There are all sizes, shapes, and uses for the myriad of kitchen tools available. There are many things you can honestly do without putting on your wedding registry. But don’t forget THE single most critical kitchen tool – knives.
I actually bought a big knife set on my own, before I got married (for way too much money probably). Then I proceeded to use just the bread knife, paring knife, and steak knives for EVERYTHING. I literally didn’t know what the others were for! They just sat there, and I struggled through with knives that were never meant to do what I asked them to do.
Absolutely get the knives you need and use the ones appropriate to the task!
Quality knives, daily care and housing
Before we talk about the individual knives I suggest, let’s talk quality. You want them to stand up to continual daily use. So, look for a knife with a “full tang” – this means the metal of the blade is one long, solid piece, extending all the way through the handle itself. It’s much sturdier and heavier – which also makes cutting hard things just a bit easier. (See more here) It’s a little more expensive but worth every penny.
For daily care, make sure you handwash and dry your knives as soon as possible after using them. Leaving them in sitting water will cause rusting and water spots that will deteriorate the metal. Just a waste of a good knife! If you catch them quickly after using them, food washes off easily with soap, hot water, and a nubby dishcloth.
And house them safely as well. Not only do you NOT want to reach in a drawer and grab a handful of blade (ouch!), you want to protect those same blades so they work a good, long time.
Essential tools you need more of
This one’s easy in the knife department – steak knives. This is the knife to the far left in the photo below. It’s very common for them to come in sets of 4 or 8 as you would want one for each person at your table. I don’t serve steak as much, but we use them equally as often for pork chops or chicken breasts. Just a good all ‘round knife to have. Just don’t expect it to do EVERYTHING.
Only need one but it’s a “must have”
- Chef’s knife – This is usually the biggest kitchen knife (far right above). It’s weight makes it perfect for the really hard veggies like sweet potatoes and carrots. Its size makes it great for the bigger things like cantaloupe and cabbage. This one’s my favorite, and I probably use it most.
- Boning knife – A “must have” if you debone your meats, but I also love it for cutting raw chicken meat (see how here). It’s the blade beside the chef’s knife.
- Trimmer – This may just be the name of the brand knife I have, but it is great for trimming fat off beef and pork. I also use this one for smaller breads like Hawaiian Banana Bread (see recipe here). It works well because of the serration (or Double D edge if you like Cutco knives – not an ad) which helps get through the density of that bread. It’s to the right of the steak knife.
Ask yourself – “Would I really use these?”
- Paring knife – This is the smaller knife on the far left in the photo above. Paring knives are used primarily for small jobs where you need more control…removing skin from fruits like peaches or apples or even tubers like potatoes. Negotiating the curves of these foods, only uses a small portion of the blade, and you don’t want a lot hanging over to catch of something other than what you’re cutting. Since I no longer remove most of my “skins” (there’s a lot of vitamins and fiber in there!), I find I don’t use this one as often anymore.
- Medium-length chef’s knife with holes – Sometimes if I’m cutting smaller veggies or something sticky like starchy potatoes or cheese (not much since I learned dairy isn’t my friend), this is the knife I reach for. The holes help keep those from sticking to the blade as badly.
- Bread knife – This is a longer serrated knife, particularly good for slicing breads that are hard crusted but soft in the middle. If you make sourdough, you want one! It’s on the far right.
Knives are THE critical kitchen tool!
So, don’t skimp on this most critical tool in your kitchen…one that can save you time and headache (or maybe hand ache!) for many years to come. Look for that full tang. You’ll definitely be thanking me later.
My favorite knife is the chef’s knife…I’ve even taught myself how to rock it to chop faster. What’s your fave and what do you use it for? Share in the comments below!
And check out the rest of the essential kitchen tools…
We eat a lot of tomatoes, so a tomato knife is a “must have” for us!
Ah…see I’m not a tomato eater! Which knife do you use for that? I’m assuming gotta be sharpness is what you’re looking for instead of weight…don’t wanna squish ’em!
Yes! Great content. Buy good knives, take care of them, and they will eventually feel like an extension of your arm. All my family knows which knife is ‘dad’s knife’!
I love that!