Kitchen knives can seem a bit overwhelming. We have all seen chefs carve up meats or slice up vegetables with little effort and then failed miserably when trying to copy what we have seen in our own kitchens. Many times, it isn't that you don't know how to cut properly, it is that your knives are not sharp enough. If you have ever tried to cut up a tomato and ended up with a smooshed up mess, you don't have a sharp enough knife. Slipping, jumping, nicking, and smashing are all things that happen when your knives are not sharp enough. Someone once told us that a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, and we have to agree.True, you could buy those knives that promise to stay sharp forever, but it will soon be obvious that nothing is *never*, especially when sold on late night infomercials. Buy really good knives and learn how to sharpen them properly. A truly good knife will hold its edge, but will have to be sharpened.
You may be wondering how many knives you really need in the kitchen? In our experience, less is more. If you are buying on a budget, purchase one good knife at a time and collect each one when you can afford it. As A good rule of thumb is to buy the knife you use the most, first. Then the next most often used and continue. Many chefs recommend anywhere from 4-6 knives in your collection, for just about anything you will do. A Chef's knife is a favorite first for home cooks. You can use it for everything from slicing up meats to cutting up vegetables, and with a good Chef's knife, you can make a meal from start to finish with it.
Here is a video showing how to choose really good knives for the home cook. Also, find out which knives make the most sense to buy. Hope it's helpful!
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