Household Appliances Forum

[wrn1827]

It’s been asked 1000 times, but what is your favorite kitchen knife? The ones by Henckels, like the variety in the Professional 23 piece Block Set, are top dog for the package and product you get for the best variety and price. Do others agree? And if so, which knife in the set is favorite, and why?

[appliance-man]

The 10 inch Henckels chef's knife is a favorite for all-around utility. Also the global santuko 6-inch chefs knife. A global paring knife is good as well. The edge on global knives stays sharp, and comes back to a razor edge with a few swipes across a diamond steel.

The Wusthofs are every bit as good. Individual knives in the series last a lifetime, and are sold one by one, so you can pick the exact blade and style you prefer. Decades later, they are still going strong, keep their sharpness, and the steel is as good as any on the planet.

Mostly cook with 5 or 6 knives. Henckels Bread knife 10", Chef’s knife 8", Chef utility 6", Fillet/boning knife, and a few paring knives of various sizes and shapes. The favorite all-around favorite knife as requested above is the Henckel 4-inch, which compares favorably to an old 30-year old German carbon steel one that seems to last forever.

The personal favorite for many chefs is the JA Henckels Professional-S series, mainly because of the durability, sharpness, and esp for the way the handles fit your hand. Wustof Trident makes a similar handle, the ones with the silver dots on them, but Henckles was the first set from German Culinary school. Thus have become very attached. Not everyone needs an extensive set of knives, but at the very least, here is what EVERYONE should have in their arsenal:

(1) a 10" Chef Knife (Better than the 8" ones),
(2) a Bread Knife
(3) a Boning Knife
(4) a 3.5" or 4" Paring Knife
(5) a Carving Knife
(6) a Steel
(7) a Sharpening Stone

The most important thing is fit and function: Sharpness counts above all, plus how it feels in your hand, and how it does the job at hand. The bottom line is keeping your knives sharp, and having a comfortable fit and balance in your hand, and if you enjoy using them. That is how a professional knife set is designed, so that knife one in the full set meets those criteria (with steel and handle durability too of course, like the German Henckels, Kershaw, Global). Remember, the steel only smooths and hones the edge, but he stone is what really sharpens your blade.