Kitchen Equipment for Great Home Cooking
Knives & Other Cutlery

Always purchase the best quality knives that you can afford and store them properly either encased in a wooden block or hung on a wall in your kitchen, secured by magnetized rods. Generally, the best knives are meticulously "hammered" out of long, thick pieces of high carbon stainless steel. The perfect recipe for a great knife is having enough carbon steel, to keep the blade sharp longer, and enough stainless steel to keep the blade looking good, after being exposed to corrosives, like citrus, tomatoes, salts, etc. This painstaking process, which takes numerous steps to accomplish, is blatantly reflected in the knife's inflated price. But without good knives, basic cooking chores take much longer to accomplish, and using a dull or poorly made knife is one of the largest causes of accidents in the kitchen. So, it’s best to purchase only a few all-purpose blades instead of buying an entire set of knives of a lesser quality.

Before buying a knife, lift it and caress the handle. It's important to be comfortable with the weight of it. The knife should feel "weighty" but not heavy and clumsy. The handle should feel smooth, and any rivets (visible bolts) should be flush with the surface. Avoid knives with a space between the handle and the blade since it's a perfect spot for food to lodge and get stuck while chopping. 

Whether you buy a set or individual knives, you should have one of each of the knives included in Must Haves.