Best set of chef knives ?

Submitted by MatineHen t3_1128r3h in BuyItForLife

Hi I am looking for a great, light, all stainless steel, buy it for life, chef knives

There are many top tens on the net but I would like to hear your opinion thanks :)

Edit, wow okay okay, that's a lot of post and info I need to get through.

I see I need to drop the knife set game and only focus on 3 or so knives. Done

Also what is the best I see I very personal, but good steel is good steel and I want good steel. Also if the handle can be of SS, so its a one piece of steel that would be awesome, I also prefer something lite and balanced.

How is "global" as a knives Company ?

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swordgeek t1_j8imlkx wrote

  1. Don't buy a set. Buy specific knives as you need them. Realistically, you may well do with a chef's knife and a paring knife.
  2. Realistically most chefs I know use the Victorinox Fibrox knives professionally. They're cheap (although not as much as they used to be!), sharp, easily resharpened, tough, and have an anti-slip grip.
  3. Personally though, I like my fancy Japanese knives. Do they cut better than a properly sharpened Victorinox? No, probably not. Will they last longer? Maybe, although we're talking about how many heirs you'd be handing it down to.

Bottom line, most good knives are BIFL; and knives are an intensely personal choice. Go try a bunch out if you can, or just get a Victorinox 10" Chef's knife and call it a day.

(P.S. I would NOT NOT NOT go near Cutco!)

EDIT: I almost forgot - get a good steel and learn to use it!

And as /u/fazalmajid points out, keep your knives sharp! A sharp cheap knife will out-do a dull nice knife any day of the week.

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Illustrious_Bed902 t1_j8io2hg wrote

This is good advice … I’d expand on two parts (as someone with a medium-sized collection of knives) …

Definitely don’t buy a set … they will contact knives/accessories that you never use. That said, if you will use, don’t worry about buying a weird/unique knife (one of my most used knives is a small serrated tomato knife)

Buy what you like. If a more expensive knife will make you happy and you will pull it and cook more with it, buy it! Part of the fun of cooking is using the tools that you love ❤️

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swordgeek t1_j8irytu wrote

Absolutely great points.

Out of the knives I have, there are a small few that get used a lot:

  • Cheap-ass chef's knife from Ikea (shockingly good steel!) for general purpose abuse
  • Really really nice Japanese Gyuto for most of my breakdown/prep work
  • A handful of inexpensive and interchangeable paring knives
  • A good potato peeler
  • A serrated bread knife
  • A serrated tomato knife
  • A carving knife

These are my used knives though, and will vary from person to person depending on what you cook and eat. Honestly, I could probably lose the carving and tomato knives from that list and be no worse off in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, the boning knife doesn't get much use at all; nor do the cleaver, the santoku, or the mid-sized utility knife (which was my very first good knife, 35 years ago). However, if I were doing a lot of Asian prep, I'd probably use the cleaver all the time. If I were breaking down more primal cuts or whole fish, I'd probably use the boning knife a lot more. My wife finds the full-sized chef's knives uncomfortable, so tends towards the utility knife. It is all about what you do, and what feels comfortable for your cooking.

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ConfusedNegi t1_j8ist9c wrote

I recently got a cheaper honesuki for deboning chicken thighs that I love using.

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Illustrious_Bed902 t1_j8iyqpr wrote

Exactly. It’s funny what you reach for sometimes …

My 5” santoku gets used all the time by the spouse and the eldest kid. It’s an inexpensive one that I picked up at a department store when I lived in the UK, probably paid like £20 because I was a grad student. It has remarkable good steel and despite taking a hit on the tip, it’s perfect for smaller hands.

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Central_Incisor t1_j8kni1a wrote

Oddly I bought a Chinese chef knife to try out the different knife techniques as kind of a novelty and now use it for almost all my normal meal prep. I cannot say that I would recommend a $12 Winco knife for most people, but it is strange how habbits and style can take you to an entirely different direction in knife choice.

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laeuft_bei_dir t1_j8jhsm3 wrote

Ikea knifes? They are a bit on the lighter side and the balance could be better. The finish seems to be average...is what I'd say if they sold at three times their actual price. The bang for the buck is great.

Probably the best budget knifes I bought and I find myself picking them over more expensive knives regularly. Basically for anything that doesn't require force to cut or big pieces of meat. Can confirm that the steel is nice. Very easy to sharpen!

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swordgeek t1_j8jtfuy wrote

My Ikea knife is no longer available, sadly. It was a clear step above their current (still surprisingly good) offerings, and I only paid $20 for it.

edit: Actually, Ikea's line has grown considerably since I was last there. Depending on the edge angle, they look to be potentially excellent.

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Girhinomofe t1_j8izlm0 wrote

This comment, and the others underneath it, are 100% on point.

Sets suck; you’ll invariably end up with at least one blade you never use, and the overall quality of the blades often suffer in favor of the convenience to get ‘em all in one shot.

I also agree that the feel of a particular knife is very personal, so it’s a decent idea to horse around at a Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, or (preferably) a local quality kitchenware store to help inform your decision. Weight, balance, and handle style are all personal preferences that we on the internet can help guide your consideration but not make the final call for you. A lot of folks love European blades like Wusthof, but I find them too heavy and have opted for a handmade American knife with carbon steel blade for my primary three (Cut Brooklyn chef and paring, Muteki nakiri).

I cook at home 6 nights a week and expect my knives to do their job well and predictably. Suggesting my specific choices is irrelevant (as noted above), but the styles of knives I chose for my quiver are well rounded for a wide gamut of prep needs:
• 210mm chef knife
• 8” burly, inexpensive chef knife (i.e. Henckels or Victorinox) for hammering away at things like nuts, chocolate, or yucca
• 5” utility / paring knife for detail cuts
• Nakiri style blade for quick vegetable dispatching
• A good-ass 9” bread knife (in this instance, I’ll say that Shun makes an exceptional blade)
• Long-blade slicing knife
• Boning / filet knife
• Quality pair of kitchen shears

That’s honestly all you’d likely need for 95% of prep work, and there is probably no set that would include everything without some disappointing inclusions or useless extra blades. Also, a magnetic wall holder is way more hygienic than the block style holder as well.

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ClnSlt t1_j8nllv3 wrote

I have a Shun set and am happy with everything that came in it.

My favorite is the 6” utility knife I use the shears all the time Bread knife is amazing

I actually use the Chef’s knife the least nowadays even though that is all I was a line cook. I don’t do much heavy cooking since we had a kid but when I used to, it worked wonders for chopping.

When I was a line cook I used Forschner and Victorinox.

I’ve also liked using the Wustof knives.

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fazalmajid t1_j8iw45g wrote

Also a cheap knife properly maintained will work far better than an expensive one never sharpened. I learned how to use Japanese water stones at Bernal Cutlery, but it's just too much work for an amateur and I just use the Victorinox Fibrox with a Chef's Choice sharpener that I wouldn't dream of using on my expensive Ashi Hamono wa-gyuto Japanese chef's knife or even my semi-expensive Tojiro-DP.

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swordgeek t1_j8j9x3l wrote

> a cheap knife properly maintained will work far better than an expensive one never sharpened.

Yes yes yes, a thousand times yes!

You can make almost any knife scary sharp. The benefits of better knives come in terms of how long it stays sharp, balance, construction, etc.; but dull knives are miserable to use and dangerous.

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vickeryj t1_j8itvgv wrote

Furthermore, knives can be so weirdly personal that trying them in a store may not tell you the full story. I have one knife that I more or less use for everything, and I never would have guessed it would be the one for me, but it’s14 years old, I’ve sugrued missing chunks of handle, and if something bad happened to it I would replace it with the same one.

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bad-monkey t1_j8iw91t wrote

> Do they cut better than a properly sharpened Victorinox? No, probably not.

yes they do and it's not even close. edge retention on the fibrox sucks compares to the nicer knives in my collection. and the victorinox rubber handle design is hot garbage.

i only own one as a sacrificial knife that I can give to my wife, kids, and house guests.

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swordgeek t1_j8ja7so wrote

> edge retention on the fibrox sucks

Well then you're talking about a knife that's not properly sharpened anymore.

A properly sharpened Victorinox can absolutely be scary sharp. With a steel, it'll stay that way for...a while. Not nearly as long as my Masakage, but when it's first sharpened, it's pretty much on par.

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bad-monkey t1_j8jawo3 wrote

i sharpen on stones maybe every 6 months--I barely need to touch up the japanese knives in between sharpenings, whereas I'm always wondering if I should whip out the 1500 to put a quick, decent edge back on the fibrox.

is it possible that my built-in/muscle memory sharpening angle isn't well suited for the soft stamped blade of the fibrox? maybe, but i'm not changing my technique for my least favorite knife in the drawer.

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TokaMonster t1_j8j10mk wrote

Why not Cutco?

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Radiant_Platypus6862 t1_j8j3g48 wrote

MLMs are unethical and unsustainable long term (just look up exponential growth and why MLMs can’t possibly grow forever). In a group focused on BIFL, the ethics and sustainability (even if we’re just talking about economic sustainability) is a factor for determining whether you should buy something.

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swordgeek t1_j8j96nl wrote

I'm not a fan of MLMs to start with, so they have that going against them. For a stamped knife out of mild steel, they're way too expensive - the Victorinox is a better choice there. In fact, the Misen knives are forged out of better steel, and still cheaper. Then there's the hollow-ground edge, which I plain dislike. Then there's the fact that they have a great sharpening policy (free for life except for shipping costs), but you'll have to use it too often.

Bottom line: There are better knives for less money that don't involve questionable business practices. They really don't have anything in their favour.

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TokaMonster t1_j8ja70x wrote

I see. I had only ever seen their website and had gotten a few of their knives from my grandparents. I had not messed with the MLM side of their business.

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Sethjustseth t1_j8mnear wrote

You're right, I found a 6" chefs knife that is comfortable for me and I do nearly everything with it. The only other knife I use often is a serrated bread knife.

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CraftyPriorities t1_j8j58os wrote

Wusthof - my chef knife from them is fantastic.

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ClnSlt t1_j8nzolf wrote

Can’t go wrong with a Wusthof chef knife

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dmike0704 t1_j8ixmyk wrote

You only need 3 knives. 1 chef knife, 1 pairing knife and 1 serrated knife. I made this move 4 years ago and still haven’t needed any of the knives in a big block that used to take up my counter space

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yippekayaye_7 t1_j8jb8sm wrote

This right here.

And one additional knife that I do occasionally pull out is my Rapala fish n filet superflex knife. I prefer it for fileting.

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complywood t1_j8k6ka1 wrote

This, as long as your chef's knife is a "German" style rather than "Japanese" style. Japanese style uses a harder steel and a finer angle of the blade, which means that it holds its edge longer and is easier to make thin cuts with. However, it also makes the blade more brittle, so it's not suitable for cutting bones (the blade can chip). A German style chef's knife is the best single knife you could own, imo. If you want to expand your collection a bit you might get the Japanese style and add a cleaver for heavy meats and bones.

But like others, I really need to emphasize that knives are a really personal thing. At the very least, hold one in the store before buying. Even better, find a friend who owns one and try it before buying. If that's not possible, you might consider buying a cheap version (ideally at a thrift store) of the style knife you are interested in (chef's, carving, cleaver, paring, etc) to see how much you end up reaching for it and whether it's worth it to invest in a more expensive one.

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Rock_Lizard t1_j8kf1e5 wrote

German cleaver and 10" chef's knife here for the heavy stuff. I've chopped hostas apart with that knife. I know, but it works.

Japanese santoku & 8" chef's knife for regular work.

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Groundblast t1_j8j0j5v wrote

Love my Globals. All stainless, integral handles, sand filled for balance. Fairly easy to sharpen on regular stones (very easy with diamond). All I really use is the chef knife and the paring knife.

Also the fibrox ones are awesome for the price. Never buy an expensive bread knife. It’s hard to sharpen serrations correctly. Just get the fibrox bread knife and replace it when it gets dull

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Fmarulezkd t1_j8jh92k wrote

+1 for global. Love the design and look of them, it's what gotten me into more experimental coocking. I got them as a set so i also have the vegetable knife, which I've never even used.

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Fmarulezkd t1_j8jh9r4 wrote

+1 for global. Love the design and look of them, it's what gotten me into more experimental coocking. I got them as a set so i also have the vegetable knife, which I've never even used.

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Fmarulezkd t1_j8jhb5i wrote

+1 for global. Love the design and look of them, it's what gotten me into more experimental coocking. I got them as a set so i also have the vegetable knife, which I've never even used.

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ChapterAgreeable6826 t1_j8lpjv6 wrote

+1 for global. I have various knives, new and heritage. My Global VG10 nakiri stays scary sharp.

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rhyno857 t1_j8im7ee wrote

Ghromann Knives. Made in Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada.

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pudgyplacater t1_j8ip0wm wrote

If you like German knives, I am a Messermeister fan...a bit lighter/easier to wield than Wustoff and less clunky than Henkels

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xder345 t1_j8iyf5w wrote

Start off with the Victorinox Fibrox chefs knife and move from there. We’ve had a couple for over 25 years. Cheap enough, easily sharpened, and the first we ever grab. We have “better” hand forged Damascus steel knives and Swiss made knives and all that, but for every day use, go fibrox. Save the fancy knives for when you’re “show cooking” for guests.

Over the years we’ve built a set of the fibrox knives as the need arose, from paring all the way up to cleavers.

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luckymanatee t1_j8jrwu3 wrote

Completely agree. This line from Victorinox is great quality for the price.

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aKnightWh0SaysNi t1_j8j1lf0 wrote

I have had a really good experience with my Globals. Going on a decade now with no visible wear and tear beyond the knife sharpening.

Easy to clean, well balanced, and durable. Some people may find the steel handle more slippery than they are used to, but it hasn’t bothered me since day 2.

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Sgtpepper123654 t1_j8phxfb wrote

I've been a chef for almost 20yrs. I've had many chef's knifes. The one I always reach for and if I had to pick just one is my victorinox knife's. Love the wood handled ones. 😁👍

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Luigi156 t1_j8j1yhq wrote

If it's for personal use, buy cheap until you know what you like/want. Then splurge if you can afford it and want to "upgrade".

Fundamentally, for personal use, you will see little difference in performance between a 50$ knife and a 1000$ knife.

As was pointed out in some other comments, the Voctorinox chef knife is a solid pick. It's sharp, easy to sharpen when needed, good size, durable, and it's a beater so oyu don't feel bad for damagind it a bit. I'd start with that, then expand as you need other stuff. For me even a good pairing knife s hardly necessary, you can do most of it with a chef knife anyway once you're comfortable with it in a personal setting.

What I would also recommend though, is getting a two faced sharpening stone like 1000/6000 grit. Learning to sharpen your own knives will make a world of difference, the most expensive knife you can get is garbo if it's not sharp. It's also quite fun to sharpen knives imo.

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ConfusedNegi t1_j8io3nv wrote

If you live near Tualatin, OR, then I’d splurge on a Shun knife and their free walk in sharpening service. There are definitely better knives from both value and performance overall, but free walk in sharpening would be so convenient.

Either way I’d buy the knives individually based on what you need and how they fit your hand/cutting style. Start with a 8” chef knife and a paring knife. Add a bread knife if you’re like me and buy/bake loaves of bread. You don’t necessarily need to stick to one brand either.

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idc69idc t1_j8iqgwm wrote

Near Tualatin is Carter knives (Hillsboro, iirc). Handmade right there. Shuns can be had anywhere and sharpened anywhere for $5 or less (if unable to at home). I'm a professional chef, and I stay away from VG10 steel. I've had microchips in my Shuns, and I've seen many coworkers' be "tipped" easily. They were popular in upscale kitchens 10-15 years ago, but that was before specialty kitchen knife shops started opening in the states. Shun's heat treat is brittle. My favorite right now for everyday use is my Ashi Ginga 240mm gyuto. Check out Portland Knife House to see the whole world of kitchen knives.

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ConfusedNegi t1_j8isdcd wrote

I’m not from that area, but good to know. I’ve had my shun for a little over a decade and have had micro chipping, but sharpen them out fairly easily myself.

Just thought the op was newer and wouldn’t sharpen themselves. Sharpening is the best way to get performance out of knife, but most “professional sharpeners” in my area use a belt grinder and I can’t be sure about others. I also know shun offers free mail in sharpening, but the shipping costs make it less desirable.

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vickeryj t1_j8isret wrote

I’ve had two, both chipped and tipped within a few years. I think I’m too rough on my knives for them to be a good fit for me. They still work well, but I rarely pick them up because I’m scared I’ll damage them further.

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gaurddog t1_j8ip8vb wrote

So as someone else already said, don't buy a set. Buy the specific knives you want and will use.

For most people that's a workhorse 8"-10" chef's knife, a paring knife, and maybe a carver or bread knife.

Victorinox is gonna offer you a reliable durable sharp knife.at.the best price. With that said they're not the prettiest and they're stainless.

High carbon steel requires a lot more maintenance though and if you're not willing to keep up with it you're going to end up losing that BIFL you paid extra for.

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Materva t1_j8ipa7f wrote

I wouldn't trade my Bob Kramer Zwilling knives for anything short of a knife made by Bob himself.

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bad-monkey t1_j8ixbzg wrote

fwiw, any properly made/maintained knife will probably last a lifetime, so you're looking for a knife that meets your specific preferences more than "will this last a lifetime?"

Sounds like you're looking for a very light/thin stainless steel chef's knife, and something like this would fit the bill exactly.

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ronwharton t1_j8j3hqm wrote

Don't forget to have some of those inexpensive knives (like 'forever sharp') for the people who treat them like shit.

-Ron Wharton

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AdPuzzleheaded7734 t1_j8j6dby wrote

I support as well the advice so far here. Sets suck. Knives are highly personal and you dont wanna shell out for something youre not sure what your preference is.

Basically you need a chef's knife, pairing knife, and serrated knife. Me personally, I like using a chinese chef knife or a chucka bocho. but that because i dont mind the extra weight and the ability to use it to gather my veggies after cutting.

Also should take into account what youll be cutting. I dont really break down chickens or cut into hard things like squash so I didnt see the need to get a hefty european chef knife outside my chinese chef knife. so for a euro style chef knife i just grabbed an 8" chef knife from KIWI brand on amazon for less than $13.

like others said, id say buy cheap first to get an idea of your preference then work from there. A budget knife that im always reaching for seems to he KIWI knives. you can get them from amazon for less than 12 or even less than 10 dollars. they have flex on the blade and can go dull pretty easily but can just as easily be sharpened with just a honing knife or even the bottom of a ceramic bowl. so i dont mind using Kiwi Knives.

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Emuc64_1 t1_j8jaxl7 wrote

I've had my Wusthof Grand Prix (special occasions) and Victorinox Fibrox (daily use) for well over a decade and would recommend either brand.

The Grand Prix is no longer sold, so I'd go with the Wusthof Classic and Victorinox seems to have a Fibrox Pro line.

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forty_tu t1_j8jdjkn wrote

And the fibrox pricing just went up a little more…

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vgcrz t1_j8jixrs wrote

I know it’s a pretty unanimous opinion not to buy a set, but I bought a Wusthof set from Williams Sonoma 19 years ago, off setting part of the cost with a gift card my husband and I received as a wedding gift. Set came with a wooden block, honer, 8” and 10” chefs knives, two paring knives, a serrated/bread knife, carver and kitchen shears. I use every one of these tools very regularly (I make dinner at home 3-5 nights a week, plus other meals/snacks daily for my family of 4). I’ve had the knives professionally sharpened three times in 19 years but use the honer every time I use a knife and they all work as well as when we first bought them. We only hand wash the knives and always store them in the block. Unfortunately I can’t remember which Wusthof line it was exactly, but this set was well worth the initial investment, at least for my household.

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Elegant_Housing_For t1_j8jp8m3 wrote

I just got a set of cusinart stainless steel since the ones with paint started to come off. The old paint knives were still sharp but the paint was getting into food I was cutting.

So far so good.

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mx5fan t1_j8kql4o wrote

Wusthof CLASSIC. Their gourmet line isn't worth a damn.

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AbbyM1968 t1_j8l3cgo wrote

I would have to agree with most comments: sets suck. Hubby bought me a set of SS all-in-one (handle & blade) steel knives. I wouldn't suggest them. They spend their time in a knife block in our China cabinet. It came with a steel: that gets used the most. He also bought me a good knife, that he keeps incredibly sharp.

So, buy 1 good chef's knife, make sure handle & blade separate, have a good steel, buy as you need. Good luck

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FredRobertz t1_j8nvf9e wrote

I'm familiar with, and have owned, the high end German brands including Wusthoff and Henckel and I've got a Victorinox chef's knife now. Never had the Globals but they look cool. I'm going to suggest that you at least look at the Misen line. They're my current favorite and I have the large and small chef's (utility) knife and the paring knife. Excellent quality with a great ergonomic design and reasonably priced.

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