Knives are one of the most used items in a kitchen, yet a lot of people still do not know how important they are. With the right knife you will find that chopping, cutting, peeling and coring is so much easier as you have the right tool for the task. If you need to buy kitchen knives this guide will help you to make the right decision.
Get the right knife for different tasks
When you are cooking there are so many different things you will have to do with a knife. Most people will have experienced peeling, chopping, slicing and so on, but trying to use the same knife for all of these tasks is not a good idea. All knives have different purposes and you will be making your life a whole lot harder if you think that just one or two knives will be suitable.
You need to have a selection of good knives that will allow you to do everything in the kitchen with them. You should be looking to have a good bread knife, a small sharp knife for smaller vegetables, a large knife for chopping, a heavy knife plus a steel to sharpen them all with. You do not have to get traditional steel as there are plenty of alternative sharpening devices out there that work just as well.
Knives come in many shapes and sizes for a reason
Choose quality
Getting a good quality knife means that it will last you for years and years without any problems. The blade will take sharpening on a regular basis without becoming warped or bent and it will be as good as the day you bought it. Poor quality knives will not last; they will not help you to make clean cuts and can leave you very frustrated.
Think about the cost
If you can’t afford to buy four or five high quality knives at once, just buy one at a time. While you might think you are saving money by getting a cheap knife you won’t in the long run. Instead you will find yourself buying a new knife every couple of years, which over time means you could have bought a high quality knife in the first place. If you find that you are really struggling, why not buy your main knife and then add to your collection as you can afford it, visit a site such as cooksparaphernalia.co.uk for a wide selection of knives?
Durability is vital
Knives also have to be durable as this adds to their safety and performance. You do not want your knife blade to break when you are using it, so always make sure you have got the best knife you can afford.
Sharp blades
As mentioned a sharp blade is important when you are using knives in the kitchen. If your knife blades are blunt you will not be able to use them properly and they could cause you problems. You can either purchase a chef’s steel which is a long piece of cylindrical metal used for sharpening knives, or you can go for a sharpener that you can run the blade through. Both work very well, but there is a knack to using steel, which is one of the reasons why a lot of people will go for a worktop sharpener which is much simpler to use.
If a full set is too expensive to start with, just buy the basics
Get a knife block
To protect your knives and extend their lifetime you should get a knife block. There are many options and styles that are available, so you can choose one that will complement your kitchen.
Conclusion
With so many kitchen knives available it is no wonder that some people can find choosing one hard. Just make sure you go for quality and get a set of knifes that will allow you to undertake any type of task in the kitchen.
Image credits: u m a m i and Panduh
Categories: Recipes | Tags: culinary, equipment, food, Kitchen, Knives | Permalink