BUILDING THE ULTIMATE KNIFE COLLECTION
A great knife makes all the difference in the kitchen. There’s a reason chefs obsess over the best and even carry their favourites with them when cooking in different kitchens. Knife sets are an easy way to get an instant selection, but even so, it’s likely that you will only use a couple of them regularly.
Buying knives based on your needs and at the best quality you can afford will result in a well used and long lasting knife collection. But with so many different shapes, sizes and brands to choose from, making a decision can seem daunting. We’ve put together a simple guide on what to keep in mind when shopping for knives.
Knife types
There are a few different criteria to keep in mind when investing in knives. When deciding on which blade style to choose, consider what you will be using it for.
Wider blades are designed for chopping vegetables and fruit but are less suitable for finer cutting tasks like paring.
Narrow blades are suited to the careful cutting of raw meat and fish but are less suitable for fast chopping.
Top 3 knives to start your collection
- Chef’s knife
A chef’s knife is a great multi-purpose knife that is probably the most reached for in daily cooking. The curved blade of a chef knife allows back and forth rocking on a chopping board, making it the perfect tool for chopping and dicing lots of vegetables at once. The broad heel area means it can stand up to more pressure during heavy-duty chopping work, which is useful for cutting thicker or harder foods, like potatoes and onions.
Try the Kai Shun Wasabi Chefs Knife boasting strong materials and a simple, timeless design.
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- Paring knife
A paring knife has a shorter narrower handle making it the perfect choice for more precise cutting and slicing of fruits and vegetables. This compact and lightweight knife can also be used for many kitchen tasks like cutting and chopping harder foods, like potatoes, while still being manoeuvrable enough for delicate work like peeling, trimming, and removing seeds from fruit and veg.
Try the Gud Alpha Paring Knife designed for precise slicing.
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- Serrated knife
Serrated knives easily slice through food with thick or resistant outer surfaces.
The serrated design of a quality knife will still slice when the teeth and gullets become dull, making it a low maintenance choice. Beyond the classic bread knife, other serrated knives can also serve as a daily workforce in the kitchen. The Victorinox serrated knife range is great for cutting fruit and veg with soft centres and tough skins like tomatoes and are perfect as an eating knife for steak night.
Try the serrated utility knife from Robert Welch as a great allrounder.
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Building beyond the basics
Santoku knife
These versatile Japanese knives have become kitchen staples all around the world. They are great for precise cutting, dicing and mincing with their long slightly tapered blades and dropped point. This style of knife usually has dimpling along the blade to prevent food sticking to the metal. The broad blade can also be used to scoop up and transfer chopped food after cutting.
TIP: The Santoku knife is a great alternative to a chef or utility knife
Try the @home Santoku for a starter option or invest in the Robert Welch Signature Santoku
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Bread knife
Crusty breads, rolls and bagels are no match for the long blade and serrated edges of a good bread knife. A bread knife is a must for cutting through softer textures without crushing them out of shape.
Try the Victorinox Swiss Bread Knife which offers function and beauty with its stylish wooden handle
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Utility knife
A utility knife is a similar shape to a chef knife, but smaller and slimmer. Some utility knives also have a sharp tip which tapers up towards the spine, to allow for more intricate work. They are great for chopping smaller foods and vegetables and although it shares many of the qualities of a chefs knife, it can be a useful tool when working with smaller food items, as the utility knife allows for more precise cutting work.
Try the Global Utility Knife with a unique lightweight hollow handle and Japanese quality
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Which knife brand is best?
Choosing the best possible quality you can afford will pay off in the long run as a great knife will give you years of use. We take great care to offer a curated selection from only the best brands, so you can feel confident in your choice, knowing that whatever you decide will be top quality.
The ABC of knife brands from @home
iD3 Microdots on the durable stainless steel handle of the Baccarat knife range have been specifically placed on the main pressure points to ensure ultimate control, precision and comfort when cutting and chopping. These knives are Rockwell Hardness tested and ice hardened to offer the highest level of hardness and tensile strength for superior quality.
Crafted by hand in Niigata, Japan, Global Knives are famous for their iconic design, new manufacturing methods and their cutting performance. Made to the exacting standards of Japanese craftsmen, Global’s award-winning Classic range has remained some of the most popular and successful professional kitchen knives in the industry for 30 years. An excellent choice for the discerning home cook or professional chef.
Professional and amateur chefs alike will find their favourite knife to suit their needs with the Alpha Collection from GÜDE. With a blade made of a very strong chrome-molybdenum-vanadium knife steel, sharpened by hand, and a hard-wearing handle.
The Kai Wasabi Black Series traces its origins to Japanese communal kitchens. Thanks to a strong combination of enduring functionality and sharpness, strong material quality, and a simple design, the numerous blades of the series are intended for uncomplicated and continuous use and convenience with an impressive price-to-performance ratio. Ultimately, the series owes its easy-care handling to the water-resistant plastic handle. This knife range is the perfect tool for any home chef.
Affordable S&P knives are fully forged for masterful food preparation and precision. Crafted from fine-quality 18/0 stainless steel, these dishwasher safe knives feature an ergonomic and easy-to-grip ABS riveted handle, making it a superb everyday cooking essential.
Robert Welch brings timeless British design and innovation to your table as one of the world’s finest cutlery makers. Their signature knives are hand-honed and sharpened by craftsmen for better handling and long-lasting quality. They also carry a 25 year warranty.
Victorinox is a name renowned for their Swiss designed knives for precision and quality. Their signature knife range comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Both affordable and stylish, the @home range of essential knives are made with stainless steel blades and beautiful acacia wood handles.
How to maintain your knives
Making the effort to properly care for your knives will help prolong their life and keep them performing at their best.
- Always keep your knife dry and clean
- Hand wash with warm soapy water, avoiding abrasive sponges
- Avoid the dishwasher and don’t leave knives soaking in water
- Dry your knife completely using an absorbent towel
- Store your knives on a magnetic strip rather than a drawer which will avoid bumps and knocks to the blade
- When blades dull, use a good quality knife sharpener
Treat each knife you buy as a long term investment. Buy the best you can afford and take good care to ensure years of use.
