Having a short-life sharp knife is an important instrument that any kitchen can have. If we talk about chef knives, there is a vast variety regarding knives varying in their quality and prices likewise.
Knives serve many purposes like cutting, slicing, mincing, or chopping meat, chicken, vegetables, and fish.
So, with a wide range of a variety of knives, it is impossible to find the right kind of knife if you are not a trained chef.
Getting a costly or cheap chef knife is not exactly the deal. The quality differs with the price, but the maintenance of your knife actually depicts which knife is the best for you.
If you are a beginner chef, then you should purchase an average knife. As the blade of the knife tends to be worn off with time, it is better to get a cheap knife for practice.
Apart from the quality of the knife, the skill of using it matters a lot. As a knife is an extension of your hand, the better you are at using it, the more valuable it would be.
So, let us go through the details of knives available to help you find the best knife for you.
Types of knives based on construction
The two exclusive types of knives used by the chefs are Japanese and German knives. Both of these differ in their work and construction.
The construction of a Japanese knife is made for cutting a sharper corner, so it has a thin blade and is made up of hard and durable steel.
The thickness of the blade and weight varies with the size of the knife.
If we look at the construction of a German knife, then it is best for cutting slices of meat, chicken, fish, or vegetables.
It has a curved shape at the end of the blade and has a thick blade. Its blade is made up of soft steel.
Types of knives based on blade quality
There are many types of plate materials from which the knives are made of. The carbon steel knife is the most expensive knife of all as it has a carbon blade.
A water stone is needed to sharpen its blade A carbon blade. A carbon blade can easily catch rust, so it needs to be kept dry and clean. A carbon blade is difficult to maintain if you are a beginner chef.
A carbon blade is a slim blade and has sharp edges, and has a lightweight handle.
A carbon blade knife is used for cutting with precise measurements. They are extensively used by experienced chefs throughout the world.
The other type of blades is stainless steel knife blades. They are the most durable knife blades because the stainless steel does not erode easily.
The knife blade does not need to be sharpened repeatedly. They are made for daily homemade use.
They are not much expensive, but the prices vary with the quality of stainless steel and the material of handle used in them.
Types of knives on the basis of usage
There are several kinds of knives available that differ on the basis of their usage. A paring knife is exclusively used for peeling purposes.
It can peel the skin of fruits and vegetables, ranging from hardest to the toughest skins depending upon the blade of a knife.
A slicing knife is used for or making slices of vegetables, meat, or chicken. However, the quality of slice-making depends highly upon the sharpness and material of the blade used in the knife.
A bread knife or butter knife has a very soft texture and smooth blade. It cuts through soft things like dough, cake, or bread. It is mostly used to spread things over bread, for example, butter.
A chef knife is a typical sharp knife made up of carbon or stainless-steel blade and used for cutting vegetables, meat and for chopping and slicing. It has a tough and strong blade as compared to other knives.
Other factors to look for before buying a knife
The factors that determine the quality of the knife are to be kept into consideration before purchasing any knife.
To a normal person, all kinds of knives appear the same, and it is not understood why a particular knife is costly, and the other is cheap.
All knives are good when purchased for the first time, but as the blade goes old and does not work, the quality of the knife is revealed itself.
So there are some things that you should look for before buying a chef knife.
Knife handle
While purchasing a knife, all of us focus our attention on the knife blade. But the knife handle is equally important.
The length, thickness, and weight of the knife handle actually determine what kind of work you can do with it. A wooden handle is more durable as compared to a plastic handle.
A Steel handle is perhaps the most durable, but it makes the knife heavier. For home purposes, you can choose a wooden handle or knife.
Weight of knife
The weight of the knife is equally important. If you buy a knife heavier than you can handle, it will make your work complicated instead of helping you out.
So, hold the knife in your hand and check its weight before buying it. Sometimes the knife appears to be very light, but when you hold it in hand, you realize how heavy it is.
The weight of the knife cannot be checked if you are buying them online. So, it is advisable not to go buying a knife set online if you are inexpert and don’t know much about knives.
Durability
You should check the durability of the knife and how long its blade would last. The Life of a knife blade depends upon the type of material used to make its blade.
Conclusion
So, expensive chef knives are worth it if you are an expert chef and looking for something that suits your work.
If you are looking for a knife for home tasks and small cutting and chopping purposes, then go for a knife with a good and a sharp blade.
