wife uses them everyday, and is in love with them. They have a beautiful swirl pattern that is ground into the blade,but you cannot feel it at all, and they all have a beautiful birch handle on them. They also perform great for us in the kitchen. They are cheap compared to many companies, but in my opinion the quality is much higher. They are worth a look into for a quality set. I believe their website is www.warthers.com

[chiffonade]

I believe their website is www.warthers.com ...

Those look wicked...

[Kjente2]

As Chiffonade said, you need only 3 or 4 knives, not necessarily a set. For myself, paying for a block as a part of a set makes me nuts. Knives come in an array of different metal blends and each of those require different levels of care. Stamped, machines forged, and hand forged. The most important thing about knives is that they feel good in your hand. It is a tool and if you can't handle the tool you won't use it regardless of how much it costs.
I'd suggest taking a basic knife course, if available in your area, for a few reasons. You'll learn about metal blends; how to properly hold the knife; basic cuts; usually places that teach will have an array of manufacturers so you can test drive; and finally, the importance of STEELING to maintain the edge. People go out, spend a bundle on knives and then get angry when they aren't performing up to expectation. I steel before I use, during if I'm doing a lot of cutting, and before I put them away. I'm in the handwash camp, some will put them in the dishwasher.

[Arancini]

have had mine forever, still look like new

[chefknives]

I have a set of Global knives that I just adore. I chose them over Henckels because of their balance and the way their handles feel in my hands. After 10 years of investment on a Chef's Knife, it is still in service and excellent condition, and it keeps an edge, and have a "feel" and trust for it.