It doesn’t matter whether you are a novice chef or an expert chef, you still need to own a few essential knives to ensure that you can whip up a good meal for yourself. Not every knife is made equal, as different types are used for various purposes and it definitely makes life a lot easier when you are prepping with the right knife.
1. Chef’s Knife
This is known as a chef’s knife for a reason, as it is arguably the most essential and basic knife that you need in your kitchen. It’s super versatile and can be used for cutting almost anything from vegetables to meat. There are many to choose from that don’t require you to break the bank. You don’t always have to have the most expensive items to product the best results. It’s about what you do with them that counts. Ideally, you should choose one that measures about eight to 10 inches for the best grip.
2. Paring Knife
This little knife picks up the slack for a chef’s knife as it is able to handle smaller and more delicate food that the chef’s knife is not able to. The paring knife is good for precision work such as peeling apples, mincing garlic or de-veining shrimp. Choose one that measures about three and a half inches in length for your kitchen.
3. Bread Knife
The serrated blade on this knife is perfect for cutting bread and similar items, which is why most people dubbed it the bread knife. Actually, it is suitable to use for so many items other than bread, as the serrated edges is handy for cutting foods with waxy or slippery edges such as tomatoes, peaches or even cakes. Make sure the teeth of the blade are not too small or too big for the best use.
4. Cleaver
Sometimes brute force in chopping and cutting is exactly what you need and this is where the cleaver comes in. These knives are sturdy and large but doesn’t need to be particularly sharp as it is the weight that helps you break down hunks of meat without breaking the knife. If you’re wanting to find the best ones on the market, read more at The Kitchen Guy.
5. Kitchen Shears
Okay, we know that this is not actually a knife but no kitchen is complete without a set of heavy duty kitchen shears. It’s easy and handy to use especially if you want to slice open a chicken or chop off some excess fat so do make sure that you have one at home.