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Chef’s knives are the most essential part of any kitchen. Whether you’re a professional chef, a culinary enthusiast or someone who hates cooking, you’ll need a reliable chef’s knife.
Chef’s knives have an eight-inch blade and a handle around five to eight inches long. While most kitchen knives have a specific purpose – pairing, boning, cutting bread, etc – chef’s knives are built to do as much as possible. Break out your chef’s knife when chopping vegetables, carving meat, slicing fruit and everything in-between. In other words, knives are the pinnacle of cooking utensils – 2.6 million years in the making.
Professionals covet their chef’s knife because they know its exact weight and capabilities, allowing them to work accurately at lighting speeds. But culinary beginners can also benefit from the do-it-all functionality of a chef’s knife because they don’t demand knowledge of every knife in a bulky set.
What to Know Before Buying a Chef’s Knife
Picking a chef’s knife requires more research than some people realize. Ideally, you’ll want to try knives in person. Professional chef Tim Hayward suggests bringing a bag of tomatoes to the kitchen store and slicing right there. But researching and shopping online is much easier for most of us, so instead, order your knife and give it the tomato test at home.
There are a few key specs to look at before buying a new chef’s knife. Below are some of the most important.
Origin: Nationality is the most important factor when buying a chef’s knife because it determines the style and composition of the blade. The two main styles are Japanese and German (a.k.a Western). Japanese blades are harder and stay sharper for longer, but this hardness makes them more prone to chipping and cracking. German blades are softer (so they’ll dull faster), but this makes them tougher for heavy-duty jobs and easier to sharpen. When checking hardness you can also see where the knife falls on the Rockwell hardness scale. Low to mid 50s is softer, while mid 50s to low 60s is harder.
Handle Size: The handle of a chef’s knife should fit in your palm with a little extra space. Most handles range from five to nine inches long, so pick according to the size of your hand.
Grip: Some chefs prefer an ergonomic handle with more grip for heavy-duty cutting. Others like a more simple handle that allows for various positions and a more solid feel.
Weight: Generally speaking, Japanese-style knives are lighter than German knives. The lightness of a Japanese blade can be good for precise tasks, but the weight of a German knife can make heavy-duty mincing and carving easier.
