This has been a LONG time coming because the number one question I get asked is “what is my recommendation for good kitchen knives?” I’ve already helped several friends put together their wedding registries, or find reliable replacements for their knives when they become frustratingly dull or damaged. So I thought it was time to make a VIDEO to share the wealth.
I also get asked about my recommendations for knife blocks ALL the time, but I don’t even personally own one! I like the freedom to choose my knives individually. I also don’t have much counter space to spare, so for me, it’s more of a practical choice. I usually keep the few knives I own and actually use carefully tucked away in one drawer. However, I know that knife block sets can be convenient, so I weigh in with a couple suggestions at the end of the video as well.
If you have just a few staple knives, you can adequately survive in the kitchen, and make nearly any dish you wish. You need to make sure you have the right tools in your arsenal so you can be the best cook you can be. So be sure to invest in a basic knife kit. Here’s what should be inside:
Basic Knife Kit:
You only really need 3 basic knives, kitchen shears, and a honing rod.
1. Chef’s Knife (my recommendation): This is your kitchen workhorse. A sharp chef’s knife is the most essential tool in your kitchen. As long as you have one reliable chef’s knife, you don’t need much else.
2. Serrated Knife (my recommendation): This knife is good for cutting through things like loaves of bread and tomatoes. It’s more of a “convenience” knife, but will do a better job than a chef’s knife for certain jobs.
3. Paring Knife (my recommendation): This knife is useful for scoring, scooping, peeling, and detail work.
4. Kitchen Shears (my recommendation): You will use these handy scissors for snipping herbs, cutting kitchen twine, opening packages, or butterflying a chicken.
5. Honing Rod (my recommendation): You need this to keep your chef’s knife in working order in between sharpening sessions. You want to hone your knife the moment you feel like it’s not performing as well as it should. Honing will help maintain the edge longer.
Some of my current knife brands include:
1. Victorinox
2. Shun
3. Kyocera
4. Kuhn Rikon
5. Mercer Culinary
I go more into detail about all these knives, brand recommendations, descriptions on why I like them, and MORE in our VIDEO
And if that was too much information for you digest from a video, don’t fret my pet! You don’t have to rewind, pause, and frantically scribble down all the info you just heard, because if you sign up for mailing list, you will receive our FREE “Ultimate Knife Guide for the Home Cook” PDF with all the written descriptions and direct links to the knives I mention in our video!
We put this roundup together for you in a neat little package, which we hope you find helpful and easy to digest! Here’s an excerpt from our guide:
So thanks for sending me your questions and inspiring me to FINALLY create this for you! Go ahead and snag your FREE copy by signing up for our mailing list! Hope you found this guide helpful. If you’re hungry for more, head to our resource page for the rest of my kitchen tool recommendations.
-Julie
Your Kitchen Coach
I agree, knife sets are often not great. I like the Kapoosh knife block – it can hold almost any size and shape of knife, so it’s totally versatile. (It does have a hard time with my 16″ slicing/carving knife.)