The Three Essential Kitchen Knives You Should Own

Knives are the most common pieces of equipment in the kitchen. From filleting a fish to trimming a piece of fruit, every knife has it’s own purpose. A good kitchen knife is worth the investment: good quality ensure durability, reliance and security. But the investment doesn’t have to be a big one: There are now so many good knives sold in so many places that there’s really no excuse for buying junk material anymore.

Look for those knives with high carbon-steel alloy blades, which is what everyone— from chefs to experienced home cooks—uses now. It’s up to you to choose from wood or plastic handle, although plastic handles are somewhat more durable and dishwasher-safe. A good chef ’s knife should cost you no more than $30 and could be less than that. Make sure the handle feels good when you hold it; the grip is almost as important as the blade, and only you can judge whether it’s a comfortable fit. That’s why is better to start by stepping in a specialized kitchen store to get a real-life feel for the products. You’ll be able to shop online once you’ll know what to look for.

As it can be difficult to make your choice because of the multiple options and knives set available on the market, we’ll focus on the 3 most important ones you must have in your kitchen.

1. Chef’s knife:

The chef’s knife is your most important tool in the kitchen. It is designed for a multitude of tasks performed daily by professional and home chefs, like chopping, mincing, dicing, and slicing. You’ll use this for almost all of your regular kitchen jobs. An 8-inch blade is what most home cooks like, it’s well balanced and efficient. If you have especially big hands and like the feel, go to 10 inches. Choose 6 inches if your hands are smaller or your feel easily tired by repetitive actions with your hands and wrists.
Chef’s Knife, Rosewood Handle – $38.50 Amazon

2. Paring knife: 

This small pointed blade knife is great for peeling vegetables, trimming, tourné and for all small cutting tasks. You can buy expensive paring knives or pretty good ones that are so cheap you can almost consider them disposable. It’s nice to have a couple of slightly varying styles.
Paring Knife – $39.95 Amazon

3. Long serrated knife or bread knife

Mandatory for bread and other baked foods, for cutting cakes layers, for ripe tomatoes, and for large fruits or vegetables like melons, watermelons and squash. The handle is often slightly offset to ease the blade movement.
Bread Knife – $47.20 Amazon