Knife recommendations
Discussion
There isn't really a wrong answer, find something you like using and take a small amount of care with it and bob is your uncle.
I have got a Wusthof chef's knife and a small paring knife that do 99% of what I need - that plus a decent breadknife (I think I have an Anolon one) does all you need.
I recently invested in a cheapo whetstone set (400/1000, about a tenner from Amazon) for getting them back to razor sharp - I am not a knife weirdo (yet) who spends hours with loads of whetstone grades, but it is pretty satisfying (and surprisingly easy) to get your knives impractically sharp.
I have got a Wusthof chef's knife and a small paring knife that do 99% of what I need - that plus a decent breadknife (I think I have an Anolon one) does all you need.
I recently invested in a cheapo whetstone set (400/1000, about a tenner from Amazon) for getting them back to razor sharp - I am not a knife weirdo (yet) who spends hours with loads of whetstone grades, but it is pretty satisfying (and surprisingly easy) to get your knives impractically sharp.
Big fan of ProCook for traditional Western chefs knives, replaced my set of "proper" Sabatiers with them and never looked back.
I've had a procession of cheaper Japanese knives, mostly Seki Magoroku which are absolutely fine as long as you sharpen them regularly. Recently bought a couple of the VG10 Damascus Steel Koi Artisans which are absolutely brilliant- got a santoku and a paring knife, and would quite like an usuba/nakiri or caidao style cleaver one too.
I've had a procession of cheaper Japanese knives, mostly Seki Magoroku which are absolutely fine as long as you sharpen them regularly. Recently bought a couple of the VG10 Damascus Steel Koi Artisans which are absolutely brilliant- got a santoku and a paring knife, and would quite like an usuba/nakiri or caidao style cleaver one too.
Edited by HM-2 on Saturday 22 February 06:03
That ProCook stuff appeals to my inner thrift; I have a hulking great big knife block full of cheap knives. Most used are:
20cm chef knife from Asda, "sharpened" brutally with a cheap wheel sharpener, slightly bent from mashing garlic too many times; called "Excalibur" predictably.... not going to get replaced but finally has "help" from....
20cm Sabatier chef knife, tenner out of TKMaxx, dishwasher safe
9cm Sabatier Professional paring knife, handwash only. Came as a three knife set for £20, TKMaxx
25cm Sabatier Professional carving knife, dishwasher safe. Carving knife set inc sharpening steel, £12, TKMaxx (spot the theme)
Bread knife, think it came out of Asda, maybe
Wee sharp knife, Morrisons, £1 (missus uses it for sneaking the dogs meds into cornbeef)
I hate paying full price for anything. I didn't mean to end up with so many Sabatier items but when I handled them in the shop they felt good, seemed sturdy and were keenly priced; all perform well so I keep using them.
20cm chef knife from Asda, "sharpened" brutally with a cheap wheel sharpener, slightly bent from mashing garlic too many times; called "Excalibur" predictably.... not going to get replaced but finally has "help" from....
20cm Sabatier chef knife, tenner out of TKMaxx, dishwasher safe
9cm Sabatier Professional paring knife, handwash only. Came as a three knife set for £20, TKMaxx
25cm Sabatier Professional carving knife, dishwasher safe. Carving knife set inc sharpening steel, £12, TKMaxx (spot the theme)
Bread knife, think it came out of Asda, maybe
Wee sharp knife, Morrisons, £1 (missus uses it for sneaking the dogs meds into cornbeef)
I hate paying full price for anything. I didn't mean to end up with so many Sabatier items but when I handled them in the shop they felt good, seemed sturdy and were keenly priced; all perform well so I keep using them.
Mort7 said:
Take a look at ProCook. https://www.procook.co.uk/shop/knives-scissors
I purchased a set of the X30s, and have been very pleased. There are more expensive options if you're looking to spend more.
If you have a store near you then that's worth a visit. I've found them to be very helpful.
I was going to suggest procook also. We are lucky enough to have the outlet store near us in Clarks Village, and even in the outlet store they are very helpful.I purchased a set of the X30s, and have been very pleased. There are more expensive options if you're looking to spend more.
If you have a store near you then that's worth a visit. I've found them to be very helpful.
We have a few from there and just got a set for parents for a present as well.
I would recommend a mixture of expensive knives for slicing, and some victorinox to do rougher jobs (butchery, meat slicing, bread).
If you’re going down the expensive knife route, either learn how to sharpen them expertly, or give them to a knife sharpener to do it for you. I do that once a year with mine, costs about €10 per knife and is well worth it. They hold the edge beautifully for about a year.
If you’re not prepared invest time or money to keep expensive knives really sharp, there’s no point in investing. If you don’t, then at the end of the day they’re just the same as cheap uncared for knives. You also can’t put them in the dishwasher so there’s the extra hassle factor of washing them by hand.
I have a shun vegetable knife, a shun pairing knife, a 20cm miyabi chefs knife. From victorinox I have the bread knife, a meat slicer, and a boning knife.
If you’re going down the expensive knife route, either learn how to sharpen them expertly, or give them to a knife sharpener to do it for you. I do that once a year with mine, costs about €10 per knife and is well worth it. They hold the edge beautifully for about a year.
If you’re not prepared invest time or money to keep expensive knives really sharp, there’s no point in investing. If you don’t, then at the end of the day they’re just the same as cheap uncared for knives. You also can’t put them in the dishwasher so there’s the extra hassle factor of washing them by hand.
I have a shun vegetable knife, a shun pairing knife, a 20cm miyabi chefs knife. From victorinox I have the bread knife, a meat slicer, and a boning knife.
I have a full set of Globals and a collection of other knives, some older (Sabatier) and some more recent additions (ProCook).
The Globals were a present from my wife many years ago and as it turns out - I did not know at the time - very expensive, so in the £700 region.
They were supernaturally sharp when new and I loved them.
BUT - and this is a big BUT, they are absolute b
ds to sharpen once they lose their edge and as a result they are now all blunt, and have been for ages. I have laboured for hours trying to get the original edge back but to no avail.
I have even had them professionally sharpened but the edge did not last long.
There is nothing I hate more in the kitchen than a blunt knife so whilst I want to still love them I don't - at all. They make me feel like a failure! I should be able to sharpen a knife - it is a very manly skill. And I can, but not these sodding Globals I can't.
At the other end of the scale I bought my three recent ProCook knives from Tesco last year when they were on sale. About £20 for the chef's knife, and say a tenner or less for two smaller knives.
They are bloody brilliant! Sure they don't hold their edge for ages but they are so easy to sharpen that it doesn't matter. 30 seconds with a sharpening steel and they are ready to go. I use them all the time.
So the Globals sit in their block looking pretty but seldom get used.
I'd never buy Global knives again. I simply don't have the time, skill or patience to keep them sharp. I wish it were otherwise.
OK, so maybe I'll buy another set of sharpening stones and try again, but I predict lots of bad language and the ProCooks still getting used all the time.
ETA: Not only can I clearly not sharpen a Global knife, I am also an idiot. The Tesco knives I got were not ProCook, they were Go Cook! They look identical and have an X50 on the blade hence the mistake. They are still v good though. Maybe made for Tesco by ProCook? (so that I'm not a total idiot!!)
The Globals were a present from my wife many years ago and as it turns out - I did not know at the time - very expensive, so in the £700 region.
They were supernaturally sharp when new and I loved them.
BUT - and this is a big BUT, they are absolute b
ds to sharpen once they lose their edge and as a result they are now all blunt, and have been for ages. I have laboured for hours trying to get the original edge back but to no avail. I have even had them professionally sharpened but the edge did not last long.
There is nothing I hate more in the kitchen than a blunt knife so whilst I want to still love them I don't - at all. They make me feel like a failure! I should be able to sharpen a knife - it is a very manly skill. And I can, but not these sodding Globals I can't.
At the other end of the scale I bought my three recent ProCook knives from Tesco last year when they were on sale. About £20 for the chef's knife, and say a tenner or less for two smaller knives.
They are bloody brilliant! Sure they don't hold their edge for ages but they are so easy to sharpen that it doesn't matter. 30 seconds with a sharpening steel and they are ready to go. I use them all the time.
So the Globals sit in their block looking pretty but seldom get used.
I'd never buy Global knives again. I simply don't have the time, skill or patience to keep them sharp. I wish it were otherwise.
OK, so maybe I'll buy another set of sharpening stones and try again, but I predict lots of bad language and the ProCooks still getting used all the time.
ETA: Not only can I clearly not sharpen a Global knife, I am also an idiot. The Tesco knives I got were not ProCook, they were Go Cook! They look identical and have an X50 on the blade hence the mistake. They are still v good though. Maybe made for Tesco by ProCook? (so that I'm not a total idiot!!)
Edited by TorqueDirty on Monday 24th February 14:59
TorqueDirty said:
OK, so maybe I'll buy another set of sharpening stones and try again, but I predict lots of bad language and the ProCooks still getting used all the time.
I have 8 or so Global knives, and struggled with a wet stone, regular round steel and got the best most consistent results with a flat ceramic type steel.halfpenny43 said:
TorqueDirty said:
OK, so maybe I'll buy another set of sharpening stones and try again, but I predict lots of bad language and the ProCooks still getting used all the time.
I have 8 or so Global knives, and struggled with a wet stone, regular round steel and got the best most consistent results with a flat ceramic type steel.https://www.knivesandtools.co.uk/en/ct/find-the-co...
The key is being consistent and maintaining knives properly before, during and after use.
Once actually sharp routine maintenance with a steel should be more than sufficient for domestic use, maybe actually resharpening once or twice a year.
Affordable, sharp, hard wearing tools, used in many pro kitchens = Victorinox
Expensive, better quality, sharp, nice to look at, still seen occasionally in pro kitchens = Wusthof, Henkel, IO Shen, Japanese stuff etc.
Choose what you want/can afford.
Personally, as a chef, I use a number of Victorinox knives, I sharpen them lots, wear them out, then throw them away and buy new ones. I'm not precious about them, they go missing occasionally, they get used and somewhat abused.
At home I have a couple of victorinox, a couple of IO Shen and some Wusthof.
Buy a Victorinox pastry knife as your bread knife. fantastic. best I've used.
If you buy a chefs knife, a pairing knife, a tomato knife, a pastry knife and a boning knife, you can do any task in the kitchen really. Add a cheap chinese cleaver if you wish, no point spending decent money on one though.
Expensive, better quality, sharp, nice to look at, still seen occasionally in pro kitchens = Wusthof, Henkel, IO Shen, Japanese stuff etc.
Choose what you want/can afford.
Personally, as a chef, I use a number of Victorinox knives, I sharpen them lots, wear them out, then throw them away and buy new ones. I'm not precious about them, they go missing occasionally, they get used and somewhat abused.
At home I have a couple of victorinox, a couple of IO Shen and some Wusthof.
Buy a Victorinox pastry knife as your bread knife. fantastic. best I've used.
If you buy a chefs knife, a pairing knife, a tomato knife, a pastry knife and a boning knife, you can do any task in the kitchen really. Add a cheap chinese cleaver if you wish, no point spending decent money on one though.
The last knife I bought was a Fiskars filleting knife about ten years ago. Lovely flexible razor sharp blade. I have a couple of paring knives (one with a curved blade) which I purchased really cheaply from Carrefour in Calais around twenty years ago, which are incredibly useful.
My favourite knife and most used, is a 24cm Sekiryu Chef's knife made from 440 molybdenum stainless steel, which is sharp and feels good in the hand.
I think a good bread knife is an essential. Nearly forgot my Berghoff problade boning knife.
My favourite knife and most used, is a 24cm Sekiryu Chef's knife made from 440 molybdenum stainless steel, which is sharp and feels good in the hand.
I think a good bread knife is an essential. Nearly forgot my Berghoff problade boning knife.
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