Cutting Through The Knife Block Myth: Why Two Knives Are Enough
David Kahn |
Ask any professional chef what they value above all else in their kitchen and you’re likely to hear the same answer time and time again: a good chefs knifeand paring knife. Yet the typical Australian home still likely has a hulking knife block dominating the counter, full of types of knives nobody in the house is able to identify.How did we get here? Well, most people simply think more is better. With that mindsets, knife blocks seem like a fantastic deal for the money. A high quality Wusthof knife block may seem to offer a simple solution to the question of which knives you need, but the reality is a bit different for most home chefs. It's a myth that each piece of a knife block set is a kitchen essential. The likelihood that you’re going to use all of the knives in an 18-piece set (or even a 6-piece set) is very low. With Woolworths or Coles providing boneless chicken fillets from Lilydale, do you need a boning knife? Probably not. What about a bread knife or a carving knife? Maybe, but you’ll probably be fine without them.So how should you decide which knives are essential for your kitchen? Let’s start with the basics.
The Essential Knives We All Need
If we’re talking about absolute must-haves, basics that every kitchen in Australia should have, (lest it risk being delegated to the rank of kitchenette), there are really only two knives you need:
The Chef’s Knife
This is your darling, your workhorse, the knife you’ll use every single day for tasks you haven’t even thought of yet. When chefs get a knife tattoo, this is what they get. But this big role to fill means there’s a lot of pressure in choosing the right chef’s knife. Your chef's knife can be a big investment (although it doesn’t always have to be), so it’s worth really thinking it through. What are the essential features you should look for?
Size
Chef’s knives come in three size ranges: small (usually around 15-20 cm), standard (20 cm), and large (typically around 25 cm). Unless you’re unusually short or tall, a standard size will do for most people.
Importance of Ergonomics
This is an area many people don’t give nearly enough consideration when buying a chef’s knife. Ergonomic handles are far more important than we realize. The knife world may be full of stunningly beautiful handles, but don’t forget that this is a tool that you’ll be using often, frequently for prolonged periods of time. Unless you like stiff hands, think about comfort over beauty. This is one area where Victorinox chef’s knives really shine.
European Chef’s Knives vs. Asian Santoku Knives
With Asian chef’s knives (also known as Santoku knives) growing in popularity, many are wondering what all the fuss is about. The main differences here are in weight, flexibility, and the type of edge. Much of this is because Japanese knife manufacturers favour high carbon steel that reduces weight and can offer superior sharpness. European knives are heavier, meaning they’re great for heavy-chopping activities where the weight of the knife does some of the work for you. Asian knives are lighter and more flexible, making them great for precision work like filleting a fish or finely mincing shallots.Then there’s the edge. European blades have an edge that comes in on both sides, whereas Asian knives are flat on one side and taper to an edge on the other. That last point is very important for anyone who’s left-handed: you’ll want to purchase a special left-handed knife if Asian is your choice. It’s also important to note that Japanese knife edges tend to be made with a tighter angle than German knives. This provides for great precision (think about sliced sashimi), however it can also make them more fragile in comparison to German knives.
If you want to know more about the differences, the New York Times has a very in-depth comparison.
The Paring Knife
When looking at paring knives, you’ll want to look at most of the same considerations mentioned for the chef’s knife, though paring knives are generally made in the European style. The difference here is that a paring knife is much shorter, usually 7-10 cm. These knives are for smaller jobs, like peeling a potato or hulling strawberries. Their size makes them easy to maneuver on delicate jobs and get into small spaces when necessary.Besides size, you’ll also find a variety of styles of paring knives. For example, a bird’s beak knife has a beak-shaped point, designed for extreme precision, while a bull nose paring knife maintains a straight edge throughout. There are also serrated and non-serrated options, though serrated blades are generally not necessary for the kind of jobs a paring knife is used for.Once you know these are the types you’ll need, how should you choose the right brand and knife for you!
Budget Knife Options ($30-$70)
The good news here is that an inexpensive knife doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing on quality. If you’d like to go for a world-renowned Australian brand, we’d recommend Furi products designed right here at home. These knives go for an elegant and easy-to-clean all stainless steel design.Or, based on the enthusiastic recommendation of America’s Test Kitchen, you could go for one of the Victorinox knives we mentioned earlier. Even at their low prices, either of these two brands will be a huge step up for anyone used to cheap knives from IKEA or the supermarket kitchenware aisle.
Mid-Range Options ($70-$120)
A leader in making knives for centuries, the Japanese Brand Global Knives has been building its own tradition since 1985. No doubt you’ll recognize their iconic dotted handle. Global has made a mark in Australia as an affordable, high-quality Japanese knife worth investing in. They also offer some interesting options like the 18cm G-46 Santoku Knife. It mixes asian blade design with a more European shape, the best of both worlds for someone who loves the edge of the East and the shape of the West.
High-End Options ($80-$650)
Global may be using Japanese innovation to build on that country’s knifemaking tradition, but Shun goes the other route: keeping things as traditional as possible. The result is a knife that is as stunning in its appearance as in its performance. If you’re looking for an Asian chef’s knife you’ll want to pass down to your children, this is it.An equal in quality, Wusthof knives offer just as much tradition as Shun, but might appeal more to European-style aficianados. Manufactured in the same city in Germany for over 200 years, Wusthof has built a reputation for uncompromising quality and reliability.Together, these two brands really make up the best the Asian and European styles have to offer.
The Extras You Can Consider
Depending on what you find yourself doing most often in the kitchen, investing in a good bread knife or carving knife can be a good idea. A bread knife will have a nice serrated edge to cut through even the thickest crust, while a carving knife will be long enough to let you carve a beautifully thin slice of a ham or Sunday roast. Other types, like boning knives or cleavers, are probably best to invest in if you’re a cook who's really serious about your meat or fish. But at the end of the day, a good chef’s knife or paring knife can handle most of these jobs without too much trouble.
Don’t Forget, It’s Your Knife
Ultimately, a knife is a personal object and should fit your needs. So, there’s no need to get caught up in what someone else thinks is best: make a choice based on how and what you cook. Don’t let a one-size-fits-all knife block leave you stuck with a chef's knife that doesn't suit your cooking style and a set of blades you’ll never use.If you’ve purchased one of the knives we’ve mentioned, don't forget to leave a review and let everyone know what you think of it.
This is your darling, your workhorse, the knife you’ll use every single day for tasks you haven’t even thought of yet. When chefs get a knife tattoo, this is what they get. But this big role to fill means there’s a lot of pressure in choosing the right chef’s knife. Your chef's knife can be a big investment (although it doesn’t always have to be), so it’s worth really thinking it through. What are the essential features you should look for?
With Asian chef’s knives (also known as Santoku knives) growing in popularity, many are wondering what all the fuss is about. The main differences here are in weight, flexibility, and the type of edge. Much of this is because Japanese knife manufacturers favour high carbon steel that reduces weight and can offer superior sharpness.
European knives are heavier, meaning they’re great for heavy-chopping activities where the weight of the knife does some of the work for you. Asian knives are lighter and more flexible, making them great for precision work like filleting a fish or finely mincing shallots.
Then there’s the edge. European blades have an edge that comes in on both sides, whereas Asian knives are flat on one side and taper to an edge on the other. That last point is very important for anyone who’s left-handed: you’ll want to purchase a special left-handed knife if Asian is your choice.
It’s also important to note that Japanese knife edges tend to be made with a tighter angle than German knives. This provides for great precision (think about sliced sashimi), however it can also make them more fragile in comparison to German knives.
Japanese vs German knives / source
When looking at paring knives, you’ll want to look at most of the same considerations mentioned for the chef’s knife, though paring knives are generally made in the European style.
The difference here is that a paring knife is much shorter, usually 7-10 cm. These knives are for smaller jobs, like peeling a potato or hulling strawberries. Their size makes them easy to maneuver on delicate jobs and get into small spaces when necessary.
Besides size, you’ll also find a variety of styles of paring knives. For example, a bird’s beak knife has a beak-shaped point, designed for extreme precision, while a bull nose paring knife maintains a straight edge throughout. There are also serrated and non-serrated options, though serrated blades are generally not necessary for the kind of jobs a paring knife is used for.
Once you know these are the types you’ll need, how should you choose the right brand and knife for you!
The good news here is that an inexpensive knife doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing on quality. If you’d like to go for a world-renowned Australian brand, we’d recommend Furi products designed right here at home. These knives go for an elegant and easy-to-clean all stainless steel design.
Or, based on the enthusiastic recommendation of America’s Test Kitchen, you could go for one of the Victorinox knives we mentioned earlier. Even at their low prices, either of these two brands will be a huge step up for anyone used to cheap knives from IKEA or the supermarket kitchenware aisle.
A leader in making knives for centuries, the Japanese Brand Global Knives has been building its own tradition since 1985. No doubt you’ll recognize their iconic dotted handle. Global has made a mark in Australia as an affordable, high-quality Japanese knife worth investing in. They also offer some interesting options like the 18cm G-46 Santoku Knife. It mixes asian blade design with a more European shape, the best of both worlds for someone who loves the edge of the East and the shape of the West.
Global may be using Japanese innovation to build on that country’s knifemaking tradition, but Shun goes the other route: keeping things as traditional as possible. The result is a knife that is as stunning in its appearance as in its performance.
If you’re looking for an Asian chef’s knife you’ll want to pass down to your children, this is it.
An equal in quality, Wusthof knives offer just as much tradition as Shun, but might appeal more to European-style aficianados. Manufactured in the same city in Germany for over 200 years, Wusthof has built a reputation for uncompromising quality and reliability.
Together, these two brands really make up the best the Asian and European styles have to offer.
