(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best chefs knives

An Amazon registry (I would skip the Kohls cutlery offerings) will limit you somewhat, but there are certainly decent options available. I think your selection of two chef knives, a bread knife, and a paring knife is a good choice. For the most part I'm going to suggest fairly costly knives because, frankly, this isn't /r/culinary.

Chef knives first. Everything I have to say about 8"/210mm knives I would apply to 10"/240mm knives unless I make note.

If you want a hefty Western chef knife, I find Messermeister to be best in show. They take an edge better than other stainless German knives I've owned and they keep it longer. I find the grind and profile to be slightly more modern and workable in the Elite models opposed to the highly popular Wusthof Classic and sundry Henckels lines. The fit and finish on them is on par with Wusthof, which is to say impeccable. Messermeister makes three different handles for its Elite lines and offers the blades in a thinner Stealth version, which I like. Since Messermeister's Amazon offerings are a bit wonky I would highly suggest you look around the site for the style you like. You might even find some other kitchen gadgets you like. If you are interested in a French profile, look at K-Sabatier. A carbon K-Sab is a lot of fun. And though the stainless knives they produce aren't really as magical as their carbons, they're still fine knives.

• Messermeister Oliva Elite Stealth: Olive wood handled. My favorite. Extra classy.
  
• Messermeister San Moritz Elite Stealth: Poly handle option. I don't like it as much as the wood handles, but it's much cheaper as offered here.
  
• Messermeister Meridian Elite: Classic black pakka wood handle. It's classic and black.
  
• K-Sabatier carbon: This knife is king of the hill. Yes, it's a hill out in the middle of nowhere, but it's still a nice knife. This style is timeless, but it's also out of stock.
  
• K-Sabatier stainless: I believe this knife uses the same steel as Wusthof and Henckels with a similar heat treatment. The biggest difference is the profile.
  
  There are many good Japanese companies and makers to consider. These knives will all be lighter and somewhat thinner than almost any Western knife. If you want something functional and somewhat reasonably priced, Suisin, Mac, and Tojiro have some good options. In the next price bracket up, a Kikuichi, a Yoshihiro, a Takayuki, or a Misono fits the bill, though Misono knives have become incredibly inflated in price. If you have a rich Uncle Ed, slip a Takeda into your list. I would definitely consider other knives at these general price ranges, but they're not available on Amazon.
  
  A few budget suggestions:
  
  
• Tojiro DP gyuto: A great knife line. Tojiro's VG-10 heat treatment is on par with if not better than Shun's. If you're used to a heavy 10" knife, a Tojiro DP 270mm wouldn't be out of the question.
  
• 7.25" Mac Chef "chef" knife: This is definitely a gyuto, regardless what it's labeled. I've used it on a restaurant line during service and it is quite durable. It's reasonably priced, which makes it a popular choice in the food industry.
  
• 10" Mac Chef chef knife: Though they're from the same line, this knife has a wholly more substantial feel on the board than the above. It's still light. It's not priced as well as its shorter cousin. This is the knife that opened my eyes to what Japanese knives could be. The knife is available in the 12" length which, like the Tojiro, coming from a full weight Western knife would still be light.
  
• Suisin HC gyuto: A carbon steel knife selection. These knives have good production values and take a great edge. These knives have decent asymmetrical grinds, which is a definite plus for me. Suisin also makes a comparable Inox stainless line that is quite nice.
  
  To find out who really loves you:
  
  
• Takayuki Grand Chef gyuto: To be fair, I have not used this knife. Those who have like it, though they usually consider it a bit overpriced. It's made from AEB-L, which in kitchen knives is my favorite stainless. I would prefer the Suisin HC.
  
• Misono UX10 gyuto: This knife has been around for a few years and it's pretty popular at high end restaurants. It's nice, but it's a bit overpriced for what you get; the steel and grind on it are unremarkable. The fit and finish on it is probably the best you can buy, though.
  
• Yoshihiro gyuto: This knife is again a bit pricey for what you get, but it does at least include a saya. It offers you a crack at a wa handle, which is a slightly different experience. The steel is somewhat softer than I would like.
  
  Rich Uncle Ed special:
  
  
• Takeda 210mm Aogami Super gyuto: It's thin. It's light. It's made by a wizened old master craftsman. It's got a weird grind that does a whole lot of work while cutting something. It's made out of one of the finest carbon steels being produced today. It's... really expensive. Takeda lovers swear by them, but they're much too tall on the board for me.
  
  Unfortunately I didn't spot many knives on Amazon that I have confidence in and feature a Japanese handle. That's a shame because they're a treat.
  
  Unlike my essay on chef knives, I have only one bread knife suggestion, the Mac Superior 270mm bread knife. It's the best Amazon has to offer and one of the best bread knives you can buy. Tojiro makes a clone that sells for less elsewhere if no one gives you one.
  
  Paring knives are a little different. Edge retention and grind are much less important than geometry. I have this Henckels Pro 3" and I like it; the height of the blade is very comfortable. It has no flex, though, so don't expect to use it optimally for boning tasks. I am almost as happy with any Victorinox paring knife. I would suggest you try as many as possible in brick and mortar outlets to figure out what you like.
  
  And finally, storage. A wall mounted magnetic strip is popular. Those made of wood have less chance of scratching or damaging a knife, so they're somewhat preferable, but as long as you pop the knife off tip first you won't damage it. I've used this strip from Winco for the past year at work with no ill effect. A knife block actually is a good storage option if you can find one to fit your collection. The biggest risk is catching the tip when the knife is inserted into the block, but that's not much of a concern if the user is careful. I use a Victorinox block that was a gift at home for most of my house knives. This block is great, I've been told. A drawer insert is another good low space option. I like my Knife Dock for the stuff I want to keep safe. It lets me slip in as many knives as I have space for the handles. This insert from Wusthof is also popular.

Originally I wrote this as a reply to another comment, but it got nabbed by the automod for accidentally having one affiliate link, and it's not a reply to that comment really, it's a reply to OPs question, so I deleted it as a reply and am posting it top-level here:

-------- PART 1 of 2:

There are several choices now for (i) Japanese (ii) fully stainless (iii) gyutos/chef knives of (iv) either 210 or 240mm in length and (v) $80 or less, thankfully:

1 Narihira 8000 (210mm) or 240mm

2 Mac Chef Series (8.5")

3 Misono Molybdenum (210mm)

4 Fujiwara FKM (210mm) or 240mm

5 Tojiro DP (210mm)

6 Yahiko VG-10 Western (210mm)

7 Yaxell Mon (8"/210mm)

8 Shun Sora (8")

So, #s 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all made of "Molybdenum steel" or "Molybdenum / Vanadium ("MV") steel". This is typically harder than European knives but softer than VG-10, right around 58-59 HRC. #s 5, 6, 7, and 8 are made with VG-10 steel, typically around 60-61 HRC. The Molybdenum knives will be easier to sharpen because the steel is softer, but they won't retain that sharp edge as long as VG-10. VG-10 is more difficult to sharpen, but at least in my experience it's still not that difficult. VG-10 is also more prone to micro-shipping along the very edge, because it is harder and more brittle, but with good boards and technique I don't think that's a problem and even if it happens you can take the micro-chips out with sharpening. Personally I tend to value lasting sharpness over ease of re-sharpening, so if everything else is equal I would prefer VG-10 for my main chef knife.

(1) I don't know a lot about Narihiras. Hocho Knife sells them and confirms they are made in Japan (one Amazon listing said China, though the others said Japan as well) and they appear to arrive in the same style of clear plastic packaging other definitely Japanese knives come in from my local Asian ethnic markets, so. They are notably cheaper -- 210 gyutos for $44. They might be a great value and allow you to get a matching petty for your $80, or they might be awful. At least Amazon has easy returns.

(2) The Mac Chef series is known for the cheaper non-bolster handles and for the blade being especially thin, to the point of having more flex than a lot of people desire. I had one and found it just a little too flexy for me. Also the stainless MV steel in that line will pick up just a tiny bit of slight discoloration with certain foods, I learned. Not super popular because of how thin they are, but if you want super thin, the way to go.

(3) The Misono Molybdenum series are Misono's cheapest line (Misono makes the king of western-style stainless gyutos for pro chef use, the UX10, about $200), but the fit and finish and grinds are still excellent.

(4) Fujiwara FKMs are really well-liked. Very similar in pretty much all external dimensions to the Misono. The FKM handles might be just a tad (1-4mm?) narrower. Sometimes in the past these were reported to have a knife here or there with less than perfect fit and finish, but that appears rare.

Among the MV steel knives, if price is factor #1 I'd start by trying some Narihiras from Amazon given the ease of returns. If you want a knife as thin and light as possible, the Mac. If you want a tried and true maker in a traditional style, if 210 is long enough I'd lean toward the Misono. If you'd rather have 240mm, the Fujiwara.

(5) Tojiros are the classic VG-10 starter knife. They're just very good all-around. Some people find the handles a tad wide, but... it's hard to know what to make of that not having your hands and not being able to hold one. It's not *way* wide, it's still in the normal handle range I find.

(6) The Yahiko is a CKTG exclusive line and the site owner strongly suggests that they're rebranded Tojiro DPs but that stay at $59.99 at his website. There's a whole load of internet drama over that vendor and while I don't like censoring reviews I also have only had very positive experiences buying form there so I think it's all stupid internet drama and I don't care. Seems to be a very solid knife "identical in every way" to a DP.

(7) Personally, if I had to give a gift of an $80 gyuto to someone, or if a single $80 gyuto was going to be my lone knife pride-and-joy for a while, I would buy a Yaxell Mon. The design is less traditional but more special looking, and I have another Yaxell VG-10 gyuto, and all the other knives I've had that were as sharp out-of-the-box as the Yaxell were $200+. Fit and Finish was second only to the Misono MVs, which had a slightly more rounded spine for me. The handle is also a different shape in that it is a bit thinner but taller, and it is a material that is a bit more grippy than the others.

(8) Some people will balk at recommending something as corporate as a Shun, but it merits mention. I had one for a while. It was truly very sharp. It also has a different profile than anything else here, and different from anything else in Shun's catalog -- there is a bigger flat section before transitioning up to a very short and agile tip. I actually really liked this profile in use. The VG-10 is braze welded onto the edge rather than being a thin layer all through the in the middle as it is on the other knives. Theoretically maybe that means after enough use and sharpening that might be an issue, but honestly I think that would take 100 years of use. The big downside is the handle. The handle is grippy but irritatingly cheap feeling. It feels like hollow plastic. But it does work as a handle. And Shun will re-sharpen your knives for free for life if you send them out to Shun by mail, so that might be a plus.

Among the VG-10 knives, if I wanted the classic handle look, I'd buy a Tojiro or Yahiko (probably a Yahiko and save a few dollars). If I wanted to be impressed when I open the box and feel like I had a unique real Japanese knife or I wanted the ultimate in (initial) sharpness, I would get the Yaxell. If I really wanted a big really flat flat spot (for an 8" gyuto), I would get the Shun. That profile is unique...

> Budget around $100 and am in the US. Looking for a 7 or 8 inch knife

Uh sorry, but for that budget I can line you up for a set of knives :-)

No joke, I could kit out your kitchen in knives for a c note!

100 bucks for a single 8" chef's knife is way overkill for the average home cook. You neither need nor really want what a knife at that price point versus a similar type of knife in a lower price bracket, unless aesthetics are a significant part of your choosing criteria.

OK so I'll suggest a few things here in a sort of scattergun approach, see if anything takes your fancy. Nothing I'm going to recommend is expensive, but some of these are dirt cheap so you could get one or more others in addition to your main pick to have some beater knives around that you don't have to care about.

First bunch are commercial style chef's knives — no frills, moulded handles.

Mundial 8" chef's knife for $15.70 on Amazon. If you want to go up a size, the !" version for $26.88.

Dexter-Russell 10" for $19.37 on Amazon. The 8" is more than this currently for some reason.

Victorinox Fibrox three-piece bundle (3.25" parer, 8" chef knife and steel) for $52.67 on Amazon. This is great value if you're interested in the Victorinox chef's knife because at its current price it means you're getting the parer and the steel for 10 bucks.

If you don't mind white handles, Mercer cutlery 8" chef's knife for $10.32 on Grainger. And if you want to go really big, the 12" model for the "OMG cheap!" price of $15.60 also on Grainger.

Now ones with riveted handles, wood or resin/plastic scales.

8" Walnut Tranditions chef's knife from Chicago cutlery with riveted walnut handle for $17.95.

Victorinox 8" with rosewood handle, $48 on Amazon

Farberware Pro Forged 8" knife for $11.99 on Amazon.

Now a few oddballs.

Super sharp and super cheap, the Thai-made Kiwi knives. These are available in a lot of Asian grocers apparently but if you need to order online the prices are good on Wokshop. These are the greatest buy in the knife world, decent knives literally for pocket change.

And if you're at all interested in trying some knives with carbon steel blades check out the Old Hickory knives which are probably the cheapest ones going. They look a bit weird but they're pretty damn good by all accounts. There's a great five-piece set which is amazing value, on Amazon it's currently $48. Set includes a 3.25" Paring Knife, 4" Paring Knife, 7" Butcher's Knife, 6" Boning Knife and an 8" Slicing Knife.

You're probably not going to get much advice for entire knife sets- since the consensus here is likely that you basically just need a chef knife, paring knife, and a serrated bread knife for a home cook. The rest that might come in a set like a boning knife or fillet knife are really only useful to some cooks doing a lot of specific prep work. Better to start her off with a really nice chef knife and maybe a matched paring knife than to get a whole block of knives.

But we kinda do need more info- basically what does she have already, and what is your budget like? It's also a good idea to make sure the knife feels right in her hand before buying it- that she likes how its weighted, handle is comfortable, etc. Obviously you'd like this to be a surprise gift, but if you really want to make sure you end up with something she likes, I would suggest taking her to a knife shop or cooking goods store that will let you try some out before buying.

Once you get to ~$100 or more for a chef knife pretty much everything is going to be top quality, forged steel- so at that point it comes down to personal preferences (heavier or lighter, sharper or easier to maintain, shape, aesthetics, etc.)

That said, I have an 8-inch Zelite Infinity Chef Knife, which is the prettiest object I own. I picked it because it is a hybrid between Japanese and Western knives- very hard Japanese steel so it is sharper and lighter than most Western knives, but still the traditional Western curved shape and double beveled blade. My smaller knives are from Shun for similar reasons- they are a bit more expensive but were bought on sale.

ninja-edit before posting: So, I re-read my comment, and I realized that I wrote this based on the assumption that you want to learn to cook, which may not be true. If you're looking for the absolute easiest way to get calories into your stomach, this may not be the way to go.

If you're not cooking at all, my main piece of advice would be to start small: try one (4-6 serving) recipe per week. That way you won't spend 2 hours at the grocery store buying a bunch of things for 3 separate recipes and then come home and stare at the groceries until everything goes bad and you throw them out guiltily.

Pasta recipes are usually pretty easy. Here's one that I used to make in college and still cook pretty regularly. It's simple to put together but involves cooking real meat and vegetables, and practicing chopping things.

Ingredients

• 1 package of pasta (e.g. spaghetti or penne)
  
• 1lb package italian-style sausage meat (easier) or sausages
  
• 1 jar tomato sauce
  
• 1 smallish yellow onion
  
• either: 1 head of broccoli, or a couple of small zucchini, or a package of mushrooms, or ~1 lb of green beans. I like broccoli, but this one's up to you. Easy mode: swap this out for a small back of frozen broccoli or green beans.
  
• salt and pepper
  
• optional, but garlic is delicious and you should use it: a couple of cloves from a bulb/head of garlic
  
• totally optional seasonings: red pepper flakes, italian seasoning or dried basil or oregano, garlic powder (if you're not using fresh garlic)
  
  Equipment
  
  

• 1 sharp knife and a cutting board. If your knives all suck, buy this and hide it from your roommates
  
• 1 large pot for boiling pasta
  
• 1 frying pan or skillet (nonstick, stainless steel, whatever)
  
• 1 strainer
  
• a long handled spoon or spatula that can take the heat (wood, silicone, or heat-resistant plastic)
  
• extra bowls or tupperware for putting chopped stuff in as you prep (not only will this make you feel like a chef, it helps to keep your cutting board space clear so you have room to work)
  
  
  Instructions
  
  

1. Fill your biggest pot with water 1/2-2/3 of the way full, and add a pinch of salt. Put it on the stove and turn it on to high.
   
2. Chop your onion. Gordon Ramsay will show you how. Don't worry about getting it as fine and neat as he did, and definitely don't worry about doing it fast. Put the chopped onion in a bowl and set it aside so that you have room to work.
   
3. Chop your garlic, if you're using it. Add it to your onion.
   
4. Wash and trim your vegetables (look up how to do it if you're not sure what you're supposed to eat and what you're supposed to throw away), and chop into chunks (whatever size you want). Set aside in another bowl.
   
5. If you have sausages in casings (like, the kind of sausage you would put in a bun at a BBQ), cut them into pieces. Wash your hands afterwards.
   
6. Is your water boiling yet? Good, now add your pasta to the water, and give it a stir so that it doesn't stick to the bottom. Set a timer for the time listed on the box (It should say "al dente in XX minutes").
   
7. Put your frying pan on the stove and turn it to medium. Give it a minute to heat up. Don't bother with oil or butter. The sausage has enough fat.
   
8. Dump the sausage meat or the chopped up sausages into the pan. Wash your hands, and the cutting board and knife while you're at it.
   
9. Stir the pasta. If it's bubbling a lot and seems like it's going to overflow, turn down the heat a bit, but you want it to keep boiling.
   
10. By now the sausage should have released some fat and be sizzling nicely. If it's not, turn up the heat a bit. Give it a stir. This spoon is now for your sauce, not the pasta.
    
11. Cook the sausage, giving it the occasional stir, until you don't see any more pink. If you've used whole sausages and cut them up, wait another 5 minutes or so.
    
12. Add the cut up onion (and garlic). Stir. Cook, giving it the occasional stir, until the onions start to look translucent.
    
13. Did your timer go off yet? If it did, put the strainer in the sink and drain your pasta. Don't worry if the onions get a little brown, they'll be fine. If they start to look black and burnt, turn the heat down a bit.
    
14. Open up your jar of pasta and pour it into the frying pan with the onions. Dump in your chopped up vegetables. Give the pan a stir.
    
15. Cook until the vegetables are done (5-10 minutes). How do you know when that is? Experimentation. Cook for a few minutes, then fish out a piece and poke it with a fork or bite it. If it's not cooked enough for you, try again in another few minutes.
    
16. While the sausage-vegetables-sauce mixture is cooking, put the drained pasta back in your big pot. Add the sauce once the vegetables are cooked to your satisfaction, and give the whole thing a stir to mix everything up. Now's when you add any optional seasonings, and a few grinds of pepper. I find that the sausage+jarred sauce have enough salt for me, so I don't add more.
    
17. Done! Enjoy.
    
18. Wash your dishes. Your roommates will thank you.
    
    Modification if your frying pan is really small (because college):
    
    '14. When your onions are cooked (and after you've drained the pasta), dump them+the sausage into the big pot. Then pour the sauce into the frying pan and add your chopped up vegetable.

>Will a sharpener be judgey with me if I bring in, like, a kitchen aid brand chefs knife? Is it even worth it, price wise?

Depends what you mean. You certainly don't need a high end carbon steel knife to need to sharpen it. They probably won't judge you for "basic" level knives, but if you walk in to a professional sharper with a super cheap knife, they might tell you to go home. I googled kitchen aid chef's knife and got a couple different knives, some of which were stamped and some of which were forged.

this is a stamped knife

ths is a very cheap forged knife

this looks like a slightly higher quality forged knife

Without holding one It's really difficult to tell what quality of steel it is, but if you own one of the first two knives I'd say save your money. A sharpener will charge you basically as much as the entire knife cost to begin with, and the cheap steel probably won't hold an edge for long anyway. For a knife of that quality, a pull through sharpener isn't going to make a difference.

The third knife might be worth sharpening. that's about as cheap a knife as I'd think about getting professionally sharpened. It seems to be about an equivalent to a basic wusthof knife. Wusthof knives and their similar european style kin are heavy durable blades made from a stainless alloy. They're good solid "starter" knives, well worth sharpening, and with proper care they'll last decades.

So, it's not hard for a knife to be BIFL. In fact, I have some $10 knives that probably are. What you pay for with a knife is edge quality, geometry, balance, and handle. In a lot of ways, having something to sharpen said knives with is the most important thing, as otherwise your knives will inevitably end up just as dull as your grandmother's.

How much time and effort are you interested in putting into your knives? There are a variety of options. Purists tend to prefer a sharpening stone, as it offers the greatest control. If you want to nerd about your knives, this allows you to control the edge angle and exactly how much material you remove from the knife. It's also the hardest though, and the one you're most likely to slack off from. The Lansky System offers nearly as much control and greater ease of use, and many people like this option.

If you know that both of those options are realistically not going to happen, get a pull through. It'll take a bit more metal from the edge when you sharpen it, but it's worth it if it's what you'll use. I got my parents one, actually. If you get a Western knife, you can pretty much get any pull through. If you get at least one Asian knife, get this pull through so that you can control the angle, as Asian knives are generally sharpened to a more acute angle.

As for knives? You can get really nice ones like Tojiro and Shun, you can get well reviewed ones like Victorinox, and as long as you don't get the super cheapo micro serrated knives, you'll probably be fine. I've got some Tramontina knives from Costco that are quite reasonable, and some Kom Kom knives which I adore and which are stupid cheap. Don't stick wood handled knives in the dishwasher (in general, the dishwasher dulls knives, but it also really is not kind to wood handles), and full tang knives are much better when you're talking wood handles, because they add extra stability.

Don't bother spending a ton of money on bread knives: they're incredibly difficult to sharpen, so it's really not worth it.

I second the kitchen knife. It's a game changer and makes meal prep fun, which kind of pays for itself. Victorinox makes a great 8 inch chef's knife in that price range; I personally opted for the Frosts by Mora of Sweden which was around $50 as well.

Edit:

Highly rated Victorinox 8" chef's knife for less than $40

Same knife with nicer Rosewood handle for $42

Swedish made Frosts by Mora that I opted for based on previous experience with Mora and am very happy with

Edit 2: Here is a pretty good article with some basic care instructions for your quality knives.

Congrats on starting the journey that is bushcraft and woodsmanship. It's such a rewarding pastime. Since you seem to be loading up on gear I have on huge piece of advise for you. I beg you BEG YOU to invest a little bit of money on a good belt knife. Nothing to fancy. Some thing like an Old Hickory butcher knife or a good quality Mora . Both are relatively inexpensive and quality products. When I started out I bought a cheap "survival knife" which wasn't worth the cardboard packaging it came in and then eventually upgraded to the Bear Grylls ultimate survival knife which promptly broke after about 3 overnights of use. Budget bushcraft is fine for most things however spending 15 dollars on a mora you will have to replace MAYBE every 3 or 4 years if you take care of it certainly beats spending 10 dollars 3 or 4 times a year on junk. Good luck and remember... in the famous words of Ray Mears "If you're in the woods and you're 'roughing it' you're doing something wrong"

​

I sold my set of Shun knives for $500, bought a 1k and 5k Shapton, an Ikazuchi 240, and a bunch of cheap stainless knives for my family to use.

​

They are also for me to practice sharpening and see if I like a cleaver and Nakiri.

​

The two kiwi's were $12 from Amazon. They came pretty dull. I've worked the Nakiri up to a reasonable sharpness with three 1k passes and cloth stropping. But it's still not very sharp, barely takes off arm hair.

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D8FN4CY

​

I've probably done a few hundred passes on the 1k stone for each section of the knife. Burrs form, come off. Still not super sharp. I don't know if these are worth the time.

​

The victorinox fibrox 8" came pretty sharp. I've done about 3-4 1k sessions of about 100 strokes. It's gotten sharper. I find it somewhat difficult to sharpen.

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008M5U1C2

​

The chef cleaver is amazing! I love this knife. Out of the box it's super sharp. With one session of 1k and 5k it got even sharper. Very happy. Not sure I yet like the chinese cleaver, it feels very unfamiliar but it's a great knife.

​

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Japanese-VG-10-Steel-Cleaver-7-inch-Vegetable-Chopping-Knife-Flatware/323061776505

​

​

I have watched just about every video imaginable on sharpening and read a lot here. I'll just keep learning but I have a few questions.

​

My goal with these is to keep a decent edge for a month or longer. I have a shapton 1k and 5k. Is the 1k enough? I've heard it's a coarse (maybe 800) whetstone.

​

And the the 5k (I've read) is too high for budget stainless sharpening (not polishing, no need for that.) Do I need something in between? The 2k Shapton is affordable. The 3k chosera is expensive but maybe better? Any other suggestions?

I have a similar KitchenAid one but it's the one with triple rivets and a black handle. Fucking love it. Balanced, great in my hand, and cheap that I can't ever complain about it.

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KKFTR8CHOB-Classic-Forged-Triple/dp/B01DKR42IU/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1549046786&sr=1-5&keywords=kitchenaid+chef+knife

If you're looking for really cheap but still pretty decent, I've been really happy with my [8" Chicago Cutlery chef's knife] (https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Cutlery-Essentials-8-Inch-Knife/dp/B004TFDEPK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1523263987&sr=8-5&keywords=Chicago+cutlery+chef%27s+knife). I don't really need to sharpen it all that often, but when I do I use this [Utopia Kitchen whetstone] (https://www.amazon.com/Double-Sided-Knife-Sharpening-Stone-Multi-Colored/dp/B019A1G0YO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523264240&sr=8-3&keywords=Utopia+Kitchen+sharpening+stone). They're certainly not top-of-the-line tools, but without dropping quite a bit more money I don't know that you could do much better.

So that Kanehide "Forgecraft"...

>This knife was developed based on the shape of a now defunct knife maker called Forgecraft who went out of business in the late 1960s.

I guessed this was the case by the name but Forgecraft blades were like $10-20 a pop. If you're in the market for that style you could just go for an Old Hickory which is like, the same thing and is priced reasonably: https://www.amazon.com/Ontario-Knife-42923-Hickory-Butcher/dp/B00AQ66YIK

Sure, the fit and finish on an Old Hickory is complete trash and the grind needs to be redone immediately, but it's a project knife. I'm not sure the better polish and steel is worth an extra $70. Plus, 1095 at a lower HRC for butchering is perfectly adequate.

I have two:

• French Chef Knife with Aluminum Handle
  
• Chef's Dicer with Aluminum Handle
  
  They're cheap knives, but fantastic for the price point. I use a honing steel before each use and sharpen them properly every so often -- they do the job.
  
  I have better knives that easily out perform the Radas, but for people just getting into cooking, these are a fantastic blade.

FC61 is basically AEB-L. It takes a good edge but its still pretty durable.

cradle motion- is that rock chopping?

Kramer 8 inch @ 160 is a pretty common recommendation around here

Miyabi Koh 8 inch is cheaper, $100-110 ish, it has less height, a bit thinner. Some like the thinness, some call it flimsy. I'd guess if you like rock chopping this might be in the latter camp. Should have about the same edge retention though.

If you want to be super cheap, Rada is a company my parents sell for on the side. The Chef's knife is 8 1/2" and made from two pieces of stainless steel. The blade and its extension into the handle, and the handle, though you can get synthetic handles and stuff if you want. It's only $15.70, but a great knife. As simple as it gets, but ours have lasted forever and work great, very sharp...

Here's a link to the chef's knife.

I'm not sure how it compares to a lot of other knives listed on here, but after college I bought an 8" Mundial (here I think?). I love it, it's just the right weight and length for me, very solid and I've only had it sharpened a few times since buying it, but I do hone it on every use. It's what I learned to cook on so that may be why I prefer it, but I'm very happy with it and it wasn't a whole lot more than a victorinox.

My wife does a lot of "straight up and down" cutting and appreciates small and light knives. In fact, she mostly uses this (Kiwi knife)[https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Brand-Stainless-Steel-21/dp/B001FEJ0WO] and my paring knives. It's a cheap and fun experimental knife. Would a nakiri-type blade work for her as well? Maybe I'd pick up one from (here)[https://www.amazon.com/Utility-Knives-Cutlery-Kitchen-Stainless/dp/B01D8FN4CY] to see if she likes the style. Thanks!

The best advice i can give is to pick a meal you like and want to know how to make, google a recipe/find a video, and research any terms you don't know. Then just try making it. Taste frequently while cooking and follow the recipe and it will be good. Repeat. Its really not hard, and after a while you will have all the fundamental techniques down and it start to just make sense. At that point you can really start to have fun experimenting with flavors and making your own recipes. I hope that helps

Edit: Also having the right equipment helps. You don't need a $200 Shun chefs knife but a $35 Mercer is much better than one from Walmart. A decent plastic or wood cutting board, and a basic set of pots, pans and bakeware plus what ever is called for by your recipe. If it calls for something overtly expensive goggle it someone has most likely found a cheap way to do it.

I recently bought a Solicut First Class chef and paring knife set, and I love them. I've been using them a lot for a little over a month without sharpening the blades, and they will still shave the hair on my arm with ease.

I researched heavily before I bought mine, and it seems that Shun and MAC brand knives are among the most loved buy those with experience. The Mac chef knife with dimples had slightly better reviews than the one without

The Victorinox is an excellent chef knife for under $30 if you budget is tight.

EDIT: Btw, I went with the Solicut knives, mainly because they were cheaper. From what I learned though my research, Solicut is just as high quality as Shun or MAC, but they are advertised less. A savings with gets passed on to the customer. I also like the handles of my knives better than the others.

A Kiwi will serve you well. You can find them at Asian markets, usually less than $10. They have a nice thin blade that's good for sushi, stays sharp and sharpens easily. I have a few $300+ knives in my bag and I still love my Kiwis.

Here is a really high end Japanese cutlery company named Shun.

My favorite of theirs are the Fuji line, the design is amazing looking.

Here is a video of the Shun Fuji
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qGMLjHGuZU

A Shun Fuji set can set you back $1600+ I have seen some of their other sets selling for 4,000+

As a side note the Shun Edo is pretty cool looking too.

All their cutlery are functional works of art.

---------

Just for comparison sake, this is not as high end as cutlery can get. Their is a company called Kramer that can do custom ones upwards of $10K per piece.

http://kramerknives.com/auctions/gallery/

>kramer meiji

Alright so I've got a great 8" stealth Messermeister chef knife I love (http://a.co/d/04Forve) and a Kiwi 6" (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LIX4QA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)that is cheap but I really like it.

​

Would you recommend that I go with the 6" Kramer Meiji or the 8"?

Something like this is a bit shorter but still has a wide blade that will allow you to use proper technique. And it has the benefit of only being $7 if you don’t like it:

Deba-Style Flexible Thai Knife (#171), Kiwi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LIX4QA/

Mercer has been my new favorite knives for a couple of years now. German steel, great balance and heft, superior handle.
Three nice setups here for a home kitchen here - https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-6-Piece-Tempered/dp/B000IBU9FW
If you're looking for just one chef's knife, I use this at home, and couldn't be happier with it - https://www.amazon.com/ZELITE-INFINITY-Chef-Knife-inch/dp/B0110EKTUU

I have plugged this before but I can't recommend it enough, so here it is again.

The best $7 knife you will ever own

I've been cooking for a while. I own a lot of knives. I have a pretty full kit. I use this knife for almost everything I do professionally.

I personally prefer a utility knife for light weight cutting (I prefer to chop, rather than roll, so a light knife helps). The things that make a utility knife good are a thin, flexible blade, no longer than 6" that will take but not necessarily hold a good edge. All of these qualities also make a knife really fuckin cheap because you aren't paying big bux for a huge lump of high carbon steel.

So why does everyone fork out $80+ for a fancy pattern welded steel shun 6" utility?

Just doesn't make sense. These knives come wicked sharp right out of the package, and for $7 a piece once you've beat it up (and for $7 a piece, you can beat it the fuck up) you just throw it away and buy another.

It may feel like cheating, or that there's a catch, but I haven't found one. They are really solid, dependable, inexpensive knives that you can absolutely trust to do what you need them to do. For the price I think everyone should give these a shot.

Plus you can impress and terrify your family once you learn to cut vegetables Japanese style. Very flashy, very fast, very scary for someone who doesn't know how to drive a knife properly.

Edit:

To clarify a later comment, I took a video of what I'm (possibly erroneously? really not sure) describing as "japanese style" cutting. Really, I'm just calling it that based on how I see chefs using santoku knives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZFic0GabkM&feature=youtu.be

Tatercam quality, sloppy cut, and turn your speakers down because it is loud. Gives a more clear picture of what I'm describing though. This is what I prefer, contrary to the typical "roll" cut where you keep the tip on the board and move the knife like a piston. For a roll cut, a longer, heavier blade is preferable because you can leverage the weight easier. However, I think that this method will ultimately make you much faster with lightweight cutting (small carrots, soft veg like onions and zucchini, etc) and is worth picking up a cheap, light knife to learn.

tl;dr $7 knife works for cutting most stuff fast; buy it

Mundial cook knife https://www.amazon.com/Mundial-10-Inch-Cooks-Knife-Blade/dp/B000MEEP0U/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=mundial+cook+knife&qid=1571416304&sr=8-3

Zhen Chinese cleaver https://smile.amazon.com/ZHEN-Japanese-Stainless-Heavy-Duty-Chopping/dp/B00H2HDL0K/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=vg10+cleaver&qid=1571416617&sr=8-5

These are good knives that won't kill your wallet, but keeping any knife sharp is key. Good luck.

That's the 7.5-inch Fibrox Pro chef's knife. Same metal and such as the 8-inch but the blade isn't as tall, which means less clearance for your off hand when chopping. I'm guessing it has a tiny bit more flex towards the tip than the 8-inch as well, though I've never used it so I can't be sure. The upside is that this knife should be a little more nimble and precise than the 8-inch, all other things being equal. Here's an Amazon link if you're curious.

I picked up this Shun set from amazon a while back on sale for $215. The chef's knife is amazing. I also have a set of Shun pros, but I needed a western style chef knife as well. The utility and paring knifes were just bonus.

Good? no... cheap and sharp? Fuck yes

This

Is the knife that you can find most often at asian stores, if you're paying more than $3-$4 it's too expensive. They come decently sharp, very easy to resharpen (seriously I practiced sharpening with these so I wouldn't ruin my good knives)

They bend really easily, the tips tend to warp over time, any heavy chopping will nick the blade. But I have 20 of them for that reason, once they get nicked or start to bend at the tip, they're trash ( I originally got them because I didn't have the money for the nice knives out there, now I keep them around to practice sharpening)

https://www.amazon.com/French-Sabatier-Forged-Carbon-Steel/dp/B007NZQSD8/

edit. and i should add. the K-sab is a personal love of mine, i really like the fact that its a european made carbon steel knife, with a relatively thin grind, and a decent hardness. thats like unicorn status among european knives.

http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DMS300-Classic-3-Piece-Cutlery/dp/B000139H82/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1342465102&sr=8-5&keywords=shun Is a pretty great set.

For a similar price I would recommend this one. When I finished culinary school my mom got it for me, I used it for 4 years before switching to some fancier ones i got as a gift, then I kept it as my home knife with regular to heavy use. This motherfucker can still shave my forearms 16 years later, the hand feel and balance is also amazing.

Although carbon steel knives are the sharpest and arguably the sexiest in existence, they are simply overkill for most home chefs. Take a hint from the fact that you cannot use them in any restaurant for sanitation reasons. You need professional quality stainless steel knives that any good chef would use.

Here are my recommendations:

The Mercer 9" Chef that was part of my culinary school kit is all that most people need for an all-around Chef's Knife. It is the baseline for the professional world, so you know that is meant to take a beating and perform. It's miles better than any bullshit you'd buy at retail stores, and at $45 it is worth a try. I still use mine as the workhorse when I don't feel like putting my good knives through hell.

If you are willing to spend more, then I highly advise going with a Global. They are a perfect mix between Eastern and Western styles. The hard Japanese steel can be sharpened to a finer angle than German steel, yet hold its edge for a long time (mine's gone over a year under heavy use without a sharpening and still puts everything but my Shun to shame). The weight and balance make it so easy to use it is by far the most practical knife that I own. I cannot tell you how many of my friends want one of these after using mine. And at $100 it is worth every penny.

You really don't need to spend any more than that.

To fill in your collection, buy them as you need them. Do not buy a set of anything other than steak knives.

if money is an issue, here's my recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005P0OJ4S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

super cheap, definitely sharp enough out of the box for your purposes cutting steak.

It could be :)

Edit: How sexy does this sound?

"Swedish Sandwich 12C27 cold-rolled stainless steel hardened by deep refrigeration (-80 Degree C) for maximum hardness (58RC)"

Don't skimp on the cost of knives. I have this set: http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DMS300-Classic-3-Piece-Cutlery/dp/B000139H82/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1407456710&sr=8-4&keywords=shun+knife+set

The quality of these knives is incredible. They're obscenely sharp, thin, and light, keep an edge like nothing else, and in addition to being extremely attractive, are also obnoxiously good at what they do. These beauties have reduced my prep-time by about 75%. They don't require much in the way of special treatment. They need to be hand washed (DO NOT PUT GOOD KNIVES IN THE DISHWASHER, it takes two seconds with dish soap and a soft brush) and eventually sent out to be professionally sharpened.

I've had my knives about three years now, they were sharpened once when they were crafted, and have seen neither honing steel nor emory cloth since then. I'm going to have to get them sharpened soon, but they still have amazingly sharp edges.

These are actually pretty great, and so cheap that you could just replace them every year when get dull (I actually learned about them from a professional chef who does just that, tossing them instead of paying to have them sharpened).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003LIX4QA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1377837599&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165

Alright I'll trust you and pick up some kiwi knives

A US link: Chef's Knife Cook Utility Knives Set 2 KIWI Brand 171,172 Cutlery Steak Wood Handle Kitchen Tool Sharp Blade 6.5" Stainless Steel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D8FN4CY/

I've had this one for a couple of years, and I love it.

https://www.amazon.com/KRAMER-ZWILLING-EUROLINE-Essential-Collection/dp/B00LEOBKNM/ref=sr_1_7?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1543252680&sr=1-7&keywords=kramer+by+zwilling

$9 chef knife. - Chances are the restaurant has a knife service that comes in and collects knives every week or so and replaces then with sharpened knives. If not, or you still have issues with them, get the chef to buy a whetstone and take some time to sharpen them in slow times. None of the other cooks will complain, and you'll get good at it. A good skill to have.

Get them. They're fantastic.

They come razor sharp. And when the edge begins to fade, a few passes on a stone or steel will bring them back easily. And if you utterly trash one, they're so cheap that you won't care.

Compared to a $30-$40 chinese knife you'd get in a department store with buttery steel that will smuch on a tomato, they utterly blow them away.

The 2-pack is one of the blades I own. My wife loves it more than the 8" Santoku.

That said, for $2 more, you can get the Kom Kom version. It's the same basic knife. But it's got a full-tang.

If you've got a couple extra bucks, buy one. Or 3. You will not regret it. Or hell, just google "kiwi knives." Tons of people blown away by them.

usually full-tang for strength (although partial-tang moras are nice), at least 1095 steel (not cheap chinese stainless, although mora and fallkniven use good quality stainless)

grind can be either scandi or flat or saber, with scandi being strongest and thickest blade, easiest to sharpen but harder to cut through something or do fine work due to the blade thickness, and flat grind harder to sharpen but easier to cut through things but slightly weaker blade, with saber being more rare and basically inbetween the two

no bullshit serrations because you won't be able to sharpen that or do fine work with it

my perfect bushcraft knife would be full-tang, spear point, saber grind, about 4-5 inches, micarta handle (so it stays grippy when wet), so something like a L.T. Wright GNS Saber or Fiddleback Forge KE Bushie or GSO 4.1 or ESEE PR-4.

but those each cost like $200-$300 and I have an aversion to spending that much on one thing when I can just buy an Old Hickory Butcher Knife, a Morakniv Companion and an Opinel No.7 all for literally $40 combined and have a bunch of different knives suited for different situations (butcher knife for hacking/batoning, mora for general use, opinel for fine work)

edit: woah this dude modded an old hickory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ziV3R9Jcro

another dude who mods old hickories
https://longmireknives.wordpress.com/my-work/

When I worked in a restaurant we had a dozen of these (they may have been the 10 in but they did have the white handle). They seemed fine. They're $15 so I bet "just fine" is a key operative.

Mercer Culinary Ultimate White 8-Inch Chef's Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P0OJ4S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZW2pyb3WDZX08

This would be my first choice, link is for the the 9.5", the 8 is 20cad more for some reason:
https://www.toshoknifearts.com/collections/gyuto/products/kanefusa-fujiwara-nihonko-br-240mm-gyuto

House of Knives is having a sale on the Global 8" chef, this would be my last choice:
https://houseofknives.ca/global-gf-8-chefs-knife-gf-33/

There is also the Tojiro DP on Amazon, solid budget performance, widely recommended:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000UAPQGS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511671118&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tojiro+dp

If you wanted to save money, there are the Mercer knives on Amazon, not amazing, but I would still choose it over the Global: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B001B1AG7Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511671828&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mercer+culinary&psc=1

I keep hearing good things about the Kon Kon No. 21 Thai Chef's Knife, I just ordered one for myself to see what the fuss is about. Not sure if the good ratings are astroturfing or this is really a hidden gem.

This is a better Chicago Cutlery knife, and it's not very expensive.

The "Essential" line is the most affordable line of Kramers, coming in at about 2 bills. Seems like the last couple years they were discounted further on black friday.

https://www.amazon.com/KRAMER-ZWILLING-EUROLINE-Essential-Collection/dp/B00LEOBKNM/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1541603790&sr=1-2&keywords=bob+kramer+8+inch+essential

Buy a $15 Mercer m18110. Sharp and holds the edge well. See here: https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Chefs-Knife-Ultimate/dp/B005P0OJ4S

This is a pretty standard MAC that fits. I'm not sure where you would buy in australia but japanesechefsknife ships worldwide for $7 and you can get the Misono and Fujiwara there.

I have not heard anything about the Kagayaki line so I cannot comment on it. Probably decent though.

Kiwi Flexible Thai Knife - $6.99 (Stainless)

I wouldn't worry about the steel nearly so much as the grind. Based on the pocket knives I've seen, Buck's hollow grinds are inconsistent and not nearly thin enough. I'd suggest a MAC, Misono, or Tojiro instead. Or, if you want to "buy American", R. Murphy.

This one? ZWILLING J.A. Henckels EUROLINE Essential Collection 8"

Any recs on a petty/paring?

>nakiri and kiritsuke set

I'm guessing:

​

https://www.amazon.com/Utility-Knives-Cutlery-Kitchen-Stainless/dp/B01D8FN4CY?ref_=ast_bbp_dp

Messermister

Mercer

Mac

Misono

Tojiro DP

Personally I believe it's the chef, not the tools. Nobody talks about Gordon Ramsay's knives. I bought this last year and only rarely used my Japanese knives since.

Victorinox Fibrox Pro 7.5" Chef

>A butter knife cuts vegetables just as good as a chef knife

No it really doesn't. However, you can buy a chef knife for around $10.

I'll just throw in suggestions for a MAC and a Victorinox. They can take a beating and are still quite alright.

MAC

Victorinox Rosewood

I'm a big fan of these cheap Kiwi brand knives. If you have an asian supermarket or restaurant supply store near you, you can pick them up for about $7 each.

They're sharp and can take a lot of abuse. I like having them around especially because my family does not take great care of our cooking equipment.

Ok just saw a 2 pc set that's even cheaper.

If you don't want to sharpen that, just buy an inexpensive kitchen utility knife and bring it in.

Here are some options:

Kiwi knife.

Victorinox utility knife.

Ceramic utility knife.

Your boss is right. You work at a produce market, you should not be using a RAT 1 to cut corn.

I've been using Kiwi knives for years. They are incredibly cheap and razor sharp. I buy them at Asian supermarkets for around $5, but they can be found on the internet too (for a little more money). I own the square santoku, the pairing knife, and the pointy slightly curved one. Coupled with a diamond steel I bought at home depot a decade ago I spent less than $50 total. The edge on these knives is very thin and easily damaged (like a razor), but this was only a problem when I lived with roommates who would jam my knives in with the silverware in the dish rack...not so much with proper handling. I made blade covers out of cereal box cardboard and scotch tape when we were traveling in our rv, and I keep them in a knife block when I'm at home.

I also own a few really expensive knives from my cheffing days. I originally bought the Kiwi knives so I wouldn't care about them getting ruined by improper handling, now the fancy stuff just stays in the block.

edit:also worth noting is that I have never sharpened these knives (6+years), but I do use the diamond steel on them about once a week.