A good knife set?

Question

i dont have a whole lot of money...

just need a good brand name

i want a set for under $50
the only knives i have now are steak knives and pairing knives...

Answer 1

well all you really need is a good chef knife to do just about anything you need cooking wise. If you have steak knives and a paring knife you don't really need much else unless you want to say, bone fish or something along those lines.

I suggest that you go to a good shop like Williams Sonoma and see what is comfortable in your hands and then see if you can find it cheaper online like at amazon.com. Find something that fits well in your hands, that you are comfortable with and that is well balanced.. and pick up a good sharpener - a dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp one and more likely to cause an accident in the kitchen.

Good brands that are reasonably priced are Wusthof, Henkles and Sabatier. You can spend plenty more and each brand has a variety of quality levels... don't go for a Serrated edge either - you won't be able to get the finer cuts as easily.

Also, blocks are really unhygenic anyways... use a magnetic strip to store your knives. It is not unusual to end up having a lot of bacteria growing inside the slots due to knives being put away that are still damp. You should also always hand wash good knives.

I have a drawer full of all kinds of knives but use my Henkles 8inch for everything to cutting up a whole chicken into pieces to chopping up fresh herbs or veggies. It is really all you need.

Answer 2

I'm going to disagree with everyone so far. I am a woman 5'5 135 lb and I prefer the Japanese brands over the German Brands. Henkle's and Wustof's in particular as they are the most common and easy to find. I have a few of each of these brands and rarely use them anymore. Global, the most common Japanese brand makes a great set of knives. They would cost a good bit more than the brands you mentioned. There is also a great set of reasonable knives made by Kershaw, a Japanese knife maker. The line is called Komachi. They are color coded with a 5" vegetable knife (green), 8" bread knife (orange), 3.5" fish (blue)and 4.5" meat (pink). About $20 a piece but maybe even cheaper on line. They are light with small handles and precision instruments. Google those names if you are interested... A couple of things you are looking for in a good knife in general are; the blade should be one full piece from the sharp tip to the end of the handle, the quality of steel is important, it affects how long the sharp edge can be maintained, and how long the knife will last in general and it's weight. Men usually need a heavier, wider blade and handle. A knife set is a great gift, as a good knife makes a happy cook...

Answer 3

I would go with J Henckels. They make 2 different "grades" of knives. The expensive ones are German steel, and the lesser expensive ones, in the price range you are looking for are from Spain.

They are made with high carbon stainless steel, so they hold a nice sharp edge pretty well. They also have a good balance to them so they are easy to use.

What ever you get, don't forget to make sure you have a good cutting board. I like the rubberized plastic boards, but wood is good too. Avoid glass because it will make your knives dull.

Also, get a "steele" to re-set the blade edges to keep your knives cutting well.

DO NOT put any good knife in the dish washer, or soak them in water.

When the knife needs sharpening, send it to a professional sharpening service, don't try to do it yourself at home. You can find sharpening services through good kitchen stores. Professional sharpening is pretty inexpensive, and, if you take care of your knives, you shouldn't have to have them sharpened too often.

Store your knives in a good knife block. Don't let them rattle around in a drawer with other knives etc. that is not only bad for the knives, but is dangerous as well.

Answer 4

Look, you can probably get a decent knife to work with at the local restaurant supply. For now, buy yourself a good chef's knife, and maybe a small Santoku or untility knife. You should probably buy a new paring knife, too.

That is enough to start with. Get the best knife you can afford and later after you have developed some good knife skills and have practiced caring for these, you will be in the market for something a little more substantial.

While you are at it. Pick up a book on knives and how to sharpen and care for them.

Here is a little piece I wrote for my website about knives. Maybe you will find it useful.
http://www.susancooks.com/melange/tools.html

Answer 5

Honestly, there are some REALLY GOOD AND VERY SHARP knives at Sam's Club. I have some real expensive knives and also a couple of ones from Sam's and the ones from Sam's are just as good! They have a white hard plastic handle on them and I have yet to need to sharpen them.

Answer 6

the only other knife you really need is a santoku. You can find a nice brand at Ross Dress for Less or Marshalls or any place like that for less than $50. I got my Rachel Ray one for $24! It's a great knife, the only one I use to cook with

Answer 7

Forschner/Victorinox Good steel, low price.