Which kitchen knives do you really need to have?

jaybee

I think it's probably better to buy a block seperately. The 'ready kitted' ones usually have poor quality knives in them (unless they're seriously expensive!). My favourite knife is about 9in long (I think it's called a cook's knife). Could really do with more than one of that one as I'm always having to take it out of the dishwasher 'cos I need it again!


Oh yes! I use old kitchen kives in the garden as well - very good for getting weeds out of the lawn!!!!

Murtle

I have a variety of knives....

Chefs knife (12inch)
Boning knife
Fish filleting knife
Paring knife
Carving knife
General kitchen devil

Try these guys for good knives at good prices (or a discount) not associated with them - just had to use them for Hospitality school!!!!

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/

italiastar

Try this one -

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=55048&ts=62490

Loadsabob

I only use the three knives, too - a little serated one for tomatoes, a bread knife, and one main chopping knife. That one is amazing though - it must have been cheap as it was in the starter pack my Mum and I put together when I left for Uni 10 years ago. It was from Woolworths, as I recall, not a named brand, but a big comfy black plastic handle. I use it daily. My lovely boyfriend will sharpen it with his sharpening stone, which he's done only once before...and he's very nervous about doing that now since he saw me slicing mushrooms towards myself this weekend...!

RachelD

I'd worry about how hygienic knife blocks are - it's not as if they are easy to clean out. I keep mine on a magnetic rack (IKEA) along with other stuff like can /bottle openers, fish slice etc.
I had some Richardson's knives from Sainsburys. a little one for fruit, a vegetable and evrything knife about 7 in blade, a serrated bread knife and a carver. After about 10 years use the metal rivets are starting to loosen for which I blame the dishwasher. I had a couple of Sabatier knives, even older, and the same thing is happening to them. The ex also broke the point of one of them when using it as a screwdriver.

Rachel

skylight

I use Furi ones - professional chef's ones. Not cheap, but they do a cheaper range called Qu. (Australian made)

They are fab. The knife sharpener is really strange BUT my carving knife and paring knife - 2 most used ones - haven't actually been sharpened in a year and still slice meat perfectly.

Can't say the same about cutting through trees though.......

The main distributor is https://www.tsi-group.com - they wont sell to you directly, but can put you in touch with someone near you.

Lucie_2

We have had a set of richardson "fusion" knives for nearly 4 years now & they're still pretty good. They come with a magnetic plastic "blade guard" that stops them going blunt in the drawer.
I only ever use the smallish all purpose one, OH prefers the larger cooks knife & we have a carver which comes out occasionally along with the bread knife (which I also use to cut tomatoes cos it's serrated).

In addition to that we have a filleting knife for fish & a cleaver that is just gathering dust. Don't use that much at all.

i think they were bought on a Debenhams "24 hour spectacular" day for 20% off

ka7e

I love my Ikea knives! They have chunky non-slip blue/grey handles and were very cheap. My OH ocasionally sharpens them for me on a steel, but I prefer them not-quite-so-sharp.
I use a Kitchen devil serrated knife for bread. OH uses an ancient bone handled carving knife and fork for meat - I'd probably just hack away with my paring knife!

catznine

I wouldn't be without my paring knife, bread knife, carving knife and chefs knife. Occasionally a grapefruit knife as well