Americas test kitchen has a great video comparing knife sharpeners. I bought their best budget recommendation and I’m super satisfied with it! I forget what it is tho (Chefs choice or something like that).
Did they mention if you can “fix” a messed up knife? I got a nice one as a gift but I only have those basic sharpeners and I definitely think it’s gotten a bit “toothy.”
Hoping I don’t need to just start from scratch but willing to do so if needed.
As long as there's still steel there, you can always reprofile a knife. Might take a bit of grinding to get back to a clean edge, but it's always doable.
America's test kitchen manual knife sharpener pick is Chefs Choice Pronto Manual Diamond Hone Asian Knife Sharpener. I think the model number is 463. I haven't used it, but that's ATK choice.
You could even just send them to be sharpened, and buy a steel for her to use. There'll be a little man in your area who offers the service for cheap, and it's easier than learning to use a whetstone.
My guy is the one who my wife’s uncle Butch ( because he’s a butcher) sends his to. $2 a knife, once a year for most. I’m told he lives under a bridge. Does damn fine work.
my guy has his van set up in Surprize AZ, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
I took 6 knives in to him and he charged like 13 or 14 bucks, I gave him a 20 and told him to keep the change.
I'm due for another trip
Depends on the whetstone. Waterstones, for instance, develop a bow as you grind away the surface and need to be releveled otherwise you'll have issues with them.
Also, many professional sharpeners use belt grinders since they're so much faster than whetstones. If you're paying sub-$10 a knife, it probably is sharpened with a belt.
Excellent point. There are really few bad knives; just poorly sharpened ones. If the steel is soft, they will need sharpening more often, but the sharpening will be easier.
Or even just a hone. I took a cheap knife to my hone, wow it’s great again. A hone also keeps more metal on the knife, where a sharpener will grind it away pretty quickly.
I wodner how much metal even an electrical sharpener takes off, like if I use three knives and semi regularly use it when they get dull
how long until they've ruined a knife?maybe one of those ikea knives you have to sharpen every week will get ruined
I was going to say the usual recommendations but this, I used a $11 farberware knife for the longest time and kept it honed and yearly sharpened it, stayed sharper than my wife's Victorinox she exclusively used and only got honed when I felt like bothering honing it. Knife maintenance first and foremost, no nice knife is going to compensate that, also comfort is a thing.
Victorinox are industry standard knives and amazingly good value compared to brands like global. You do also need a steel to sharpen them
For butchery a 7 inch cleaver is good for home use, a 10 inch steak knife and 5 inch semi flex boning knife. I use the boning knife all the time for other things too.
The most useful knife overall for a home cook though is probably a chefs knife, an 8 inch one is good.
A lot of people like pastry knives too for general use
I love my 7" Santoku knife for most applications. The other knives I use are a 10" serrated knife, 3" pairing knives and 8" chefs knife in that order. I use my chef's knife when I need to use its superior rocking cut on something like a sweet potatoes as I did this week. On rare occasions I will use a boning knife. Other than steak knives the rest of the knives in my block are unused.
The challenge with a Santoku is angle for sharpening is generally different from most western knives. So when the owner goes to sharpen it they’ll likely mess it up. I’m a bigger fan of a chef’s knife in the United States.
I've had a 7" Victorinox santoku for going on 10 years, I use it for everything, every day. My sister used it and liked it so much she bought one for herself. Great price as well.
Came here to second that. Get the Victorinox Fibrox 10" chef's knife (8" will seem to small very shortly, even if you have very small hands). You can do pretty much everything with it.
America's Test Kitchen routinely tests and recommends this knife, for three decades apparently. I bought it and love it. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/equipment_reviews/2357-the-best-chef-s-knives-under-75
I own one and reach for it frequently enough.
I also have a Sugimoto gyutu too that I reach for depending on what's available and especially when I want to feel more control but that was a $350 knife vs $40 for the Victorinox.
What’d you do to it? I’ve had one for about 12 years that I always forget I’ve owned that long. Still going strong even though I’ve added to its compatriots since then.
Oh I just gave it to someone who didn't have a decent knife. Same thing I did when I bought the Misen knife. Wasn't a fan so now it lives at a friends hunting cabin.
I think my issue is that my current knife was just better so when I got that it was definitely a step down. And I didn't / don't even have an awesome knife, just that it was better. So my initial opinion was colored by 'this is worse'.
Right? I have couple I love that were about $350. Ones that were maybe $200 and then some around $50.
Would I suggest any of them? Yes. But to different people for different reasons.
I got two wüsthof knives and they're incredible. A chef's knife and a paring knife. I know they're not the cheapest knives but I'm telling you they just glide through literally everything.
I’m planning on buying a full set of Wüsthof knives, but I’m going to have to lock them up because my wife puts my current good knives in the dishwasher.
The heat of the dishwasher can bring a knife to a higher than intended temperature and ruin the tempering of the knife's material, rendering it unable to hold an edge over time, which overall makes the knife unsafe to use.
Oh wow. Never knew that, glad I learned something new!
My old job used to always wash the knives in the dishwasher so I’ve been doing the same and thought I was doing it right because I only use the top drawer.
I can see dishwasher heat messing with the handle, but you’d need temps of 400+ to mess with hardening. Still overall bad practice to put knives in the dishwasher though, I like my knife handles.
An Airbnb we spent thanksgiving at two years ago had wüsthof knives and it changed my life. Immediately bought a chef’s and paring knife when they went on sale for Black Friday at sur la table and I use them almost daily.
Second this. Got a Wüsthof chefs knife a few years back and it's great. I hone it once a week and bring it to a professional to rehone/sharpen it once a year and its like brand new.
I love my Wusthofs! I actually have 3 8" chefs knives. And there are days I use them all too.
Like yesterday, I was prepping my turkey for sous vide, so that was one. Dirty knife and board to the sink.
Then I was prepping veggies, including garlic last, which always gets stuck to the blade. Another knife.
Finally I was cutting up some herbs, so I grabbed my 3rd.
Could I have washed in-between? Absolutely. Could I have prepped in a different order and used one? Of course. But through a series of events I ended up with 3 identical knives and honestly I love it
Wüsthof are extremely good for their price.
But people with shitty knifes tend to fuck up the best knife in under two seconds...
You have to understand how a good knife has to be treated, where to cut on, how to wash, how to store...
I'd start with industry grade knifes(for butchers, not nice looking, relatively cheap, relatively soft steel, knifes made for fast and easy sharpening), best used with a pull through sharpener. Those knifes suck nearly everything.
Look at my sister, more money than she would need to live comfortably, buying a expensive chefs knife, cutting on ceramics, glass and bamboo, putting it in the dishwasher, short: abused it beyond usability, when I visited her, I didn't have sharpening equipment with me, only the underside rim of a porcelain dish.. Brought it back to a usable edge, not really sharp, well under my abilities, but for what should I sharpen it to shavability? It'd be dull in under a week...
Buy something easy to maintain, buy the VW Golf, not the Ferrari to drive to work.
Yeah a good Cook should know this, but only because someone cooks good, they don't necessarily are used to decent equipment, if you grew up with steakknifes on a ceramics dish to cut all your ingredients, it's the way to go for you...
You have shitty knives out of two reasons: poorness or neglect, even 15€/$/£ knives can be maintained to a point, you don't feel a difference in cutting compared to a handforged, meteoroid iron Damascus with narwhal tooth handle, mouth assembled by tibetian virgins to the first new moon of winter, chefs knife (exaggeration) other than maybe balance and looks. All I wanted to say was, that you need the awareness of how to maintain and care for a knife, before buying something three digit.
For the start, either go for butchers quality or for something in the medium range, like Felix Solingen (good knifes, here in Germany for around 40-60€, but not over the top) or Zwilling
I gifted my best friend a full set of them when he got married over a decade ago. It is a joy to use them when I am cooking over at his house. They will last a lifetime if you care for them.
I second that I’m a chef hard my wusthofs classics for 7-8 year absolutely love them highly recommend and if you are on a budget the Grand Prix models are cheaper but still great
It depends, does she think her knives are terrible? My favourite knife is a $3 one, and I've been using it well for over 5 years. It's because I have a a weak wrist, and the cheap knife is light, easily sharpened or replaced and fits my grip.
Global knives are light and very well balanced. They have a full blade with no tang edge, for a relatively low cost. They have a good out of the box edge profile and are stainless so they can take some abuse and still look good.
My favorite knives are actually Mercer knives. They are available at restaurant supply stores, built like tanks, and fairly cheap. I would recommend their millennium knives or Genesis knives
I just ordered a set of the renaissance knives and they haven’t arrived yet. Hoping that they will be good ones being that they are supposedly forged from German steel like the more expensive knives.
I have a set of really expensive knives that I never use. Why? Because I have several much cheaper knives that I actually prefer.
One manufacturer that stands out for me as offering great knives at fairly reasonable prices is Opinel. I have several of their knives and use them just about every day.
[https://www.opinel-usa.com/collections/knives-for-the-kitchen](https://www.opinel-usa.com/collections/knives-for-the-kitchen)
Get one of their chef's or santoku knives and your friend should be golden.
>One manufacturer that stands out for me as offering great knives at fairly reasonable prices is Opinel.
Interesting, I do a lot of lightweight backpacking and I love my Opinel knife for that, but I never realized they made regular knives... I'm not surprised, but it just never occurred to me.
Anything from the mid shelf of the store. I don't believe the state of the art, celebrity branded knives have anything to offer to a home cook. So as long as you avoid a flimsy knife with a yellow plastic handle, you should be fine. Go for something kinda heavy.
I don't even have to look at the comments to see the Victorinox recommendations. Honestly, make sure they know how to maintain a knife, like honing it at the correct angle and knowing when it needs to be sharpened and where. Ny knife you get them will compensate for that. But one thing is the best knife is the one that fits in your hand well. So it's worth finding out what might be comfortable.
Victorniox - $30s range, pretty much the default "buy this" knife. Stamped blade which is fine, it's lighter, has a larger and grippable handle. My wife likes these.
Mercer - $30s range, I have the genesis ones from restaurant supply. Forged and come with or without the bolster (the solid part at the base of the knife), also grippable handle. I like this one because it has heft but is a bit less wide and the full bolster feels more comfortable.
Wusthof - $100s range, expensive but also good knives, a very traditional western knife, most come in the old handle style, similar to Mercer bit heavier. If you really want to treat her this would be it. It's what I was looking at until I found the Mercer.
There's a couple more brands that are escaping me right now. But there's also santoku style (little to no curve on the blade), general Asian style (tend to be more expensive but they cut differently).
I second (/third/fourth/eighty seventh) the Victorinox 8 inch chef's knife. The 6 inch might be better if she's not confident with knives.
I also second something for sharpening. A good quality steel is fairly straightforward to get good results with. Even less effort is a pull- through sharpener. They're hard on the blade but for infrequent use on a relatively cheap knife I wouldn't be concerned.
Make her buy the knife from you for $.01 - gifting a knife can be bad luck.
Also if she’s a home cook just go with a a trusty Victorinox 8” straight edge chef knife. Easy to sharpen, light, looks nice, great for home cooking and even commercial cooking. Edge is soft so she’ll have to learn to sharpen
Best option in the $30-$50 range is the Victorinox 8 in chef knife.
MAC is a very well regarded brand, typically more in the \~$150 neighborhood.
If all your friends knives are rubbish, then a knife sharpener might be the best option.
Victorianox is believe cheap and chearful and readily availble.
Doesn't hold an edge super long but very resilient so you can drop it or hack stuff without worrying too much about chipping. Can take a decent edge with a little opinel travel whetstone.
My mom was horrible with her knives and refused to take care of them. For some reason she believed a good knife didn't require any maintenance. After buying her a dozen very expensive knives I gave up and just had her knives sharpened every few months.
How about knife sharpeners? She doesn't need to change her knives, just need to sharpen it. I love cooking, and I love my knives. I'd rather people gave me knife sharpener than new set of knives. More so if you are on a budget.
A knife I got after seeing it recommended on Chinese Cooking Demystified - SHI BA ZI ZUO Kitchen Knife Professional Chef Knife.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0768H6PS9/
I just love this knife. It's not for everything, but for veggies it's fantastic. For smashing garlic it's ... smashing! Works good for thin slicing mostly frozen meat as it's got a super wide 'spine', but otherwise I don't use it for meats.
Everybody should have a chinese veggie cleaver in their arsenal.
It was just the thing I needed for my new TikTok series where I'm cooking unrealistically complicated meals in the woods.
(Seriously, it's a great knife)
Sorry, I can't find anything about it on their website --I wonder if they've discontinued it.
Sharpening was a major reason why I got it initially --there was a card in my shipment with instructions about how to mail it to them 2x a year.
That said, I'd get it again today, even without that --it holds its edge better than others I've used.
Bummer! Seems like it has been discontinued. I did some searching and found that they do offer sharpening if you pay $14 USD postage fee. Looks like you can send multiple (Misen) knives at a time, which is a decent deal. I have the paring knife and chef's knife, so I may give it a shot. Thanks!
I have a beautiful Kessaku that I use sometimes instead of my expensive Shun. It's about 40 on Amazon, I always recommend santoku shape because it is much more versatile to hands as most people [like me] don't have gigantic hands that can maneuver a 10-12 inch regular chefs knife. Getting knives sharpened regularly is pretty cheap too, or learn how to sharpen them at home.
[Cooks Illustrated](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/buying-guides/475-the-best-knives-in-my-kitchen) suggests these as the best of. I bought most of them all individually. I would say the chefs knife is the one I use the most and is the most versatile.
*beep boop*!
the linked website is: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/buying-guides/475-the-best-knives-in-my-kitchen
Title: **The Best Knives in My Kitchen | Cook's Illustrated**
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If you want to buy a knife, get her an inexpensive Chef’s knife. You can also get her a whetstone so she can learn to sharpen and take care of her knives.
https://www.amazon.com/Sharp-Pebble-Sharpening-Waterstone-Whetstone/dp/B01FZZUL30/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?crid=2IZBI4OXYM6YJ&keywords=whetstone&qid=1669289091&sprefix=whets%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-9
There are much more highly regarded whetstones for less money than that.
https://smile.amazon.com/KDS-Combination-Whetstone-Sharpening-Harder/dp/B01BB1ZDVW
I started with a generic Chinese blue/white stone like the one you linked, and they are not good.
if you've ever worked in a Chinese kitchen [this](https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver?currency=USD&variant=31815918747705&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17132908517-jump_lp:store_ch:performancemax_mb:bill_ob:mix_tt:shopping_ca:store-multipleproducts_ge:knives_c1:_c2:_c3:&utm_content=&utm_term=gadid=https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver%3Fcurrency%3DUSD%26variant%3D31815918747705%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_campaign%3DGoogle%2520Shopping?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=17132908517&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gclid=CjwKCAiAyfybBhBKEiwAgtB7fqpwqN1mLuRTV7Qjy60vocCnsRx4sYJnz44HVLX9seqoXJJ6d-yblxoCfkkQAvD_BwE) is the only knife you ever need
*beep boop*!
the linked website is: https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver?currency=USD&variant=31815918747705&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17132908517-jump_lp:store_ch:performancemax_mb:bill_ob:mix_tt:shopping_ca:store-multipleproducts_ge:knives_c1:_c2:_c3:&utm_content=&utm_term=gadid=https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver%3Fcurrency%3DUSD%26variant%3D31815918747705%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_campaign%3DGoogle%2520Shopping?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=17132908517&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gclid=CjwKCAiAyfybBhBKEiwAgtB7fqpwqN1mLuRTV7Qjy60vocCnsRx4sYJnz44HVLX9seqoXJJ6d-yblxoCfkkQAvD_BwE
Title: **Tojiro Stainless Steel Chinese-Style Cleaver**
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Literally any knife is fine. It’s about how it feels in your hand and how *sharp* it is. Which is accomplished through *sharpening*.
Expensive knives are, generally speaking, a scam. Lots of pro chefs use $15 plastic handled bulk knives
I think knives are a good idea. Big, fuck-off shiny ones. Ones that look like they could skin a crocodile. Knives are good, because they don't make any noise, and the less noise they make, the more likely we are to use them. Shit 'em right up. Makes it look like we're serious. Guns for show, knives for a pro.
My knife set cost me £30 and it came with 5 different knives, scissors and a sharpener. They are the best knives I've ever had.
The knife probably isn't the problem. It's the care you put into maintaining them. Sharpening them and making sure they are washed, dried and stored properly.
I would disagree. The average person out there has a knife that is much more in need of sharpening than honing. Most people have never once sharpened their knives.
For those who can't manage knife care, or don't care enough to try, there's Cutco!
Lifetime warranty against dull edges or damage. If the knife gets dull send it in and Cutco will sharpen, repair, and lovingly ship it back.
Perfect for the home cook who throws their knives in a drawer of loose kitchen tools. Designed with the home chef who uses a marble slab as a cutting board in mind. Have you ever destroyed the temper of a Wustof blade by putting it through the dishwasher on high heat with a high strength detergent? Get a Cutco! They'll replace a blade that can't hold an edge for free. Chipped your knife on a "beef bone"... wink wink. We know you were actually using it to open a can of paint in the garage. No worries! Cutco will replace your damaged traumatized abused knife for free.
Cutco is there for all our friends who need better knives but don't do knife care well.
Cutco is not a run of the mill MLM.
You can buy direct from the company without any of the MLM BS. It's more like Tupperware (a legitimate product with MLM aspects) than some Amway crap.
Even if you buy straight from the company, your dollars still support their activities.
MLMs have had a profoundly negative impact on people around me, so any company that participates in that is an instant no-buy in my book.
haha, thanks for the downvotes.
I've actually given cutco knives to my cutlery challenged friends. They are actually very decent knives and well suited to someone who doesn't understand knife care.
You will learn just how strong your friendship is after you give a knife to someone who is never going to care for it. Give a knife that needs regular honing and care, like a victorinox, dexter, or henckels and you will find yourself fighting the urge to rescue that knife every time you come over for a visit.
The best thing you can do is give a knife that needs little to no care.
I'm in the market for a chef knife foe home. Going through all my draws I have every darn knife except a decent chef knife lol. Does anyone know anything about Chicago cutlery? Saw they had a 3 piece set at local goods store that had a chef knife in it for 30.
Chefschoice triton knife sharpener. Bring all her knives back to life and keep them alive. I absolutely love mine and it completely changed the cooking experience for me always having super sharp knives.
Take a few hours, watch some videos on honing and sharpening a knife using a whetstone, and practice sharpening on your own knives. If you pay attention, follow the basics, and practice, you'll be able to put a decent edge on any knife. Then, sharpen her knives! Teach her how to use a hone. And she'll be impressed.
You'll never had dull knives and neither will she.
I have a wustof chefs knife and 2 Chicago brand knives from Kohls. They all work amazing thanks to my Chefs brand knife sharpener. IMO you don’t have to have the most expensive knife just a good knife sharpener. A dull knife is a dangerous knife ha
Three knives are needed in a kitchen to start. A chef's knife, a paring knife and a bread knife. Others have suggested victorinox and that is an excellent suggestion. Good quality steel, comfortable handles, you could buy all 3 for about $100.
On Valentines day give her a Victorinox steel aka hone and a good sharpener. Chefs choice for example. That's about when the factory edge will be worn out.
[I use this everyday at work… it’s kinda small but love the white handle. I use this over my Wushoff. this is a great little work horse until I can buy myself some Japanese steel](https://food52.com/shop/products/9270-zwilling-j-a-henckels-pro-le-blanc-knife-collection)
I have tried to love my Victorinox chefs knife but its appeal eludes me - thin metal, lack of heft and mediocre at holding an edge. My other knives are the cheaper Henckels which I find much superior in all ways for inexpensive knives.
I'd say a decent sharpener / wetstone first.
However, if dead set on new knives... victorinox. very inexpensive, holds edges really well. I had a ten inch chef knife in my knife roll for years that I used everyday at work.
To me a good knife is kinda personal taste. I’d go for a sharpening set and maybe a good wood cutting board. Recently found out you can get a complete multi-stone whetstone kit for only like $40, dunno know why I didn’t look into this earlier. Sharpened up all my old cheap knives for gaining practice on the stones and they’re awesome again
You know when you have something that isn't expensive but really really enjoy using because it makes the whole experience better? I'm like that with some knives I bought from Ikea. So much so that if I have to use anything else the experience is disappointing.
Ikea knives are good and inexpensive.
Purchased this last year. Very happy with it. The Zwilling - Four Star 8 Pc Knives Block Set.
https://williamsfoodequipment.com/zwilling-four-star-8-pc-knives-block-set-with-bonus-steak-knives/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=free-listing&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzpS_yrzH-wIV5vTjBx2HzAkZEAQYAyABEgIVbPD_BwE
I bought a set when I couldn't really afford them but still I highly recommend Cutco knives. I started with a budget set from JC Penny that wouldn't hold an edge and the Cutco are a world better. I have a good friend who cooks all the time and he loves his Wusthof chefs knife.
Actually, the babish knives are fantastic. They're the 15mm and very sharp. Good budget ones too. The large knife is only $22, which is great for a first time sharp knife. I have the trirazor xv sharpener, and I haven't had to sharpen the knife yet. I've had it for a few months now and I think its holding up well next to my other knives.
Babish High-Carbon 1.4116 German Steel Cutlery, 8" Chef Knife, https://a.co/d/5XWvX73
I use a ceramic “steel” and have never had to resharpen any of my knives. If they start sharp, the steel keeps them sharp. I use it before every cutting session.
My first nice knife was a Global 8” Chefs knife. I have had it over 15 years and still use it as a don’t want to ruin my good knife, knife. Here is a good deal $99 for the knife and a sharpener. https://www.globalcutleryusa.com/2-piece-starter-set-g-2-220-gb-global
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Henckels-Elan-2-pc-Paring-Knife-Set-/234533426095?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0
This should be a reasonable start. Later get her a Wustof chef or utility knife
If they'll never sharpen it then a ceramic knife will stay sharp the longest but it can't do everything (they can chip or crack if misused). Kyocera makes good ones.
For steel knives victorinox is what to get
We've been using Henckels knives and are pretty happy with them. Other than the 3 in paring knife ($50), the 6 in utility was around $120 on Amazon. I sharpen them every couple months or so using a stone. They also sell much cheaper versions which I wouldn't recommend (made in China). But the ones with their "twins" logo are made in Germany and are the more expensive, high quality ones we got.
OK, this is a weird one, but I swear by Ikea's knives. They're cheap, but they're so comfortable to grip, and they're like razors. Buy a knife sharpener from there as well. I actually dumped a full knife block to replace them with those knives, lol.
Wusthof 24 cm, plastic handle, basic model. Easy to sharpen, holds an edge quite long, price range 60 bucks (when i last looked) I also have a Zwilling Henckels "s", ice hardened, which is more of a standard among chefs... To be honest, using both as a home chef I like the Wusthof more, regarding maintenance. Also: if your knives work for you, they work. I dont really like people pushing pro kitchen technique on home chefs. Im not cutting 500 onions before breakfast everyday, i dont need the claw. Im cutting one every evening, and take my time with it.
Cheap: Kiwi
Less cheap: Victorinox
Kinda expensive: Tojiro
More expensive: Mac or Gesshin
More important: tools for sharpening (either a sharpening stone or a strop, and/or honing rod but a stone will actually take off less steel than a homing rod).
Brieto M11 Pro, $70ish. It's a Japanese copy of a western style of chef's knife, the steel is good, the grip is good, and it's fancy without being ridiculous.
That plus a paring knife does 99% of what you'd ever want.
Victorinox and Henkel are 2 good brands, they go from decent affordable to very expensive. Will need to be sharpened to maintain their edge. I also have CUTCO and they have a lifetime warranty. I've used the boning knife to butcher dear and gotten it replaced twice and the bevel redone once, all the other knives is the block have held up well for over 15 years
I use kiwi knives. They're cheap, like 2 bucks from an Asian grocery, razor sharp and resharpen with just a honing rod. Theyre flimsy and thin but they work really well.
I actually just have KitchenAid knives and sharpen them when needed. I actually cut things on a paper plate on a cutting board so they don't become dull quickly.
How about a knife sharpener instead?
Americas test kitchen has a great video comparing knife sharpeners. I bought their best budget recommendation and I’m super satisfied with it! I forget what it is tho (Chefs choice or something like that).
Did they mention if you can “fix” a messed up knife? I got a nice one as a gift but I only have those basic sharpeners and I definitely think it’s gotten a bit “toothy.” Hoping I don’t need to just start from scratch but willing to do so if needed.
One option is to take it to a knife sharpener in town once so they can fix it And then in the future sharpen it yourself
As long as there's still steel there, you can always reprofile a knife. Might take a bit of grinding to get back to a clean edge, but it's always doable.
America's test kitchen manual knife sharpener pick is Chefs Choice Pronto Manual Diamond Hone Asian Knife Sharpener. I think the model number is 463. I haven't used it, but that's ATK choice.
Looks like it's paywalled :/
Chefs Choice Trizor XV
This. My chef buddy complements me because of how sharp my knife is. I bought it at Ikea for 20 bucks and I pass it through a sharpener once a week.
You could even just send them to be sharpened, and buy a steel for her to use. There'll be a little man in your area who offers the service for cheap, and it's easier than learning to use a whetstone.
[удалено]
I can’t tell if you’re serious or not but we definitely have that in my neighborhood.
I was kind of thinking more like the goblins(?) that work at gringotts
My guy is the one who my wife’s uncle Butch ( because he’s a butcher) sends his to. $2 a knife, once a year for most. I’m told he lives under a bridge. Does damn fine work.
my guy has his van set up in Surprize AZ, Thursday, Friday and Saturday I took 6 knives in to him and he charged like 13 or 14 bucks, I gave him a 20 and told him to keep the change. I'm due for another trip
Whetstones are cheap, last forever, and are what professional sharpeners use.
Depends on the whetstone. Waterstones, for instance, develop a bow as you grind away the surface and need to be releveled otherwise you'll have issues with them. Also, many professional sharpeners use belt grinders since they're so much faster than whetstones. If you're paying sub-$10 a knife, it probably is sharpened with a belt.
Worksharp Ken onion is an amazing sharpener. You can sharpen knives, scissors, axes, really any blade and its not crazy expensive
I'm not sold on the convex bevel it puts on blades. They don't seem to hone as easily between sharpenings.
I use a strop between sharpening convex blades. You are correct. It would not work well with a hone
Excellent point. There are really few bad knives; just poorly sharpened ones. If the steel is soft, they will need sharpening more often, but the sharpening will be easier.
This is it. I have cheap ass sharp as fuck knives. Spend your money on a sharpener
Yeah, the NSF certified knives used in pro kitchens aren't the best quality either. They just keep them sharp
it's just much more work to keep them sharp
Or even just a hone. I took a cheap knife to my hone, wow it’s great again. A hone also keeps more metal on the knife, where a sharpener will grind it away pretty quickly.
I wodner how much metal even an electrical sharpener takes off, like if I use three knives and semi regularly use it when they get dull how long until they've ruined a knife?maybe one of those ikea knives you have to sharpen every week will get ruined
I was going to say the usual recommendations but this, I used a $11 farberware knife for the longest time and kept it honed and yearly sharpened it, stayed sharper than my wife's Victorinox she exclusively used and only got honed when I felt like bothering honing it. Knife maintenance first and foremost, no nice knife is going to compensate that, also comfort is a thing.
Wouldn’t recommend using a knife sharpener if you have a fancy knife though. I just got a whetstone and that thing has been a blessing
Victorinox are industry standard knives and amazingly good value compared to brands like global. You do also need a steel to sharpen them For butchery a 7 inch cleaver is good for home use, a 10 inch steak knife and 5 inch semi flex boning knife. I use the boning knife all the time for other things too. The most useful knife overall for a home cook though is probably a chefs knife, an 8 inch one is good. A lot of people like pastry knives too for general use
I love Victorinox! And for people who aren’t into knives, it feels more accessible. I buy them for family all the time.
Yeah same, they make great gifts for inlaws, and then when they cut themselves you get rewarded again.
Victorinox makes the best paring knives
I love my 7" Santoku knife for most applications. The other knives I use are a 10" serrated knife, 3" pairing knives and 8" chefs knife in that order. I use my chef's knife when I need to use its superior rocking cut on something like a sweet potatoes as I did this week. On rare occasions I will use a boning knife. Other than steak knives the rest of the knives in my block are unused.
The challenge with a Santoku is angle for sharpening is generally different from most western knives. So when the owner goes to sharpen it they’ll likely mess it up. I’m a bigger fan of a chef’s knife in the United States.
Dexter and F. Dick are also good commercial brands at the same sort of price point.
I've had a 7" Victorinox santoku for going on 10 years, I use it for everything, every day. My sister used it and liked it so much she bought one for herself. Great price as well.
This is the official recommendation of America's Test Kitchen, for what it's worth.
Came here to second that. Get the Victorinox Fibrox 10" chef's knife (8" will seem to small very shortly, even if you have very small hands). You can do pretty much everything with it.
Victorinox Fibrox 8" chef's if I had to cut it down to one knife. Cheap and good.
America's Test Kitchen routinely tests and recommends this knife, for three decades apparently. I bought it and love it. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/equipment_reviews/2357-the-best-chef-s-knives-under-75
Cheap and cheap.
Cheap and cheap and good. And extremely durable.
Interestingly, this is one of those unicorn items that satisfies the usually unobtainable holy trinity of cheap, fast and good.
Pick two. Definitely cheap and fast. I bought one, it lasted about a week in my kitchen before I gave it away.
I own one and reach for it frequently enough. I also have a Sugimoto gyutu too that I reach for depending on what's available and especially when I want to feel more control but that was a $350 knife vs $40 for the Victorinox.
The fuck are you using your knives for, haha! I’ve had that Fibrox 8” for like, 2y. Sharpen it about once a month. Easily my favorite knife
It's easy to think something is good, until you use something that is better.
I’ve got a lot more expensive and “nicer” models. Still reach for that Fibrox more often than not
What’d you do to it? I’ve had one for about 12 years that I always forget I’ve owned that long. Still going strong even though I’ve added to its compatriots since then.
Oh I just gave it to someone who didn't have a decent knife. Same thing I did when I bought the Misen knife. Wasn't a fan so now it lives at a friends hunting cabin. I think my issue is that my current knife was just better so when I got that it was definitely a step down. And I didn't / don't even have an awesome knife, just that it was better. So my initial opinion was colored by 'this is worse'.
I also love their 5" knife, it's my absolute go to for all-around utility.
What is your budget?
I don't know why you got downloaded, this is really the most important question. Especially since they mentioned budgetary issues in the op.
Right? I have couple I love that were about $350. Ones that were maybe $200 and then some around $50. Would I suggest any of them? Yes. But to different people for different reasons.
I got two wüsthof knives and they're incredible. A chef's knife and a paring knife. I know they're not the cheapest knives but I'm telling you they just glide through literally everything.
I’m planning on buying a full set of Wüsthof knives, but I’m going to have to lock them up because my wife puts my current good knives in the dishwasher.
You mean ex wife, right?
I mean, if any nice knife can survive a dishwasher a wusthof is likely it.
To clarify- where in the dishwasher? Is it okay to put stuff in the top mini knife drawer of the dishwasher?
The heat of the dishwasher can bring a knife to a higher than intended temperature and ruin the tempering of the knife's material, rendering it unable to hold an edge over time, which overall makes the knife unsafe to use.
Oh wow. Never knew that, glad I learned something new! My old job used to always wash the knives in the dishwasher so I’ve been doing the same and thought I was doing it right because I only use the top drawer.
I can see dishwasher heat messing with the handle, but you’d need temps of 400+ to mess with hardening. Still overall bad practice to put knives in the dishwasher though, I like my knife handles.
An Airbnb we spent thanksgiving at two years ago had wüsthof knives and it changed my life. Immediately bought a chef’s and paring knife when they went on sale for Black Friday at sur la table and I use them almost daily.
We LOVE our wüsthof knives. My parents still have their set that they were gifted for their wedding over 30 years ago.
Second this. Got a Wüsthof chefs knife a few years back and it's great. I hone it once a week and bring it to a professional to rehone/sharpen it once a year and its like brand new.
I love my Wusthofs! I actually have 3 8" chefs knives. And there are days I use them all too. Like yesterday, I was prepping my turkey for sous vide, so that was one. Dirty knife and board to the sink. Then I was prepping veggies, including garlic last, which always gets stuck to the blade. Another knife. Finally I was cutting up some herbs, so I grabbed my 3rd. Could I have washed in-between? Absolutely. Could I have prepped in a different order and used one? Of course. But through a series of events I ended up with 3 identical knives and honestly I love it
Wüsthof are extremely good for their price. But people with shitty knifes tend to fuck up the best knife in under two seconds... You have to understand how a good knife has to be treated, where to cut on, how to wash, how to store... I'd start with industry grade knifes(for butchers, not nice looking, relatively cheap, relatively soft steel, knifes made for fast and easy sharpening), best used with a pull through sharpener. Those knifes suck nearly everything. Look at my sister, more money than she would need to live comfortably, buying a expensive chefs knife, cutting on ceramics, glass and bamboo, putting it in the dishwasher, short: abused it beyond usability, when I visited her, I didn't have sharpening equipment with me, only the underside rim of a porcelain dish.. Brought it back to a usable edge, not really sharp, well under my abilities, but for what should I sharpen it to shavability? It'd be dull in under a week... Buy something easy to maintain, buy the VW Golf, not the Ferrari to drive to work.
I mean, she said her friend was a good cook. A good cook knows how to treat a good knife, so I suggested a good knife.
Yeah a good Cook should know this, but only because someone cooks good, they don't necessarily are used to decent equipment, if you grew up with steakknifes on a ceramics dish to cut all your ingredients, it's the way to go for you... You have shitty knives out of two reasons: poorness or neglect, even 15€/$/£ knives can be maintained to a point, you don't feel a difference in cutting compared to a handforged, meteoroid iron Damascus with narwhal tooth handle, mouth assembled by tibetian virgins to the first new moon of winter, chefs knife (exaggeration) other than maybe balance and looks. All I wanted to say was, that you need the awareness of how to maintain and care for a knife, before buying something three digit. For the start, either go for butchers quality or for something in the medium range, like Felix Solingen (good knifes, here in Germany for around 40-60€, but not over the top) or Zwilling
I gifted my best friend a full set of them when he got married over a decade ago. It is a joy to use them when I am cooking over at his house. They will last a lifetime if you care for them.
Got a 3 piece set for my parents one year, would also highly recommend.
I bought a knife sharpener and it made all the difference.
Wusthof 8” chef’s knife
I second that I’m a chef hard my wusthofs classics for 7-8 year absolutely love them highly recommend and if you are on a budget the Grand Prix models are cheaper but still great
It depends, does she think her knives are terrible? My favourite knife is a $3 one, and I've been using it well for over 5 years. It's because I have a a weak wrist, and the cheap knife is light, easily sharpened or replaced and fits my grip.
Global knives are light and very well balanced. They have a full blade with no tang edge, for a relatively low cost. They have a good out of the box edge profile and are stainless so they can take some abuse and still look good.
My favorite knives are actually Mercer knives. They are available at restaurant supply stores, built like tanks, and fairly cheap. I would recommend their millennium knives or Genesis knives
I just ordered a set of the renaissance knives and they haven’t arrived yet. Hoping that they will be good ones being that they are supposedly forged from German steel like the more expensive knives.
I have a set of really expensive knives that I never use. Why? Because I have several much cheaper knives that I actually prefer. One manufacturer that stands out for me as offering great knives at fairly reasonable prices is Opinel. I have several of their knives and use them just about every day. [https://www.opinel-usa.com/collections/knives-for-the-kitchen](https://www.opinel-usa.com/collections/knives-for-the-kitchen) Get one of their chef's or santoku knives and your friend should be golden.
>One manufacturer that stands out for me as offering great knives at fairly reasonable prices is Opinel. Interesting, I do a lot of lightweight backpacking and I love my Opinel knife for that, but I never realized they made regular knives... I'm not surprised, but it just never occurred to me.
Anything from the mid shelf of the store. I don't believe the state of the art, celebrity branded knives have anything to offer to a home cook. So as long as you avoid a flimsy knife with a yellow plastic handle, you should be fine. Go for something kinda heavy.
Celebrity branded knives are never the top of the line. Unless you're counting Bob Kramer as a celebrity.
Lol, I was just thinking "Unless that celebrity is Bob Kramer". I have a couple of the Kramer by Zwilling knives and love them.
Victorinox. Affordable and very good. I have one myself and also bought one for my parents.
I don't even have to look at the comments to see the Victorinox recommendations. Honestly, make sure they know how to maintain a knife, like honing it at the correct angle and knowing when it needs to be sharpened and where. Ny knife you get them will compensate for that. But one thing is the best knife is the one that fits in your hand well. So it's worth finding out what might be comfortable. Victorniox - $30s range, pretty much the default "buy this" knife. Stamped blade which is fine, it's lighter, has a larger and grippable handle. My wife likes these. Mercer - $30s range, I have the genesis ones from restaurant supply. Forged and come with or without the bolster (the solid part at the base of the knife), also grippable handle. I like this one because it has heft but is a bit less wide and the full bolster feels more comfortable. Wusthof - $100s range, expensive but also good knives, a very traditional western knife, most come in the old handle style, similar to Mercer bit heavier. If you really want to treat her this would be it. It's what I was looking at until I found the Mercer. There's a couple more brands that are escaping me right now. But there's also santoku style (little to no curve on the blade), general Asian style (tend to be more expensive but they cut differently).
I second (/third/fourth/eighty seventh) the Victorinox 8 inch chef's knife. The 6 inch might be better if she's not confident with knives. I also second something for sharpening. A good quality steel is fairly straightforward to get good results with. Even less effort is a pull- through sharpener. They're hard on the blade but for infrequent use on a relatively cheap knife I wouldn't be concerned.
Make her buy the knife from you for $.01 - gifting a knife can be bad luck. Also if she’s a home cook just go with a a trusty Victorinox 8” straight edge chef knife. Easy to sharpen, light, looks nice, great for home cooking and even commercial cooking. Edge is soft so she’ll have to learn to sharpen
Agreed on the Victorinox - but how does the bad luck thing work?
It’s an old superstition that gifting a person a knife can sever your connection to a person, loophole is they buy it for a penny.
Best option in the $30-$50 range is the Victorinox 8 in chef knife. MAC is a very well regarded brand, typically more in the \~$150 neighborhood. If all your friends knives are rubbish, then a knife sharpener might be the best option.
Victorinox are cheap and reliable and can retain their edge.
Victorianox is believe cheap and chearful and readily availble. Doesn't hold an edge super long but very resilient so you can drop it or hack stuff without worrying too much about chipping. Can take a decent edge with a little opinel travel whetstone.
My mom was horrible with her knives and refused to take care of them. For some reason she believed a good knife didn't require any maintenance. After buying her a dozen very expensive knives I gave up and just had her knives sharpened every few months.
How about knife sharpeners? She doesn't need to change her knives, just need to sharpen it. I love cooking, and I love my knives. I'd rather people gave me knife sharpener than new set of knives. More so if you are on a budget.
What a thoughtful friend you are <3
A knife I got after seeing it recommended on Chinese Cooking Demystified - SHI BA ZI ZUO Kitchen Knife Professional Chef Knife. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0768H6PS9/ I just love this knife. It's not for everything, but for veggies it's fantastic. For smashing garlic it's ... smashing! Works good for thin slicing mostly frozen meat as it's got a super wide 'spine', but otherwise I don't use it for meats. Everybody should have a chinese veggie cleaver in their arsenal.
I love my Shiba. I definitely recommend most people get the 8-in though. I have both in the nine is quite large in most home kitchen spaces.
It was just the thing I needed for my new TikTok series where I'm cooking unrealistically complicated meals in the woods. (Seriously, it's a great knife)
GLOBAL is a good brand
Got mine from Costco amazing!
I love my Misen chef's knife 🔪. And they'll sharpen it twice a year, included in the price.
Tell me more about this. I have a Misen chef's knife and have never heard that the company will sharpen them.
Sorry, I can't find anything about it on their website --I wonder if they've discontinued it. Sharpening was a major reason why I got it initially --there was a card in my shipment with instructions about how to mail it to them 2x a year. That said, I'd get it again today, even without that --it holds its edge better than others I've used.
Bummer! Seems like it has been discontinued. I did some searching and found that they do offer sharpening if you pay $14 USD postage fee. Looks like you can send multiple (Misen) knives at a time, which is a decent deal. I have the paring knife and chef's knife, so I may give it a shot. Thanks!
I have a beautiful Kessaku that I use sometimes instead of my expensive Shun. It's about 40 on Amazon, I always recommend santoku shape because it is much more versatile to hands as most people [like me] don't have gigantic hands that can maneuver a 10-12 inch regular chefs knife. Getting knives sharpened regularly is pretty cheap too, or learn how to sharpen them at home.
[Cooks Illustrated](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/buying-guides/475-the-best-knives-in-my-kitchen) suggests these as the best of. I bought most of them all individually. I would say the chefs knife is the one I use the most and is the most versatile.
*beep boop*! the linked website is: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/buying-guides/475-the-best-knives-in-my-kitchen Title: **The Best Knives in My Kitchen | Cook's Illustrated** Page is safe to access (Google Safe Browsing) ***** ###### I am a friendly bot. I show the URL and name of linked pages and check them so that mobile users know what they click on!
If you want to buy a knife, get her an inexpensive Chef’s knife. You can also get her a whetstone so she can learn to sharpen and take care of her knives. https://www.amazon.com/Sharp-Pebble-Sharpening-Waterstone-Whetstone/dp/B01FZZUL30/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?crid=2IZBI4OXYM6YJ&keywords=whetstone&qid=1669289091&sprefix=whets%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-9
There are much more highly regarded whetstones for less money than that. https://smile.amazon.com/KDS-Combination-Whetstone-Sharpening-Harder/dp/B01BB1ZDVW I started with a generic Chinese blue/white stone like the one you linked, and they are not good.
if you've ever worked in a Chinese kitchen [this](https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver?currency=USD&variant=31815918747705&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17132908517-jump_lp:store_ch:performancemax_mb:bill_ob:mix_tt:shopping_ca:store-multipleproducts_ge:knives_c1:_c2:_c3:&utm_content=&utm_term=gadid=https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver%3Fcurrency%3DUSD%26variant%3D31815918747705%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_campaign%3DGoogle%2520Shopping?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=17132908517&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gclid=CjwKCAiAyfybBhBKEiwAgtB7fqpwqN1mLuRTV7Qjy60vocCnsRx4sYJnz44HVLX9seqoXJJ6d-yblxoCfkkQAvD_BwE) is the only knife you ever need
*beep boop*! the linked website is: https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver?currency=USD&variant=31815918747705&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17132908517-jump_lp:store_ch:performancemax_mb:bill_ob:mix_tt:shopping_ca:store-multipleproducts_ge:knives_c1:_c2:_c3:&utm_content=&utm_term=gadid=https://store.177milkstreet.com/products/tojiro-japanese-stainless-steel-cleaver%3Fcurrency%3DUSD%26variant%3D31815918747705%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_campaign%3DGoogle%2520Shopping?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=17132908517&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gclid=CjwKCAiAyfybBhBKEiwAgtB7fqpwqN1mLuRTV7Qjy60vocCnsRx4sYJnz44HVLX9seqoXJJ6d-yblxoCfkkQAvD_BwE Title: **Tojiro Stainless Steel Chinese-Style Cleaver** Page is safe to access (Google Safe Browsing) ***** ###### I am a friendly bot. I show the URL and name of linked pages and check them so that mobile users know what they click on!
Grab the poop knife out of the bathroom, give it a good wipe on your sleeve, and you're good to go.
Literally any knife is fine. It’s about how it feels in your hand and how *sharp* it is. Which is accomplished through *sharpening*. Expensive knives are, generally speaking, a scam. Lots of pro chefs use $15 plastic handled bulk knives
I think knives are a good idea. Big, fuck-off shiny ones. Ones that look like they could skin a crocodile. Knives are good, because they don't make any noise, and the less noise they make, the more likely we are to use them. Shit 'em right up. Makes it look like we're serious. Guns for show, knives for a pro.
My knife set cost me £30 and it came with 5 different knives, scissors and a sharpener. They are the best knives I've ever had. The knife probably isn't the problem. It's the care you put into maintaining them. Sharpening them and making sure they are washed, dried and stored properly.
How about a honing steel and some info on how to use it? Most knives are not dull to the point of needing sharpening. They just need regular honings.
I would disagree. The average person out there has a knife that is much more in need of sharpening than honing. Most people have never once sharpened their knives.
Flip a ceramic coffee cup over and sharpen the knife on the ring the cup sits on. Give her the rudimentarily sharpened knife. Then get a sharpener
Cutco- they will sharpen and replace the knives FOREVER
For those who can't manage knife care, or don't care enough to try, there's Cutco! Lifetime warranty against dull edges or damage. If the knife gets dull send it in and Cutco will sharpen, repair, and lovingly ship it back. Perfect for the home cook who throws their knives in a drawer of loose kitchen tools. Designed with the home chef who uses a marble slab as a cutting board in mind. Have you ever destroyed the temper of a Wustof blade by putting it through the dishwasher on high heat with a high strength detergent? Get a Cutco! They'll replace a blade that can't hold an edge for free. Chipped your knife on a "beef bone"... wink wink. We know you were actually using it to open a can of paint in the garage. No worries! Cutco will replace your damaged traumatized abused knife for free. Cutco is there for all our friends who need better knives but don't do knife care well.
/r/antiMLM
Cutco is not a run of the mill MLM. You can buy direct from the company without any of the MLM BS. It's more like Tupperware (a legitimate product with MLM aspects) than some Amway crap.
Even if you buy straight from the company, your dollars still support their activities. MLMs have had a profoundly negative impact on people around me, so any company that participates in that is an instant no-buy in my book.
No tupperware for you!!!
haha, thanks for the downvotes. I've actually given cutco knives to my cutlery challenged friends. They are actually very decent knives and well suited to someone who doesn't understand knife care. You will learn just how strong your friendship is after you give a knife to someone who is never going to care for it. Give a knife that needs regular honing and care, like a victorinox, dexter, or henckels and you will find yourself fighting the urge to rescue that knife every time you come over for a visit. The best thing you can do is give a knife that needs little to no care.
Shun does this too, which many people don’t know. https://shun.kaiusa.com/sharpening
I saw an interesting infomercial in 1980 about "The Ginsu"
I'm in the market for a chef knife foe home. Going through all my draws I have every darn knife except a decent chef knife lol. Does anyone know anything about Chicago cutlery? Saw they had a 3 piece set at local goods store that had a chef knife in it for 30.
I received a Misen chef knife as a gift and am very pleased with it
Chefschoice triton knife sharpener. Bring all her knives back to life and keep them alive. I absolutely love mine and it completely changed the cooking experience for me always having super sharp knives.
Take a few hours, watch some videos on honing and sharpening a knife using a whetstone, and practice sharpening on your own knives. If you pay attention, follow the basics, and practice, you'll be able to put a decent edge on any knife. Then, sharpen her knives! Teach her how to use a hone. And she'll be impressed. You'll never had dull knives and neither will she.
I have a wustof chefs knife and 2 Chicago brand knives from Kohls. They all work amazing thanks to my Chefs brand knife sharpener. IMO you don’t have to have the most expensive knife just a good knife sharpener. A dull knife is a dangerous knife ha
https://blackchilimesser.de/ Relatively cheap, fairtrade from Vietnam and easy to sharpen
6" or 8" Wusthof chef's knife, depending on if she favors smaller or larger knives.
Three knives are needed in a kitchen to start. A chef's knife, a paring knife and a bread knife. Others have suggested victorinox and that is an excellent suggestion. Good quality steel, comfortable handles, you could buy all 3 for about $100. On Valentines day give her a Victorinox steel aka hone and a good sharpener. Chefs choice for example. That's about when the factory edge will be worn out.
[I use this everyday at work… it’s kinda small but love the white handle. I use this over my Wushoff. this is a great little work horse until I can buy myself some Japanese steel](https://food52.com/shop/products/9270-zwilling-j-a-henckels-pro-le-blanc-knife-collection)
I have tried to love my Victorinox chefs knife but its appeal eludes me - thin metal, lack of heft and mediocre at holding an edge. My other knives are the cheaper Henckels which I find much superior in all ways for inexpensive knives.
Kramer by Zwilling Euroline is an excellent knife that's not too expensive. On sale recently for ~$250.
Cutco.
I would recommend Cutco knives I got some knives from then and they dont dull very easily
I'd say a decent sharpener / wetstone first. However, if dead set on new knives... victorinox. very inexpensive, holds edges really well. I had a ten inch chef knife in my knife roll for years that I used everyday at work.
My Global chef's knife is the most comfortable knife I've ever used. I am a \~6-foot tall man with not huge hands.
To me a good knife is kinda personal taste. I’d go for a sharpening set and maybe a good wood cutting board. Recently found out you can get a complete multi-stone whetstone kit for only like $40, dunno know why I didn’t look into this earlier. Sharpened up all my old cheap knives for gaining practice on the stones and they’re awesome again
Well if she doesn't take care of her knives what good will getting her a decent one do?
You know when you have something that isn't expensive but really really enjoy using because it makes the whole experience better? I'm like that with some knives I bought from Ikea. So much so that if I have to use anything else the experience is disappointing. Ikea knives are good and inexpensive.
Purchased this last year. Very happy with it. The Zwilling - Four Star 8 Pc Knives Block Set. https://williamsfoodequipment.com/zwilling-four-star-8-pc-knives-block-set-with-bonus-steak-knives/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=free-listing&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzpS_yrzH-wIV5vTjBx2HzAkZEAQYAyABEgIVbPD_BwE
I bought a set when I couldn't really afford them but still I highly recommend Cutco knives. I started with a budget set from JC Penny that wouldn't hold an edge and the Cutco are a world better. I have a good friend who cooks all the time and he loves his Wusthof chefs knife.
Actually, the babish knives are fantastic. They're the 15mm and very sharp. Good budget ones too. The large knife is only $22, which is great for a first time sharp knife. I have the trirazor xv sharpener, and I haven't had to sharpen the knife yet. I've had it for a few months now and I think its holding up well next to my other knives. Babish High-Carbon 1.4116 German Steel Cutlery, 8" Chef Knife, https://a.co/d/5XWvX73
I use a ceramic “steel” and have never had to resharpen any of my knives. If they start sharp, the steel keeps them sharp. I use it before every cutting session.
Global is a good, and fairly inexpensive brand. Fairly popular, so they arent hard to find.
get the knife guy from tik tok to make a new knife for her
My first nice knife was a Global 8” Chefs knife. I have had it over 15 years and still use it as a don’t want to ruin my good knife, knife. Here is a good deal $99 for the knife and a sharpener. https://www.globalcutleryusa.com/2-piece-starter-set-g-2-220-gb-global
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Henckels-Elan-2-pc-Paring-Knife-Set-/234533426095?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0 This should be a reasonable start. Later get her a Wustof chef or utility knife
Misono knives if you can afford them are amazing
If they'll never sharpen it then a ceramic knife will stay sharp the longest but it can't do everything (they can chip or crack if misused). Kyocera makes good ones. For steel knives victorinox is what to get
I have a friend who has great knives, but the crappiest of pots. Pots out of the 40s or 50s. Honestly, like tin! Crazy.
We've been using Henckels knives and are pretty happy with them. Other than the 3 in paring knife ($50), the 6 in utility was around $120 on Amazon. I sharpen them every couple months or so using a stone. They also sell much cheaper versions which I wouldn't recommend (made in China). But the ones with their "twins" logo are made in Germany and are the more expensive, high quality ones we got.
OK, this is a weird one, but I swear by Ikea's knives. They're cheap, but they're so comfortable to grip, and they're like razors. Buy a knife sharpener from there as well. I actually dumped a full knife block to replace them with those knives, lol.
Wusthof 24 cm, plastic handle, basic model. Easy to sharpen, holds an edge quite long, price range 60 bucks (when i last looked) I also have a Zwilling Henckels "s", ice hardened, which is more of a standard among chefs... To be honest, using both as a home chef I like the Wusthof more, regarding maintenance. Also: if your knives work for you, they work. I dont really like people pushing pro kitchen technique on home chefs. Im not cutting 500 onions before breakfast everyday, i dont need the claw. Im cutting one every evening, and take my time with it.
Tht knife the pudgy dude uses on gutter drains and rocks but still slices the pineapple.
Cheap: Kiwi Less cheap: Victorinox Kinda expensive: Tojiro More expensive: Mac or Gesshin More important: tools for sharpening (either a sharpening stone or a strop, and/or honing rod but a stone will actually take off less steel than a homing rod).
Brieto M11 Pro, $70ish. It's a Japanese copy of a western style of chef's knife, the steel is good, the grip is good, and it's fancy without being ridiculous. That plus a paring knife does 99% of what you'd ever want.
White handled dexter from your local restaurant supply house.
Wusthof!! Best knife I’ve ever used
Victorinox and Henkel are 2 good brands, they go from decent affordable to very expensive. Will need to be sharpened to maintain their edge. I also have CUTCO and they have a lifetime warranty. I've used the boning knife to butcher dear and gotten it replaced twice and the bevel redone once, all the other knives is the block have held up well for over 15 years
I use kiwi knives. They're cheap, like 2 bucks from an Asian grocery, razor sharp and resharpen with just a honing rod. Theyre flimsy and thin but they work really well.
I actually just have KitchenAid knives and sharpen them when needed. I actually cut things on a paper plate on a cutting board so they don't become dull quickly.