Everyone's favourite... Knives.

[5678]

I'm after the following:

Chefs knife
Bread knife
Carving knife
Paring knife

Budget is limited to £150 and they have to be OK to go in the dishwasher. I've tried looking but it's a minefield with all the different models.

What should I be looking at?

[5678]

Ok, more looking has shown me that's dream land to get those 4 for that money.

So, to go for a chef/cooks knife and a paring knife, what brands to look at? Global always seems a to be a bit trendy for it's own good? Anything else?

[Dr G]

I think your dishwasher comment made the whole forum pass out

[jmorgan]

I went to the local kitchen shop (in Cardiff, very good) and asked for a good kitchen knife and spent £20, they could have sold me a more expensive one but were honest. It is excellent. Has Samprene on the handle so I suppose that as it comes in under a squidzillion notes it will be laughed out

But never ever trust any cutlery or knives in the dishwasher. It will pit.

[Cotty]

knive - dishwasher

[5678]

I'd love to have the time to deal with washing things by hand. But in my version of the real world, everything goes in the dishwasher!

As I understand it, it just means they need sharpening a bit more often?

So far I've seen these: http://www.kitchenknivesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/vict...

But lots of people mentioning these Misono knives http://japanesechefsknife.com/MolybdenumSeries.htm...

They are to be bought as a gift for my parents who have been banging on about it for ages, but I think I'll buy a set for myself too.

[Cotty]

5678 said:

I'd love to have the time to deal with washing things by hand. But in my version of the real world, everything goes in the dishwasher!

Try that with a wooden handled knife and it will absorb the water, expand and eventually crack/splinter. They are not designed to handle the high temperature wash and dry cycles of a dishwasher.

I have a Misono knife the 120 petty, it is very good and it never goes in the dishwasher.

[5678]

Ok, so that puts me onto metal handles only then!

[MagicalTrevor]

As much as I'd reasonably like to spend a couple of hundred on a set of knives, I always manage to find something higher on the priority list, therefore I've got a set of all metal knives from Sainsburys 'Different by Design' range.

I think they're great value and whilst I don't chuck them in the dishwasher, they're not so expensive that I've never considered it

[grumbledoak]

I think you should look at something like this
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8...

and get one good Japanese knife that you clean by hand.

[escargot]

Victorinox get good reviews on here (though I haven't used them personally). I'd imagine these would come in on budget.

[5678]

I've seen an oak block set of Robert Welch here for £250 that I might push the budget to http://www.kitchenknivesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Robe...

Otherwise they do a set of a 10cm, 14cm and 20cm knives for £105. Another £70 for a carving knife and fork too.

[escargot]

My own view is that buying a block of knives - particularly that one with so many, is a false economy. I use 3 knives for basically everything - my chefs knife, a pairing knife and a bread knife. I'd personally rather spend £250 on the chefs knife and the pairing knife to be honest.

[Juicetin1]

These are very good knives http://www.hartsofstur.com/acatalog/Jamie_Oliver_K...
I've got a couple and am very impressed. I wouldn't put them in the dishwasher though.

[militantmandy]

It takes about 30 seconds to wash and dry a knife. Man up!

[zygalski]

5678 said:

I'm after the following:

Chefs knife
Bread knife
Carving knife
Paring knife

Budget is limited to £150 and they have to be OK to go in the dishwasher. I've tried looking but it's a minefield with all the different models.

What should I be looking at?

Can't beat good old Sabatier.
I used to work an 80-90 hour week using them. Fantastic value for money.
This 7 piece is a total bargain:
http://tinyurl.com/c9z3oqy

[5678]

Going to write off the Victorinox forges series, the handle shape looks odd.

Onto Wusthof sets now.

This has 20cm cooks knife, 20cm bread knife, 23cm carving knife, 10cm paring knife and a steel. http://www.richmondcookshop.co.uk/product_info.php...

This has 20cm cooks knife, 20cm bread knife, 20cm carving knife, 9cm paring knife, the steel and a storage block. http://www.richmondcookshop.co.uk/product_info.php...

Only £10 difference between them and the block does appeal as otherwise my parents will have no where to store them.

Are these decent knives? I would I be better spending the money on just two or three knives?

[zygalski]

Wusthof make very high quality knives. If you can stump up the extra £50 then go for it. Avoid the dishwasher though.

One brand I suggest you avoid buying until you actually try are Global. They used to have a very marmite reputation. Personally I like many others think the balance & feel in the hand is just plain weird.

Edited by zygalski on Wednesday 28th November 08:48

[militantmandy]

Wustoff seem to be very well regarded although I would be looking at the Icon series. How many knives do you really need? One decent chef's knife will cover 80% of your needs.

[5678]

militantmandy said:

Wustoff seem to be very well regarded although I would be looking at the Icon series. How many knives do you really need? One decent chef's knife will cover 80% of your needs.

It's a set for my parents. They need and use the 4 that are in these sets.

What reason for the Icon over the Classic?