Many new and experienced cooks are searching for the best kitchen knives so that they can produce the best food possible and take pride in their culinary possessions. The reality is that there is no single ideal choice for the best kitchen knives. There are a lot of factors to take into account when choosing the knife that is right for your needs. The first thing to realize is that more expensive knives are not necessarily better knives. You may think that the top restaurants that have nearly unlimited budgets are filled with knives made by the most famous brands. The reality is different: most restaurant kitchen knives are very plain and normal and come from a restaurant supply business. Their advantage is not the knife itself. Instead, it’s the diligence to keep the knives sharp and well maintained, and also having developed the necessary skills to use the knife appropriately.
The best kitchen knives can also depend on what you like to cook and what is most comfortable for you. For example, many people swear by a traditional chef’s knife and believe that it is the foundation that all knives rest upon. Others believe that a Japanese style Santoku knife is actually superior to the standard chef’s knife for many uses. Another example is that many people believe that knives with wooden handles are the best, and that a plastic or synthetic handle is cheap and low quality. On the other hand, some people find that synthetic handles feel better or fit their hands better, or prefer them because they are less likely to get destroyed if you put your knives through the dishwasher.
Here are some of what are considered the best kitchen knife brands:
Wusthof: The classic red Wusthof is known everywhere for representing quality fine knives. They’ve been making knives in Germany since 1814! When buying Wusthof knives, it’s still important to understand what they offer and how what you are looking to buy fits into their product line. Like most luxury brands, their product line is broad and ranges from the top of the line knives down to relatively low quality knives: You cannot just assume that the knife is great simply based on its manufacturer. For example, it’s generally believed that the best knives are forged from metal. At the lower end, a lot of the Wusthof knives are actually just stamped from sheet metal.
Henckels: Henckels knives are another set of classic luxury knives made by an old German company with decades of experience making knives. Like Wusthof, Henckels has top of the line knives which are forged with wooden handles, but also has lines of stamped knives with synthetic handles.
Global: Global is a Japanese company that makes a unique line of knives. They are all one piece including the blade and handle, and made of stainless steel. The handles tend to be smaller which are ideal for people with more petite hands, and they have a unique dimpled texture which is meant to help avoid slipping while you are using the knife. They have a streamlined and high-tech look compared to the standard stainless blade and black handle that is nearly universal among most knives.