Kitchen Knife Set Opinions

Hey guys, I need to buy a set of knives for my kitchen, anyone know if a decent knife set that wont set me back some $$?

 

Yeah what kind of set are you looking for? The whole shabang? Like steak knives and all that? I have the Miracle Blade knife set and it rocks!! I also have a set of Racheal Ray knives that are great too.

 

Don't buy a set. You'll spend a lot of money unnecessarily.

There are three important knives to own, everything is secondary or filler.

You need a chef's knife. 8 or 10 inches for most people. If you're serious about cooking, get a 10". It's more productive and capable but is a bit more unwieldy at first.

Brands, well bang for the buck is the Forschner Firbrox. About half the price of a wusthof and generally considered superior. Wusthof and Henkels are OK knives too but for their cost, you can get better knives from MAC or Misono. In the same ballpark in quality and cost as Wusthof are Dexter Russells too, but they target the restaurant business mostly.

You'll need a 10" serrated bread knife. This isn't worth spending big bucks on period. Forschner wins this.

And a paring knife. Again, no big bucks here, there isn't much value. Forshner again.

www.knifeworks.com can set up with the Forschner at a good price or most any restaurant supply store will have them as well. I'm thinking you can pick up all three in the Forschner for around $100 total.

You can upgrade the handles to wood for some extra bucks.

If you want to get into specialty knives, then there's more to consider.

 

lookin at a 13 piece, right now.. just dont want to get crappy stuff that dulls out in like a year

 

Any of the knives in discussion here will dull much faster than a year. Part of owning knives is knowing how to and actually sharpening them. Steeling lets them go longer between sharpenings, but no quality knife goes a year in use without needing sharpening much much earlier.

 

X2.

 

Try cutco but they'll cost ya.

 

Cutcos are just OK as knives. Way overpriced though. Odd handle for many but if it fits you, good.

 

If you want steak knives, go to Dollar Tree. They have the best steak knives (4 for $1) and mine have been great! Going on 3 years now on the same set.

 

My wife's got the Martha Stuart set.

Hate to say it but they are pretty decent for the money

 

x2

I bet you don't use knives. A chainsaw, an axe, a hacksaw and a machete are probably your only things you use in a kitchen.

 

This is the one I gave as an anniversay gift...hand wash only:

HENCKELS Fine Edge Synergy Knife Block Set, 17 Piece, Black

http://www.amazon.com/Henckels-Inte...9?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1275507908&sr=8-9

 

Chicago Cutlery...WalMart sells them. Mom (in law) swears by them. Think they're reasonably priced...but that's the wife's purchasing department. I like the feel of them...and they hold an edge and resharpen easily.

This after some rather expensive knife purchases that wouldn't hold an edge for any length of time. Had been complaining to the wife for about a year. When oldest got married Mom came for wedding. Complained that the knives weren't sharp enough. Low and behold...back up to what I had been saying. New knives bought that day...go figure.

But I'm not complaining...she's stuck by me for 25 yrs and I'd be nowhere without her.

 

I've got Cutco and JA Henckels and the Henckels is better.

 

Dont buy a "SET" ! Get the three main knives, I have the "SET" from Sams Club, Members Mark Brand, Made in Brazil, lifetime free sharpening service, they are heavy, and hold an edge, out of the set I mainly use one, the 10 inch chef knife, those sandoku blades that Rachel Ray used are a pain, I cant chop with a flat blade, a curved chef knife is better imo for all kitchen duties. That being said I do own a set, dont use it also the Fibrox Forschner knives rock, I cut meat 40 hours a week, and thats all I use, 8 hours a day 5 days a week, and I buy one new Forschner a year.

 

Also a good honing steel is a must. It doesnt sharpen it just maintains the edge of a sharp knife, and I haven't been able to find a good steel in any department or kitchen specialty store that compares to a commercial steel, do yourself a favor and spend the money on quality items and they will last you a long time.

 

Dogbite is right on many ideas.
Chef's knife and paring knife are a must.
Serrated or scalloped carving knife are also important.
If you buy Henkels(what I have) make sure it's the German forged knives, not the brazilian or spain/portugal manufacture.
I like Forschner a lot but not in the same league as Henkels/Wustof.
In re sharpness....get a steel and learn how to use it.
It's all you need if you start with a good edge.
You also need a cutting board.
Not glass, not tile/stone....plastic or wood. I've been using wood forever and never killed anybody with bacteria. Treat it with fair oil or mineral oil.

 

DOGBITE is right on. i come from a family of chefs. and i am obsessed with kitchen tools. DO NOT BUY A SET!! you will waste your money. i am with dog on this:
1 10" chef knife
1 paring knife
1 bread knife..
and i would like to add 1 boning knife.

and that is all!! you put up one of those "Sandwich" knives next to a 6" chefs knife and i dare you to list the pro and cons of each,,working a sandwich in two. PULEEZE!

i have wustof classics!! that is all. i added a cheap chinese veggie cleaver to my arsenal, and i am good. if you dont buy a set, you can up the ante on german steel. i hate counter knife blocks. takes up too much space. i use a magnet bar on the wall.

now having said that..you cannot beat the forschner kitchen knives. i bet my wustof 10" chefs cost $180ish, and the forschner 10" chef cost $40..and in many many cutting contest..the forschner WINS!! americas test kitchen staff swear by the forschner. the blade is their annual winner..over and over and over.

i take my knives to a pro once a year for sharpening. i use a steel throughout to correct the blade. it doesnt sharpen.

 

let me add. High end henkels is good stuff BUT they have a lower end. and they also sell factory defect blades at discount stores. Wustof is similar to henkel high end. but if there are any defects, the melt them down for re-do. there ARE NO factory seconds in the wustof world. that is why i chose them.