Everyone knows that knife skills are an essential part of any chef’s repertoire, but not everyone has the budget to buy all the knives they might need in their line of work. Even if you’re a casual home cook, you don’t necessarily have to have an entire drawer dedicated to knives, you’ll have all the tools you need to handle pretty much any kitchen task.
1. Chef’s Knife
A bit heavy, but it’s the best overall all-purpose chef’s knife you can get. You can use it for everything from chopping vegetables, to mincing herbs, or making really thin cuts on fish fillets. It’s also the knife most chefs recommend in culinary school.
2. Essentials Knife Set
If you want something smaller than the chef’s knife, this set gets the job done. There’s a paring knife for smaller tasks, a serrated bread knife for slicing through crusty bread, and a santoku knife which is somewhat less common than a traditional chef’s knife, but makes some tasks easier.
3. Paring Knife
A good paring knife is practically essential for a cook. It will make all the difference when it comes to peeling and coring fruits, trimming fat from meats, or even deveining shrimp. The extra grip on this one allows you to get a better handle on smaller items so everything slips down nicely and smoothly.
4. Utility Knife
This knife is great if you want something a little bigger than a paring knife. With the same blade, you’ve got a bit more flexibility when it comes to tasks and it can really help with breaking down meat or larger vegetables like broccoli.
5. Santoku Knife
This super versatile knife was originally designed for chefs in Japan, but has made its way to the United States and can be used for all kinds of tasks. The edge is sharper than a traditional chef’s knife, so it’s great for cutting through harder foods like carrots or potatoes.
6. Short Chef’s Knife
If you’re looking for something even smaller than an essential knife, this one is about 10 inches long with a 4-inch blade. It can be great for tasks like chopping shallots or garlic, but it still cuts through harder foods like a champ.
7. Short Serrated Knife
This knife is one of the most versatile you can get. It’s less than 7 inches long and it has a blade that goes all the way to the tip of the handle. It’s perfect for all kinds of tasks, but you can use it to chop through all kinds of hard foods like apples and even ice.
8. Serrated Knife
The serrated edge on this knife means that you get the perfect mix between precision and the ability to cut through foods that are tough or dense. It’s also pretty easy to clean since all you have to do is wipe it off and let it air dry.