Kitchen Knife?

[GFOviedo]

Can anyone recommend one ALL AROUND kitchen knife? I bought a cheap set for $150 dollars a couple of years ago, and I am getting tired of sharpening them all the time. I pretty much want to buy one excellent knife that I can do everything with it from cutting vegetables, fruits, to cutting meat! Any recommendations in the price range of $100 dollars. Thank you.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Can anyone recommend one ALL AROUND kitchen knife? I bought a cheap set for $150 dollars a couple of years ago, and I am getting tired of sharpening them all the time. I pretty much want to buy one excellent knife that I can do everything with it from cutting vegetables, fruits, to cutting meat! Any recommendations in the price range of $100 dollars. Thank you.

What matters most is that a) it's forged and b) the steel is good quality.

The best all around knife is a chefs knife. I like 8" for general use.

There are two types of knives popular in kitchens. There is Japanese style and German/European style. Many will argue the German knives are better than Japanese because they are quite a bit heavier and thicker. In reality it is a different style of knife making. Each has its advantages. I happen to prefer Japanese forged knives built to European styles.

My best Japanese knife is this

This one is a mix of two different steels that have been folded together to get the benefits of both. The knife has a lot of hand work, including peening on the upper section for added strength and to keep wet foods from sticking. It's fairly thin and flexible. It almost feels delicate but holds a razor sharp edge like nothing else. I believe these go for $100 or so. Maybe you can find them for less.


This knife is, wait for it....a ginsu. Not any Ginsu though as most are junk. This is a Ginsu Chikara. It's a Japanese style knife made the traditional way of forged stainless steel. It is relatively cheap and holds a sharp edge. It is not as good as the better knives, but you can get a 3 pack for $100. They won't need sharpening as often as most knives due to the forged blades and hardening. However stainless is generally not the best blade steel.


This is a Chicago Cutlry Santoku knife. It's a Japanese style Knife like the Gyuto that is a chef style and versatile. The indents are to keep vegitables from sticking. On a hand hammered forged version that also add strength. This is also stainless steel and while forged I believe it's not the best. I doubt it's hand forged. I believe these sold for like $50-$70 and is not bad for the price.

Any of the Henckels are good, but not a great value. You get what you pay for. Not every J A Henckels is a good knife. It needs to be forged. I've found their more expensive ones to be more comparable to the Japanese knife I have in terms of quality. They go for more like $200. Look for sales if you want a Henckel, But of the cheaper ones I know this one is not bad.

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/henckels-professional-s/asian-knife-set-p127655

Wustoff is the same for me. They make great German knives. Very thick and heavy. Hold an edge well. Not my preference. I also don't think they are a great value.

https://echefknife.com/product/yosh...ainless-steel-kiritsuke-multipurpose-knife-7/
That's a knife is personally rather use. The thinner knife is lighter and has a better balance in your hand. I can slice much better. More quickly and more easily.

 

[tripplej]

Wow, good info. I never realized knives were so complicated and sophisticated.. I just use the cheap walmart knives so I have no clue on these type of things. lol.

 

[GFOviedo]

I didn’t know either. I usually New a new set every two years or so, but now that I’m getting more serious about grilling, I need a better all around knife.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I didn’t know either. I usually New a new set every two years or so, but now that I’m getting more serious about grilling, I need a better all around knife.

I'm certainly not all knowing on knives. I like to cook and I like anything that mixes science and mythology. I thought the Japanese steel mythology was cool and that is how I learned about what made their swords so great. I also thought Damascus steel (actually a middle eastern invention) was really cool looking and wanted to better understand if it served a purpose other than looks.

What I've learned is that steel that is lower in iron (pure Stainless Steel like Inox is fairly low in carbon) is flexible. It can bend like a spring, without breaking. However, it does not hold an edge well. Steel that is high in carbon (which typically stains and rusts easily) does not bend easily, its very stiff and fragile. Rather than bend it will break, its brittle. It's benefit is that it holds an edge really well. How do you make a knife that has both properties? Well first, you don't use a pure form of either. Second you mix the two by folding them together. Ideally with a stiff high carbon steel core and a more malleable low carbon steel outside. The other option (favored by the precision metallurgy of today) is to just use an ideal steel that has both properties. The German knives mostly just use a good high carbon stainless steel, something that is half way between true inox stainless and something like VG-10. Japanese knives are sometimes made this way, but still favor the folded steel method, which makes for a cool pattern. My experience is that both work well. In the same way that we tend to think of European swords as big, strong, heavy, and lacking in precision (winning by brute force) and Japanese swords as being light precision tools, the same is actually true of their knives. In general the German knives are thick, heavy, well balanced but harder for someone like me to use as swiftly. The Japanese knife is not as stiff, it can bend when you stick the point down into a cutting board. It's half the thickness at the thickest part of the top. It weighs considerably less. It feels almost like a toy by comparison. Yet I find I can do my chopping far better.

If you are into grilling and using this for grilling, while a good Japanese knife could work, I do think they are more delicate than the German counterparts. If you are cutting through cartilage or into bones a lot, the German knife might be better.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Or you could just get one of these. Great for scaring the crap out of your family.

 

[GFOviedo]

I’m going to buy a german knife and one of those chopping knifes as well lol.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I’m going to buy a german knife and one of those chopping knifes as well lol.

Hah I'll be honest I rarely use that chopping knife. It's supposed to be good for chopping up meat, but I just don't find enough uses. You may be different.

German knife should be good. If you get one of the brands I suggested I think you will be happy. Just remember, needs to be forged. If it doesn't make clear that it is forged, don't buy.

 

[GFOviedo]

I can't decide on what to get. I like the looks of the Japanese chef's knifes, but I want the heavy German style better.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I can't decide on what to get. I like the looks of the Japanese chef's knifes, but I want the heavy German style better.

I've never actually broken a Japanese knife but have always felt like they would break more easily of you were to start hacking into bones. I also think that the heavier German knife would give some extra momentum when cutting through some meats.

I'm sure either would work fine so if you want a Japanese knife, then get one. In the grand scheme of things, $100 for a knife won't be such a big deal if you don't love it.

Keep in mind that good knives should be hand washed and dried. They also need sharpening, just not as often. I would also be careful what kind I use. Some of the sharpeners on the market would damage a good knife. I have one that works great to create a new edge on a cheap stamped blade, but I would never use it on a good knife. You want a sharpening stone or something that uses stones to sharpen. Not something using metal blocks in a V shape.

 

[GFOviedo]

I’m trying to keep my budget at $100 or lower. I’ve have reduced my selection to 5 of them.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I’m trying to keep my budget at $100 or lower. I’ve have reduced my selection to 5 of them.

You should be able to find something.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/me...teel-japanese-gyuto-chef-knife/470M16110.html

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/LA...ch-Rosewood-Forged-Wide-Chef-Knife-Plain-Edge

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/MER20610/Mercer-Cutlery-Genesis-10andquot-Chefs-Knife
This is actually a good knife for $50. It's fully forged but is made in Taiwan. Mercer is a professional chef supply company. It won't equal the $100 knives but certainly is better than the common $50 ones.

 

[Mark C Flick]

I'm not an expert either but I can tell you which ones I like.
The Victorinox Fibrox Pro is a great inexpensive knife, very sharp and the angle of the blade to handle makes it very easy to use. Downside... it's a stamped blade, is light but blade balanced.
A little more expensive the Wustof Classic also easy to use but is a bit heavy and handle balanced.
And finally the Mac Pro has the blade handle angle by changing the angle of the blade vs. blade to handle. But it is a bit on the expensive side. Also very easy to use and nicely balanced.

In my opinion all of these knives are great options depending upon you're budget. Matt's options are probably pretty good too but I can't speak to them.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I'm not an expert either but I can tell you which ones I like.
The Victorinox Fibrox Pro is a great inexpensive knife, very sharp and the angle of the blade to handle makes it very easy to use. Downside... it's a stamped blade, is light but blade balanced.
A little more expensive the Wustof Classic also easy to use but is a bit heavy and handle balanced.
And finally the Mac Pro has the blade handle angle by changing the angle of the blade vs. blade to handle. But it is a bit on the expensive side. Also very easy to use and nicely balanced.

In my opinion all of these knives are great options depending upon you're budget. Matt's options are probably pretty good too but I can't speak to them.

The only thing I'll say about the Victornox is that it's stamped instead of forged. I have one of these that I bought without realizing it was stamped. It's a fine knife but I find it doesn't hold it's edge like the forged knives do. It's also a bit thinner.

Compared to other stamped knives it's about as good as it gets. Very sharp and holds that edge better than most. It's also cheap enough to beat up .

I happen to think the forged knives I suggested are better options but most were much more expensive.

 

[GFOviedo]

I think I am in between these:
LamsonSharp USA 8 inch Rosewood Forged Wide Chef Knife
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/LA...ch-Rosewood-Forged-Wide-Chef-Knife-Plain-Edge

and

Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife
https://smile.amazon.com/Wusthof-Cl...0536215&sr=1-1&keywords=wustof+8+inch+classic

 

[Mark C Flick]

If the Victorinox had a forged blade and a little heavier handle it would be my winner hands down. The angle of the blade and handle just make it so easy to use especially if you like to "pinch" the blade.
I think you'll be happy with either of the ones you're looking at but, keep an eye on Amazon and when you can pick up the Victorinox for $21, you'll see what I mean.

 

[GFOviedo]

I ended up ordering the LamsonSharp 8" forged chef knife for $76.50 shipped. Not a bad price!

 

[JBrax]

We purchased this years ago and my wife loves them. A bit pricey but well worth it she says. It’s the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro S series 18 piece set.

 

[GFOviedo]

I wanted one knife, chef's knife, since it is the one I use all the time.

 

[JBrax]

I wanted one knife, chef's knife, since it is the one I use all the time.

Right, I’ll be more specific. The 8” chef knife in this series can be purchased individually just as the rest of the knives. It’s going on 10 years of duty and my wife and I love it.

 

[GFOviedo]

Right, I’ll be more specific. The 8” chef knife in this series can be purchased individually just as the rest of the knives. It’s going on 10 years of duty and my wife and I love it.

Yes, I know, but the Lamaon was on sale.

 

[JBrax]

Yes, I know, but the Lamaon was on sale.

Well, congrats and hopefully that knife serves you well.

 

[GFOviedo]

Thank you. Now, I am trying to decide if I should get a Pit Barrel Cooker or a Silverbac Wood Pellet Grill to replace my old gas grill.

 

[JBrax]

I purchased a Oklahoma Joe’s smoker and it’s HUGE! I now wish I’d have gotten something much smaller and easier. I’ve been looking at getting a Traeger pellet smoker.