Good knife set needed

[her209]

Need a new set but I don't want to pay an exhorbant amount nor do I want to overpay for a set just because of the brand. So here I am...

What do you look for when buying knives? The type of stainless steel used? Handle construction?

 

[Broheim]

forged is usually superior but expensive (lasts a lifetime though), hot drop forged isn't inherently superior today but is generally reserved for the highest quality knives because of the labor involved. Price wasn't a problem for me though since my parent's bought me a set of Global forged knives when I moved out.
stamped makes sense when you need a very flexible knife.

the steel is also important, you get what you pay for generally (though look out for marketing hype).

 

[DrPizza]

I have an expensive set of Cutco, and a $40 set of Chicago cutlery that I got at an outlet store. Both blocks are sitting on the counter. The Chicago knives are used more often than the Cutco by at least a 10 to 1 margin. They work just fine for most of my needs. They're also easier to keep sharp - I'd rather slice through my food than saw through my food.

P.S. If someone says, "but this set is awesome, the scissors can cut through a penny!" I have a $1.99 pair of school scissors in my classroom which cut through a penny just fine. It's only amazing, because people don't expect it to be so easy. In fact, this applies to a lot of demonstrations that people do: many demonstrations work identically well with other products. It's just that demonstration does something that the normal person wouldn't do, and the results of the demonstration are counter-intuitive to most people. That leaves them thinking that the product is better, when in fact, the demonstration does nothing to distinguish that product from the rest. Another example: sawing an aluminum can in half.

 

[Tiamat]

I really enjoy my shun kaji knife set but I got it as a gift. It is quite expensive. It looks nice as a collection on the counter of my kitchen. Barring that cosmetic point, I could easily live with just a couple of the knives. The large santoku, utility knife, and honing steel. If you don't need all the knives that come in a knife block, you can get really nice quality one or two knives. For example, I have never used the veggie cleaver, boning knife, small paring knife, any of the two chefs knives. I used the bread knife once a year and the carving knife once a year...

 

[thirdeye]

Check out Victorinox. My wife bought a few of them a while back based on reviews on Amazon and they've been great. They're relatively inexpensive and they've been treating me well for a couple years now.

 

[Wyndru]

Ha, my links from the previous knife thread still work. Here is a little copy paste.

I have these, and really like them. They don't feel "flimsy" like other sets I've bought, and the are pretty sharp. My Mom got them for me for xmas.

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Gourme...1928331&sr=1-2 (49.95 for 4 knives).

The "gourmet" line is much cheaper than their "classic" line, and it is a flimsier knife in comparison, but I still like them more than any other set I have had.

Anyhow, here is the same set in the classic line:
http://www.amazon.com/W%C3%BCsthof-C...1928331&sr=1-3 (169.95 for 4 knives)
http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url...&ie=UTF8&qid=1361928331&sr=1-3&user=u00000687

 

[Chocu1a]

how much do you want to spend?
I swear by the Japanese steel. I have a set of Tojiro I use at work & a set of Shun Classic at the house.Strong, light & sharp as the devil.

 

[jaqie]

I personally buy "chicago cutlery" brand. If kept in good condition they are really good knives. I still remember the set my parents had while growing up, they had been sharpened by my father with a stone set, and were like 20 years old, but still worked like new. Their new knives still seem just as good quality, and are not very expensive, even sold in walmart.

 

[Anubis]

ive become a fan of the ceramic knifes that are out there now. things are shap as hell and stay sharp

 

[crashtestdummy]

Need a new set but I don't want to pay an exhorbant amount nor do I want to overpay for a set just because of the brand. So here I am...

What do you look for when buying knives? The type of stainless steel used? Handle construction?

I wouldn't bother with a set. You don't need that many knives, and two or three will do almost anything you want.

What are you planning on cutting?

If you're cutting veggies, fruit, and boneless meat, you can't really beat ceramic knives. If you treat them right, they'll stay sharp forever. The only thing is that they're brittle and shouldn't be used on bone or for prying.

For work on harder materials, I'd recommend a carbon steel chef's knife. It stays harder and sharpens better than stainless. It'll stain with time, and you don't want to let it sit in water, but otherwise it's better than most stainless steel.

 

[lxskllr]

I wouldn't bother with a set. You don't need that many knives, and two or three will do almost anything you want.

This. I do 90% of my cutting with a Japanese chefs knife, and a parer. The rest I use a Chinese chefs knife, and an ulu, but I could live without them. I like Henkel 4star knives. They aren't the absolute best, but they're more than good enough for the home user. Learn how to use a set of stones to keep them sharp, and they'll last a lifetime.

 

[biostud]

I have 4 good knives, and I use 2 of the them for 95% of the cutting.

 

[Anubis]

I have 4 good knives, and I use 2 of the them for 95% of the cutting.

i suspect most of us are like that, i use a 6in chefs knife for everything besides boning, i have a boning knife and a cleaver that dont get used often

the other most used knife is a bread knife

 

[Jaepheth]

I'm also in favor of buying individual knives for each required type rather than getting a set.

A few good knives beat the hell out of a lot of meh knives.

Also fewer knives will fit on a magnetic strip which is easier to keep sanitary than a dark hole in a wooden block.