Not all knives are the same - often more prestigious brands may actually sell poor quality products at high prices, while it is also possible to find a better quality knife set for less money by buying a lesser-known brand.
Since kitchen knives will be an investment of daily use, it is necessary to choose them of good quality; they must be resistant, with good handling and long-lasting. In this article, you will learn what to look for when buying quality kitchen knives.
Steps
Step 1. Before making your purchase, consider what kind of knives you will need in the kitchen
There are many varieties, shapes and sizes to satisfy every culinary need and the type depends on the style and habits of those who use them.
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A good basic kit for use in an average kitchen includes:
- A universal knife (13 cm) - for a wide range of food; often the first choice, as it can be used in many things.
- A chef's knife (20-23 cm) - used for chopping, mincing, cutting and making cubes.
- A vegetable knife (8 cm) - for peeling, cutting and finishing hand-held foods (e.g. baby potatoes).
- A bread knife (serrated) - for bread, cakes, fruit and tomatoes.
- A cleaver - for meat and a smaller version for chopping herbs, etc. Only buy it if you have to cut very large pieces of meat.
- A fillet - for fish. It is only needed if you intend to fillet the fish; many don't care anymore, since they buy it already filleted.
- A carving knife - for making thin slices of meat, from roasts to poultry, etc.
- Electric lighter or whetstone.
- Generally by purchasing a set of knives it is possible to find many if not all of the items just mentioned; often buying the set costs less than buying the knife individually. It is also true, however, that by buying a set, you may run the risk that you do not like the feeling by holding them in your hand and you would end up hating the brand, while trying them individually before buying the single knife, you always have the opportunity to change until you find the most suitable one. to you. Either way, the same rules you'll find illustrated in the next steps are fine for determining the quality of a set or individual knife.
Step 2. When buying knives, hold them individually in your hand
You will need to use them, so the grip should be comfortable and fit perfectly in your hand. Keep in mind that the fact that it is manageable for someone does not necessarily mean that it is manageable for you as well, so while a piece of advice can be useful, it is always best to take a personal test.
Step 3. Look at how much steel there is in the knife and where it is located
Check for signs of joints or fusion, especially in the handle. This is a weak point, because weak knives tend to bend or break at this junction. The best knives are made from a single piece of hand-forged steel (although they are rare and cost prohibitive), while the cheap ones tend to be thin, with flimsy grips and plastic handles.
Step 4. Feel the weight of the knife
A light cleaver is fine for speed and accuracy, while a heavy knife will require more work when used for mincing. However, keep in mind that the opposite is also true for solid foods such as nuts, fresh ginger. palm sugar and other hard ingredients that need to be chopped: in this case you need a heavy knife.
Step 5. Examine the balance of the knife
Those of quality tend to have a good balance, the weight being well distributed throughout his body. The older method of testing this is to place a finger under the handle just where the blade ends, holding the knife horizontally with the edge facing down. A balanced and quality blade will stay in balance. Of course, when doing this test be extremely cautious! Only high-quality and really very expensive knives will remain in balance; almost all the others will fall.
The main reason for considering balance is that a well balanced knife makes cutting easier and requires less effort. The lever point is essential and, like a swing, it must be in a specific area or the knife will be out of balance. If you use it for many ingredients, you won't have to strain your arm too much
Step 6. Take a look at the handle
It should be sturdy, easy to clean, and fit well with the blade. For most knives it is the most solid part of the knife, a sort of duct that transmits the force of the pressure exerted on the handle along the entire blade. If it is thin, not very noticeable (e.g. covered in plastic), or there are obvious signs of melting or joining, it is not indicative of a quality product. If you see any gaps, not only will they increase the weakness of the knife, but they may also trap small food residues in which bacteria will lurk.
Step 7. Consider the material the handle is made of
It is often made of wood, plastic, solid resin and other resistant materials. Old bone handles are not a good choice as bone tends to crumble over time. There have been cases where an ancient knife with a bone or wooden handle literally disintegrated in the hands of the person who was using it, injuring him. Low density wood and other soft materials are not suitable for handles.
Step 8. Consider the blade and the material it is made of
Theoretically, the best blade is a ceramic one as it can be as sharp as a scalpel, holds the edge for a long time and won't rust. The downside is that this type of knife is very fragile and can break easily - and good ones are often very expensive. Those of ceramic that are inexpensive should be considered with great caution.
- Good knives are usually made of oxidizable steel (carbon steel), which allows for a good edge rather quickly, but it needs special care so that it does not rust. Carbon steel knives can be easily sharpened even at home, but they need maintenance to prevent rust.
- The blades of most of the new cheaper knives are made of stainless steel, but they often dull and take a very long time to sharpen them again. Aim for good quality stainless steel ones - they need to be sharpened but they won't rust. Containing less carbon than the others, they hold the line better and are more resistant.
- If you're on a tight budget, stainless steel is the best and least expensive choice.
- Forged blades are better than stamped ones because forging makes the metal more solid.
- Avoid those knives that are passed off as 'forever sharp'. To begin with, they are not from the start and you can't even fix it, so when they lose the thread (and they will), you will basically have to throw them away.
Step 9. Observe the width of the thread
As well as the thickness and smoothness of the blade. The best knives are smooth and shiny, with no irregularities in the metal. The side you are cutting should be as long as the entire blade, from the end of the handle to the tip of the knife. In the image you can see how the last 1, 5 cm approximately is without thread and therefore it would be useless for cutting hard products such as carrots, which is why this type of blade is often used.
Notched chef's knives should be avoided for general use, such as with vegetables and meats, because they can become dangerous; they often tend to slip rather than cut. They cannot be sharpened and more than cut saw, unless direct downward pressure is applied (such as when cutting a piece of aged cheese), which is a dangerous operation. It can often seem like a good deal as it is advertised as a utility knife for mincing vegetables etc. and cut bread, but it's not worth the money it costs. You hardly ever find it in a quality set; so the fact that it is included may be indicative of a set of knives aimed at those who don't want to spend a lot. Serrated knives should be part of your set, but only for slicing bread or baked goods
Step 10. Keep your knives in good condition and sharp
For a good quality set, also invest in a steel or stone (cote) knife sharpener. The steel is good for keeping the edge, but it becomes very difficult to use it to restore a damaged edge. Which is possible with the whetstone, which can also improve the existing thread.
- A diamond sharpener can be much more expensive, but it allows you to get a very fine wire. It wears out the blade very quickly, so the knife may at some point begin to curve into more like a scythe if you don't constantly take care of it. Very often we tend to sharpen the center of the blade on the steel, especially when this is done very quickly (it is striking to see knives sharpened in this way). Take your time and sharpen the entire blade, so that it wears out and sharpens evenly.
- Do not use the knife on a cutting board or other stone, steel, glass or ceramic surface; you risk damaging the blade and ending up with small splinters in the food that could injure you. Rigid (non-flexible) plastic or wood are the best materials for cutting boards. Also, these surfaces should be cleaned regularly and if plastic, dipped in a solution of water and bleach (10: 1) once a week if used often.
- Most cuts are caused by blunt rather than sharp ones, because having to apply more pressure increases the risk of the blade slipping.
Step 11. Focus more on quality and not brand
Obviously, the aim is to buy good quality products at lower prices. Whether they are premium brands or not, after all, you also have to pay for them.
Try not to let anyone use them if the knives are part of your personal set. Sharp or not, after all, people cut themselves when they use knives they are not used to using
Step 12. Store them carefully
A knife block is fine; also a case with pockets for housing consisting of a cloth bag similar to those for wrenches. Some knives come pre-packaged in their box, but many chefs simply wrap them in an old apron (making sure they don't touch each other) with the strings tight so it won't open. Magnetic strips are not ideal, but they are fine if there are no children and should be installed where there is no risk of bumping and dropping them.
It is not recommended to store loose knives in a drawer
Step 13. Look for your knives
The Internet is an excellent source for finding out the prices of quality brands and many hotel wholesalers have sites where you can directly purchase sturdy knives at affordable prices. However, be sure to at least go to a store to get a physical idea of the knives you may want to buy online; also make sure that they have a good return policy in case the goods do not satisfy you. Knives are an investment that can last many years (20-30 or more) so it's better to choose one that lasts over time and that is good for you, so that it can make the cooking experience much easier and even more. fun.
Advice
- Many of the cheaper blades, especially imported ones, are of poor quality steel. There are many grades of stainless steel and each has its own application. Surgical is good for a good scalpel, but not good for a good kitchen knife. It often tends to dull quickly and is very difficult to sharpen. The more you sharpen it, the harder it becomes to keep the cut. It tends to lose small chips that clog the whetstone. Many of these microscopic pieces of metal can give way and end up in food. Despite the wording '440 inox', many knives are actually softer.
- Knives "that should never be sharpened" do not exist. They just don't hold. They never "need to be sharpened" simply because they can't be sharpened. How many people do you know who have owned a Ginzu steak knife for 20 years?
- Most foods nowadays come pre-cut, so the need for more variety of knives is less than once. At the same time, however, the number of people interested in developing more advanced cooking skills has increased, so buying quality knives is recommended to make it easier.
- If you buy knives together with someone, it can be difficult to choose a good set. In a perfect world, everyone would have their own set, but since it's not that simple in terms of cost, try to choose knives that work for everyone, so that you get a good compromise.
Warnings
- A dull blade is the most dangerous. It requires too much force to cut and when it slips the risk of deeper cuts is more frequent.
- Avoid using kitchen knives for other tasks like cutting rope or opening packages. Keep a pocket knife or scissors for this purpose to avoid damaging the sharpening.
- When transporting knives, it is best to wrap the blade in a cloth (such as a small towel) and hold it by the handle, with the tip facing down and the part that cuts backwards. Otherwise, in its custody, but always by your side. This way, if it falls or someone hits you, you don't risk injuring yourself, especially if the blade bounces off the floor. However, avoid leaving the knife in the cloth when there are people in the kitchen and you are not at your workplace, or someone may mistakenly take the towel without knowing. In some kitchens, when carrying a knife it is good practice to notify anyone of its presence until it is put away.
- Never wash knives in the dishwasher because the dust can be abrasive and dull the blade, as well as corrode the rivets in some cases. It can also crack the wooden handle resulting in it being more prone to crumble. Always wash them by hand after use, dry them and put them back in the block.
- Always handle knives carefully and point them away from the body or bodies of those around you. Never rush when you hold one in your hand.
