(Part 2) Best cutlery & knife accessories according to redditors

No recipe really. If you have a grill, top rack whole boneless breasts seasoned with your favorites. I love using smoke pellets or wood chips for extra flavor.

My recommendation for making your life easier is to get a simple digital food thermometer so you don't over cook meats. And get good knives. It's crazy to me how many people own knives that can't cut.[Victirinox Fibrox handled] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IEBTZ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_brOgybF3RE15E) are amazing in my opinion. For ~$100 you can get a set of 4. I use mine daily and LOVE them, it's not even that expensive when you consider their utility.

When you cook your meats you can bake or grill them. Let them cool then use a serrated blade to get nice thin, smooth slices. Also bear in mind it doesn't HAVE to be paper thin like the deli. Flavors are what's important. I have found that when I use the wood chips or smoke on the grill I get that nice exterior that seems to help hold the slice together and packs in tons of flavor. Don't be afraid to season.


*Edit - dayum! This got a little bigger than I expected. I just wanted to note that in the picture you see my chefs knife that I used to slice. Someone mentioned the serrated blade will tear the meat - this may be true but with my Victorinox I haven't had any issues. The blade is very thin. Also these knives are incredibly sharp. I accidentally removed the corner of my thumb when i first got them. I use this [Wusthof knife sharpener] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lPWgybG5MC9QY) to maintain when it's needed.

Review found on its Amazon listing:

>I love this knife set, as I have medical condition where my handgrip size changes in relation to the Fibonacci series.

A good electric knife sharpener is better than not knowing how to effectively use a whetstone. Furthermore, I see no reason to ever learn how to use a whetstone once you have a good electric sharpener. I understand that whetstones can get your knives sharper than an electric sharpener, but for daily kitchen use, that razor edge is going to wear very quickly; honing will only go so far. Some of the top-tier whetstones can be pretty expensive as well.

Edit: this is the sharpener I use

Chef’sChoice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives Diamond Abrasives Patented Sharpening System Made in USA, 3-Stage, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zdiZCb1XB37BJ

Okay, lol I am receiving overwhelming response to this comment, so I will send out what I am sending everyone else.
"This guy is a great seller. Average shipping time from Japan is around 8 days and he is great with communication.
This is his store. http://www.ebay.com/sch/sk2excellent/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
This is just an example of an 8" Mighty Mac. I own a stamped one and a non stamped one. They are identical. EBay store: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Kitchen-Dimple-Gyuto-Chef-Knife-205mm-8-1-Bolster-Handle-SEKI-JAPAN-/321432206969?hash=item4ad6da3e79:g:xEsAAOSwT6pVtjxU
Amazon Mac Stamped version: http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU"

Edit 1: In addition, this is his direct website. I have never ordered directly from the website, only from his ebay store, but maybe this will help some people that don't have ebay accounts.
http://www.japanese-knife-store.com/c-1/c0i2.html

Edit 2: This guy is either going to praise me for all the business or kill me because he'll be flooded with too many orders. Oh well, happy knife buying.

Edit 3: Also, should you ever look for these elsewhere on the googles, they are oddly listed as a "TS Madam knife", why??? I have no idea.

Let me introduce you to the Kapoosh. It's brilliant. http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM?SubscriptionId=05H7QHFD0R7KY27X0R82&tag=kitchen-knife-review-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000Q4I9LM

In case anyone has wondered, this works, but not nearly as well as a much cheaper one from ebay/amazon.

This is what's considered the coarse sharpener on one of those cheap ones, then it has a finer ceramic one that is much better at getting that perfect edge (albeit temporarily).

So just buy something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-CCKS-2-Step-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00032S02K/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1405649926&sr=8-6

I don't think it's right to describe the differences in kitchen knives as ergonomic and how well-sharpened the blades are. There are two distinct tiers: stamped blades (stamped out of sheet metal and sharpened) and forged blades.

Cutco knives are stamped steel. I've never seen a stamped blade that isn't flimsy and cheap feeling. It has to be thin enough metal to be stamped out of a sheet. You can sharpen them like he said but forged blades are just head and shoulders above stamped, imo.

Forged blades are much heavier and can be made out of way nicer steel that holds an edge longer. They're harder to sharpen but let professionals do that. Just keep yours honed with a steel. Watch a youtube on how to do that, and take the 10 seconds to do it after every time you use your knife. You will only need to sharpen very rarely.

In addition to agreeing with that commenter about using professional sharpening, I think a professional supply place is a fine idea. Just aim for forged for at least your chef's knife. That's the one that really matters since you can use it for the vast majority of cooking tasks.

My roommate's stamped knife set full of special knives is fine for those special things: cheese, sandwich, paring (mostly), bread (mostly). But I use my wusthof ikon chef's knife for basically all my cooking needs. It can still cut thin transparent tomato slices with almost gravity alone. It just effortlessly and precisely divides whatever food material I'm working with.

I bet any decent forged blade would do similar, but since I only needed one nice knife, I was fine spending like $150 ($138 now it looks like) on it to be sure it cut nice and felt good in my hand. The ikon series has nicely contoured handles: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YMURSE/

Please post if you find a professional product you end up buying and let us know how it goes!

How to wash a knife safely.

Don't get a set. Sets are designed to get you paying for knives you'll never use. I recommend starting with a chef's knife and a paring knife. The chef knife is your workhorse, you'll use it for almost everything. The paring knife is traditionally used for peeling and detail work, but just think of it as what you reach for when the job is too small for the chef knife. If you bake bread or buy unsliced loaves of it, you'll probably also want a bread knife.

Victorinox Fibrox knives are great knives for a new cook and an excellent value for the money. Here's their chef's knife, their paring knife, and their bread knife. That leaves you with enough money to buy a block and stay under $100. I like the wall mounted magnetic ones with a wooden face like this one myself, but there are plenty of other options if that's not what you want.

The Spyderco Sharpmaker is a great knife sharpener to use. I believe it has 15 and 20 degree angles.

There is an alternative(and cheaper) Lansky Turnbox That sharpens at 20 and 25 degree angles. These two systems are great to travel with.

​

If you want a beginner sharpening system you could get a Lansky System but if you ever get higher end steels you will need to upgrade to Diamond system. You will also need to get a Lansky mount or clamp. It also has a wide variety of accessories and stones.

​

You can also get Fixed angle knife shapener that is like an apex edge. If uses the same stone size so you could order upgraded plate sets at a cheap price.

The system that I have been using is the 5th Gen Sharpener. It uses the same stones and plate size as an Apex as well. The only downside is the that it takes forever to arrive from china.

You don't need a knife set, you can get the vast majority of kitchen tasks done with just a chefs knife and paring/utility knife. The rest of the set knives will usually just sit in the block gathering dust.

The Victorinox Fibrox chefs knife is a very popular recommendation because it is a pretty good knife for a pretty good price.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2/

You can also consider a pairing knife from the same manufacturer.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LRYE36/

Professional Chef here.

First off, you really only need the chef knife. Butcher knife can do pretty much everything that the chef knife can do besides the detail work. It's going to come down to preference.

Second, BIFL quality of a knife is going to depend on what you're using it for. If you're just using a chef knife for your everyday knife in your own personal kitchen, then it could potentially last you for the rest of your life. If you're using it for commercial purposes then it's only going to last as long as 3-10 years depending on the quality of the knife due to sharpening.

Third, as for sharpening is concerned depending on what kind of metal you are working with and how often you use the knife, you're probably going to need to sharpen every month-3 months. I work in a commercial kitchen and I sharpen my knife every week at least, sometimes twice a week.

Most people will tell you that something like this works just fine for sharpening your knife, but I find that they don't hold an edge for very long and the quality of the edge is sub par. Personally I use this and it gets me a RAZOR sharp edge every time. If you can shave your arm with one pass then you did it right. Just watch some youtube videos on how to sharpen a knife using wet stones and you'll be a pro in no time.

Keep your knives sharp! A sharp knife may cut you easier, but it is safer than a dull knife. The reason being is the amount of PRESSURE you apply to the object your cutting. A sharp knife will give little resistance and wont need as much pressure as a dull knife. So if you do cut yourself it will be with very little pressure as opposed to SMASHING a dull knife into your flesh. It's a bad time, trust me.

Anyway, stay stafe, have fun, and enjoy your knives.

Out of curiosity I checked, you can get 2 for a little more than 10 bucks now!

i have a used EdgePro jig system that works well for me. It's very simple to use and doesn't require the steep learning curve of freehand sharpening on Japanese waterstones. You can even buy a cheap Chinese knockoff on Amazon. I use a ceramic MAC honing rod to keep my blades at 90% between sharpenings. You could also follow it up with mousepad abrasive stroping if you really wanted to get it close to 100%.

All the customer reviews on amazon are dryly halairous check it out

Knives are so personal. Since you have some time, I'd suggest you "wind up" at some good kitchen stores and get to know what he might be interested in. I tend to cook more "peasant French" food than anything else, but I use a Chinese vegetable cleaver instead of a classic chef's knife. He may have similar quirks in what he likes- a sheep's foot paring knife instead of a standard, etc.

edit: I will plug one knife, it's a bread knife that I love and it's dirt cheap: Tojiro Bread Slicer

It's survived and thrived through a year of crusty sourdough and rye.

1. Buy a whole top round
   
2. Cover pan in aluminum foil
   
3. Rub top round with Worcester sauce
   
4. Rub top round with Montreal Steak seasoning
   
5. Place in pan and cook it in an oven until the internal temperature reaches 130F. Remove and cool immediately for 6+ hours.
   
6. Take the leftover liquid in the pan and strain it, cover and cool as well
   
   The most difficult part is slicing it. Most people don't have access to an industrial meat slicer, so your best bet is a carving knife like this:
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-M13914-Millennia-14-Inch/dp/B005P0OIBM/ref=asc_df_B005P0OIBM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167144588125&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17239281696344466330&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011562&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-309684795580&psc=1
   
   I typically cut my top rounds into quarters (so 4 equal parts) and then use the knife to shave the beef as thin as you can. You want to cut against the "grain" of the meat always.
   
   Take the liquid leftover from the pain and heat until it starts to emit steam. Then keep heat very low just to maintain temperature.
   
   Dip the sliced meet in the liquid (aka Au Juis) for 5-10 seconds to heat and serve.
   
   I used to work for my dad's catering company and we sold about 200 pounds a week worth of sliced top round. I was the only person allowed to slice it on our meat slicer. Because it was fucking hard work actually getting it to look like something from an Arby's commercial. I'll probably have to have surgery on my shoulder after doing that for 5+ years. But it's so worth it.

A perfect chef's knife is the first place to start (that's my preference, the Wusthof Ikon Classic 8", $160). Go to a kitchen supply store, or even Bed Bath & Beyond, and test drive some steel - see how comfortable it is in your hand, how balanced it feels. If you want to save money for other things, you can't go wrong with the Victorionx Fibrox 8" chef's knife, at an extremely reasonable $40. The chef's knife is an impossibly versatile tool all on its own, but if you want a smaller knife for detailed work, grab a paring knife from whatever manufacturer you choose for your chef's.

A huge, heavy cutting board ($88). For most of my life, I went with the $20 3-packs of plastic OXO or other cutting boards, ranging from small to extremely small - nothing will slow down your cooking more than an inadequately sized cutting board. Things roll off, you pile up your chopped veg and run out of space, you feel constantly crowded, and you can never carve a whole chicken or roast. Buy a piece of non-slip material (usually used for carpets) ($9), place it under the cutting board when you use it, and it will never slip or slide around - more convenient and safe.

A Thermapen. Expensive - it's $100, but it's the fastest and most accurate kitchen thermometer money can buy. A less expensive alternative would be the Lavatools Javelin at $24 - not quite as good, but a damn sight better than any other digital food thermometer you'll get your hands on. This is essential for cooking any meat, deep frying, baking - it will change your game.

An All-Clad Sauté Pan ($129). Also expensive, but an absolute essential tool for everything from sautéing to braising to deep frying. Do not go cheap with your stainless - you can do cheaper than All-Clad, but even heating, comfort, and build quality are absolutely essential.

An inexpensive but awesome nonstick set($164 for 11 pcs). Alternately, you could get a very versatile 12" TFal Professional Total Nonstick, an impossibly stickless, oven safe, dishwasher safe wunderkind.

A 12" Cast Iron Skillet ($34). These are kind of a pain to take care of, but are invaluable for searing, baking, even serving. It'll last you a lifetime if you take care of it.

Thank you! Yes I sliced it by hand. I just bought a new bread knife (my old was one is sooo dull and useless), which made it a breeze to cut into perfect, even slices. I found the recommendation through Serious Eats. Here's the link to the knife itself, if you're interested! https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-Bread-Slicer-235mm-F-737/dp/B001TPA816

I also recommend the Victorinox Fibrox. I just got this set about 6 months ago and they are the best knives I've ever used, even compared to the more expensive forged blade knives my parents own. The handles are very comfortable and secure and they are scary sharp as the tip of my finger can attest. The chefs knife also has a nice weight to it. If you're still unsure because of the plastic handle though, don't buy a whole set right away, just buy one and see how you like it then get a set. And if you get the set I linked, that knife block comes with two empty slots for extra knives.

Honestly I've come to embrace it when vegetables stick to my knife. I use that as a handy transfer mechanism to move them into my pan/pot.

You could also consider a knife with dimples on it, I've heard that they help with this issue. I have no experience myself, though.

At this point, I'd only really recommend Shun and Global, in that order. I started with Wustoff, and they did me alright, but I just don't like how their steel holds up, and really, I find the traditional European handle/bolster/spine to be really uncomfortable. Both Global and Shun make wonderful products, but I find the handles on Globes to be too skinny. Plus, as a super-mega-bonus, Shun allows you to return your knives back to them for the entire lifetime of the knife for sharpening, for free (you pay shipping to them, that's it.) It's painless and relatively fast.

They also have a much shallower angle on the edge, which I LOVE, though some people (usually those who are set on Wustoff/Henkles) only like a deeper edge. But goddamn they cut like butter. The only problem with the shallower edge is that you definitely don't want to A) use an electric sharpener on them (the edge is asymmetrical and the commercial ones out there don't have the proper angle) which is alright as they sharpen for you for free at the factory, and B) definitely DO NOT use a magnet hanger with these things. You'll bend the edge. If you go to Bed Bath and Beyond, you'll see it. They hang them all on those damn magnets and it ruins the blade. Get a nice block, or just get a Kapoosh (I have one and it works).

Look, if you want to completely flip his lid, this is all that any home chef really needs (IMO):

Shun 7" Santoku, hollow ground. This is my goto knife in the kitchen and it can do just about everything. I use it on 80% of what I do. When I upgraded from the standard Safeway $11 chef's knife to the Wustoff is was an amazing, night-and-day transition. The heavens opened up and I saw the light (and more importantly, what a sharp knife could do for you). When I bought this 7", it was exactly the same transition, only higher up. The balance, sharpness and quality of this knife over the Wustoff was what I had been looking for and it was every bit worth the money. Someone here mentioned that everyone needs a 10". This is overkill. It's like cutting onions with a samurai sword. While it looks cool, all the extra effort you need to exert for those extra 3 inches just fatigues the wrist and arm, which is not something you want when prepping a lot. 7" FTW.

Every chef needs a 7". Whether it's a european chef's knife or a santoku is up to the chef, though you'll notice that santoku's keep getting more and more popular every year. I think there's a reason for this.

So, too, does every chef need a good paring knife. They go hand in hand and you cannot do without one or the other. My 7" handles 80% of the work load, my paring knife handles 15%.

Shun also makes a wonderful 4" paring knife That's not very expensive. This thing will get in and get out, work in all the small spaces it needs to and do it with deft and ease. It's light, doesn't have much mass, and again, Shun's steel is wonderful (in my eyes).

The last 5% is for a good cleaver. Don't be fooled by big money in this category-- the cheap ones are the best. You don't need super knives here, they're for doing the hearty, down and dirty, bone-breaking work, and the nice steels wont hold up to this work. This is the greatest cleaver ever in the history of mankind. I have the No. 3. It is quite possibly the best $11 I've spent in the kitchen. I'd gone through about 5 cleavers before I found this one, all of them failed to hold up. This knife holds it's edge forever (seriously-- in the 5 years I've had it, I've only sharpened it once), it's got the heft you want in a cleaver and it's ridiculously comfortable to hold. I would suggest this with everything I have.

So there you have it. I firmly hold, and you will find others to agree, that all you need in the kitchen is a really good 7", a good paring knife and a quality, cheap cleaver. That's it. All those $600 sets with every kind of knife you could imagine are nonsense. I got a nice $150 boning knife as a wedding present and I've used it all of twice in two and a half years. Same with my carving knife. You just don't need them. They're totally nice when the need arises, but about 95% of the work in the kitchen can be accomplished by those three tools.

Take it as you will, and I wish you many fine meals prepared by him!

I'd recommend this instead for the $150 price range

https://smile.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU?crid=1R4ZGZ0Z5DFEQ&keywords=mac+mth-80&qid=1540772038&sprefix=mac+mth%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-3&ref=sr_1_3

Be all like what? My lack of criticism of a mediocre blog post or my cursing? Literally three out of the five points are fucking stupid. You use a chefs knife to chop, slice and mince?! Really!? No way! A sexy knife? A warranty?

A low effort post begets a low effort post. I get the want for people to earn money off of shit but put some fucking effort into it. Those amazon links are references to earn OP money. I can't stand that shit when no effort is made on the part of OP.

The blog post offers the reader no new information other than opinions. No factual data. Only opinions on an overpriced knife. Why would you ever buy a $130 knife with a bolster? Get a fucking MAC for $20 more without one. And it takes an edge like a champ.

https://smile.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493471785&sr=8-1&keywords=mth-80

That smile link is for the EFF (https://www.eff.org/).

I get the need for a quality knife to last, but this post offers little in the way of actual advice. Only why they like Wusthof.

I know you said you don't have money for a sharpener, but a sharpening rod is pretty cheap, and will help it stay sharp for a while. He might want to pick one up in a month or two if he notices the sharpness lessening. I've used that knife for years and I wouldn't worry about it rusting or breaking or anything. It's a great knife and can take a decent beating. I'd just make sure to tell him to only use it on wood or plastic cutting boards or the blade will dull pretty quickly.

Full knife sets are a scam. You don’t need two different size chef knives and a santoku, you don’t need a serrated paring knife, or any of that crap. You’ll never use them and they’ll just sit there in your knife block, and you will have spent 50% of your money on knives you never touch. Here’s all you need, in your price range:

A henckels 8 inch chef knife - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004RFMT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433354&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=henckels+chef+knife+8&dpPl=1&dpID=31OX1pDMIvL&ref=plSrch. you’ll use this for 90% of the things you cut. Veggies, meat, whatever.

A tojiro bread slicer. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001TPA816/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433463&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=bread+knife&dpPl=1&dpID=312P9gZ10AL&ref=plSrch. this thing will eat through crusty breads, tough squashes, pineapples, etc, and you can also use it to cut paper thin tomato slices with those sharp teeth. It’s good quality and cheap, I just bought one myself and love it. I accidentally cut my dish brush and a cloth when washing and drying it the first time. That’s how sharp it is.

A victorinox paring knife. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0019WXPQY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433648&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=victorinox+paring&psc=1 - for when you need to do fine cutting work

If you have a good reason, you might add a boning knife or something like that, but these 3 knives are all I use 99.9% of the time. The only other thing to add is a sharpener and honing steel to keep them sharp.

If you’re not a professional chef, you can get away with a cheap (decent) knife sharpener like this one - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004VWKQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433817&sr=8-10&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=knife+sharpener&dpPl=1&dpID=41bRTplVVXL&ref=plSrch]

You don’t need to spend a bunch of time and money on stones to sharpen your knives properly unless you’re super interested in that sort of thing. Use this sharpener once every few weeks or so and it’ll keep your knives sharp enough to get everything done.

If I were starting a new kitchen from scratch, those are exactly what I’d buy to get started. Treat them well and sharpen them occasionally (except the bread slicer, it’s hard to sharpen but cheap enough to replace every few years when it starts to dull), and they’ll last you a long time.

AJA que y avait du shitpost dans les commentaires sur Amazon.

Mercer Culinary M13914 Millennia 14-Inch Granton Edge Slicer, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P0OIBM/

Something like that will make the brisket slicing SOOOO much better. Watermelon too lol

I'd pay attention to knife edge guard and get one if it's not included.

Ok ok, just take the wind out of my sails and shit all over the hilarity.

A chef (or any kitchen) only really needs a few good knives. The most important of which is your standard cook's knife.

I mean really...who needs a dozen steak knives?

you can get them for ~$860 on amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/Deglon-Meeting-Knife-Stainless-Knives/dp/B002JTWRDS

Yes thank you. Someone else also suggested a bread knife which seems like a good idea because he often likes to make us garlic bread from scratch. I'm thinking this one would be good and match what we already have. Does that look good to you?

And I'll definitely check out some wet stones. How difficult are they to learn to use? And what is the difference between a wet stone and one of these?

And is there anything else I can buy him to maintain his knives? Like I know he oils our cast iron skillet and stuff, but other than hand washing the knives I never really see him do anything else with them.

buy 60 kiwi knives.

https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Brand-Chef-Knives-172/dp/B008QPBPLO

It's a vegetable knife, it's actually super cheap from amazon. I got it a yard sale for a few euros, and as long as I keep it sharp it's really nice to chop vegetables, and I use it just like a Santoku.

I have this thing - Kapoosh

It is basically a block with a billion little plastic rods in it. Your knives slip between the plastic rod things and stay in place. Works like a charm. I have 8 knives ranging from Chef's knife to paring knife in it currently.

Only $952,a saving of $249,an absolute bargain.................https://www.amazon.com/Deglon-Meeting-Knife-Stainless-Knives/dp/B002JTWRDS

I'd recommend two pieces for your knife maintenance. A waterstone, for sharpening. And a ceramic honer. I also use two cheap mercer knife guards to keep the edges safe when transporting. With a bit of practice you can get scary sharp edges from a waterstone, just make sure you keep a very consistent angle.

Shun Premier Chef's Knife, 8-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003B66YKA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i1YKAbBGNT9GB

And it’s on sale

Sure. Those sharpeners are great for really dull edges, but aren't appropriate for regular use.

The carbide teeth make an arbitrary angle on each side of the blade even though the cutting edge still has a fixed profile. They also remove an arbitrary amount of material down the edge depending on how you hold the knife and how hard you press.

Over time, the shape of the blade literally changes and it often ends up "cupping" a cutting board so it won't chop flat any more. Or the heel gets extended, or the tip angle flattens. The cutting teeth also have a tendency to chip stainless steel knives.

As well, many knives are differentially hardened on the edges, so you want to avoid removing material from the edge as much as possible, even if your technique is perfect.

I got this one for free with a knife

And my M-I-L has this one

They work well as long as you give your knives a quick swipe or two after every use. The carbide jaws are just used to establish the initial edge profile. The material removal rate is way too high for regular use.

For any type of sharpener like that it's critical that you don't use a lot of pressure with the ceramic rods or you'll damage the rods and it will gradually perform less and less well.

You're better off not buying a set. Buy 2-3 better quality knives. Victorinox makes good quality knives for fairly cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Straight-Chefs-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468263881&sr=8-1&keywords=victorinox+knife

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Classic-4-Inch-Paring/dp/B005LRYE36/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1468263881&sr=8-3&keywords=victorinox+knife

You will also want a knife sharpener. A dull knife is a dangerous knife. Most people don't sharpen their knives at all. A honing steel is not a knife sharpener.

Use the rest to get some steak knives if you wish. Also, you have some left over for if you decide you want a bread knife or a slicer.

the global paring knife I have is the first 'good' knife I ever bought and despite my large collection (bigger now than when this photo was taken) it's still my favorite. It's durable as fuck and I regularly open #10 cans with it and it's never chipped or lots the tip. The handle is very ergonomic imo, but some people find it weird.

If you dont wanna spend so much, I also own several Victorinox paring knives. They're inexpensive, hold an edge well, and don't break.

Throwing in my hat into the ring. My favorite knife over the last 5 years has been my Mercer chef's knife. Good balance and feel (for me) and cheap. Great for most kitchen tasks. Picked mine up at restaurant supply but here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OOQZMY

This will probably get shit from more experienced people here, but honestly we have this sharpener https://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-EdgeSelect-Professional-Sharpener-Sharpening/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541692247&sr=8-3&keywords=chef+choice+knife+sharpener and it has done just fine on all our knives. Restored an old set I had from my mom to slicing through paper with ease. It's probably not as awesome as a whetstone, but honestly I don't want to take the time to learn to use a whetstone properly.

Anyway. Maybe I'm just lazy or not hardcore enough of a chef, but it keeps my knives sharp enough and I haven't noticed any problems with it. My brother in law is a professional chef and he sharpens his knives by hand, but he's also been doing so for decades.

You don't need to drop lots of money to get a good Japanese bread knife. I've had a ton of success with the Tojiro Bread Slicer which is $20 on Amazon.

In general, you shouldn't spend a lot on a bread knife because, due to the serrations, they are almost impossible to sharpen. It should be cheap enough to replace when it dulls.

Best choices at $20 are a Victorinox or a Tojiro. The Tojiro is gonna be a little thinner but still fine.

We usually don't recommend sets because they don't match what we'd recommend you spend that money on. That same $170 would get you a fantastic mid-range gyuto that will really change the way you cook--or a solid $100 entry-level (for us knife nerds) gyuto and a couple of sharpening stones that will set you up well for years.

Also, a bread knife is worth having for many home chefs, but $55 is about $30 too much. Bread knives can't really be sharpened, so they'll only last a few years regardless of quality. The Tojiro 235mm (http://amzn.com/B001TPA816) is less than twenty bucks and flies through breads, cakes, and tomatoes.

I just bought myself this knife and it literally makes me happy every time I use it. I'm no chef, and this is definitely overkill, but I treat it really nicely so I know it will last years.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008EKY5OA/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1517840587&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=lansky+sharpening&dpPl=1&dpID=4129lmMov3L&ref=plSrch

First off, everyone should read this before spending a good bit on a knife:

Honestly, at that price you should consider the aesthetics you liket, because diminishing return to quality sets in pretty quick at around $70 then again around $120-$130.

This is a really solid value Knife, though I'm kinda meh on the handle:

If you pair it regularly with this guy: if will outperform a way more expensive knife with poor upkeep.

You could take a look at the Lansky TurnBox, one of the most affordable and easy to use sharpeners on the market.

It could take out those chips, but it will take up some time to do that.

America's Test Kitchen tested some chef's knives, and highly recommends the Victorinox Chef's Knife. An 8 piece set on Amazon comes to just under $150.

I'm not sure if you are looking outside of prepackaged knife sets, but ATC also put together an ideal knife set which includes:

• Victorinox Fibrox Paring Knife: $4.95
• Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch Chef's Knife: $29.95
• Victorinox 10 1/4-Inch Curved Blade Bread Knife, Black Fibrox Handle: $24.95
• Victorinox Fibrox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife: $49.95
• Victorinox Fibrox 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: Flexible: $19.95
• J. A. Henckels International Kitchen Shears—Take Apart: $14.95
• Bodum Bistro Universal Knife Block: $44.95

This comes to just under $190.

An even cheaper option is the OXO 14 piece knife set, for which ATC recommends the chef's knife. This costs $99.99 on Amazon.

Second /u/bacondevil and say renter's insurance. $14/mo for about $70K coverage with a $500 deductible. Peace of mind, especially if you keep professional equipment at home and/or travel frequently.

Good (not expensive, good) cookware. For the love of god, a decent chef's knife. Or a very good one. A good knife will change your relationship with food.

A couple of nightlights. I'm a poor sleeper, and being able to use the bathroom or navigate the kitchen at 3am without flipping on every light in the house is a great thing.

Plants. Plants plants plants. Learn them, care for them, they will improve your quality of life at home. If you're worried about killing them, get air plants. Soak them once a week and then forget them. Keeping living green things in your home will make you feel activated and engaged with your space.

The best advice i can give is to pick a meal you like and want to know how to make, google a recipe/find a video, and research any terms you don't know. Then just try making it. Taste frequently while cooking and follow the recipe and it will be good. Repeat. Its really not hard, and after a while you will have all the fundamental techniques down and it start to just make sense. At that point you can really start to have fun experimenting with flavors and making your own recipes. I hope that helps

Edit: Also having the right equipment helps. You don't need a $200 Shun chefs knife but a $35 Mercer is much better than one from Walmart. A decent plastic or wood cutting board, and a basic set of pots, pans and bakeware plus what ever is called for by your recipe. If it calls for something overtly expensive goggle it someone has most likely found a cheap way to do it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000Q4I9LM

I got one of these as a house warming gift. Cleans easy and looks nice. I've got a ton of random knives, so this works well for that too.

Trizor Chef's Edge. I use it for my home knives and my SO's professional knives. It does its job wonderfully.

Yeah. AMWAY's not telling them to go back to the kitchen in every restaurant they eat at and try to shill their steel. They know the kitchens already know what's up.
But someone who never paid attention to their knives? Bought a cheap set a decade ago and throws them in the dishwasher and never sharpens/hones them? Cutco would be a completely revolutionary experience for them. Which is exactly their target demo. Someone who has just enough money to afford the knives, but they've never tried any of the competition or used a decent blade.
I absolutely love my Victorinox 8" chef's knife (thanks Cooks Illustrated), but after I got it, I got a decent 15^o sharpener (also thanks CI) and took it to my old shitty set (similar to this), and now that I've learned how to take care of an edge, they're passable. Better than they were out of the box, I think, but that was a lot of years ago. I mean, it ain't Wüsthof or Shun, but I'm no professional, so I don't want to shell out that kind of cash... I mean... I DO... But I can't.
It's like someone who never used a food thermometer discovering ThermoWorks. Changes your whole outlook.

I have several of those fibrox knives. I would also recommend everyone get a whetstone, angle guide, and honing rod. No matter if you have that particular knife or not, something as simple as this, this, and this will make it so easy to maintain an ultra sharp edge. A few drags on the honing rod will help keep your knife sharp, and when that doesn't cut it (heh) use your whetstone. You'll never have to suffer through using a dull blade again.

Just spend the $8. http://www.amazon.com/Winco-K-12S-WINCO-Sharpening-12-Inch/dp/B001N0ULJG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420475058&sr=8-3&keywords=honing+rod

I use/love this: Tojiro Bread Slicer 235mm F-737 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TPA816/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eORxDbS740MCQ

I read that serrated knives are difficult to sharpen, so best bang for a reasonable buck and planning to replace more often is the way to go.

Thank you for your reply. I am not really sure if I understand the difference between the two, but I guess that I am in the 'remove material' category. I use a Wuhstof 2-stage knife sharpener.

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Precision-Stage-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08

A couple of things help. First, don’t slice it right after smoking. Throw it in the fridge overnight. It firms up and is much easier to slice thinly.

Second, buy a good slicing knife. Something like this: Mercer Culinary Millennia 14-Inch Granton-Edge Slicer Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P0OIBM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_P2cJAbZJT3HZD

Wusthof set, Victorinox set.

I'm going to set you a "dream set" if you were filthy rich or a professional chef, too. The Shun Classic Mega set which sells for a whopping $1800.

This Victorinox set might be what you want then.

With the Tojiro set you would also want [the bread knife] (http://www.chefknivestogo.com/toitkbrkn.html) and a ceramic hone which puts you at about $220. You would be missing the slicer and boning knife. Also shears, but let's forget about that for now since you can get those anywhere. Actually the Victorinox boning knife ($30) is excellent and I would just get that if you think it's something you are going to use. As for the slicer, meh. What's it going to do an 8.2" chef's knife wont? Well, slice better of course but how much better? Also a knife block so let's budget $30 for that.

So it's $180 for the Victorinox set and about $280 for the Tojiro "set". The difference here is really that Victorinox knives are tough as hell but don't hold an edge all that well and Tojiros are much harder, hold an edge longer, but can chip if you're not careful. That's not to say Tojiro knives are chippy or anything but they're not going to be very happy if you don't treat them okay.

Yes, I certainly do.

On the low end you have some handheld sharpeners. The Smith's model is iconic and cheap. It gives you an acceptable edge, but it's not going to be good, and once it's loaded with metal it's hard to clean. These are mostly for tackle boxes and backpacks, quick solutions. It really wouldn't do a Benchmade justice.

In the middle, you can buy a guided rod system. The Spyderco Sharpmaker is the best I've seen. Lansky makes a few like this one. These systems do a really good job on pocket knives. The Sharpmaker is a great investment if you plan on dealing with knives for any extended period of time. They can keep a knife very sharp for years. Lansky's systems are relatively inexpensive, but aren't as precise as and lack some of the features of a Sharpmaker. I think the Sharpmaker is an ideal solution.

On the high end, you're looking at sharpening stones. There are two classes, oil and water stones. Oil stones are slower, but water stones are used slightly in the course of sharpening (one might last a decade for me) and are more prone to damage. These let you do repair, produce a more customized edge, and work on a knife's geometry behind the edge, something all knives require eventually. The majority of the time you wouldn't need this level of equipment, but when they come in handy they really come in handy. I use water stones on all of my knives. For most pocket knife users it's much easier and less costly to let a professional do this sort of work and maintain the knife with a rod system. No links here; there are dozens if not hundreds of stones on the market and there's no perfect one. Starting costs are around $150.

At the super duper expensive level, you have advanced assisted sharpening systems like the Edge Pro. These things are slick, easy to use, and ridiculously effective. They should be for the cost. Stones are still more versatile and a lot of the people who use these branch out in many ways.

Just bought my first big-boy kitchen knife a couple months ago.

Where should I start on keeping it sharp? I feel like These can't be good, but I have no idea.

Whetstone? those baton sharpener things?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00032S02K/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ZkhVub1BGBX83

I use this to keep it fairly sharp, it is more of a beater knife so I'm not super worried. The sharpener keeps my Leatherman rebar razor sharp, I think the steel is just lacking since the knife is so cheap.

mac knives https://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU

​

also, misono has stainless steel knives https://www.korin.com/HMI-440GY-210

Your got the selection exactly right, general use, paring, and serrated. If you're willing to spend a bit of cash, MAC chef's knives are a great choice. Don't splurge on steak knives, go with the cheapest you can find. With the money you saved, invest in a diamond steel sharpening system. Sharpen your knives early and often. No matter how expensive your knives are, as with any other tool, take care of them and they'll take care of you.

Maybe this would be good, I have never used it but it has a very good reputation, sort of fits the profile/ price point, and it seems to be thought of as one of the more durable knives, though not German level durable. https://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU

It is not going to be as thin or long lasting as some hand made knives, but that can't be avoided if you want more durability.

For a whetstone, you got two options that are at a lower price point but still are decent quality. First are the King stones. You can get a combo 1k/6k stone for 20ish bucks. You might want to get a rougher stone too. These tend to be softer so they're harder to start sharpening on. They also need to be soaked and are slow cutting so its more of a mess, but if used right can produce a good edge. The other is the Shapton pro line. These are harder stones, cut faster, and splash and go so you don't have to soak them. Its about 100 bucks though for both a 1k and 5k, more if you want a rough one.

You don't need a set, you only need a few decent knives: a chef's knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife for bread. Maybe a fillet knife but unlikely.

I use this chef's knife, which is high-quality and inexpensive. The Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch also has a very strong cult following. However, you can also easily spend $100-200 for a good German or Japanese knife like Wusthof, Henckels, Global, etc.. The two most important things however are:

1. It feels good in your hand. If you're going to spend that kind of money I would definitely recommend going to a store (like Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma) and trying out a few to see what feels right. For $35 I was willing to take my chances on the Mercer and it worked out well.
   
   
2. Keep it sharp! I noticed you said it feels "dull and unbalanced". Great that you noticed those are two different but related things. Every time you use your knife, you should be honing it on a honing steel. Honing it trues the blade, meaning aligns the edge down the knife's centerline. Eventually, even honing it won't be effective, because the knife edge itself is dull. This means you should have the knife sharpened, which is typically done once every 6 months-1 year. Sharpening removes material so it shouldn't be done too often. I recommend going to a professional hand sharpening service which will typically do it for about $10-15 per knife. Some people do it themselves at home with a stone, but in my opinion this is not worth it and too easy to screw up.

I got this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334300494&sr=8-1

It works awesome!

> drawer

Why not a magnetic strip or a knife block? I have a sweet knife block that I'm pretty into.

Somebody on Cookit had mentioned using a Kapoosh.

http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-650-Holder-Woodgrain-Finish/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1289066668&sr=8-3-fkmr0

It looks pretty sweet if you ask me and gives you a more flexible knife block.

I finally bought the Wüsthof Classic Ikon 8” chefs knifefor $38 off on Amazon. Very excited to get my first professional knife!

Since others have made the whetstone recommendations, I'll just throw out the Chef's Choice Trizor. Yes, it probably takes off a little extra metal but it's fast and produces a razor sharp edge with no room for error. For me, it's a worthwhile expense and yes it is expensive. I might have to replace my knives every 15 years instead of every 20 or whatever, but my knives are also always sharp and it takes less than a minute per knife.

You can see a thorough review on Wirecutter and it's also what America's Test Kitchen uses.

Knife sharpening is incredibly easy, there is no reason to pay someone to do it unless you've got a damaged blade. Plus it's going to get dull again with use, so why not do it yourself?

A few options:

Inexpensive, great reviews($5): KitchenIQ

Mid grade, I love this one ($37): Chef's Choice Diamond

Not cheap, does serrated as well ($150): Chef's Choice Trizor

You can go the manual route and get wet stones, but that's a bit more time consuming and not really needed unless you've got some nice blades.

For your everyday cooking knives, if you CANNOT use sharpening stones like MANY folks....🙄


https://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-Professional-Sharpener-EdgeSelect-Sharpening/dp/B0018RSEMU

This one is great and cheap

To go with this, here is a good value knife sharpener. It's good for about 40 knife sharpenings, which is plenty for me for its cost. It allows me to sharpen all of my knives twice a year (which means a single set of blades is good for about 2 years), and it has cheap replacement blades too.

Would also recommend a honing steel like this to use each time you use your knives to extend time between sharpenings.

I used to use a bread knife that came with my knife block. It was awful. It tore bread and gave me awful and inconsistent slices. I also couldn't slice as thin as I wanted. With crusty bread, it would slide off of the crust and there were many near misses.

Now I use the Tojiro F-737. I originally wanted the Mercer Millenia 10 inch bread knife that was reviewed favorably by Americas Test kitchen. However, amazon didn't have it available on prime when I needed it (and I'm impatient). I looked up other reviews and Serious Eats gave this knife high praise so I figured it was a $22 experiment. It works great. I get beautiful even slices as thin as I want. I'd highly recommend it.

I used this guide when I was choosing my bread knife. I went with the Tojiro and it has given me 0 issues so far, it's a huge step up from my previous knife set bread knife in terms of cutting and not squishing the bread.

The reviews are comedy gold

Deglon Meeting Knife Set, Stainless Steel Knives and Block, Set of 4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JTWRDS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i1N-zbJN1Q836

Amazon has Deglons for a little over $700. Crap blades though, be warned.

http://www.amazon.com/Deglon-Meeting-Knife-Stainless-Knives/dp/B002JTWRDS

i don't use honing steels so I might not be the best to suggest...maybe a Messermeister Ceramic Rod. the fibrox have fairly soft steel so what you have might be okay already.

For stones, a King 1k/6k water stone is probably the first one that most people will pick up. It's good for value and fairly easy on the pocket.

As for videos, I learned a lot of mine from ryky tran/burrfection (two channels same guy) on youtube. There are plenty of good/intensive playlists on sharpening but I find myself relating more to him. He blunts his knife on a brick and sharpens on the spot while explaining what he's doing. He's quite easy to understand and more targetted at non professionals/home cooks.

I also watch Richard Blaine, but he's much more technical (he just released a video on honing). They are fairly lengthy which is why i don't watch very often and he makes awkward dad jokes.

I would spend a little more on the knives. cheap knives, imo, are a waste.

Going with something like Forschner would be good, inexpensive, and last.

Chef's

Bread

Paring

Optional - mid size Utility Knife

That's $60 - 80 for all the knives you'll need to last you a long, long time. I would add a honing "steel" for sure, and perhaps a whetshone later on to keep them in excellent shape.

Honestly? I know you don't want it, but a knife. Sorry.

I would just get one of those cheapo drag style sharpeners
http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Precision-Stage-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1345169472&sr=1-9
Steels are great but if you get one of these guys it keeps it simple and easy and if your not producing the amount of food a pro would it will work just fine. Also using a steel can be hard for some people

Off topic question for you, my dad has a set of Wusthof knives and one of these. How horrible is that for the blade?

You only need a few knives. Save your money and get victorinox knives. Every restaurant uses them. They're great and inexpensive.

Get a chefs knife, a boning knife, and a pairing knife.

Victorinox 8 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife in Clamshell Packaging https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000638D32/

Victorinox 4-Inch Swiss Classic Paring Knife with Straight Blade, Spear Point, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LRYE36/

Victorinox Cutlery 6-Inch Semi-Stiff Boning Knife, Black Fibrox Handle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CF94L/

Nice work! What cure and wood do you use?

I make one belly a month as well. I use Ruhlmans bacon cure but half the salt, apple and hickory.

I also use this knife slicing knife it’s way better than any cheap slicer. Unless you’re getting a Hobart commercial slicer it’s just gonna be a nightmare.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-2D2C-Diamond-Ceramic-Four/dp/B008EKY5OA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550280567&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Lansky+turn+box&dpPl=1&dpID=4129lmMov3L&ref=plSrch

This or a spydeco sharpmaker would be good. Pick up a leather stropping paddle with some green compound as well

Depends on your background but "Learning to cook" is overstated.

There are produce, you heat them, you eat them. It's that simple.
Then comes the variations :

• cuttings ( slice, dice, julienne, etc..)
  
  
• cooking
  there are basically 2 big family of cooking:
  
  
• by concentration when you keep the nutrients inside your food by heating them quickly (roasting, sauté, steamed, fried)
  
  
• by expansion when you transfer the nutrients in the fluid you cook, starting cold.
  
  The whole cooking traditions in every culture in every continents can be translated in these principle.
  
  Even if you become efficient, you may want to start cooking in advance and freeze or can it /r/canning.
  
  On a practical note I would suggest you to buy:
  
  
• a proper large cutting board
  
  
• an 8$ kiwi brand knife cheap, easy to sharpen ( yet I didn't have to in 5 years ). cover 90% kitchen needs.
  
  then if you can afford it :
  
  
• a hand mixer (or a quarter or more capacity blender, thermomix even better)
  
  
• a pot with a steam basket
  
  
• cast iron, carbon steel or enamel pans. edit after zippy's comment: or ceramic coated pan best quality/price/harmlessness/asspain free ratio
  
  
• 2 or 3 various sized stainless saucepan.
  
  All these things will last a lifetime, on any source of heat, with no chemicals in it.
  
  You can buy all that from professional catering industry supplier ( like [METRO] in continental EU. ) for a fraction of what you find in retail store, or even amazon.

Got married in 2015 and we was in the same boat as you... Both of us are from large ethnic families who wanted to give physical gifts (because they're well intentioned and wanted to pay it forward - a lot of them were newly arrived in the US without a lot of money, and sometimes not a lot of family and married pretty young - so gifts they got for their marriage were actually very much needed). Both my partner and I already had functioning apartments (separately), then when we moved in while we were engaged, realized we had about 2 of everything and had to narrow that down. Thankfully, we are pretty minimal people - him by nature, me by intention. But especially after having to sort through both of our belonging to weed out duplicates, we really felt like we did not need anything else.

We ended up taking a two pronged appraoch: 1) Upgrading things we had, and used, but that were not all that nice to begin with and 2) Items that would help us achieve the goals that we had laid out for our relationship as a married couple.

A few things we asked for that have seen a lot of use:

1. Vitamix - I thought this was going to be a huge waste of money, but my partner really wanted it and my aunt really wanted to give it to us (because she loves hers). This thing has gotten used daily (and sometimes multiple times a day). We have been low-carb-ish for the last two years and the Vitamix has been awesome for this kind of cooking. Can't say enough great things about it and I have no doubt this thing is going to last decades.
   
   
2. Really great Japanese knives - my cousin is a chef recommended this pearing knife and this 8.5" knife. Not only are they super easy to handle (as opposed to German Wostoff knives - a commonly requested wedding gift, which IMHO are way too large to efficently or precisely manuver), but they are gorgeous knives that are nicely balanced and really feel great in your hand. We replaced an entire block of cheap-o knives with these two knives alone.
   
   
3. Religious & ethnic items for holidays - There are a few holidays we celebrate where specific items are part of the tradition. For example, for Christmas, our families always have nativity sets, so we registered for that. For Easter, there are special cultural items that are used - and someone made us that. You can ask your ethnic families to get you these things (which were actually some of the most touching gifts because they were either made by hand or purchased overseas).
   
   
4. Plates, silverware, glasses and servingware to host 40 people - This is NOT "minimalist" for pretty much anyone, but it made sense for us. We both have large families. The elders of the families have been strongly hinting at having us take over the "big holidays" that they have been hosting. Additionally, we live in a neighborhood that is the spot for 4th of July parties, and we host an annual blowout day-before-Thanksgiving party. When we were making our registry, we made a list of everyone who would be on the invite for these parties and were hitting the 35-40 person range. So we have 40 place settings - we keep 32 of them in a separate set of cabinets in the basement, and 5-6 times a year, bring them out so that everyone can eat together using real plates and silverware. It's not minimalist, but it's intentional in that we specifically have choosen to stay in the same city as our families so we can do these types of things.
   
   I guess my overall advice would be to make a list of goals you want to achieve for your life together, and then try to ask for items that either help you achieve those goals, or enhance those experiences.
   
   A few examples:
   
   

• If a goal for your married life together is to be environmentally sustainable, think about registering for a compost bin, a fancy SimpleHuman garbage/recyling can or a Berkey Water Filter
  
  
• If you want to pursue a healthy lifestyle together and cook homemade meals - you can upgrade your pots and pans (love my All Clad pots and my Le Creuset pan).
  
  Does anyone NEED this stuff? No, of course not. But when you're lucky enough to already have all your basic needs met in life, wedding registries provide are a nice opportunity to upgrade things that were aquired at an earlier time in your time in your life, not for their enduring quality, but rather their low cost/ ease of procurement. Good luck!

Looks like they go to this (found on the same amazon page)
http://www.amazon.com/AGPtek%C2%AE-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=1J5MWN7A7VPQCAT6TFVF

Is this the one? Lansky Diamond Ceramic Turn Box TB-2D2C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EKY5OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_USd1DbBJYXB4Z

I doubt I'll ever buy another Benchmade again, these Chinese blades are Soo much better bang for your buck.

Same thing applies to kinda sharpening systems like the Edge Pro. Get this knockoff instead for a tenth if the price. AGPtek Professional Kitchen Knife Sharpener System Fix-angle with 4 Stones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UPbvCbETGRSKG

• VG-10 16: This is the steel the knife is made out of. Its quite good for a kitchen knife, or so they tell me. I actually haven't used it before.
  
• Layer Hammered Damascus Stainless Steel: This is what VG-10 is. Its made of layers. Those layers are hammered together to make a solid chuck of metal. You can see the pattern in the knife. It looks like wood grain. It appears they also left deep hammer marks around the spine for aesthetic reasons.
  
• Damascus - kind of a misnomer, but that's what we call layered steel like this.
  
• Stainless steel - it won't rust easily (but it will rust if you leave it with salt, water, or acid on it). Clean after use, and you should have no problems.
  
• HRC 60 : Hardness on the Rockwell C scale. Its the standard measure of the hardness of knives. Most production knives clock in between 55-60, but you can get higher. Harder knives (generally) will take a finer edge and will hold it longer than a softer knife.
  
• 1000/6000 stone - Sharpening stones have ratings that tell you how much 'grit' they have per square... inch (maybe cm?). The higher the number, the finer the grit. The finer the grit, the smaller the teeth that will cut into your knife when you sharpen it. With a knife like this, /u/albino-rhino is correct that 1000 grit will be the right stone to keep this knife sharp. A 6000 will put a very fine, very sharp edge on that won't last as long but will be a pleasure to cut with. You can likely find a combination stone with 1000 on one side and 4000 to 6000 on the other side. Youtube will show you how to use it.
  
  Is this it? It looks like a very nice knife at this price point. Based on what I see on the amazon webpage, this knife should last a lifetime with proper maintenance.

Great steak, love the knife! My best guess is a Yoshihiro from the hand pounding and damascus steel. Would love more details.

Edit: Snooped through your comments found out it is the "Yoshihiro 16 layer Damascus Gyuto chef knife". For those interested.

I picked up a $39 John booze maple cutting board at bed bath and beyond… It would’ve been cheaper if I remembered my coupon but I never remember my coupon...

My current knife collection is a hodgepodge of cheaper knives that I bought at thrift shops, junk stores, or hand me downs that I was given.( I cook for a living and didn’t have time to wait to get all of my stuff shipped back from California !) And let me make one thing clear - A cheap little Rada Knife sharpener (https://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Quick-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B001692XPE)

This will give you more mileage on your old dull knives! I would spend more money on a good knife sharpener then I would on getting “good knives” if they are still comfortable in your hand. Remember a knife is only as good as your willingness to keep it sharp. This little device will do the job!

Want to get more mileage for your knife spending dollar? Look at Kiwi knives!

https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Brand-Chef-Knives-172/dp/B008QPBPLO
(SUPERSHARP & VERY cheap knives...)

I did just find a really good deal on a Japanese style rubber cutting board… Those are really worth looking at - very amazing!

So with all due respect to the other commenters who insist that you will need to spend a lot of money I say poppycock! You just need to either sharpen what you have or buy within your budget.

Cook's Illustrated has a lot of reviews of kitchen items, including knives. I have the magazine somewhere, and they chose one of the Victorinox Chef's Knives as their best value - performed almost as well as the higher-end knives but only $30 (at the time). I believe it's this one that's currently $40 on Amazon. The link above goes directly to their summary of their chef's knife criteria/testing, though unfortunately you need to subscribe to get full access to the website etc. etc. They do have a very thorough description of what they look for in a knife, and might help you in your general "What should I look for in a knife" question.

I've heard from multiple places that the average user only really needs 3 knives: a chef's knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife. I think bread knives are pretty hard to mess up - I just bought a bagel knife from my local superstore and called it a day. My current set of knives is actually a set of Kiwi knives that are very nice and sharp, but were really cheap at my local Asian store. I have this for my chef's knife (bought for $4 + tax) and this for my paring knife (bought for $2 + tax). They've served me well so far, and like I said, they're nice and sharp (though my paring knife has dulled since my roommate ran it through the dishwasher :( ). The only thing I dislike about them is that they're on the thin side. While I wouldn't call them flimsy, I am a bit afraid to use my Kiwi knives on something more difficult, like cutting up a pineapple. They do great on my veggies, though. If you have an Asian supermarket near you, maybe check if they have them?

https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Hammered-Damascus-Japanese-Mahogany/dp/B00D6DVTM6

https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Hammered-Damascus-Japanese-Mahogany/dp/B00D6DVTM6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1536105796&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=yoshihiro%2Bgyuto&th=1

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/mivgda21gy.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yavgdawegy21.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yavggy21.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kovgdagy21.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/todpda18gy.html

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/mavggy18.html

Some sub-200 things I found. I personally enjoy Yoshihiro's VG-10 and find that their VG-10 pretty consistently well heat treated. You don't get the chippiness issues you often hear about that I think contributes to VG-10's lessened popularity as a knife steel. It's a good steel, IMO. I have experience with Kohetsu as well, and think this model is a good knife. I've used Masutani VG-1 before but not VG-10, and I sadly don't see 210 or 240mm offerings, they just have this 180mm which is too short for me.

The others are just things I've seen recommended but have not experienced.

A good chefs knife.

I also highly recommend getting some Kiwi Brand knives. They are super cheap but I swear they are the best knives in my kitchen. You can get them at most Asian supermarkets.

https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Hammered-Damascus-Japanese-Mahogany/dp/B00D6DVTM6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1465493136&sr=8-4&keywords=japanese+chef+knife

i bought this one its prety cheap

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008EKY5OA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Damn $100? Its still less than half of eight of them. I'm still gonna go with the edge pro knock off first.

AGPtek® Professional Kitchen Knife Sharpener System Fix-angle with 4 Stones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_JI5aub1T1JK9X

Not a cooking appliance per se, but a GOOD knife sharpening system and taking the time to learn about how to sharpen a knife and what it entails. What got me started was this book for the knowledge, and I ended up using an Edge Pro Apex, but a more economical alternative to that is the AGPtek on amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Kitchen-Ultimate-Guide-Knives/dp/0061188484/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527779143&sr=8-1&keywords=an+edge+in+the+kitchen

https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1527779055&sr=8-7&keywords=edge+pro+apex&dpID=41kOlJo6D4L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

I use one of these http://www.amazon.com/AGPtek%C2%AE-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425532382&sr=8-1&keywords=fixed+angle+knife+sharpener
Absolutely fantastic but not very bushcrafty. Puts a mirror edge on the knife though

I'd suggest getting either a Lansky https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Standard-Coarse-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8L6LI/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=lansky+guided+sharpener&qid=1571188328&sr=8-5

or one of the EP clones off Amazon like this one https://www.amazon.com/AGPTEKProfessional-Kitchen-Sharpener-System-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ruixin+sharpener&qid=1571188143&sr=8-3

The actual 1x6" Edge Pro stones will also fit the cheap Edge Pro Chinese clones if you ever want to upgrade them. The EP stones are like $12/piece and better than the ones that come with the kits. Plus they come on nice aluminum blanks vs. plastic so if you ever want to replace them you can get them on the cheap from Congress Tools.

I can't speak to the boning knife, but I picked up a brisket knife not long ago and have used it quite a bit. For brisket, and for other large roasts. When friends of mine have cooked some large stuff like that they've requested I bring it over!

A couple ideas in your price range which are highly reviewed:

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Millennia-14-Inch-Granton-Edge/dp/B005P0OIBM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495125024&sr=8-1&keywords=brisket+knife

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Fibrox-Slicing-Granton/dp/B0000CFDB9/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495125024&sr=8-2&keywords=brisket+knife

Mercer Culinary Millennia 14-Inch Granton-Edge Slicer Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P0OIBM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_JbhJCtB676CU8

Mercer Culinary M13914 Millennia... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P0OIBM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

That is a slicing knife. Here is one with a round end:

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Millennia-Granton-Edge-Slicer/dp/B005P0OIBM/

I don’t have loads of cash, but, any thoughts on this?

Mercer Culinary M13914 Millennia 14-Inch Granton Edge Slicer, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P0OIBM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_P..UCbM148GC2

It seems to get good reviews, and ships to New Zealand.

A deli slicer is nice, but I've seen people use one of these to process a whole proscuitto. Also useful for other things (but then again so is a deli slicer):


https://www.kitchenessentials.ca/wusthof-classic-10-ham-slicer/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4-XlBRDuARIsAK96p3CuuAbJ-n9Uwva1iDWWRH2Z4KdZ7haZdsTjl4qQUyIJc0uvxDioz5saAnBmEALw_wcB

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or: https://www.amazon.ca/Mercer-Culinary-14-Inch-Slicer-Granton/dp/B005P0OIBM?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&psc=1

It's a Mercer Culinary knife. Decent price and I'm very pleased with the results. It's very handy for cutting down larger cuts and roasts.

I defer to /u/atomedge for sharpening expertise, but what has worked for my elmax and s35vn knives is this - I put a micro-bevel (I think that's what its called), over and above the secondary grind. Stays sharp, requires minimal touchup.

$130 on Amazon?

http://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Cutlery-Hammered-Damascus-8-Inch/dp/B00D6DVTM6

Nope even more simple!! Haha

Lansky Diamond Ceramic Turn Box TB-2D2C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EKY5OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Uj5EDbS1MD0C9

A little over budget and with a western handle, but the Tojiro DP Damascus has some bling.

Or the Yoshihiro VG10.

For a wa handle, maybe this one

Or

this one

Or

this one, for a knife with better steel

Or

Back to western handles, this one for more of a performer.

Depending on how much you like to do you can buy appliances or short cuts. Like you can rice your own cauliflower or buy it done in a bag frozen. I don't like zucchini noodles. Buy what you'll use. Figure out what makes the most sense and go from there. Top things? Instant pot/or other brand of it, air fryer and sous vide. How much cooking do you like to do? Are you looking for easy? Gourmet? Quick or long? What's your proficiency in the kitchen? A few basics are knifes and sharpener. I use this. Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_d.JvDbP8D0K12 to clarify I do not buy high end knifes. It's great for cheaper knifes. Really expensive knifes do not buy this sharpener. I buy a clearance $40 set of knives. Buy cutting boards. Bamboo are great to start and cheap plus sustainable.

What do y'all think of these types of electric knife sharpeners?

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM

I've got a few suggestions, mainly for the car.

Wireless Onboard Diagnostics

Android Compatible ($70)

iPhone Compatible ($100)

Remote Starter Kit (Sale: $47 Retail $200) Unless he knows how to install it, I'd advise having it installed professionally.

Car Jumpstart Kit With Air Compressor (Sale: $80 Retail $100)

Dull knives? Make 'em sharp! Knife Sharpener (Sale: $24 Retail: $40)

Finally, since a GoPro is too pricey, try a cheaper version, the Monoprice MHD Action Camera (Sale: $104 Retail: $200) Based on the reviews, it seems like it's perpetually on sale.

I may do more sleuthing, but that's what I got so far!

• Ah this is actually a big topic.
  
• For a hone, you have three options. A basic grooved steel, a ceramic rod, or a diamond coated steel. The grooved (most common) and the diamond will hone your edge but will also sharpen for better and for worst your edge at the same time due to the courseness of the grooving / diamond coating. The ceramic will do the same, however because it's smooth, it's usually designed to give you a very fine grit at most in it's "sharpening" process ie removes as little metal as possible, maybe at most polish the edge a bit which favors most nicer knife owners. For a western style knife such as yours, and especially stamped blade with a low hardness, your edge usually will roll and fairly often and thus a hone is actually best for you to own and use on a somewhat daily basis. I recommend any non diamond, grooved steel although I find that diamond steels grind far too much metal at inaccurate angles (due to the very wild free hand motion of steeling) but does help give you a quick toothy edge. My personal one of use is ceramic.
  
• As for sharpening, while I don't like pull through or machine sharpeners at all and personally use stones, I don't exactly recommend them for you. The reason is I just don't see the time spend hand sharpening on stones worth the blade/blade material. That is, your knife isn't designed to hold an extremely keen edge, nor is it designed to hold an edge for an insane amount of time, thus for me, when I use a nox or a stamped blade a pull through or a machine sharpener is fine by me. As recommended the accusharp , or any of the decent chefchoice sharpeners will work very well for you. However if you want to progress and learn, then I recommend a low to medium grit combo stone. Say 600 and 1000/2000 so that if you feel like it, you can reset the bevel and then give your knife a decent working edge.
  
• Now say if you upgrade to nicer blades, then by all means stones is the way to go if not an Edge Pro system. Reason for it is that your paying for very nice metal on your blade and thus the very aggressive grinding actions of machine and pull thru sharpeners hurts your investment far more than helps it. Further more, you control the angle and the fineness of your blade. Have Super Blue core steel? Hap40? Bring that sucker down to 9-10 degrees a side with a 20k mirror polished edge. I like to see a machine do that. Plus, usually, with these 'nicer blades' your often running into Japanese knives. J knives are usually made with pretty hard metals, hrc 60+ which does not work with many steels on the market since J knives aren't designed for that to begin with. J knives are designed to have keen, hard , steep edges that are meant to be held for a long time and most likely to chip than roll so whenever it's time to touch up, it's by stones only.
  
• Anyways thats likely more than you ever wanted to know, so to answer your OP, for a steel I recommend the Tojiro Sharpening steel, if you prefer the ideal of a diamond steel giving you a toothy edge while your hone then a DMT fine will suit you. If you want your hone to just hone and not sharpen, then the Idahone fine is pretty much everyone's favorite.
  
• For sharpeners the AccuSharp is my favorite pull thru sharpener, the Spydero sharpmaker wasn't too bad and any of the common electric sharpeners will give you a working edge pesto pesto "pro" or get a basic combo stone

Linking what i found there: http://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM

I’m not sure if you’re looking to sharpen kitchen knives or just the pocket knife, but I feel strongly enough about this sharpener that I dug through my Amazon order history to get you the link. I’ve had this since 2013 and every time I sharpen my knives it’s like they’re brand new. I’m sure there are better (much more expensive) options out there, but dollar for dollar the best sharpener I’ve ever used:

Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oDSVAbRRW5C5Z

Get a good set of knives and a large cutting board. They will make chopping lots of ingredients go from a long chore to quick and enjoyable. Stir-frys are a lot less work with good knives. You can pick your own favorite brand, but here is someplace to start: http://www.amazon.com/R-H-Forschner-Victorinox-8-Piece-Knife/dp/B0000CF9AG

Came here to say this. The knives are great, while they're sharp. But that doesn't last very long (and I'm gentle with my knives... hand wash, never put in the sink, run them across a steel fairly regularly).

If you're looking for good cheap knives, I love my Forschners

I've found for all the things that sit on your counter Amazon is a good resource. For each thing you could want there is typically a fairly decently priced set that is very highly reviewed. Such as these knives and this slow cooker.

I can't help you much with "healthy" food choices, I like meat :)

Well, I use this. About a 4" blade along with a sharpener for 90% of my cooking & eating needs.

I think it came with a fishing fillet kit that was like $5 at a sports store and it came with a little pocket sharpener like this.

Probably not what you were looking for, but it works. Been using this thing for about 4 or 5 years now.

The only knife I use is a $12 filet knife from wal-mart and I use one of those cheater knife sharpening things. My knife is always sharp, slices tomatoes easily, cuts through meat like butter.

As a bonus I can also use it to gut and skin a deer and, of course, filet a fish.

I use the mac pro 8" knife. I love it, have been using (and abusing it) for almost four years. Screen printed logo is long gone, but I'm a true believer of buying higher-end knives. Do you have any other Mac knives? I have a mac pro pairing knife, and am considering if I want to pick up a boning knife.

http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU

Chef's knife, paring Knife, bread Knife, and a honing rod. A utility knife is a nice bonus. If you do a lot of heavy veggie prep you may want to look into a vegetable cleaver which are awesome for cutting large veggies quickly, though not essential. It's sometimes called a Nakiri in Japanese.

- Note that with Chef's knives there are sometimes what's called the French or Western style, which is curved and kind of the most common one you're used to, and then Japanese style, which is also often called Santoku, which tend to be a little shorter (7"ish) and much less curved, sometimes flat, and with these little divots designed to prevent food sticking to it. Some manufacturers nowadays are creating a hybrid best of both worlds, so you can get the longer curve of a Western style with some of the features of a Santoku.

- I never recommend getting a set, always buy them individually because sets tend to be bundled with inferior quality knives.

- You're going to want to look for stainless steel and avoid carbon steel for what you're doing (carbon is actually amazingly sharp but very fussy to maintain for a home cook and rusts easily).

- You want a knife that is "forged" and not "stamped". This, among other things, has to do with build quality, and a forged knife goes all the way through the bolster (handle of the knife). You can almost always tell the difference when you pick one up, stamped feels lightweight and cheap, a forged knife feels heavy and balanced in your hand. I won't say this is the only barometer of quality (there are shitty forged knives out there and decent stamped ones), but starting with a forged knife for an investment purchase is the way to go.

- As for brands, Wusthoff is a classic that makes quality knives you can't go wrong with. Lately, though, I'm a huge fan of MAC Knives, especially the professional series. Incredibly well made, amazing feel, and razor sharp. They are a little pricier but not terrible - the chef's knife runs for around $140ish on Amazon (and it's got about 5 stars from 300 reviews!) ... it's also kind of a hybrid style as I mentioned earlier. Their paring/utility/bread knives should be cheaper at around $50-100. But as others suggested, it's also very important to get a knife that feels right in your hand as you'll be the one using it. If you have a cooking or knife store in your town I recommend going to try out different ones to see what fits you best– and many stores will carry both MAC and Wusthoff.

- With the honing rod, learn how to use it properly and understand it's not a sharpener as it's often confused to be. Ideally I recommend you simply get your knives sharpened professionally about every 6 months (usually about $5-10 per knife) and then use the honing rod quickly before you cook or at least once a week to maintain a nice, sharp edge and upkeep your knives. There's lots of videos on youtube explaining how to hone your knives correctly.

- And when you get your knives, also be sure to dry and store them correctly. I'd avoid putting them in a dishwasher and NEVER toss them into drawers— unless you have sheaths for them to protect the blade edges. I have a knife block on my wall and I love it, my knives are safe, easy to reach, and plus it looks pretty cool!

Good luck, hope this helps.

> Good quality and not crazy expensive.

I've had the notable displeasure of handling one of the Shogun line chef knives. The balance isn't great, the fit and finish is trash, the etching wears off rather quickly, the grinds are terrible, the saya is descent at least for being made of plastic.

​

I would recommend almost anything else, but to start:

​

Wusthof. Reliable German brand, stellar warranty service.

​

Mac. Well regarded in the industry, decent warranty, good track record.

​

Fujiwara FKM. Not a knife I have personal experience with, but generally a well regarded budget pick from the Japanese market.

​

For the sake of OP's $400 budget, I'd also recommend considering custom knives.

I was just kidding. There was a post a bit ago about a knife that broke like yours (but was a lot more expensive) and they said they washed it in really hot water. I thought it was funny because I practically burn my skin to wash my dishes in as hot water as I can.

I’m in the market for a new chef’s knife and am thinking of getting this guy.

Mac Knife Professional Hollow Edge Chef's Knife, 8-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N5H2XU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.8LNBbXA15REX

Also, I’m glad you still have all of your fingers. I could feel my heart contract when I pictured the worse case scenario. It was definitely a “note to self” moment.

I had a friend that went to culinary school who said they were what came with the price of admission and she hated them, but I love it.

Here's mine.

I'd recommend the Mercer Genesis 8" Chef Knife, the handle is a lot nicer than the cheap plastic grip on the Victorinox knives. It's also a dollar and half cheaper. It'll last you decades if taken care of, I still use mine from 9 years ago.

Maybe go with the Victorinox paring knife for the price and any cheap serrated knife will be fine for bread, maybe one of the ones you already have.

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-Forged-Chefs/dp/B000OOQZMY

Her favorite knife is called a petty. In Russian it has another name - the ladies' favourite, and for a good reason.

The "proper" way for your girlfriend to move forward would be to buy a chef's knife and learn how to use it. However, she may not be willing to learn.

Perhaps you should show her some knife porn an educational video like this one and look at her reaction? Then buy her either a decent chef or a decent petty.

As for the brands, the best chef's knife that fits your budget on amazon.co.uk seems to be a Mercer - closed heel, open heel.

If you choose to buy a petty, you can get her a classic Wusthof, or a wider Japanese-inspired Wusthof. An interesting budget option is Tescoma AZZA. The brand is meh, but this line of knives is said to be good.

They're available on Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-Forged-Chefs/dp/B000OOQZMY/ref=sr_1_1

They make a cheaper stamped blade too, though I haven't used it.

I ignored the advice for getting the Victorinox that everyone recommends and got a Mercer Culinary "Genesis" chef's knife. Excellent knife for about the same price. And it actually looks nice, unlike the Victorinox, in my opinion. Mercer supplies the knives to many cooking schools in the US.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OOQZMY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

You can buy or make one with a flexible rod design to accommodate any knife size: http://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM

Have you seen this kind of knife block: https://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM There's also this kind that has a longer and a shorter compartment: https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/countertop/kapoosh-hardwood-knife-block/12d?productId=10030947

It doesn't have slots, but flexible rods that fit a lot of knives of different sizes and shapes. The downside is that it can get messy, but it might be a good choice if you don't have a lot of space because it can hold a lot of knives.

edit: I just found this site that shows more interesting ways to store knives: https://www.core77.com/posts/26446/designing-for-knife-storage-part-2-beyond-knife-blocks-and-wall-racks-26446 I like the under-cabinet knife block. That may be a good solution for your space problem.

I was actually starting to draft a little cooking ideas post like this. This is just what I found value in and will ramble because I haven't really edited it down at all. So if anyone reads it and has notes please let me know, it's fairly directionless at the moment. It is also from the perspective of and aimed towards young single people but not exclusive to. I am also well aware a lot of you folks are good cooks or at least have a functional kitchen and I in no way want it to sound like I'm more knowledgeable than anyone with an hour to watch youtube videos.

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TL:DR Make sure your skills are on point before getting convenience tools as you might not need them, a cast iron or good stainless steel skillet and a good couple of knives can do most things in a kitchen, plan meals before you shop to avoid wastefulness.

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This post is big, flawed, and broken into two main sections. One is purely skills based, stuff you can totally do for free and can start doing right this moment. That's a big part of minimalism for me, gaining skills and getting good at some things rather than owning and being okay at a ton of things. The second section is more of a buy guide, again all from my experience.

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First off is to focus less on the equipment and more on the technique. Fundamentally, knife skills, understanding of cook times, heat, and technique, creativity and planning are some terms I like. In addition I have thoughts on tools and ingredients

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First, learn your knife, do drills, practice good form constantly. When I started in a fast-food-y sandwich shop when I was 16, the manager (who was a line cook for years) suggested I practice things like chopping a carrot as thinly as possible, or celery, or breaking down onion and garlic. Then I got to work with the prep team (which was cool because they taught me Spanish) to learn basic stuff like sauces and cooking meats. The result is a few years later, I have a decent knife. Not as good as a legit cook or anything but enough that I can confidently use a sharp knife to do anything a home cook would ever need to.

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Cook times. It's way less intimidating to work on food when you know "okay my chicken will take this long, oven takes this long, rice needs this much time", and so on. From a minimalist perspective, this will help you cut down on some tools such as a plug-in type grill, rice cookers, stuff that times or cooks food for you. Learning how to use heat also really improves the versatility of something as simple as a cast iron pan. Technique will allow you to make staple dishes or at least be able to take a guess at how to prepare just about anything, and the most valuable tip for that is look up how to make individual components of dishes rather than just recipes over and over. This becomes relevant in the next portion as well.

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Creativity. As some people are mentioning, "aspirational groceries" cause clutter and waste in the form of garbage and money. Creativity helps solve this when paired with planning. When shopping, I found it valuable to plan out meals for the week. Buy what you need, make a note of what isn't used, and refine. That's planning. Creativity is ending up with some random ingredients and Macgyvering it together so you don't waste or overspend. That is made much easier by having solid cooking techniques so you have a bit of a starting off point for creativity.

​

Now into the stuff. I personally think a couple things are fundamental. Babish from YouTube has a great List . First off, get a good 7" to 8" Chef knife. I use a Gyuto but that's more because I impulse bought one when I first moved out and had all the money in the world from not having any expenses and was talked into it by a very nice saleswoman at the knife shop in town. Wusthof is a great name in knives and if you can get a hold of an 8" one of those, a bread knife, and maybe a pairing knife (I don't really use mine much but some people do) you will be able to do most things. I'd avoid buying a knife set just because you're more than likely paying for an extra 3 or so knives you won't use, and they're cheap for a reason. But to each their own, it is very convenient to have the steak knives, honing rod, and scissors that most of them include. No judgement here. Plus they're really really affordable.

​

Now as to everything else, I'm not as researched. I think a good cast iron skillet is fantastic from a minimalist perspective as you can do most things that you'd really ever need to do on it, from frying to saute to some baking. Kent Rollins is first off a joy to watch but more importantly uses very limited tools. He does have his specialized "bertha" stove but for the most part it's just him with either open fires or a hot stove cooking in cast iron pans and dutch ovens. If you want to know more, I'd just watch the babish video above, he talks more about why he has what he has, such as this expensive but amazing set of pots and pans. Off the top of my head: baking sheets, a large cutting board, a meat thermometer (safety), measuring cups and spoons, box grater (or one coarse grater and one microplane grater), spatulas, tongs, etc.

​

Like I said this is mostly ranting, and I'm going to research and trim it down for the future, but these are my thoughts at the moment.

I have 2 actually by accident I didn't know hubby was buying me one and he didn't know that I was buying myself one and now I can't part with either. LOL

​

So I bought myself a Ken Onion Shun, and he got me a Wusthof Classic Ikon. for the shine it has an arched blade and has some weight, which I like for big jobs. Or for when I want to use it.

https://www.cutleryandmore.com/shun-ken-onion/chefs-knife-p127314?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3YGjjoOX4gIVGaSzCh0vqASmEAAYAiAAEgIj3fD_BwE

​

the Wusthof has a a straight blade and is lighter in weight.

https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-4596-7-20-4596-7-20-Knife/dp/B000YMURSE/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=wusthof+classic+ikon&qid=1557699716&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Wusthof 8"
This is the one that I have - Take a look around at some local stores and you're almost certain to find it cheaper than this listing

Another wusthof
This one os from their Ikon line. I don't own this one but I've used it and it's really nice as well. The bolster on the Ikon is a little different and the grip is a little more ergonomic supposedly. I didn't really notice too much of a difference.

Another one to check out is Zwilling. I don't know too much about them apart from word of mouth, which has only been positive.

Whichever you go with make sure that if he doesn't have one already to get him a good steel to go with it

Those aren't even that expensive.... When you mentioned the set for the price of 2 I was thinking something more around this cost range

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YMURSE/ref=s9_acsd_zwish_hd_bw_b1DP7_c_x_w

Cooks Illustrated (aka America's Test Kitchen) recommends this electric model for western knives (sharpened to a 20 degree angle): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CSK0DM/

Then they just recently tested a bunch of new sharpeners that sharpen knives to 15 degrees (Japanese style). They even turn a 20 degree knife into a 15 degree knife. This is their top performer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/
They also tested it on knives that were chipped and it did well in smoothing them out.

Another option if you don't to go the full Japanese water stone route is to use a decent sharpener like the Trizor XV. It has three different grits and sharpens in a fraction of the time of a stone. It sharpens at a 15 degree angle, so you probably wouldn't to use it on softer steel knives.

Over 10 years with this knife and I still love it.

Recently added a Trizor XV Sharpener to give it a 15 degree edge, and now it's better than ever.

Looks like me may be using a custom knife but that style of knife is generally classified as a meat cleaver. here's one by wuhstoff who is an incredibly reliable brand

https://www.amazon.com/Wsthof-4685-19-B0000DJYX3B0000DJYX3B0000DJYX3-B0000DJYX3/dp/B0000DJYX3/ref=mp_s_a_1_26?keywords=meat+cleaver&qid=1555555291&s=gateway&sr=8-26


If you are planning to use it as he does though you are going to want to invest in an electric knife sharpener that will give you a 15° cutting edge on the blade. Meat cleavers typically come with blades around 25° which is great for getting through tough ligaments and bones but not good at all for things like cutting delicate foods such as tomatoes.

I use this knife sharpener and it is beyond fantastic
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Kv-TCbFSX4HAV

This is the one that Sur La Table uses. I bought it and it's idiot proof as well, and my knifes are scary sharp.

It could be for your [honing steel] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N0ULJG)
.

Came here to say I bought this Victorinox 8-inch chef knife and this honing steel. I have no complaints so far. I would probably go with Mercer, though, since you're a student and cheap is always better (at least it was for me during those times), haha.

As /u/Pfe1223 mentioned, you really don't need more than 3 knives. The chef's knife is the most important and most personal one. You should do a little research on that aspect. http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/ would be a good place if you want to really dig in.

Below are three of my recommendations that I think you'd be very happy with.

• Misono 440 Molybdenum Gyutou 7.0"
  
  
• Tojiro Bread Knife
  
  
• Opinel Paring Knife

See my other posts in this thread, but to sum it up: Shun knives are considered a joke by serious cooks.

The 600$ Shun is trying to charge students for that selection of knives is a rip off. No one needs more than 2-3 knives for at least the first couple years of their career, which will be spent doing basic prep and line cooking. You won’t be doing any butchering or specialized work till further on anyways.

And when you do, do your research and buy them piece by piece. At that point you’ll be working with and learning from more experienced chefs who will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

Here’s a suggestion to get you started:

8” Chefs knife

Paring knife

Bread knife

Ceramic Honing Rod

knife roll

peeler

All of this can be had for around a 1/3 of the price Shun charging and I guarantee you these tools will serve you way better.

Really like this one.

well you could just Amazon a Tojiro instead if thats better.

Probably get one of these

one of these

and one of these

Make sure your bread knife is sharp. If it's sharp, you don't need much or any pressure for it to move through the bread with just a sawing motion. When it's dull you end up manhandling the bread and pushing the knife through the loaf more than slicing.

Good bread knives are pretty cheap. Buy a new one every few years when they start to lose their edge. Trying to sharpen bread knives is a fruitless endeavor.

If your knife isn't the problem then there are guides that will help you cut uniform slices.

http://www.amazon.com/Deglon-Meeting-Knife-Stainless-Knives/dp/B002JTWRDS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1324865797&sr=8-4

LOL!!! Some of the 4 and 5 star revies for this product on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Deglon-Meeting-Knife-Stainless-Knives/product-reviews/B002JTWRDS/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

> You know how you instinctively move your foot when a sharp knife falls over the edge of the counter? With Deglon's stack of four sharp knives, now you have little chance of escaping without a deep laceration or puncture wound.
__

> I really do love this set! Had a lot of trouble with my other sets cutting the bodies... Perfect for guys like me... Have fun with it and dont cut yourself! xD

> Dexter



> With most chef's knives, I've always used the knuckles on my opposing hand to guide the blade, producing straight, even and safe cuts. But the hollow space in the Deglon chef's knife has been revelatory, allowing my knuckles, and occasionally my fingers, to merge and become one with the blade. Now rather than subjecting the knife to the narrow constraints of my rote technique, the blade is free to cut where it feels it should go. Instead of a boring uniform julienne, every piece of cut food is like a snowflake, unique in shape and size. Cooking used to be about the end product, but now I just spend hours slicing, dicing and mincing, sometimes all three at the same time.

> The nesting design is also eminently practical and space efficient. I highly recommend it to anyone who cannot afford sufficient storage space in their kitchen because they spent $1,000 on 4 knives.

__

> I love this knife set, as I have medical condition where my handgrip size changes in relation to the Fibonacci series.

I have a carbon steel knife which is harder than VG10 on the Rockwell scale and the knife maker recommended a ceramic honing rod rather than a steel one.

Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-12-Inch-Ceramic-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B002YK1RAQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406208943&sr=8-1&keywords=ceramic+honing+rod

As others have mentioned, a honing rod isn't for sharpening it is for, well, honing. You use it on a daily basis (or semi-daily) to keep the teeth aligned on the blade.

You don't have to pay that much for ceramic.

Sure!
Here's a steel: https://www.amazon.com/10-inch-Knife-Sharpening-Utopia-Kitchen/dp/B019CEWA9S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480170600&sr=8-2&keywords=steel+knife+rod

And here's a ceramic one: https://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-Ceramic-Knife-Sharpener-12-Inch/dp/B002YK1RAQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480170600&sr=8-3&keywords=steel+knife+rod

As the ceramic rods are quite hard, you could probably get by with just that, and not the steel one. It will hone the knife (which is simply aligning the metal of the knife edge), while sharpening it slightly.

I'll chime in and offer that IME, a sharpening stick is a great thing to have to maintain an edge. After each use just clean the blade and run it over the stick two of three times per side at a constant angle of about 20 degrees in a motion as if you were trying to shear a thin layer of wax off the stick.

I fully understand OP's inclination to send the knives out. Get a cheap knife from the dollar store and practice with a sharpening stone or diamond hone. Youtube has good videos on this.

ok i will offer you two BIFL versions. the first one being BIFL on a budget and the second being a much higher dollar BIFL cost.

quality on a budget- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CF8YO/ref=cm_ciu_pl_B0000CF8YO_mo1ZWCPZP5I7S3B

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Color-EC6D43-Enameled-6-Quart/dp/B000N501BK/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857337&sr=1-1&keywords=lodge+dutch+oven

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-4-Inch-Fibrox-Straight-Paring/dp/B008M5U1UE/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857377&sr=1-1&keywords=victorinox+paring

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Wooden-Spoon-3-Piece/dp/B008H2JLP8/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857407&sr=1-2&keywords=wooden+spoon

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-12-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857459&sr=1-1&keywords=lodge+cast+iron

higher dollar items include-

http://www.amazon.com/Global-G-2-inch-Chefs-Knife/dp/B00005OL44/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857561&sr=1-1&keywords=global+knives

http://www.amazon.com/Shun-Premier-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B003B66YKA/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857613&sr=1-2&keywords=shun+knives

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Classic-2-Inch-Paring-Knife/dp/B00005MEGH/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857640&sr=1-3&keywords=paring+knife

http://www.amazon.com/Le-Creuset-Signature-Enameled-Cast-Iron/dp/B0076NOGPY/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857680&sr=1-2&keywords=le+creuset+dutch+oven

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-12-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371857717&sr=1-1&keywords=lodge+cast+iron


I own the cheaper BIFL items i listed and they have been AMAZING so far. you really cant beat the quality/ price ratio for the cheaper things i listed. if you want a better chef knife all the options i gave you would be excellent but just know that you could go crazy looking at all the different brands.

Shun Premier Chef?

Core is VG-MAX which is basically VG-10 but a little more pricey and holds a better edge. The damascus laminate is stainless and very corrosion resistant. Full tang and forged, supposedly hand made but coming from Shun I have my doubts. Handles are real wood but the wood is impregnated with resin which makes it impossible to rot or absorb moisture.

More info from Shun's page

• Chef's knife 1 [2] (http://www.amazon.com/Henckels-International-Classic-8-Inch-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00004RFMT/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1335026275&sr=1-3) me gusta
  
• Paring knife (victorinox is good if you get a few. If you want just one, get something with solid construction. You can find them for pretty cheap)
  
• Cutting boards (ikea is a good place for these. 2/$1)
  
• French Press (Mmmm, coffee)
  
• Spices (oregano, basil, salt, pepper, yellow curry powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder)
  
• A few nice microwave safe bowls
  
• A mixing bowl
  
• 1 nice, heavy saute pan (8" coated works well for 1 person, though you may want to get something a bit bigger if you'll be cooking for 2. Also, use plastic a wood utensils. NEVER use a fork because it's easier. You will ruin your pan if you do not heed my warning.)
  
• 1 nice, heavy pot (1 or two quarts should do. Try Goodwill or somewhere similar for this)
  
• Spatulas, wood spoons, tongs, etc.
  
  A well fit kitchen is really important. I like to go with a minimalist style and just wash as I go. It keeps the clutter down and makes cooking pretty damn easy. Good luck!

Knives: What kind of sharpener do you use or which is better? the stick or the groove thingy?

Also, are stainless steel pans always going to be expensive? Would you say it's worth it? I see stainless all the time in cooking shows and it seems like it's more versatile than cast iron or non-stick.

You don't like plastic but does that include the silicone cutting mats?

Do you have any other gadgets that you think every chef should have?

I think this one is the best way to go. It is super durable and very suitable for all different uses. Victorinox Swiss Army 8-Inch Fibrox Straight Edge Chef's Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M5U1C2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_OPnzwbWRBYQ2R

Edit: They also have a good paring knife Victorinox Swiss Classic 4-Inch Paring Knife, Spear Tip https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LRYE36/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_sWnzwbJ3ZWKF3 In my opinion a chefs knife and paring knife are all you really need.

Santoku is fine. I have a 5.5" Hammer Stahl . It was a gift I use at home now. For work, most of my prep and ice work is done with this or something like it. Indented handle, straight blade. God I love this trident too.

Garnishes gotta have a good paring knife. This Victorinox might be top of the line, but I don't buy those any more. They dull quickly. Buy these and you will never go back.

you can go with the Porsche

or you can go with the volkswagen

True. I bought this for actual sharpening every 8 months or so.

I've got this knife sharpener! Let's keep ourselves safe and our food prepared!

An electric knife sharpener ended up being an amazing purchase this year. It was around $25 on Amazon. Easily transforms shitty knives into high-quality pieces you can actually use. Way cheaper than buying a bunch of "top quality" knives, which isn't always a justifiable purchase if you're a novice cook.

Link for those interested.

Yeah, I'm in your boat big time. I sharpen them with an electric sucka like this. I do it 2-3 times a year and my knives are razor sharp.

My culinary friend poo pooed me when hearing this. I didn't get it. It seems to me that it would take a lifetime to sharpen away the entire knife by doing this 2-3 times a year.

 Presto 08800 EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener <br />

Kitchen
Sold by Amazon.com LLC
$27.54
Item Subtotal: $27.54
Shipping & Handling: $13.96
Total Before Tax: $41.50
Import Fees Deposit: $3.69
Order Total: $45.19
http://www.amazon.ca/Presto-EverSharp-Electric-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1373025918&sr=8-3&keywords=electric+knife+sharpener

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-8-Piece-Knife-Block-Set/dp/B0000CF9AG

The Victorinox knives with the textured rubber\plastic handles are seriously great bang for your buck.

You might look into building your own set piece meal and only getting the knives you want and a cheap generic block, may save some cash that way.

Edit: Actually since you are going to school, something like this http://www.amazon.com/Winco-Compartment-Knife-Bag-Black/dp/B001RJTX9C will probably suit more than a block.

Thanks for responding! Quick question is there any difference between this and the one posted below at this link? http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-8-Piece-Knife-Block-Set/dp/B0000CF9AG

You don't need to spend a ton of money on a set of high end knives. Victorinox is the gold standard for kick ass knives in my opinion. Restaurants and butchers swear by them because they are of very high quality and inexpensive. I have the 8-piece set [(seen here)] (http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-8-Piece-Knife-Block-Set/dp/B0000CF9AG) and absolutely love them.

Here is a video of Americas Test Kitchen comparing the Victorinox 8 inch chef knife against a bunch of really expensive carbon steel blades.


Edit: I also wanted to mention that I find a use for every blade in the set. Although, I find that the 8 inch chef knife can be a little too big and unwieldy for some tasks like chopping garlic. I would recommend getting a smaller 6 or 7 inch chef or santoku knife to handle more delicate chopping tasks.

>Thanks! He tends to put our knifes in the dishwasher...... so probably best for the money....... I checked out that brand, I saw this, what do you think about this set?
>
> https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-8-Piece-Knife-Block-Set/dp/B0000CF9AG/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Fibrox&qid=1573584267&s=home-garden&sr=1-6

My under $2, under $3 and my under $4. :)

This is fun!

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Link: $4


|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|UK|amazon.co.uk|
|Spain|amazon.es|
|France|amazon.fr|
|Germany|amazon.de|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
|Italy|amazon.it|



This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting).

I use this. It's $4 and I use it each time I use my kitchen knives. It's not gonna get it razor sharp, but it keeps it sharp enough to cut meats effortlessly.

I recently bought my first nice EDC- it's a made in usa Kershaw knockout- with the alabama demascus. Can I keep things simple and just sharpen it with the smith's?

​

link for reference: https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-CCKS-2-Step-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B00032S02K/ref=zg_bs_289867_10?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3E46G57PC0J41SKK7MFA

correct i mean i don't have a space to not worry about metal shavings or like you said the ability to affix something to a table. i just have a small apartment with barely a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. where can i look for those? amazon? or is there a site you'd recommend?

EDIT: would this work?

I have a couple versions of the Kershaw Emersons and would definitely recommend them given the price range. I love the Emerson wave and wish more knives had it. They open quick and easy with one hand, even with gloves on. Fit and finish is on part with the price and the blade stock is quite think; It will hold up well for hiking and camping as long as you don't abuse it. Only downside is the blade is rather large - great for outdoors, but a bit bulky in the pocket for some people.

I haven't used the Reverb, but it looks like it may not be the best choice for use outdoors. It looks pretty, but the extra machining and effort required makes me wonder if they cut corners elsewhere to hit the price point. Again, I haven't used one, but looks like it could be tricky to open one handed, especially if you have wet hands. I've had multiple knives with integrated carabineers/clips and have never found a use for them - they usually just result in hot spots that dig into my palm.

Not a fan of Gerber, but that's just personal preference after having a couple of them fail to hold up. Their flippers never seem to be smooth enough to reliably open every time either, though that may just be poor luck on my part. The Quadrant looks nice if you wanted something that would disappear in your pocket for light EDC, but it's not something I would want to use outdoors.

All three should be low maintenance, but at this price point the steels will dull relatively easily. I'd grab a cheap draw-through sharpener to take along.

I'm rough on my knives so I lean towards simple and durable, but there's nothing wrong with choosing based on aesthetics if one really catches your eye. Ultimate, if you like it then that's all that matters.

I wish I had seen this thread before I ordered this sharpener. It seems to work, but it's nothing special. Won't get this knife terribly sharp, but does a decent job and it's lightweight.

Currently I only have a Shun honing steel for my kitchen knives. I was considering buying a sharpening kit like these:

• Smich's CCKS
  
• Accusharp 001
  
• Smith's PP1

Absolutely this. Most home cooks don't need a whole bunch of knives. For instance, I only have 3 knives that I use regularly: this MAC 8 inch chef's knife, a little paring knife that I got for like 10 bucks at a kitchen supply store, and my mom's ancient Yan Can Cook cleaver (which I use for bulk veggie prep).

https://www.ebay.com/usr/sk2excellent has some great knives -- a lot of unstamped mac knives, too since they're made in the same place.

Compare this to this -- you can see some old threads around reddit, like this one.

I picked up this 200mm bad boy and love it.

My Mac Professional has treated me well. I also got a waterstone and a honer to go with it. A bit more that $100, but a pretty good bang for your buck.

most chefs i've worked with agree, this is about as good a knife as money can buy

https://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU

and this is right up there with it

edit: misono also makes a clad gyuto that is about as good

https://www.amazon.com/Misono-Swedish-Carbon-Steel-Gyutou/dp/B002B76H1G/

in my very brief time using both of them, i'd have to say they aren't wrong

Entire article with spam/referrals removed

Please report this post and user u/mnluxury11
to the mods for breaking the rules for personal profit.

Mac MTH-80

The best chef’s knife for most people

>With its super-sharp edge, its sleek, tapered shape, and its comfortable handle, this knife will make your everyday dicing and slicing tasks smoother and quicker.

>Every kitchen should have a chef’s knife — it’s the most versatile piece in any cutlery set, and it will make food prep on Thanksgiving and every other day faster and easier. The Mac MTH-80 has been the top pick in our guide to chef’s knives since 2013, a choice backed by 120 hours of research, interviews with experts and chefs, and tests that involved chopping more than 70 pounds of produce. The Mac is universally comfortable, and it has proven that it can stay sharp through regular use, even in our busy test kitchen. Other knives to consider for preparing a Thanksgiving meal: a paring knife for delicate tasks, and a serrated knife for slicing bread, root vegetables, and even meat.

Price: $145 (17% OFF)


Proteak TeakHaus Rectangle Edge Grain Cutting Board with Hand Grip

The best wood cutting board

>This beautiful, eco-conscious teak board requires more careful cleaning than a plastic board, but it felt better under a knife and was easier to maintain than the other wood boards we tested.

>If you want a hefty wood cutting board (which looks better and is easier on your knives), we recommend the Proteak TeakHaus Rectangle Edge Grain Cutting Board with Hand Grip. It’s thick enough to stay in place and resist warping, but it isn’t so heavy that you can’t easily move it around. It can also double as a serving board for a cheese spread before dinner. For carving the Thanksgiving turkey, check out the Proteak Teakhaus 24-by-18-inch board, a larger version of our pick that has a juice groove.

Price: $85 (12% OFF)



Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor

The best food processor

>With just pulse and on buttons plus a single bowl, this is one of Cuisinart’s most basic models, but it consistently chops, slices, and kneads better than any other food processor we’ve found for under $250.

>A food processor is the best tool for quickly performing a variety of chopping, slicing, and shredding tasks, something you’ll be doing a lot of when prepping for Thanksgiving.

Price: $156


Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Dutch Oven

Best Dutch oven

>With big handles and durable design, this Dutch oven aced every test, rivaling models four times the price. A nice Dutch oven is indispensable for preparing all kinds of hearty Thanksgiving sides, and it looks nice enough to double as a serving dish.

Price: $59



All-Clad Stainless 12″ Covered Fry Pan

The best skillet

>With its superior heat conduction, durable construction, and comfortable handle, the All-Clad 12-inch skillet is a workhorse that will last beyond a lifetime.

>A 12-inch skillet is an essential kitchen tool: It’s perfect for stir-frying, pan-frying, making one-pan meals, and searing steaks and other hunks of meat. At Thanksgiving, you can use it for everything from toasting nuts to creaming spinach.

Price: $99 (50% OFF)


Bayou Classic Aluminum Turkey Fryer Stockpot

The best turkey fryer pot

>Part one of our suggested turkey-frying kit is a 30-quart aluminum stockpot that heated up quickly and stayed warm in our tests.

>Our pick for the best turkey fryer is the 30-quart Bayou Classic Aluminum Turkey Fryer Stockpot along with the Bayou Classic Single Burner Patio Stove. The affordable, quick-heating stockpot kit has everything you need to get the job done except the oil, the turkey, and a heat source. The separate stove is solidly built, powerful (enough), and designed with the four-legged stability you want when you’re handling 4 gallons of bubbling oil.

Price: $58

Thirding this. I have all Mercer steel and I really like them. Here's the knife we're talking about. Not hugely expensive either, which is a big plus. (Like the Swedish flag but more slicy.)

I haven't used that many others to compare with, but I really like this one thats about the same price as a Victorinox.

http://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-Forged-Chefs/dp/B000OOQZMY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410814095&sr=8-1&keywords=mercer+8+inch+chef+knife

It's crazy sharp.

I have a set of these Mercer knives and they are awesome. Apparently they are common culinary student knives, typically sold in restaurant supply stores not consumer stores. Not under $25 but a great knife for the price.

http://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-Forged-Chefs/dp/B000OOQZMY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421252538&sr=8-1&keywords=mercer+chefs+knife

https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-8-Inch-Forged/dp/B000OOQZMY

This is the smaller version of the knife I used in culinary school. I still have the 10in version. it's a quality knife, if not as well known as some other brands.

I've had one of these for about 4 years, and it's been awesome. It's very comfortable and well-balanced. I get it sharpened regularly and hone it often.

Victorinox is fine. Wusthof is awesome but Mercer (same steel as Wusthof, but less thrills on the finish) is my first choice at a reasonable price.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OOQZMY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2UB5W2RPVSSOV&coliid=I3SQF0CAZSIM1L

I like this one over the Victorinox.

I've never had a Victorinox, but I really enjoy my Mercer blades. At $30 for the 8" blade styles, they are great beginner knives. Had mine for 4 years now and have never had a complaint.
Couple of the prep cooks at the restaurant I worked at had Mercer sets and also loved them. Great quality for the price.
8" chef knife
Mercer Genesis collection

If you want the price of the Victorinox but the sturdier forged blade of the Wusthof consider getting a Mercer. It is German steel and it seems to be a good blade. I have a couple of Wusthof chef knives and I have a 10" Victorinox chef's knife and I wish I had known about the Mercer when I bought the Victorinox. I did end up buying the Mercer for my brother this past Christmas and I enjoyed the weight and feel of the knife and so did he. That would be my top recommendation for a good knife for a good price.

I’ve had the kapoosh knife block for almost 10 yrs and it’s awesome

LPT get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Kapoosh-Knife-Block-Light-Woodgrain/dp/B000Q4I9LM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480783879&sr=8-3&keywords=Kapoosh+Universal+Knife+Block

The knives are held in place by friction on the sides of the blade and you can put in whatever knives you wish.

Actually I've got one of these

It's very convenient and I don't think it would have any effect on the blade. It also looks kinda funny.

Get a quality chef knife if you don’t have one yet and are cooking a lot. I would say if you want a western knife, a BILF one would be the Wustof Classic Ikon. It is a good price and built like a tank but has the balance of a ballerina. Great great value at the price of $170. They also have it packaged with a Wustof Classic Ikon pairing knife for $190 if you need one of those.

Wusthof Classic IKON Cook’s Knife,4596-7/20 8 Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YMURSE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JAYxCbMNSEENH

Wusthof Classic Ikon two piece starter set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005MEHP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TCYxCbZEWS00F

https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-4596-7-20-4596-7-20-Knife/dp/B000YMURSE

Well, Victorinox is nice but you should try something from Germany, like a "Zwilling" or a "Wüsthof", https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YMURSE/ref=psdc_289857_t1_B000XKFNGI
This might be the best if you don't want to go with japanese steel.

We are still putting together a set but I recently bought this Wusthof Ikon 8" chef's knife for my GF and it is phenomenal. We are both very happy with it. Also picked up a honing steel and the combo is literally unstoppable. As far as the rest of your set goes I can't make any real recommendations but we are researching regularly. Good luck!

Get a good knife. Never look back.

I have no interest in promoting a brand but this is my good knife. It has made me very happy.

Wusthof Classic Ikon 8-Inch Cook's Knife, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YMURSE?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

In that range go for the wustof 8" ikon. Just bought one as a gift for a fellow line cook. Great knife by a notable maker.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000YMURSE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1456912234&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=wusthof+ikon&dpPl=1&dpID=21HPgwBr1yL&ref=plSrch

The Chefs Choice Trizor was one of Americas Test Kitchen's top choices:

https://www.amazon.com/Choice-EdgeSelect-Electric-Sharpener-Platinum/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511752127&sr=1-4&keywords=chefs+choice+knife+sharpener

http://www.amazon.com/Choice-Trizor-EdgeSelect-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B0018RSEMU

I personally don't feel the need to spend $300 on a single knife. I'd go with Wusthof and also get him something for sharpening. I'd recommend getting him the 3 only knives that every cook needs:

• The Chef's Knife (I was going to include the paring knife separately but I found this set instead)
  
  
• The Serrated knife
  
  In terms of sharpening, a lot of people recommend stones but I don't really have the time or much patience to do something like that. Instead, you could get him a professional electric knife sharpener:
  
  
• Test Kitchen Review here
  
  
• Amazon link
  
  Total is $339.85

I don’t remember paying this much for it, but im happy with the sharpener

This guy might be a good option in addition to a decent chef knife. It goes on sale every now and then. I'm thinking about getting one for my mom next time it's on sale. She also wrecks the edge on her kitchen knives.

Chef’sChoice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives Diamond Abrasives Patented Sharpening System Made in USA, 3-Stage, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZviLBbB9HCDSB

The trouble with Shun knives is how thin and brittle the edge is. Honestly there are some fantastic Wusthoff and Henckels knives that will withstand accidents much better. I know this isn't a direct answer to the question but might be the best overall solution. Alternately, you could go for this grinder to completely reshape the edge, but it'll take forever and cost as much as a new knife. That CAN be a good BIFL solution, because it will help you keep ANY knife with a 15 degree edge working for life, but only if you're into the maintenance efforts as an enthusiast. If your kitchen is prone to accidents or clumsy roommates (like mine), a sturdier knife with slightly softer steel (German style) might be ideal. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018RSEMU/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687682&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000FKV96Y&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=11PWAJAJ45EKQHMM9C6P)

I have a $5 pairing knife that takes an edge well but looses it fast. I have a $25 stamped wusthof that takes an edge well and keeps it pretty good. I just bought my little brothers (2 of them) Misen chefs knives (a kickstarter thing) and they are pretty dang nice.

 

I can sharpen an axe to where I can shave with it by hand. Showing off is all that is good for. I have used water stones, diamond, the top of a car window, and even a plain ole rock. But once a month or so, I sharpen them with on this.

 

But every day, I hone them with one of these I bought at goodwill.

 

My advice to anyone is learn to use and sharpen the tool before geeking out on expensive stuff. Knowledge and practice will bring you a lot more satisfaction. I would rather hear a great guitarist on a crap guitar than a crap guitarist on a great guitar.

Start with this

and learn to use it. It's a million times more useful, and it's an essential chef skill.

It also heavily depends on the type of steel you use. I use a forged steel knife, as opposed to a blade that was say, press cut out of sheet steel.

I highly recommend getting a decent knife. I use An eight inch Mercer. Providing I use it on a wood cutting board, it lasts me about six to eight months. Honing steel every once and a while doesn't hurt either.

It's something like one of these but I don't know if that's exactly it or not, can check when I get home later on.

Just roll with the Victorinox fibrox 8 inch, a good whetstone and steel if you're trying to be cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001N0ULJG/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0016VC46A/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501371759&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=king+1000+whetstone&dpPl=1&dpID=31xyvQ0MXCL&ref=plSrch

As a cutler, I'd recommend using this only for "steeling" a knife. Essentially replacing one of these.

If you try to hone with a cup, you're gonna have issues.

If you're serious about cooking, knife sharpening is an invaluable skill. Get yourself a steel and the shittiest old chef's knife you can find in the back of your parent's silverware drawer. Then do what Gordon Ramsey tells you to until that knife is sharp and you're confident enough to do it on your good knife. My knives are as sharp as the day I bought them and it's never cost me more than a $10 steel and 30 seconds of my time before and after using them,

I use this steel which is less than $16 .. it works well for me. Amazon has quite a few stones that I am sure are good.. I have this one and have no complaints with it either. I like that the case for it has non slip feet and places the stone at an angle for you.

My Winco honing stick is rusting. How do I prevent my honing stick from rusting?

If you want a set I really like the Tojiro. Save you $50, same steel, and I prefer a normal utility over serrated.

Add the Tojiro bread knife and you’ve got all the knives a cook would need and you’re still $15 under the Shun set.

I'm personally of the mind that you can do almost everything with a gyuto, so I'd probably just add a cheaper petty and a bread knife if you're looking for essentials. In terms of the site you linked, I guess I would get a 12-15cm global utility knife. They're not amazing, but you do have the gift certificate, and like I said, I don't think there's much reason to spend a lot on a petty, so the globals seem like a good bet. They're softer and tougher than what you'll find in a good Japanse gyuto too, so you can abuse them a bit more. The wusthof line they carry has full bolsters, so I'd stay away from them. To be honest, the rest looks like trash.

Edit: I don't see any good budget bread knives on their either, but I'd check out this tojiro bread knife from amazon or wherever else you can find it.

A lot of people recommend this one, I bought it and returned it because there's no room for your knuckles under the handle:

> While the blade itself is indeed very sharp and cuts beautifully, I cannot give this more than 3 stars because there is not enough room below the handle for one's fingers/knuckles when slicing bread (my hands are average size). I cannot understand the near unanimous 5-start ratings, does this not bother other people? I cannot slice completely through the bottom crust of a crusty loaf without either rotating the loaf or moving the loaf closer to the front of the cutting board so that my knuckles can extend below the plane of the cutting board. I will be returning this knife.

This one was mentioned a while ago.
I bought one and it slices bread almost paper thin.

Tojiro Bread Slicer 235mm F-737

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001TPA816/

Since op never sourced:


Deglon Meeting Knife Set, Stainless Steel Knives and Block, Set of 4

545.11$

https://www.amazon.com/Deglon-Meeting-Knife-Stainless-Knives/dp/B002JTWRDS

Name: "Deglon Meeting Knife Set"

$545

Purchase Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Deglon-Meeting-Knife-Stainless-Knives/dp/B002JTWRDS

Why not post the link to the actual amazon page? ಠ_ಠ

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JTWRDS/?tag=047-20

Here you go:

Amazon

Fantes

Design Swan

I don't recognize the brand, I'm sure I've used something of similar quality tough. I'm going to assume it's similar to the set made by Henckles International (the Chinese ripoff of the German Henckles... notice the slight difference in the logo and the price difference). The Chinese Henckles are decent knives. They sharpen alright, but take a lot more frequent maintenance than my German Henckles. They're the set that wife is allowed to use (she knows not to mess with my good knives without permission).

Your difficulty with sharpening might be due to the metal used in those knives. High quality knives typically have a higher carbon content plus other metals besides iron that help with various things. The higher carbon makes the blades harder, and easier to put a sharp edge on. Or possibly your boss was better at sharpening. The main thing is to keep your knife at a consistent angle. Once you get good, you can feel if it's at the right spot and adjust almost without thinking about it while sharpening.

Also, the more quality knives sometimes use a more effective edge shape. I know Global knives (and lots of other Japanese companies) use the convex edge shape, which is very strong and dulls slowly, but is very difficult to maintain. Most people recommend a tri-stone for sharpening, but I don't actually. Your coarse and med stones are only needed if you let your knife get extremely dull (and a kitchen knife should never actually get dull). Those stones also eat off a lot of metal, so with frequent use, your knife shape can change noticably. For an amateur that wants a decently sharp knife, but doesn't care enough to learn to sharpen one correctly this Sharpener is the only pull sharpener I've used that I like (I actually got one for my grandmother, since her knives were always dull).

But, if you want to learn to sharpen a knife, get a fine stone (type is more preference than anything else) and a honing rod (something with a diamond grit finish or ceramic, the steel rods are basically useless for anything but light honing, this is the one I use). I don't actually have a stone in my kitchen because I don't let my knives don't dull to the point I need anything besides the ceramic rod to re-sharpen/hone the knife. For the stone though, there's tons of youtube videos out there on how to sharpen a knife (plus some nifty kits that have bits that clip onto your blade to hold the angle constant). I found this video that explains things pretty well. Sticking the point of the rod on the cutting board like he does is a good, stable way to learn to use it.

No idea but this is what I use to DIY.

Messermeister 12-Inch Ceramic Rod Knife Sharpener

I bought the exact same knife about 6 months ago, and use it almost every day. I use this Messermeister sharpener about once a week and the knife is as sharp as the first day I used it. Great knife, great sharpener.

Ceramic http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002YK1RAQ?pc_redir=1406794484&robot_redir=1

Nice Kit. How do you like the G2 Chef's knife? I use a 8" Shun Premier.

I swear, this knife that my sous gave me is giving me carpal tunnel.

It's pretty, but so damn uncomfortable.

Hopefully you're enjoying yours.

Is this the same knife?

Oh, hey, that looks spot on! ty =)

Turns out his is the paring version, I have the full size version. But mine is this knife.

Is the handheld sharpener all I need to keep my Wüsthof blades sharp, or are whetstones or something else the way to go?

​

https://www.amazon.com/Wüsthof-2-Stage-Hand-Held-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08

Also, I use something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/W%C3%BCsthof-2-Stage-Hand-Held-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1499532252&sr=1-11&refinements=p_36%3A1253523011

It keeps my knives very sharp. I use a little olive oil on the cutting edge, and make sure to keep the blade in proper alignment as I pull it through the sharpeners, and not too much pressure. It quickly aligns the blade and restores the cutting edge to razor sharpness. I don't even bother with a steel anymore, just sharpen a few times a month and Robert's your mother's brother.

Most people around here suggest that you Get a victorinox chefs knife. Perhaps like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-5-Inch-Mini-Chefs-Fibrox-Handle/dp/B000QCLEFC/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1375322729&sr=8-31&keywords=Victorinox+knife

I would also recommend a sharpener, if you are living with other guys, it will get used and abused often, so keeping it sharp will be hugely helpful. While a sharp knife can cut you if you are not careful, a dull knife is unpredictable and can make prepping food a nightmare. Even a cheap one is better than nothing

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Precision-Stage-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B003TWNZ08/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1375323134&sr=1-3&keywords=Knife+sharpener+kitchen

Victorinox Fibrox 8" will take care of your chef's knife. Can't recommend a paring knife through experience, though based on my Victorinox chef's knife, I'd have zero hesitations with picking up their 4" paring knife as well.

You only need three knives.
And these are the perfect three:

Akifusa Chef's knife

http://imgur.com/MCoUDeK.jpg

Victorinox bread knife

http://imgur.com/9zI2hql

Victorinox Basic pairing knife

http://imgur.com/hcRUbby

I've always wanted a dog for Christmas, and every other holiday/occasion. I've wanted a dog for over two decades. As a child, I was obsessed with dogs (I would only wear clothing that had dogs on them) but my dad never allowed it (now that I'm older, I suspect it was because of his dog growing up, which he was heart broken over when it passed away). Every year, I would ask for a dog and would get a different pet. At one point I had 3 guinea pigs (each for a different occasion), a cockatiel, a cat, and an oscar (fish). I still ask for a dog as a joke even though I know it won't happen. Once I move out of my apartment, in a year or two, I'll finally get my dog :)

Something I'd like for Christmas this year is this paring knife. All my knives are so dull that they can't even cut a bell pepper properly! The prep time for cooking will be cut in half with a nice knife (hehe no pun intended!).


All I want for Christmas is a dog!

Do you want them to be fancy or functional? How about just buying individual Victorinox Paring knives? Seriously, take a look. https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Classic-Paring-Knife/dp/B005LRYE36

Unsure on the quality of the knives you linked but pick up some Victorinox knives for less. Probably equal or higher quality as well as highly recommended.

Chefs knife

Paring knife

Bread knife

Could even do without the bread knife but if you were already planning on spending $150, get these three and that should cover 98% of use.

If you're a beginner, then I recommend you get something like this or like his if you want the propane kind. DO NOT GET ELECTRIC.

After that, it's just all about meat temp, so make sure you get yourself a good portable meat thermometer. I recommend this guy. It'll give you the most bang for your buck.

After that, it's all about temperature, getting that brisket up to the right temp can take anywhere from 8-12 hours, depending on the cut. You can good recipes for rub and methods, but IMO, they'll always come out great, provided you get it to the right temp and slice it properly.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret, smoking meat is something that looks incredibly complicated, but is in fact pretty damn easy. And it's an easy way to impress friends and family.

Other things you'll likely eventually want, but can get away without are some pit gloves a good long knife and a huge cutting board, if you don't have one.

The edge pro system makes it super easy. You can get a knockoff like this for pretty cheap: https://www.amazon.com/AGPtek-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_27?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1503601515&sr=1-27&keywords=knife+sharpener

I threw away the shitty stones that came with the knockoff and got some better stones (I actually bought my own stones from a tool and die shop and glued them to blanks, but you can just buy official edgepro stones).

I have a regular waterstone as well, but my technique is not good enough to match what I can do with the knockoff edgepro.

Hi. I was going to pick up a Wusthof Ikon when a buddy of mine told me that the Victorinox Fibrox was gonna be almost as good for 1/4th the price. After doing some more research, I saw a lot of people preaching the superiority of Japanese knives in that price range. Rather than settle for the Fibrox, I decided to keep my original budget but look for a better knife. After reading the wiki, I settled on the Masakage Yuki Gyuto 240mm, which the guide said was $180.

Unfortunately, the Masakage Yuki Gyuto has gone up in price quite considerably since that guide was written. At $260, it's no longer in my budget, and I'm wondering if it's even worth that much (compared to other knives in that range). So I thought I'd post here and look for further input.

1. I'm not experienced in either style, but I like the Japanese aesthetic. I'm definitely more used to Western handles though.
   
2. Any
   
3. D-Shaped or Round preferred
   
4. Either
   
5. 180mm to 240mm max
   
6. All-purpose, entry level (or slightly above entry level) knife. Gyutos seem to fit that bill, much like the Western "Cook's" or "Chef" knife.
   
7. Honing
   
8. $120 - $200
   
   Since reconsidering the Masakage, I've been looking at these options:
   
   Tojiro DP (https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UANWIC)
   
   Gesshin Stainless (https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/products/gesshin-240mm-stainless-gyuto)
   
   Something by Yoshihiro, I like this Santoku but it doesn't seem as "all-purpose" as a Gyuto (https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Aogami-Carbon-Kurouchi-Santoku/dp/B006DNK93Q)
   
   Another by Yoshihiro, in my price range (https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Layer-Hammered-Damascus-Japanese/dp/B00D6DVTM6)
   
   ​
   
   I also have no idea where to start with purchasing a honing rod. Building a computer was actually easier than this, haha.
   
   Thanks! Your input is really appreciated!

O! I just switched to an "edge pro" from a lansky. It's a knockoff but it works extremely well (the real one was out of my price range). You just have to do a few little tweaks and it's a really good option. Link if you want to check it out: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ABVS5VY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I use this with edge pro stones. I will happily buy a legit edge pro when they stop using benchmade pricing. Given the price of edge pro stones (they are priced well, imo) the edge pro apex 4 should cost $100 or less.

I bought this once for a friend. She still talks about it. You should also buy some sharpening stones if you don't want to pay for it to be sharpened. Be careful though. If you don't practice proper technique, this thing will easily slice your finger off.

I have very limited experience, but I own this:
Yoshihiro VG10

And its gorgeous. It seems similar to the Dalistrong, but it's a little cheaper and uses a more modern steel. I baby mine, though, so I can't speak to its toughness. I have a $30 Svord santoku that I use as my beater. In fact the Yoshihiro hardly ever comes out of the drawer because I love the Svord so much.

Edit: It is -> its

The Gyuto OP posted is $130 on Amazon, not $300 as you claim.

To further rebut your argument: Shun knives range widely in price. They definitely do make chef's knives for around $150, which is competitive with other brands like Wusthof and J.A. Henckels. The hand-hammered ones are pricier, but if you stick to the more basic styles they are hardly overpriced.

Finally, Shun knives are not true Damascus steel by even the wildest stretch of imagination. They are pattern-welded, then dipped in an etchant solution to make this layering visible to the naked eye. They also employ what amounts to a San Mai construction in that it is a blade with a hard core (VG-10) and a softer exterior stainless.

Fourteen layers of VG10 Gold supersteel. Mahogany handle. You can drop a stick of celery onto the edge from a foot above it, and it will slice it in two under its own weight.

Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Cutlery-Hammered-Damascus-8-Inch/dp/B00D6DVTM6

Miyabi Kaizen 9.5" is one I've had my eye on.

10 inch Shun kiritsuke, though arguably overpriced for what it is. I have an 8 inch shun that I love, but I got it on considerable sale so it was more in line with its actual value.

Yoshihiro 8 inch, which I know nothing about really, but it just popped up while poking around.

[Another Yoshihiro, 9.5 inches] (http://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Steel-Suminagashi-Damascus-Japanese/dp/B00NI54VNQ/ref=sr_1_36?ie=UTF8&qid=1426449037&sr=8-36&keywords=japanese+chef+knife)

You can never go wrong with a thermometer, but if you're looking for some other suggestions.

Aaron Franklin's Meat Smoking Manifesto it's a great read for experienced and amateur smokers.

A nice slicing knife like this, it's nice to have and they don't typically come with knife sets.

An injector to take his meats to the next level.

only took 45 mins to get it to where it can cut regular letter paper ;_;

The existing grind was pretty asymmetric so that added a lot to the time. Im thinking of picking up some of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008EKY5OA/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ive heard good things about them.

So far the stones have been doing a good job on my edc folders (vg10 and sandvik 14c28n) but no knife i own has ever been this blunt :/

I would always take one of these from Mercer!

Mercer Culinary Millennia 14-Inch Granton-Edge Slicer Knife
I've really enjoyed working with this one.

Would this be the one you're referring to? It has two medium diamond rods and two fine ceramic rods: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008EKY5OA

What's the advantage of the diamond rods over the set with two different ceramic rods?

I got this for christmas. Is it good? Will this suffice for sharpening?

If it is only for regular maintenance i.e. that the edge is only slightly dull the sharpmaker as is is ok. But if it ever gets really dull or a chip it will take forever and a day with s110v to get the edge back.

A cheaper alternative but with more obtuse angle options that works the same way is available here from lansky https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lansky-Unisexs-4-Rod-Deluxe-Sharpener-Yellow/dp/B000B8FW0E.

And I have just seen there is also a diamond version https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lansky-4-Rod-Diamond-Ceramic-Sharpener/dp/B008EKY5OA/.

If [this] (https://www.house.com.au/baccarat-id3-3-step-knife-sharpener) is the one your talking about then I would not recommend it. Those kind of sharpener are in general very poor at sharpening your knife and wear out the blade much faster than a regular sharpening system. They function by pinching off chunks of metal and leaving a wavy stressed edge that will dull quickly and require sharpening again.

Instead for a similar price, at least here in the US its a similar price. I would recommend the


[spyderco sharpmaker] (https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker-Sharpener-204MF/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519110224&sr=8-1&keywords=sharpmaker)

It holds the ceramic rods at pre set angles but doesnt have only a single angle to it and you can even take out the rods and use them individually or tilt the sharpener to make up for some smaller variations in the factory grind angle.
Also very importantly you can clean the ceramic rods in the sharpmaker awhile in that device you really cant.
The one draw back that the sharpmaker has is that the brown ceramic "Medium" grit rods are very fine and do not do good at sharpening a knife that is very dull (its very slow at it)

Alternatively I would also recommend this


[Lansky diamond ceramic turnbox] (https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-2D2C-Diamond-Ceramic-Four/dp/B008EKY5OA/ref=pd_sbs_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008EKY5OA&pd_rd_r=VYC7T7S4Q80MZ56KR8NA&pd_rd_w=4CqcY&pd_rd_wg=wFmqi&psc=1&refRID=VYC7T7S4Q80MZ56KR8NA)

Its similar to the sharpmaker but cheaper, has shorter ceramic rods which can make it a little less ideal for longer knives like kitchen knives. But it also comes with some diamond rods that are much courser than the rods on the sharpmaker.
The sharpmaker does come with diamond or CBN rods but they cost almost as much as the whole sharpener, though a great addition if you do a lot of dull knives.

Aww man, your knives deserve to be used. And then they deserve to be sharpened! If you suck at sharpening like I do and don't want to/have time to develop the right angles on a flat stone, try this: https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-2D2C-Diamond-Ceramic-Four/dp/B008EKY5OA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540043212&sr=8-1&keywords=lansky+rod+sharpener

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Its like 20 bucks, and it takes away the human error. Plus its easier to use than those ones where you have to adjust the angle--the angle is already set, with a choice of 20 or 25 degrees.

If you're not interested in the price, Lansky makes a very similar setup for about $15-20

It's a great looking sharpener I haven't picked up yet myself, but everything I've heard about it is good.

Here's another one that says it's the same thing in the description, but is labelled 'Crock Stik'. Not sure of the differences but it looks very similar and is $10 less.

You can't go wrong with the Spyderco Tenacious. Only $35 but it performs like a $100 knife. When I got mine I was very impressed by the quality. The handle has good ergonomics and the blade is a decent steel. It is a great slicer and workhorse!

A good entry-level sharpening kit is the Lansky TurnBox. It was my first sharpening system and it will keep your knife razor sharp. It only has medium and fine grit ceramic rods, but as long as you don't let your knife get too dull you can easily maintain it. There is a slightly more expensive turnbox that has coarse diamond rods that would be better for bringing very dull knives back to life.

If you have some really dull edges that havent been sharpened in a long time, pretty much any coarse stone will do, harbor freight has some well priced diamond stones that work well. As far as maintaining edges go, you're gonna want something finer, the bottom of a cermic mug can work well with practice.


As far as stuff you can buy goes, here's some links

worksharp field sharpener: for if you just want to buy one simple tool that can do everything

knock off Spyderco sharp maker: for maintaining undamaged edges, very easy to use, great compliment to a coarse stone for edge repair

Diamond bench stone: these are wonderful for repairing edges, but they remove a ton of metal so they're really useful for reprofiling and repairing, not so much for keeping a kinda sharp edge sharp

Sharpening can be a lot of fun, and there's a million ways to do it. Find some YouTube tutorials (virtuovice is someone I definitely recommend, sweet old Japanese deer Hunter with an enormous wealth of knowledge on water stones). Knowing what you're doing with sandpaper is way better than buying a $80 knife sharpener you don't know how to use well, or don't feel like setting up and putting together.

You want a kiwi knife. If you live near an Asian grocery store, you can find them for even less...

They're super sharp and handle very well. I almost always turn to it over my Victorinox that cost almost four times as much.

I've been playing around with a Kiwi nakiri. It's very nimble and actually cuts quite well. You wouldn't have to worry about it since they are basically disposable at $5 each. Plus it is very lightweight and should be easy to stowaway in your luggage.

I've been using Kiwi knives for years. They are incredibly cheap and razor sharp. I buy them at Asian supermarkets for around $5, but they can be found on the internet too (for a little more money). I own the square santoku, the pairing knife, and the pointy slightly curved one. Coupled with a diamond steel I bought at home depot a decade ago I spent less than $50 total. The edge on these knives is very thin and easily damaged (like a razor), but this was only a problem when I lived with roommates who would jam my knives in with the silverware in the dish rack...not so much with proper handling. I made blade covers out of cereal box cardboard and scotch tape when we were traveling in our rv, and I keep them in a knife block when I'm at home.

I also own a few really expensive knives from my cheffing days. I originally bought the Kiwi knives so I wouldn't care about them getting ruined by improper handling, now the fancy stuff just stays in the block.

edit:also worth noting is that I have never sharpened these knives (6+years), but I do use the diamond steel on them about once a week.

If I'm looking for a cheap knife that actually decent, Kiwi are my go to cheap knives

https://www.amazon.com/Kiwi-Brand-Chef-Knives-172/dp/B008QPBPLO

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00549RFIC/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_3_w

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008QPBPLO/ref=pd_aw_fbt_79_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=G3WBB2X3YAPTHJ06BBW9

I use silicone oil on my carbon steel blades, but I suspect that is because I am weird. The mineral oil you linked will work fine. Vegetable oil will technically work, but don't use it. Over time it goes all rancid and funky.

I find that carrying a sharpener is almost always overkill. If you simply must carry a sharpener with you, avoid fixed V angle "zip" sharpeners like these, these, these, or anything like them.

I am partial to the Work Sharp Field Sharpener. It's probably your best bet if you simply must carry a sharpener with you. It is versatile, works quickly, and is capable of making a knife extremely sharp even in the hands of a newbie. I don't carry mine on my person, but I do keep one in my laptop bag since knuckleheads keep bringing me their blunt-ass knives to fix. Once you get good at maintaining an angle you can just carry a flat diamond stone like the various DMT Diafold models, which will take up less room and be considerably lighter.

I am also a strong proponent of the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker (accept no imitations that do not have that anachronistic hyphen in the name) which, if used contrary to the instructions at the 15 degree angle, can make just about anything made out of metal stupidly sharp. Do not carry it with you unless you are a lunatic; leave it at home on your workbench. It has mounting holes in the base for this purpose, in fact. However, its stones are very fine and it will take a month of Sundays to repair a chipped edge or re-bevel an edge to one of its two sharpening angles. I use mine for touch ups on high quality knives that I actually care about; Everything else gets a quick lashing on diamond stones on the Work Sharp.

For re-beveling and extreme repair of damaged edges I prefer this knockoff of the Edge Pro, which is very much Made In China but does the same job at, like, a tenth of the cost. The stones that come with the Chinese model are a little crude and uneven but functional, and the device itself is compatible with the higher quality Edge Pro stones including the diamond ones. It does not work on very small knives, though. I use it exclusively to re-bevel edges to one of the fixed angles of my other sharpeners or grind out chips and notches on the more fucked up examples of knives people bring me to fix.

Whoa, thank you for your well thought out reply!! What do you think about something like this?

I used to use this but have been wanting to build one like the guy in the video uses.

Yeah, the Wicked Edge is a really nice system but that $300 price tag just will not be obtainable for me anytime in the near future. I'd imagine the Sharpmaker probably takes around the same amount of time as freehand. Perks to freehanding is that you can really keep the costs low. I know there's a Wicked Edge clone made in China...I may look into that.

edit: Looked into that. You can get a Edge Pro clone for like $30 and simply use the Edge Pro stones on that. Gonna look into that some more! As long as the QC is good, I'm happy. I love my $20 Byrd FFG Cara Cara 2 made in China. That sucker takes a razor edge (and came outta the box with close to one) with no effort at all. That plus good jimping AND a finger choil for $20?!?!?! Sorry...that knife tends to get me a little carried away. I love my po' man's Endura. :)

Said clone if anyone is interested. Seems to have good reviews: http://www.amazon.com/AGPtek%C2%AE-Professional-Kitchen-Sharpener-Fix-angle/dp/B00ABVS5VY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421141893&sr=8-1&keywords=Professional+Kitchen+Knife+Sharpener+System+Fix-angle+Sharpening

I bought this electric sharpener for $25 about two years ago. It works really well. I sharpen my knives about once every 6 months.

Can also recommend this as a cheapo portable version, or, if you want to go a step up, this handles both standard and santoku bevels.

This. This is also me.
I recommend a Chef's Choice
I use it on my Zwilling set

I bake at least one loaf of bread a week and love this Tojiro Bread Slicer 235mm F-737 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TPA816/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UEezDbJKBNTBM

buy this

thank me later

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YK1RAQ/ref=s9_simh_gw_p79_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1MPNNMFKMPENXEJMA7NB&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=1970559082&pf_rd_i=desktop

I like this one. Classic German design & construction, excellent blade shape & good steel. I have this one in my kitchen and I use it often.

For a bit less, try this one.

All knifes need sharpening at some point, my best knifes are actually some I got at the flea market ... instead of investing in very expensive knifes buy a good knife sharpener. Here is mine:
$26 on Amazon

LPT: use your damn brain and don't use rough ceramic.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00032S02K/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1382622290&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Just buy one of these. You can't tell me $4 is going to break the bank.

> Rule 4b. All submissions must be original content. If you didn't take the photo, don't post it.

This is one of the product photos of it on Amazon. If you want to post images you found on the internet, try r/pics.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JTWRDS/

If you think these are really nice knives, you need to get some real really nice knives. You can buy way better for way less money.

I have this set that I think is outstanding and costs a fraction of a similar Cutco set:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-8-Piece-Knife-Block-Set/dp/B0000CF9AG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344917332&sr=8-1&keywords=victorinox+knife+set

Usually smaller or neighborhood hardware stores will offer knife sharpening services. You can check at specialty cooking stores too like Sur La Table.

As for sharpeners you can do yourself, I'm a fan of these kinds of sharpeners. After that much time, they could probably use a good sharpening, but I'm sure the discussion will come up about sharpening vs. honing.

LPT: Buy this and sharpen your knives before each use.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-08800-EverSharp-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IUWM/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1488094593&sr=8-11&keywords=knife+sharpener

I have the same knife. It's a Yoshihiro. I've had it for over a year and highly recommend it. It's my first Japanese chef knife. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D6DVTM6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HbnyzbP20Y683

Also look for a honing steel if you don't already have one, and a simple sharpener. I really like this one - simple and easy for everyday use.

Edit: it seems this comment upset people. It’s honestly a trade off between time and practicality. Of course I’m not putting my $150 chef’s knife through this - it’s made to keep its edge better. I’m also not going to spend time money every week r get my $30 chinese cooking knife sharpened. The recommendation came from Chris Kimball, and according to OP’s question, it’s a ton more practical for a chinese cooking cleaver.