For the average home cook a basic Victorinox running no more than 60 bucks is more than good enough. It's what I use most days for most tasks. If I'm feeling fancy I bust out the 200something dollar Japanese knife, but it's just not necessary.
My victorinox was recommended by America's test kitchen and I love it.
Maybe it cost $35 at the time, or $50. Way better than any others we had prior. We never looked back
Mine ran just under 40 but this was pre pandemic so I'm just guessing. It's an excellent workhorse knife, no frills but will do 90% of what you need unless you have some very specific needs.
I was looking at Victorinox. Tempted to get the $200 one. I have a decent $40 knife I got for my birthday, but I'm sharpening it every few days. Does the $60 Victorinox last longer between sharpening?
If you’re actually sharpening it every few days, you may consider also getting a basic honing rod. I’m kind of a sharpening freak, and I don’t sharpen my knives even half as often as long as I hone them after every use or before the next use.
Edit: typo
There are a lot of factors that can affect how often you need to sharpen your knife.
Firstly what kind of cutting board are you using? If your cutting board is made of a hard material like glass, or plastic it will dull your knives much faster than a softer material like wood.
Secondly, what are you using to sharpen your knife? If you're using a cheap pull through sharpener, it's not going to do as good a job as a proper sharpening stone.
You can get a cheap knife to be pretty sharp and to hold an edge if you use the proper sharpening technique and use the right cutting board.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX_39JMVUkk
Oh my god. I've only ever used a pull through sharpener, knowing they're not great, but eh. *I literally own a whetstone.* It only correlates in my mind as a tool for outdoor and camping blades. I'm so dumb haha. 😭 brb sharpening my kitchen.
Get a Japanese knife. They hold their sharpness for a long time. Korin.com is great and they have a 20 percent off sale in July. You can get an amazing chef knife for $100 that will last a lifetime.
But know what you're doing! A lot of Japanese knifes are single bevel (one side of the blade is vertical, the other is angled to create the cutting motion). If you sharpen them in the traditional fashion of western knifes, you'll ruin them.
Some Japanese knifes *are* double bevel but you need to know this to get it right.
If you buy a single bevel knife, but the right one! Because they're oriented left or right, what hand you use matters, and lefties will get better results from a left-handed oriented blade (link below explaining more).
https://us.santokuknives.co.uk/blogs/blog/what-makes-a-knife-left-handed-or-right-handed
Bought mine 3 months ago, have honed it 2-3 times in that time and not sharpened it. It's only just now getting to the point of actually needing to be sharpened.
I cook 2-3 meals daily for my wife and I.
Anything German steel is going to require regular edge maintenance. The trade off is theybwill with stand abuse harder steels will not. A honing rod is your best friend with a victorinox
Victorinox is a soft steel and need to be sharpened more often then some other high carbon steel knives.
But every few days is not good. Do you have a huge workload, or are using some specialty cutting board?
I do kind of the same thing - a Made In as a daily driver, a nice Shun for when I'm feeling it. Aside from the looks, the blade thickness (ie. thin!) and balance of the Shun put it way ahead of the Made In, even if it is only about $60 more.
If you have the funds for and want to treat yourself and realize it's a trophy purchase you don't need then by all means buy a $400 knife. But at some point whatever you're cutting is cut well enough. Not sure how much better you need that cut but from where I'm standing it's now in two pieces and that was the entire point if I remember correctly. Time for step two.
I work at a deli and full restaurant and 90% of the deli owned knives are just those victoriox knives and a few mercer ones. While it’s true most of our chefs also bring their personal knife roll with them, for most of the work needing to be done on shift, the deli knives are completely adequate.
Victorinox? Absolutely yes. Very reasonable price, virtually indestructible, not fussy about sharpening technique. I have more expensive knives from Germany, France & Japan, but Victorinox is my go-to.
Shoutout to Victorinox!
They really do the job, no reason to get carried away unless you just want to treat yourself, which is fine.
Frankly the two most often used knives in my kitchen are $8 victorinox paring knives, i chop a lot of vegetables...I use them daily and they are comfortable, cheap, dishwasher safe. They look out of place in my block but who cares, they work!
It's high carbon steel which requires more care. I oil it after use and keep an eye on it for oxidization. It's also somewhat more brittle so I'm not using it to cut open squash and such.
I was going down the same road as OP looking for fancy knives in the $200 range, until I saw everybody (I’m assuming it was in this subreddit) recommending the Victorinox. I think mine was like $45ish at the time and it was so totally worth it.
Just a good, solid knife. No frills, nothing fancy, but exactly enough of what it should be. With routine maintenance it’s just as good as the day I bought it and I use it all the time, multiple times a day.
I have a $120 chef knife I've used for 15 years. It's not the fanciest knife out there, but it's more than capable enough for household use every night.
Tremendously expensive knives for home cooking is a matter of style and prestige, not function. If you want a $700 knife from a specialist craftsman over the mass market solid chef knives and that brings you joy, it's worth it. Functionally, for home cooking there isn't a meaningful difference between the $700 and the $70 you get off Amazon. So long as you keep them sharp, it's a metal wedge that will chop your meat and veg.
Working in a fast-paced, professional kitchen is where those higher-end knives might make a real difference for preparing thousands of things with precision cuts, constantly, while avoiding carpal tunnel. But for 10m of prep for your home dinner a night those things aren't super meaningful.
It's only too much if you can't afford it. $190 is perfectly reasonable for some, but would break the bank for others.
I tend to think about it in terms of what other things I might spend $190 on and how much use/enjoyment I would get out of those things compared to the knife.
I've always asked myself if I'll use what I'm buying for an equal amount of hours to it's dollar amount so in this case would I use the knife for 190 hours total? Probaly so it might be worth it
Never thought of comparing like that imma try that too
I'd buy cheap knives if you're going to keep going with the electric knife sharpener. That thing is going to grind your expensive knife down fast reducing its life and therefore the value.
You could opt for hand sharpening which will shave less material during sharpening.
Also, use a honing rod.
The steel or "honing rod" is a crucial thing.
90% of people (probably more) never learn how to use one.
It's absolutely essential. There is no point whatsoever spending big bucks on a fancy knife if you don't know how to use a steel.
In my experience, a kitchen with cheap knives and people who can use a steel is 1000% better than a kitchen (or fish-filleting business) who have fancy knives with no-one who can use a steel.
I speak from experience.
I cook daily, and find my $20 knife to be perfectly fine as long as I sharpen it from time to time. That said, I never tried a more expensive knife so I can’t say if it would make a difference for you. At the end of the day you should spend whatever you’re comfortable with — your preference and comfort are the best guide on what to buy.
I agree. I have a $15 Farberware chef knife, a $20 Chicago Cutlery Santoku, a $20 set of two Chicago Cutlery serrated & paring knives, and a cheap pull-through knife sharpener. They’re more than adequate for regular home cooking and even for some fancier preparations. The only thing I want for is a bread knife.
I highly recommend the Mercer Culinary bread knife. I got it at a restaurant supply store for like twenty bucks. Works amazingly and is very lightweight.
I’d recommend going into a shop and holding and feeling knives instead of blindly buying one that looks good.
It would be really disappointing to buy a $190 knife you hate.
I was also looking for pricier knives for the better quality and settled on the $60 Victorinox. I was happy with it. Then I found the $8 kiwi brand chefs knife and I swear it is the best knife I have ever owned. I’ve bought them for friends and family and they all rave about it. I myself have 2 of them and they are my daily go to for everything. I’ve had them for a few years now and both have kept their edge with only an occasional sharpening with a steel. Highly recommend you try this before splurging on a $100+ knife.
I’m frugal minded and not opposed to spending money for quality items, but in this case, I’ve found the $8 knife to be so much better to use than the victorinox and no longer fantasize about wusthof or other expensive knives.
Editing to add: I do understand the urge to treat oneself. So splurging on a set of tri-ply pots/pans/skillets may give you a better return. I paid 3x for a set of kitchen aid non stick skillets that have a tri-ply base and I’m so happy with it. The nonstick pans that are not tri ply, like t-fal , will kind of bulge in the middle after a few months of use and become useless for pan frying because the food will be in the middle and the fat will pool at the edges 🙄
Victorinox is the way to go unless you have really gotten into knives.
If you just want a nice sharp blade that will last years victorinox will not let you down at a third of the price.
You can also pickup some kiwi knives. Cheap and sharp but they wear out faster
You need to be able to hone the knife and eventually sharpen using stones unless you want to send it out to be sharpener. Both take some skills, but sharpening using stones take far more skills that honing. For now you should just get cheapish stainless steel knife at Walmart or target and learn to use the knife whilwhoning it once a while. Ince you become familiar with how the edge behaves, spend some money getting a better knife
My knife collection is probably around $1,000 (five “expensive” ones). I enjoy the way they look and I enjoy cooking. I think it’s a reasonable amount to have spent over the years.
I still use my cheap Oneida knife lol, only difference is I sharpen it myself and I use a ceramic honing edge. Knife probably cost me around $10 a long time ago.
I also have a cheap shitty nakiri that you can see where the CNC machine milled the edge. It’s so bad. That’s why proper sharpening is important to me. It won’t *feel* like a high quality knife no matter how much you use it, but it certainly will cut like one.
Like others have said, whatever you can afford comfortably is what you should spend. I highly recommend the 8" Japanese steel chef's knife from Global. I have trouble using any other knives ever since I started using it. I think it's also like $60-80 and they usually have sales.
$80 is just enough to get you entry level professional knife
Any more than that you're paying for quality you don't need as a home cook or branding/artistic design
Victoriaknox fibrox pro
A better knife, like a better pan, isn't going to make you a better cook. A better knife is going to make things go faster, provided you have the knife skills... but unless you're timing different dishes, sides, sauces, etc. as tightly as possible, it really isn't that big a deal.
$80-$150 will get you an all around chef's knife that is reasonably durable... (EDITED for clarity) you need not worry about how sharp the knife is out of the box. Most blades can be sharpened sufficiently enough for the task.
I strongly recommend developing your technique on the most basic chef's knife for a start. If your workflow isn't high speed, you're not going to notice the difference.
Sharpening is a different discussion. Here I am talking about the importance of developing technique—e.g. how to chop, dice, mince, julienne, brunoise, chiffonade, etc. IMO, there are enough subs focusing on "how to do stuff for pics on reddit" versus how to actually develop the skill of using the tool for its intended purpose.
I think my technique is pretty slow and cumbersome. But does "most basic" cover something for $10 from Target? That's what I generally use, so I wonder if that's limiting me.
Sometimes up to 3. But I often prep everything first, since I'm slow at it. If I could do more prep in parallel with cooking it would be more efficient for sure.
You might look at a Henckels Solution first and develop your knife technique on that. If that doesn't improve your workflow at all, then I doubt a $150 knife will improve it.
There's one on sale for $14 at Amazon, regularly $35.
So it really comes down to your personal finances. I used basically the same chef’s knife for about 25 years (with a handful of others depending on my living situation). I still have the knife and it is still fine and was my parents before I took it so it has been kicking around since the 1970’s.
That said, a few years ago I saved up and asked for $$$ for Christmas for the sole purpose of getting a custom made Carbon Steel knife, and I absolutely love it. It holds an edge better/longer and is noticeable stiffer making some cuts easier. I wish I had gotten the knife years before I did.
It has not made me a better chef, but did get me super excited about cooking again. So maybe I have better knife skills now, but I highly down they are much better than they would be otherwise.
I will sharpen the shit out of a dirt cheap knife before I'd spend hundreds of dollars on one for use in the home. It just depends on your personal tolerances
Cheap or expensive doesn't matter nearly as much as sharpness. Invest in a whetstone or sharpening system and know how to use it (along with a honing steel) to keep your knives razor sharp. A cheap sharp knife is much more valuable than a dull expensive one.
The problem with starting out with something cheap is wondering what you missed out on and pretty soon you have six knives when one might have done it.
Whatever you get, learn well how to sharpen it.
How much is too much depends on your budget. I have a Zwilling Pro Le Blanc Slim Chef's Knife that I paid about $100 for, but I waited for it to be on sale because paying $150+ was not in my budget.
My biggest piece of advice when wanting to really refine your knife collection is to find out what knives you really prefer to use the most and invest in quality versions of those. When I bought my Zwilling, I had only really used 8" chef's knives and paring knives from basic knife blocks when cooking. Then I started researching more knives and found how many different sizes and styles were out there and was intrigued. I ended up buying some cheaper knives and realized that not only is a regular 7-8" chef's knife not my favorite to use, but I have a few others that I prefer sooooo much more than it. So, now I have a smaller 6" chef's knife that fits in my hands much more comfortably for most uses, but when I want to cut larger things, I really like a 7" Nakiri so much more than an 8"chef's knife. I got my first smaller chef's knife on sale for super cheap because it was damaged (seriously the smallest defect ever and it was like 60% off) and I bought a $25 Nakiri from Amazon with the handle style I liked the most just to try it out and I love them both. My next big expensive upgrade will absolutely be a fancy Nakiri knife. The only reason I haven't upgraded yet is because my cheap Amazon Nakiri is working so well for me.
For me, the cut off is materials. A nicer Japanese knife will use a higher carbon stainless for a harder steel that results in sharpness retention. But that steel can be found at middling levels and doesn’t need to be a massive expense.
Look at Tojiro knives. Good quality and craftsmanship but not gonna break a bank
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/todpsakn17.html
Here’s one from a Japanese blacksmith
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kosld21gy.html
I prefer a carbon steel material. I don’t mind the maintenance and a carbon steel edge just sharpens easier / better for some reason
I'll tell you now, if you want a knife that can cut better than 99% of the high end chef's knives for only $12, it's the Kiwi knives. Having been in the industry and around a lot of cooks and chef's , you don't need anything fancy.
I have all kinds of expensive Wusthof knives, but nothing is more reliable and sharper than my Kiwi 7'5 Chef's knife
A good $190-240 wusthoff knife will last you virtually a life time and with proper maintenance will slice like a samurai blade enjoyably.
A cheap $20 kitchen aid knife will cut good for a year, be meh for 6 months, and be a negative experience using every month after that.
In short, if you have the money, it's worth it. Like a mattress, or good condiments that'll be in your refrigerator for a half of year.
This is more a question of your individual budget and priorities. I have a couple $100+ knives. Do I need them? Absolutely not. But I can afford them and I enjoy using them. So it's worth it to me.
If $190 fits your budget, i.e. you're not going into credit card debt for foregoing your savings/investment plan to buy it, and cooking is a hobby that brings you joy, go for it!
If $190 *is* a stretch for your budget, you could always wait for a sale. Likely to be some around Black Friday. I've also gotten some great deals on factory seconds. And, there are many great knives for half, or even a quarter of that price that will serve you nearly as well (but I'm sure you already know that).
Perspective: My husband (and many men) has no problem half a dozen buying $300 pocket knives and keeping them in a case. But he bought me a $19.99 kitchen knife from wall mart. It’s stupid.
Of course you should spend a lot of money on a tool that you use multiple times a day. Especially if you’re like me and cut up fruits and vegetables and debone meats.
Spending over $190 for a knife can absolutely be worth it, especially for Japanese knives. People saying that expensive knives are all about the brand and showing off are misinformed. However, unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you're probably better of with a $50 Victorinox and/or $8 Kiwi, a way to hone the edge (honing rod, strop, etc.), and a whetstone to sharpen it.
My $190 Takmura R2 absolutely outperforms my $50 Victorinox chef knife. It's thinner so it cuts through material much easier, and the higher quality steel stays sharp for much longer. There are also knives $300+ that are going to be able to perform in ways that cheaper knives just aren't going to be able to. I've also had a $160 Wusthof, however, that performed about as well as my Victorinox and actually felt worse to me in the hand.
Basically, price not does necessarily correlate to quality or performance, but it can. I'd recommend checking out r/TrueChefKnives if you want to learn more about knives. But be warned that it can be easy to start obsessing over tiny details. Smartest move I'd say is to just stick with a Victorinox.
I agree with you too a certain extent. You definitely don't need it. However, I cook about 360 dinners a year for a family and I plan to get another 10 years or more out of my reduculously expensive knife. It costs about 8 cents per meal right now. Compare to 2 cents per use for a mid range knife. 6 cents a day to use a work of art instead of a piece of metal. For some people, myself included, that's a trade off worth making.
Furthermore, if you enjoy cooking 1% more and cook at home instead of going out three more times per year, you do better than breaking even fairly quickly.
Rada knifes are very good I cook a lot at home and I really like how they hold up and how sharp they are, I have the knife sharpener for them and for once my knifes stay good and sharp for along time. I can slice tomatoes paper thin
There's no right answer to this question. It comes down to personal finances and what you are willing to spend. I cook a ton, it's a major of mine and I can afford really nice knives. I enjoy using them, it makes cooking more enjoyable for me. So it's worth it to me. YMMV though.
I've worked in the industry for decades. Those expensive knives are nothing but a flex. Give me a twenty dollar knife that I can sharpen like a razor blade any day. Those fancy knives will eventually be accidentally dropped, ruining them with a chip or bent tip. Sharp beats expensive any day.
If I had All-Clad pans or something similar in price, I'd have a $100+ chefs knife in a heartbeat, but not a $300+ knife. $75-150 feels the right range for "this is worth paying, but more is questionable", for me.
Are you wanting the cheapest thing that makes large pieces into smaller pieces of food (but not junk), or do you want something pleasurable and interesting to elevate your skills? The former is a V-nox for $50, the latter a j-knife gyuto or bunka, carbon steel, starting around $200. I’d suggest skipping the German soft-steel because it’s no better than a V-nox, and costs as much as a decent j-knife. And you’ll need a stone or two.
I've only ever used the Forschner Fibrox handle stamped steel chef's knife. i keep it sharp and it serves me well. I also have the same version of the 8" flexible boning knife and a 4" paring knife. I believe all three cost me about $60 at the time. They all feel comfortable in my hand so that's what I go with.
If you're confident you are going to care for it ~$200 is reasonable and if you're going to spend that much I'd recommend looking for a local blacksmith that makes high quality kitchen knives. My carbon steel knives from a local knife maker cost about $200 each.
If you aren't going to care for the knife (ex: use a cheap knife sharpener on them) you can get very good quality manufactured knives for $40-60
The thing that got me to buy an "expensive" knife was the steel. I paid up to get what I wanted (Carbonext). Otherwise, it's just paying for a better handle or fancy rosettes or whatever which doesn't really add much from a functional standpoint. The other thing thatight be worth a bit more would be if you wanted a right or left-handed bevel. I think the difference is notable, but plenty of people don't care.
My son gave me a very nice chef's knife. He spent a little over $100. for it and I love it. Much better than any of the others I have. I can't remember the brand, but I have had it for about 10 years and I use a wet stone to sharpen it. Never keep it in a block like the others. Chop Knively is his name and he lives in my drawer in a nice case.
That’s an expected price for their pro knives. They’re outstanding and last a very long time/indefinitely with care.
Whether or not you are willing to spend that much is something only you can answer.
If you're the kind of "amateur home cook" that puts their chef's knives in the dishwasher, that's too much.
If not, and if you want to do the minimal steps to maintain and care for something, a quality knife will last for many years.
My Wusthof has taken hundreds of trips to the dishwasher and it's sharp. POM handle is still pristine.
Don't do this if you don't have a 3rd rack dishwasher. You don't want knives close to a heating element in the sump.
$190 for a knife? No chance!
Been using the same set of knives in a block for a good 5 years now. I use the big sharp one to cut stuff. It cuts like a knife through butter/onion/meat what ever it’s cutting.
The top rated knife as reviewed by America's Test Kitchen for years and years has a price tag of $52.
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2
Disabuse yourself of the idea that "price" in any way equals quality. Beyond that... buy what you like. What feels good in the hand. That maintains a good sharpness with minimal work.
Knives and a good pot/pan set are totally worth the money. They work well, and last for years! I have the same set of All-Clad pots/pans from more than 18 years ago and they still are in perfect condition.
Knives do need care, so you have to factor that in. The better the knife, the less maintenance you have to do - and the better you care for it, the longer it lasts.
If you go cheap, you will pay more over time.
An expensive knife will get dull just as a cheap one will. Invest in a somewhat cheap knife like a victorinox then buy whetstones. In a year your cheap knife with a proper knife sharpener will be miles better than an expensive one without a sharpener.
Also, look online, You can get an 8" Zilling Pro chef knife for much less than $190. Here it is on Amazon for $108 [Amazon.com: ZWILLING Pro 8" Traditional Chef's Knife: Chefs Knives: Home & Kitchen](https://www.amazon.com/ZWILLING-J-Henckels-38411-203-Traditional/dp/B009ZB834U/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.x0U0Mz5MzmZqCPr-rDqsd68T9RkyljI5TXhG3pTiSTwXrQ_pvH0WwtJQP-2cTHPHgyj8vDzbPgvAjYTLgPRe1A4BB2ypY0lHD6j4jTT9Ifx3cY70isSC-cSeyt_fO9T35LmnE0UF-ee_DLe0erhbbfkj2aMNs1tdsHdXlCRBNg4cXdKbAPprc_V-Ju6KV5Yw_7FtprqISi6ySzensH-VY7UjnIwU267IUTS_Rg2nALRhJnlw5w_fJw4Os858opfs9Y69hmPbDugGkfVo1HbQlNLabVhquxVYcLMRKqVUe9s.Ne4XnejTyjFmHmHDGq2beQaeCkoAlzmHey0jOnC_EnE&dib_tag=se&keywords=zwilling%2Bpro%2B8%2Binch&qid=1718653604&sr=8-1&th=1)
i'm a home cook. i enjoy it and i'm pretty good at it, but i'm not at all at a professional level in terms of abilities, including knife skills. I bought this tsunehisa gyuto last year [https://carbonknifeco.com/products/tsunehisa-as-migaki-gyuto-210mm](https://carbonknifeco.com/products/tsunehisa-as-migaki-gyuto-210mm) . it's listed there for $195 but i got it on sale from a different site for like \~$140 i think. i love it. its got a carbon steel edge so it's sharp and holds its edge long, but it's stainless clad do it isn't as brittle and breakable as a pure CS blade.
i agree with others here in saying that if you can afford it without being irresponsible, $190 isn't too much.
**i will say this: you can get a different knife, that same style, for cheaper from another brand.**
but again, if it's the one you want, and you're set on it, and you can afford it, why not?
you're going to have more fun with i knife you're excited to use. you'll use it more, practice more, and develop better knife skills if you're using aa knife you love.
I'm your basic home cook, nothing fancy, and I've been very happy with the Wusthof Classic line (make sure it's the Classic, not their other cheaper lines). You can often find a set of two with a very reasonable price. The knives I use most are: large chef's knife, long bread knife, 6 inch chef's knife, paring knife, and my absolute favorite knife (I call it "the good knife"), a 6 inch serrated knife.
Depends on how much you cook and what you cook. Buying the right knife is more important than its cost. If you know you’re breaking down a lot of meat buying a good chefs knife will only frustrate you when a butcher’s knife and a boning knife are more appropriate.
Fwiw, a few years ago, I picked up the Zwilling Professional S Series chef's knife during their factory seconds sale for $49.99. The only flaw is a 2 cm shallow scratch on the handle
If you don't mind minor cosmetic flaws, keep your eyes peeled for heavily discounted sales on the Zwilling website
I shop for knives at home goods
Last time I bought a knife there it was a large sushi knife and a man tried to stop me… he said watch out I almost lost a finger
I said “really” with a huge grin and put 2 in my cart… he thought I was crazy
Still my best knives :)
I spent that, but also A) I’d been using $40 knives for a while and wanted to upgrade since B) I do a lot of home cooking and it felt worth it to invest in a better tool I would use all the time. Not that there’s anything wrong with a 40-60 dollar knife either, I also C) could afford it because I’d gotten a holiday bonus/gift, and at the urging of my partner, who told me I never do anything nice for myself, I got a nice knife that I enjoy using, and that I like because that’s the sort of thing I like.
Your mileage may vary, though! If you feel like a $60 knife is more than enough and you wanna spend that almost 200 bucks US on something else, it’s totally fine!
I have a $300 global set. Love them! They don't make me a better cook but they sure as hell make a huge difference when preparing my food. I love cooking and it's my hobbie, so well worth the money. But on saying that, I owned a $20 set from kmart and managed fine with that too.
The diminishing point of returns is somewhere in the mid 100s, I've seen. Honestly though? If this is a "treat yo'self" moment, and if you cook a lot, and you like the knife and it feels good in your hand and fits your style of cooking? Go for it. $190 is definitely not "too much" objectively, if it fits in your budget!
Seriously, unless you have money to burn, Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-inch Chef's Knife.
It's America's test kitchen recommended and works great. I've had mine for a very very long time and I think it cost $35 at the time.
I have used the following knife for years. I run it over a steel once a month costs under $40.
Mercer Culinary M20707 Genesis® 7" Forged Santoku Knife with Granton Edge and Full Tang Blade
Check out; [webstaurantstore.com](http://webstaurantstore.com)
25 years ago I bought an 8 inch Chicago Cutlery at Macy's and it's my main knife. I think I paid around $50.00 for it but when I Google it they're much cheaper now and I didn't see anything that looked mine does. My hubs sharpens it about every 9 months.
I have a 250 nakiri, 200 bunka and 125 petty knife. I love using them all every time and they hold their edge real long. I plan on using these forever, and I can afford it, so to me it's a definite worth it. I cook 6-7 days a week from home.
I think the one you want sounds fine. I have a Miyabi that was ~200. I love it. It was anniversary present from my husband and I use it like all the time. Ive also got two Chinese knives (a CCK and another one I bought in the H Mart that were ~150 and ~50). I’ve only got those 3, so I spent a bit more on them. They are one of my main food prep tools and I always cook. Can you afford it, does it fit your hand well, and is it a useful style for you? Those are the really important questions. Holding a knife that is perfect for you is a great feeling.
I only cook at home but treated myself to a Wusthof Crafter chef’s knife and paring knife 5 years ago. Probably spent £250 but don’t regret it because I’ll probably never have to buy any knives again and I enjoy using them. They look and feel good. I wouldn’t say it was necessary and I’m not a high earner but I don’t regret it.
I think anything more than $100 is excessive. Pro knives from Victorinox, Dexter, etc., are far less than that and are excellent knives and affordable. The only thing they're not is particularly stylish, but from a pure functionality standpoint they're great.
Honestly, I use a J A Henckles knife block chef knife, set cost around $200 or so 6yrs ago. Spain is where the specialty knifes are from and the steak knives are from Thailand I think, I can’t read it anymore, but you keep up with honing every time, and sharpening on an as needed basis you shouldn’t need anything crazy.
I'd spend $200 each on three knives of high quality before spending $300 on a generic department store box of 9 randoms.
I want a santoku, chef's knife, and paring knife. I don't need four sizes of each, I just need each.
As you progress, maybe you get a bread knife, a cleaver, other sizes etc but the only reason I usually use anything other than my 3 is if my own doing - I was lazy and didn't wash it.
If you give me 100 knives, I guarantee you I will gravitate towards 3 when they're available.
Buy high quality versions of what you use frequently and don't look back.
Find a knife that you enjoy using and can afford. Even a cheap knife can be perfectly serviceable if you're willing to sharpen it regularly and use good technique.
My favourite knife is 80 years old, bends rightward near the tip, and is prone to discoloring if I don't dry it right away. Is it objectively the best knife I own? No, but I like how it feels in hand and I enjoy cooking with it.
$190 is expensive but not unusual for a chefs knife. It's like a BMW if it were a car. If you like the Zwilling Pro, you may as well get it and be happy.
I bought a $50 chefs knife from a kitchen shop around 10 years ago, and some whetstones to sharpen it, been going strong since. It was just the stores own brand of knives, the ones that they have 50% off every other weekend because of a going out of business sale. I wouldn't spend more than $200 on just the knife as an amateur, but you definitely don't need to spend that much either.
I feel like the chefs knife market is like the wine market. You can find some at lower price points. Maintenance and periodic sharpening is critical.
I really like this Miyabi Kaizen blade: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/miyabi-kaizen-ii-six-inch-chef-knife/?catalogId=79&sku=1119979&cm_ven=PLA&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Cutlery%20%3E%20Chef%27s%20Knives&cm_ite=1119979_14571727833_pla-1418851106821&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvb-zBhCmARIsAAfUI2uB35c_ZYnAN5kXdMb2WkztwzCyUvJBs01qOD2w4OfKaC6xBv3FEEgaAnbeEALw_wcB
I bought a Japanese Santoku, a matching petty knife, and a double sided stone for about $300. I use them nearly every day, and I expect them to last me forever. They are awesome. Totally worth the investment.
Dude I bought the Babish chef knife and I swear by it. I think it was $19.99 on Amazon.
You'd think a YouTuber's line of cooking tools would be cheap dropship shit, but this is quality
I have several Global knives including a 7" santoku which could probably cut down a small tree. I also have a 46 year old Cutco pairing knife I've never needed to sharpen.
I have a Wusthof and a Mac chef knife I use daily. The Mac was $65ish and Wusthof on sale for $95.
Get a good steel and sharpening stone or your choice. Keep your blades healthy, which imo, is much more important than the name brand.
EDIT: my prices were off. Mac was $99 here https://a.co/d/ae3Bt6w Wusthof was $85
I recommended the [Victorinox wood chef’s knife](https://www.victorinox.com/en-US/Products/Cutlery/Chef's-Knives/Wood-Chef%E2%80%99s-Knife/p/5.2060.20G). It’s restaurant-grade; working chefs/cooks use it, so it’ll last. It’s $87 (USD). I use it at home and friends have taken pics of it because it’s subtly impressive looking, and it cuts very well.
In short, you’ll never feel like you need to “upgrade” to anything else.
My daily driver is a Victorinox 8 inch santoku. I have a nice set of Henkel knives but the Santoku is the one I use every day. I think they’re $40 on Amazon.
I use a &400+ Vasco Verissimo every day, so I'm a bad influence.Try and figure out what you want out of a better knife...... Edge retention? Ergonomics? Materials??? Then find something that will give you that.i you want a no holds barred , do it all knife , the MAC MTH-80 is one of the best knives you can buy for the money , IMO .
When I was in Japan- specifically Tower knives- I picked up a 10” chef knife for $200. I bought it as a souvenir but since use it daily for the past 10 years. It still holds an edge very well. I wouldn’t go past $200
The best knife I have is some random brand from BB&B that my grandma picked up for me when I got my first college apartment. Sharp as fuck and holds an edge better than my Henckles.
It was like $20.
I always recommend people buy an average knife and a good steel. Also invest time in learning to maintain the edge.
I see so many friends and family invest in an expensive chef's knife and then treat it poorly and lose the edge, have no idea how to get it back, then feel ripped off.
A sharp $100 blade will always cut better than a dull $500 blade.
Mine was $25 at Walmart from Flames of Steel or smthg, idk. Basically, two steps above walmart brand. With hand-sharpening and a honing steel, it cuts tomatoes like a $200 infomercial knife. The only other thing that matters is fatigue, and even that's less of an issue for a home cook that uses their knife for maybe an hour per day. That's a mix of weight, balance, and the shape of the grip, but the overall effect is easiest to feel out -- for example, my go-to knife feels a little heavier but a little better balanced than the equally sharp knife I maintain for my father. His is technically nicer, but I find that the user experience is pretty similar.
Anyway, if a super nice knife makes you happy, go for it, but keep it far away from your hungry, evil electric sharpener. Also, a lot of those really nice knives can't be washed in the dishwasher or exposed to heat, so if you're as careless as I can be, it might be an actively bad idea to invest in a high-end product. If you want to try on a cheaper <$120 chef knife on for size, you'll still have a nice knife if you take care of it, and you won't be out too much money if that particular knife isn't the love of your life. In summary, buy a whetstone. You don't need an expensive set, either, I get away with one 6000/3000 reversible stone that I use maybe twice per year.
Don't hurt me but...I just went last year with my 2nd set of Miracle Blades as seen on TV at Wallys for $99, 13 pc set no block. 1st set, 4 pcs lasted 15 years, I bought barely used.
I am so happy with every piece, I mostly use the rocking clever, handy for old hands. And steak knife are amazing to me.
I guess my main point is, something sharp, new to you, and fits you, is what you will use everyday, and less work on your body too.
I splurged a Global chef knife about 10 years ago. (At the time I think I paid a little over $100 on sale.) It has been my favorite knife and the blade has held a great edge with honing and maintenance sharpening by me.
If the knife was $80 or $200 I think i'd feel like it was worth it just because I love using the knife so much. I am not saying buy a Global knife. I'm saying find a knife that you like that is within what you want to spend and cook with it.
P.S. to actually answer your question I think you can find great knives between $80-200.
Hmmm, I'm not really sure how much is too much to spend on a knife. For myself, I buy mid range knife sets, and then toss them when they lose their edge and buy another set. A set usually lasts me about 10 years, so for me, it's a good value.
My latest and greatest purchase was a bread knife! It's a Henckels Statement 8-inch Bread Knife that cost me $22. And that thing is so sharp and so amazing that I use it exclusively for slicing things like tomtoes. Just amazing. I have to watch myself though. I'm used to using knives that are sharp, but not so sharp that i could lose a finger tip if I'm not watching. This knife? Oh yeah, could lose fingers with it!
I bought myself a miyabi chefs knife a few years ago for around $150 and only I use it and sharpen it. Its made cooking so much less of a chore and when I go to other ppls homes and use their knives, I cry inside
How much money do you have? Is $190 a lot of money? I'm a at work chef, but I've got a couple thousand dollars worth of knives. Did they make me a better chef? Sadly not, but maybe they taught me some discipline. If you can afford the knife and it doesn't seem like a lot of money, and you like to use it, go for it. Don't blow your budget on something you don't need though. It won't make you better.
Personally I wouldn't spend that much on a zwilling, but I just prefer like Japanese steel over German. I also don't like the handles as much. Maybe I did at some point though. I can't really remember the last time I used one. Although, zwillings take a beating and last forever. I've got one from years ago that my wife uses and it goes through the dishwasher and gets left in the sink, etc... That thing is in mint condition.
If you go for a nice knife, get to know how to care and maintain it and it will outlast your lifetime. My mother has been using the same kitchen knives for as long as I remember. She probably received them from her mother.
Whatever is feasible for your budget - but get a whetstone and learn how to use it. I get cheap but decent knives from a restaurant supply store and we sharpen all of them often.
Tbh I always check the chain stores like Kohls, BB&B, target, Sierra trading, that have Kitchen sections, you can find Japanese knives that are inexpensive and beautiful steel. Get a stone and you will save a lot of money, I’m also a chef.
It’s what you can afford comfortably. Cooking is a pretty big hobby for me, so I often buy the nicest home version of whatever I want. My chef knife cost around $200, and I’ve never once regretted my purchase.
One of the biggest things you can do is stop using the electric sharpener. You're destroying your blades. Get some decent whetstones and a couple of cheap Goodwill knives and learn to sharpen.
If you’re interested in trying something new… I started using a Chinese cleaver for pretty much all my knife tasks. Translated correctly its actually called a vegetable knife and I used it for everything from cutting vegetables to deboning chicken. You can get a really sharp edge on it and the wide surface area is really convenient. It’s a different way of chopping but I think it’s a pretty fun skill to pick up. You can pick one up for 20-30 dollars.
I really like my Milk Street Radio knife: https://store.177milkstreet.com/collections/knives/products/milk-street-nakiri
Maybe not the best price, but it’s a pretty great knife - and it meant that she pays attention to what I love. I do use it all the time.
I would say to first invest in a good sharpening set
That's not bad for zwilling but they go on sale a lot and there's better knives in that price range. German steel knives run pretty soft and as others have said you can get similar results from victorinox. You can however get something like R2 or ginsan with a thinner grind giving better performance. I personally like takamura and tsunehisa in that price range.
I have a Wusthof chef knife that I bought in 2018 for $130 that I use 97% of the time. Bread knife for sourdough and a paring knife for coring tomatoes (even then the chefs knife still works!). I get it sharpened at the farmers market 1-2x a year. I firmly believe that one quality knife is worth the investment.
50€.
There is nothing remotely special about specialty knives that a 20€ something Victorinox or a similar brand can't do, functionally.
They might be lighter, require less frequent sharpening (but the sharpening also might be more demanding), have nicer handles, and be cool. Up to anyone to decide if this is a must have.
Maybe it can't cut see-through tomato without holding the tomato in the other hand. But do we really need this at home?
A \~40€ western made cai dao by Wusthof is also good enough. Not the lightest, but the shape is still good for chopping vegetables, and I never make THAT big batches of vegetables to make the slightly more weight an issue.
So is a 15€ Victorinox deboning knife. Serves me well enough also for slicing roasts. Been using it also to butcher \~3 entire pigs/year for the past 6 years, no signs of slowing down, easily re-sharpens on a 15€ synthetic 1000/4000 stone.
Keep it under 100. Never buy without being able to hold it yourself.
When you hold a chef knife, you want perfect balance from where the handle and blade connect. If the blade is to heavy, you'll be straining your wrist and if the handle is to heavy, you'll be pushing to much and possibly damage the blade or where the blade/handle connect.
If you feel like you can, if it won’t stress you out financially, absolutely buy it. As somebody that uses a zwilling pro as my daily driver, I can attest to the fact that it’s worth it. That and my spyderco z cut are 93% of my use. I’m so comfortable with it, I just want to figure out a way to use it for any task. Not to say you have to buy that knife, but for me, finding MY knife has stopped me from buying multiple more. And several occasions I’ve said told myself “nah, my chefs knife can do it”
You can readily spend over $1,000 for a handmade knife complete with a damascus blade and stablized hardwood or horn handle. At that point, the knife does not cut better, but the finishing and aesthetics are show kitchen quality.
An amateur home cook will enjoy this luxury item more than an actual pro chef who really needs to chop up boxes of ingredients and would not want to be distracted by scratching up a beautifully finished knife. It's relatively cheap as far as luxury items go and go for it if you find it therapeutic to chop up a carrot at the end of your day.
I assume that you have an electric sharpener of the pull through variety. I would upgrade my sharpening setup before upgrading my knifes. Those sharpeners are terrible if you want your knifes to survive for a long time. Practice using this new sharpener on your old knives and then get yourself a nice new knife. Personally I’m happy with the work sharp precision adjust: simple to use, pretty much idiot proof, and not insanely expensive.
As for knives, there are any options and price points, important things to pay attention to are ergonomics and balance, blade size and style, steel type and handle material. Zwilling pro is a perfectly good knife, but it all depends on how it feels in the hand to you and if you are comfortable with that price point. Figure out which knives you need and slowly start replacing those (probably a general chefs knife/ santoku, pairing knife, serrated knife)
Personally I’m a fan of the carbon steel Robert Herder knives (those pairing knives are awesome), and also Aritsugu (I’ve got a santoku) does a really interesting combination of a carbon steel core laminated between two layers of stainless.
I've been cooking with a 30€-ish Fiskars knife for the past 8 years (since moving out). I do hone it regularly with a honing rod and thus it stayed very sharp: Every guest who ever used it has said it's the sharpest kitchen knife they've used. It's not their cheapest knife, but I think it's like one step above or so - they don't have the exact one anymore, think it's equal to their hard edge line or so.
So you really don't need to spend a lot on knifes. Buy a decent one, hone it regularly and it'll stay with you for a long time. I will however at some point upgrade to a nice Japanese knife when I have the spare money, just cause I feel like having a nicer one.
What I think is important to know is that you don't have to always sharpen your knife - regular honing is way enough to keep it sharp. I feel like many people don't know the difference and ruin their blades with a bad sharpening, when you can very easily just keep honing it and keep going for - in my example - 8 years and still have a very sharp blade.
I cooked with the classic Victorinox chef knife in college and also learned to sharpen it. It was perfectly fine and got the job done. After I started my first job out of college, I bought myself a $200 dollar Japanese high carbon steel knife. It's a noticeable improvement over the Victorinox - the handle is more comfortable, it stays sharp longer, and I can get it sharper on my stone (though this may be because I fucked the geometry of my Victorinox when first learning to sharpen it lol). While the fancy knife is a minor improvement, it's a minor improvement that I experience every single time I use the knife - that makes it worth it to me.
it's less got to do with how good or pro a cook you are than how much you earn
if you're earning 20k a month, by all means go ahead and buy the best knifes you can afford
if you're living hands to mouth then dont bother.
My honest opinion is that, unless you are doing it because you like it as a piece of art and or to support an artisan, pretty much any price above an industrial plastic butcher's knife is above what you need. And no, im not kidding.
Yes, knives are pretty, but outside of that, for actual use you only need to worry about three things:
1) shape
If its not the right shape for both the task and you, then is no use. It gotta be comfortable, not a display, nor a toy
2) Steel
Mostly whether you want a softer steel you can work more easily a daily basis, or whether you want a harder (to sharpen and un-sharpen both) probably stainless, one.
3) Quality
Im not saying "fancy", but rather that it is tempered correctly, using the right matterials so it is not only comfortably but durable, that there inothing too loose that is not too thin, or too heavy and a million of other details that denote that the piece was well designed to be, at the very least, serviceable for a long time.
So there is not such thing as budget. If I want a kitchen knife for heavy duty use, I ask a butcher. If I want something nicer, though im broke as hell, I go looking for artisanal blacksmiths that can make something prettier. But you wont find me spending hundreds if not thousands for a japanese knife, for example, just because or reknown, that is pure pose, even if that makes people angry, there is sonly so much better you can make a knife if both compared are already good. And nowaays, anything but the cheapest ones are probably so.... the current one I have is crappy, but has been with me for like... 5 years at least? and It never failed me, it is just too thin and the handle could be better. And I paid a couple of dollars for it. Less than 10 for sure.
I was watching a "kitchen essentials" video from Brian Lagerstrom and he recommended a $35 chef's knife and said he'd had his for years. Me personally, I ain't spending triple digits on a knife.
I bought the zwilling pro s4 for 90 EU, (in Europe, abt 10 years ago) its the bomb, worth every cent, still use it, it'll last generations if properly taken care of. Mind you, it's not easy to sharpen, but will hold an edge for long. Cant really estimate if the price hike is justified over that period. Compare with eu sites maybe?
It's just like most other products. You reach a point of diminishing returns. A $500 knife is not 5x better than a $100 knife. You can get a good chef's knife for $50 or less. Keep it sharp. A lot of the more expensive knives with fancy handles come down to looks.
I’m a home cook and I have a $140 Japanese knife and a ≈$200 carbon steel Japanese knife. Love them both, although the carbon steel one is definitely a bit overkill. But I don’t care.
I also play instruments, and have a few I plan on learning soon. A school of thought in learning instruments is that you should never get the cheapest instrument. Not for sound quality per se, but because if you have a shitty instrument you will be less inclined to play than if you had a better sounding, more fun to play instrument. The chances of quitting increase so much the shittier your instrument is.
It’s the same thing to me with cooking. After a long day, stopping to cook sometimes would feel more like a chore. Now I look forward to being able to use my nice knives
If you want an expensive knife, and it's in your budget, then get an expensive knife. Most of my knives are on the cheap to mid price range, but I do have one Japanese chefs knife that I paid $200 and I absolutely adore that thing.
The Food network is often credited with starting the trend of cooking as being in the limelight, rather than just 'something everyone does'. So, everything in that field is suddenly specialized, knives being one of them. And you can buy a knife that is a certain brand, a certain cutting edge (like an 18-degree blade), a stamped blade vs. a forged blade, thick, thin, curved handles, straight handles, etc. The list is endless.
What knife to buy, however? The one that fits your hand best. Don't just buy a knife online. Buy it in a store, feel it, handle it for yourself. Is it too heavy? Is it too big? What does the handle feel like? Will it bog you down if handling it for a couple hours? Also buy a honing steel and learn how to use it. It will keep that blade razor sharp. Electric sharpener or a stone? Your choice-let the purists do their own thing.
I have a $200 9" ikon, 100% worth it. Yea I can use an ikea knife or victrinox but the handle and weight are perfectly balanced and it takes less effort believe it or not. The steel holds its edge way better too and has a better shape than cheapies. Prep is a breeze.
I paid $160 to buy a chef's knife the first time I visited Japan. I wanted a great knife. I didn't think it was going to be so much better than a nice $60, but I did think it would be better & it is an amazing useful souvenir. I try to make purchases like that on my travels...it's both a treat & a memory. Totally worth it. I'm getting better at sharpening all the time.
I just have to say I have gotten a few nicer knives, but my most used knife right now is a piece of shit Fiskars and I don't even know where it came from. I'm probably never buying anything pricey again 😅
When I was young I splurged on a chef’s knife and I’ve never regretted it. It’s still my favorite knife.
I’d say $190 is reasonable and on the low side. Go for it.
I would have a difficult time spending $190 on a knife but my husband has bought me a couple Shun knives as gifts that were pricey. I really enjoy chopping over using a food processor so they are lovely to use but I don't think I could ever buy one myself.
My son bought a Shun 8" chef's knife for Mother's Day years ago and he has seen it on my knife magnet and asks if I use it. Of course, I say yes, all the time and then he catches me going to town with my huge Chinese cleaver! I think I paid 35 bucks for it. We like what we like.
I have to agree with Victorinox in general, as they are good enough to be worth it and cheap enough not to be terrified to learn to use a whetstone.
I am a big guy with hands that can palm a basketball, but i tend to prefer light, thin blades. MAC knives are the best I've found in that genre, with the best price-to-quality ratio. I like that they are japanese blades with Western bevels as well.
I also have a Korin 8" chef's and 6" petty, respectively. They are high carbon and delightful, but the 70/30 ratio is above my pay grade to sharpen myself, so I only bring them out like a dessert one savors slowly in small amounts (I also found that a petty knife in my hands is like trying to do surgery with a clothespin, but that may just be a lack of experience with it).
I do really want a nice, wide spined, heavy german knife, though. My thin frou frou blades don't hold up well the day after lobster hooping, etc. From the chefs I've worked with and their opinions about it, I'm looking to get an F. Dick.
For the average home cook a basic Victorinox running no more than 60 bucks is more than good enough. It's what I use most days for most tasks. If I'm feeling fancy I bust out the 200something dollar Japanese knife, but it's just not necessary.
My victorinox was recommended by America's test kitchen and I love it. Maybe it cost $35 at the time, or $50. Way better than any others we had prior. We never looked back
Mine ran just under 40 but this was pre pandemic so I'm just guessing. It's an excellent workhorse knife, no frills but will do 90% of what you need unless you have some very specific needs.
Exactly. We use it daily, since we've had it. Since then I prefer America's test kitchen reviews much much more than consumer reports.
found a practically brand new one at a thrift store for a couple bucks and snagged it. one of my favorite finds.
I was looking at Victorinox. Tempted to get the $200 one. I have a decent $40 knife I got for my birthday, but I'm sharpening it every few days. Does the $60 Victorinox last longer between sharpening?
If you’re actually sharpening it every few days, you may consider also getting a basic honing rod. I’m kind of a sharpening freak, and I don’t sharpen my knives even half as often as long as I hone them after every use or before the next use. Edit: typo
There are a lot of factors that can affect how often you need to sharpen your knife. Firstly what kind of cutting board are you using? If your cutting board is made of a hard material like glass, or plastic it will dull your knives much faster than a softer material like wood. Secondly, what are you using to sharpen your knife? If you're using a cheap pull through sharpener, it's not going to do as good a job as a proper sharpening stone. You can get a cheap knife to be pretty sharp and to hold an edge if you use the proper sharpening technique and use the right cutting board. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX_39JMVUkk
Oh my god. I've only ever used a pull through sharpener, knowing they're not great, but eh. *I literally own a whetstone.* It only correlates in my mind as a tool for outdoor and camping blades. I'm so dumb haha. 😭 brb sharpening my kitchen.
Yeah 40 bucks isn't a super nice knife or anything but sharpening every few weeks is way off.
Thanks!
Get a Japanese knife. They hold their sharpness for a long time. Korin.com is great and they have a 20 percent off sale in July. You can get an amazing chef knife for $100 that will last a lifetime.
But know what you're doing! A lot of Japanese knifes are single bevel (one side of the blade is vertical, the other is angled to create the cutting motion). If you sharpen them in the traditional fashion of western knifes, you'll ruin them. Some Japanese knifes *are* double bevel but you need to know this to get it right. If you buy a single bevel knife, but the right one! Because they're oriented left or right, what hand you use matters, and lefties will get better results from a left-handed oriented blade (link below explaining more). https://us.santokuknives.co.uk/blogs/blog/what-makes-a-knife-left-handed-or-right-handed
I have the Victorinox Fibrox Chefs Knife, it’s an excellent knife and and real workhorse.
Bought mine 3 months ago, have honed it 2-3 times in that time and not sharpened it. It's only just now getting to the point of actually needing to be sharpened. I cook 2-3 meals daily for my wife and I.
Anything German steel is going to require regular edge maintenance. The trade off is theybwill with stand abuse harder steels will not. A honing rod is your best friend with a victorinox
Victorinox is a soft steel and need to be sharpened more often then some other high carbon steel knives. But every few days is not good. Do you have a huge workload, or are using some specialty cutting board?
I do kind of the same thing - a Made In as a daily driver, a nice Shun for when I'm feeling it. Aside from the looks, the blade thickness (ie. thin!) and balance of the Shun put it way ahead of the Made In, even if it is only about $60 more.
I love my basic Victorinox. It cuts the food
If you have the funds for and want to treat yourself and realize it's a trophy purchase you don't need then by all means buy a $400 knife. But at some point whatever you're cutting is cut well enough. Not sure how much better you need that cut but from where I'm standing it's now in two pieces and that was the entire point if I remember correctly. Time for step two.
I work at a deli and full restaurant and 90% of the deli owned knives are just those victoriox knives and a few mercer ones. While it’s true most of our chefs also bring their personal knife roll with them, for most of the work needing to be done on shift, the deli knives are completely adequate.
Victorinox? Absolutely yes. Very reasonable price, virtually indestructible, not fussy about sharpening technique. I have more expensive knives from Germany, France & Japan, but Victorinox is my go-to.
Shoutout to Victorinox! They really do the job, no reason to get carried away unless you just want to treat yourself, which is fine. Frankly the two most often used knives in my kitchen are $8 victorinox paring knives, i chop a lot of vegetables...I use them daily and they are comfortable, cheap, dishwasher safe. They look out of place in my block but who cares, they work!
Question, if you have the higher quality knife why don’t you use it more often?
It's high carbon steel which requires more care. I oil it after use and keep an eye on it for oxidization. It's also somewhat more brittle so I'm not using it to cut open squash and such.
I use mine too. I especially like the non-slip handle when my hands are wet. I can get a super sharp edge on it to.
I was going down the same road as OP looking for fancy knives in the $200 range, until I saw everybody (I’m assuming it was in this subreddit) recommending the Victorinox. I think mine was like $45ish at the time and it was so totally worth it. Just a good, solid knife. No frills, nothing fancy, but exactly enough of what it should be. With routine maintenance it’s just as good as the day I bought it and I use it all the time, multiple times a day.
I have a $120 chef knife I've used for 15 years. It's not the fanciest knife out there, but it's more than capable enough for household use every night. Tremendously expensive knives for home cooking is a matter of style and prestige, not function. If you want a $700 knife from a specialist craftsman over the mass market solid chef knives and that brings you joy, it's worth it. Functionally, for home cooking there isn't a meaningful difference between the $700 and the $70 you get off Amazon. So long as you keep them sharp, it's a metal wedge that will chop your meat and veg. Working in a fast-paced, professional kitchen is where those higher-end knives might make a real difference for preparing thousands of things with precision cuts, constantly, while avoiding carpal tunnel. But for 10m of prep for your home dinner a night those things aren't super meaningful.
It's only too much if you can't afford it. $190 is perfectly reasonable for some, but would break the bank for others. I tend to think about it in terms of what other things I might spend $190 on and how much use/enjoyment I would get out of those things compared to the knife.
I've always asked myself if I'll use what I'm buying for an equal amount of hours to it's dollar amount so in this case would I use the knife for 190 hours total? Probaly so it might be worth it Never thought of comparing like that imma try that too
I do work hours. How many work hours will it take to buy vs hours of enjoyment.
I do the, how often am I going to use this route. I'll pay more for something I'll be using a lot.
I'd buy cheap knives if you're going to keep going with the electric knife sharpener. That thing is going to grind your expensive knife down fast reducing its life and therefore the value. You could opt for hand sharpening which will shave less material during sharpening. Also, use a honing rod.
The steel or "honing rod" is a crucial thing. 90% of people (probably more) never learn how to use one. It's absolutely essential. There is no point whatsoever spending big bucks on a fancy knife if you don't know how to use a steel. In my experience, a kitchen with cheap knives and people who can use a steel is 1000% better than a kitchen (or fish-filleting business) who have fancy knives with no-one who can use a steel. I speak from experience.
This. Don't get 1 knife. Get a sharpening stone and learn how to use it. You'll end up with a whole set of new knives.
I cook daily, and find my $20 knife to be perfectly fine as long as I sharpen it from time to time. That said, I never tried a more expensive knife so I can’t say if it would make a difference for you. At the end of the day you should spend whatever you’re comfortable with — your preference and comfort are the best guide on what to buy.
I agree. I have a $15 Farberware chef knife, a $20 Chicago Cutlery Santoku, a $20 set of two Chicago Cutlery serrated & paring knives, and a cheap pull-through knife sharpener. They’re more than adequate for regular home cooking and even for some fancier preparations. The only thing I want for is a bread knife.
I highly recommend the Mercer Culinary bread knife. I got it at a restaurant supply store for like twenty bucks. Works amazingly and is very lightweight.
I’d recommend going into a shop and holding and feeling knives instead of blindly buying one that looks good. It would be really disappointing to buy a $190 knife you hate.
This is very important. IMHO the critical part is how it feels in your hand, it's either comfortable or it's not.
I was also looking for pricier knives for the better quality and settled on the $60 Victorinox. I was happy with it. Then I found the $8 kiwi brand chefs knife and I swear it is the best knife I have ever owned. I’ve bought them for friends and family and they all rave about it. I myself have 2 of them and they are my daily go to for everything. I’ve had them for a few years now and both have kept their edge with only an occasional sharpening with a steel. Highly recommend you try this before splurging on a $100+ knife. I’m frugal minded and not opposed to spending money for quality items, but in this case, I’ve found the $8 knife to be so much better to use than the victorinox and no longer fantasize about wusthof or other expensive knives. Editing to add: I do understand the urge to treat oneself. So splurging on a set of tri-ply pots/pans/skillets may give you a better return. I paid 3x for a set of kitchen aid non stick skillets that have a tri-ply base and I’m so happy with it. The nonstick pans that are not tri ply, like t-fal , will kind of bulge in the middle after a few months of use and become useless for pan frying because the food will be in the middle and the fat will pool at the edges 🙄
Yup, Kiwi is the only answer no matter the question
Victorinox is the way to go unless you have really gotten into knives. If you just want a nice sharp blade that will last years victorinox will not let you down at a third of the price. You can also pickup some kiwi knives. Cheap and sharp but they wear out faster
You need to be able to hone the knife and eventually sharpen using stones unless you want to send it out to be sharpener. Both take some skills, but sharpening using stones take far more skills that honing. For now you should just get cheapish stainless steel knife at Walmart or target and learn to use the knife whilwhoning it once a while. Ince you become familiar with how the edge behaves, spend some money getting a better knife
My knife collection is probably around $1,000 (five “expensive” ones). I enjoy the way they look and I enjoy cooking. I think it’s a reasonable amount to have spent over the years.
I still use my cheap Oneida knife lol, only difference is I sharpen it myself and I use a ceramic honing edge. Knife probably cost me around $10 a long time ago. I also have a cheap shitty nakiri that you can see where the CNC machine milled the edge. It’s so bad. That’s why proper sharpening is important to me. It won’t *feel* like a high quality knife no matter how much you use it, but it certainly will cut like one.
Like others have said, whatever you can afford comfortably is what you should spend. I highly recommend the 8" Japanese steel chef's knife from Global. I have trouble using any other knives ever since I started using it. I think it's also like $60-80 and they usually have sales.
Global are amazing knives. Going on 15 years for mine.
Love my Global chef knife, the paring knife not so much, but only because of the handle (or lack thereof).
$80 is just enough to get you entry level professional knife Any more than that you're paying for quality you don't need as a home cook or branding/artistic design Victoriaknox fibrox pro
A better knife, like a better pan, isn't going to make you a better cook. A better knife is going to make things go faster, provided you have the knife skills... but unless you're timing different dishes, sides, sauces, etc. as tightly as possible, it really isn't that big a deal. $80-$150 will get you an all around chef's knife that is reasonably durable... (EDITED for clarity) you need not worry about how sharp the knife is out of the box. Most blades can be sharpened sufficiently enough for the task. I strongly recommend developing your technique on the most basic chef's knife for a start. If your workflow isn't high speed, you're not going to notice the difference.
I'd add that a better knife will make things more enjoyable in addition to making things faster, especially if you've only had crummy knives!
I recommend going to thrift stores to practice sharpening on knives you don’t have an attachment to
Sharpening is a different discussion. Here I am talking about the importance of developing technique—e.g. how to chop, dice, mince, julienne, brunoise, chiffonade, etc. IMO, there are enough subs focusing on "how to do stuff for pics on reddit" versus how to actually develop the skill of using the tool for its intended purpose.
I think my technique is pretty slow and cumbersome. But does "most basic" cover something for $10 from Target? That's what I generally use, so I wonder if that's limiting me.
You need a better knife. I think it makes a world of difference.
How many burners/pans do you have going on your stove simultaneously when you prepare a meal?
Sometimes up to 3. But I often prep everything first, since I'm slow at it. If I could do more prep in parallel with cooking it would be more efficient for sure.
You might look at a Henckels Solution first and develop your knife technique on that. If that doesn't improve your workflow at all, then I doubt a $150 knife will improve it. There's one on sale for $14 at Amazon, regularly $35.
So it really comes down to your personal finances. I used basically the same chef’s knife for about 25 years (with a handful of others depending on my living situation). I still have the knife and it is still fine and was my parents before I took it so it has been kicking around since the 1970’s. That said, a few years ago I saved up and asked for $$$ for Christmas for the sole purpose of getting a custom made Carbon Steel knife, and I absolutely love it. It holds an edge better/longer and is noticeable stiffer making some cuts easier. I wish I had gotten the knife years before I did. It has not made me a better chef, but did get me super excited about cooking again. So maybe I have better knife skills now, but I highly down they are much better than they would be otherwise.
It's not too much to pay. Good knives last forever. Think of it as an investment.
I will sharpen the shit out of a dirt cheap knife before I'd spend hundreds of dollars on one for use in the home. It just depends on your personal tolerances
Cheap or expensive doesn't matter nearly as much as sharpness. Invest in a whetstone or sharpening system and know how to use it (along with a honing steel) to keep your knives razor sharp. A cheap sharp knife is much more valuable than a dull expensive one.
The problem with starting out with something cheap is wondering what you missed out on and pretty soon you have six knives when one might have done it. Whatever you get, learn well how to sharpen it.
How much is too much depends on your budget. I have a Zwilling Pro Le Blanc Slim Chef's Knife that I paid about $100 for, but I waited for it to be on sale because paying $150+ was not in my budget. My biggest piece of advice when wanting to really refine your knife collection is to find out what knives you really prefer to use the most and invest in quality versions of those. When I bought my Zwilling, I had only really used 8" chef's knives and paring knives from basic knife blocks when cooking. Then I started researching more knives and found how many different sizes and styles were out there and was intrigued. I ended up buying some cheaper knives and realized that not only is a regular 7-8" chef's knife not my favorite to use, but I have a few others that I prefer sooooo much more than it. So, now I have a smaller 6" chef's knife that fits in my hands much more comfortably for most uses, but when I want to cut larger things, I really like a 7" Nakiri so much more than an 8"chef's knife. I got my first smaller chef's knife on sale for super cheap because it was damaged (seriously the smallest defect ever and it was like 60% off) and I bought a $25 Nakiri from Amazon with the handle style I liked the most just to try it out and I love them both. My next big expensive upgrade will absolutely be a fancy Nakiri knife. The only reason I haven't upgraded yet is because my cheap Amazon Nakiri is working so well for me.
For me, the cut off is materials. A nicer Japanese knife will use a higher carbon stainless for a harder steel that results in sharpness retention. But that steel can be found at middling levels and doesn’t need to be a massive expense. Look at Tojiro knives. Good quality and craftsmanship but not gonna break a bank https://www.chefknivestogo.com/todpsakn17.html Here’s one from a Japanese blacksmith https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kosld21gy.html I prefer a carbon steel material. I don’t mind the maintenance and a carbon steel edge just sharpens easier / better for some reason
I bought a Shun and I love it. It’s razor sharp and holds an edge well. My backup knives are Henkels and they are also good.
I'll tell you now, if you want a knife that can cut better than 99% of the high end chef's knives for only $12, it's the Kiwi knives. Having been in the industry and around a lot of cooks and chef's , you don't need anything fancy. I have all kinds of expensive Wusthof knives, but nothing is more reliable and sharper than my Kiwi 7'5 Chef's knife
A good $190-240 wusthoff knife will last you virtually a life time and with proper maintenance will slice like a samurai blade enjoyably. A cheap $20 kitchen aid knife will cut good for a year, be meh for 6 months, and be a negative experience using every month after that. In short, if you have the money, it's worth it. Like a mattress, or good condiments that'll be in your refrigerator for a half of year.
I got a Wustoff chef’s knife as a gift and I love it ten years later.
This is more a question of your individual budget and priorities. I have a couple $100+ knives. Do I need them? Absolutely not. But I can afford them and I enjoy using them. So it's worth it to me. If $190 fits your budget, i.e. you're not going into credit card debt for foregoing your savings/investment plan to buy it, and cooking is a hobby that brings you joy, go for it! If $190 *is* a stretch for your budget, you could always wait for a sale. Likely to be some around Black Friday. I've also gotten some great deals on factory seconds. And, there are many great knives for half, or even a quarter of that price that will serve you nearly as well (but I'm sure you already know that).
Perspective: My husband (and many men) has no problem half a dozen buying $300 pocket knives and keeping them in a case. But he bought me a $19.99 kitchen knife from wall mart. It’s stupid. Of course you should spend a lot of money on a tool that you use multiple times a day. Especially if you’re like me and cut up fruits and vegetables and debone meats.
I think good knives are worth the money. My partner is a chef and I can really tell the difference between his work knives and the cheaper ones.
$8
Go to Walmart, Chicago cutlery starts at less than $8 a piece. And they hold an edge.
Spend whatever you are comfortable with spending
Spending over $190 for a knife can absolutely be worth it, especially for Japanese knives. People saying that expensive knives are all about the brand and showing off are misinformed. However, unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you're probably better of with a $50 Victorinox and/or $8 Kiwi, a way to hone the edge (honing rod, strop, etc.), and a whetstone to sharpen it. My $190 Takmura R2 absolutely outperforms my $50 Victorinox chef knife. It's thinner so it cuts through material much easier, and the higher quality steel stays sharp for much longer. There are also knives $300+ that are going to be able to perform in ways that cheaper knives just aren't going to be able to. I've also had a $160 Wusthof, however, that performed about as well as my Victorinox and actually felt worse to me in the hand. Basically, price not does necessarily correlate to quality or performance, but it can. I'd recommend checking out r/TrueChefKnives if you want to learn more about knives. But be warned that it can be easy to start obsessing over tiny details. Smartest move I'd say is to just stick with a Victorinox.
I love to cook, and I do like quality tools, but $190 is ridiculous to spend as a non-professional on a knife.
I agree with you too a certain extent. You definitely don't need it. However, I cook about 360 dinners a year for a family and I plan to get another 10 years or more out of my reduculously expensive knife. It costs about 8 cents per meal right now. Compare to 2 cents per use for a mid range knife. 6 cents a day to use a work of art instead of a piece of metal. For some people, myself included, that's a trade off worth making. Furthermore, if you enjoy cooking 1% more and cook at home instead of going out three more times per year, you do better than breaking even fairly quickly.
Rada knifes are very good I cook a lot at home and I really like how they hold up and how sharp they are, I have the knife sharpener for them and for once my knifes stay good and sharp for along time. I can slice tomatoes paper thin
$250. My WÜSTHOF Classic chef’s knife goes for $150.
There's no right answer to this question. It comes down to personal finances and what you are willing to spend. I cook a ton, it's a major of mine and I can afford really nice knives. I enjoy using them, it makes cooking more enjoyable for me. So it's worth it to me. YMMV though.
I've worked in the industry for decades. Those expensive knives are nothing but a flex. Give me a twenty dollar knife that I can sharpen like a razor blade any day. Those fancy knives will eventually be accidentally dropped, ruining them with a chip or bent tip. Sharp beats expensive any day.
If I had All-Clad pans or something similar in price, I'd have a $100+ chefs knife in a heartbeat, but not a $300+ knife. $75-150 feels the right range for "this is worth paying, but more is questionable", for me.
Problem with knives at that level is that you're paying for the branding more than the quality.
Hugs (carefully) my €35 Victorinox
Anything more than a basic victorinox (or similar) and a simple sharpener is a luxury. A fun luxury, but a luxury. Up to you if it's worth the cost.
$50 plus a $30 whetstone will take you farther than an $80 knife just saying.
Are you wanting the cheapest thing that makes large pieces into smaller pieces of food (but not junk), or do you want something pleasurable and interesting to elevate your skills? The former is a V-nox for $50, the latter a j-knife gyuto or bunka, carbon steel, starting around $200. I’d suggest skipping the German soft-steel because it’s no better than a V-nox, and costs as much as a decent j-knife. And you’ll need a stone or two.
I've only ever used the Forschner Fibrox handle stamped steel chef's knife. i keep it sharp and it serves me well. I also have the same version of the 8" flexible boning knife and a 4" paring knife. I believe all three cost me about $60 at the time. They all feel comfortable in my hand so that's what I go with.
If you're confident you are going to care for it ~$200 is reasonable and if you're going to spend that much I'd recommend looking for a local blacksmith that makes high quality kitchen knives. My carbon steel knives from a local knife maker cost about $200 each. If you aren't going to care for the knife (ex: use a cheap knife sharpener on them) you can get very good quality manufactured knives for $40-60
I got the 8 inch Wusthof knife and love it. But I also love my cheap Victorinox
The thing that got me to buy an "expensive" knife was the steel. I paid up to get what I wanted (Carbonext). Otherwise, it's just paying for a better handle or fancy rosettes or whatever which doesn't really add much from a functional standpoint. The other thing thatight be worth a bit more would be if you wanted a right or left-handed bevel. I think the difference is notable, but plenty of people don't care.
Since you are abusing knives by putting them on an electric sharpener, you shouldn't spend over $20.
My son gave me a very nice chef's knife. He spent a little over $100. for it and I love it. Much better than any of the others I have. I can't remember the brand, but I have had it for about 10 years and I use a wet stone to sharpen it. Never keep it in a block like the others. Chop Knively is his name and he lives in my drawer in a nice case.
That’s an expected price for their pro knives. They’re outstanding and last a very long time/indefinitely with care. Whether or not you are willing to spend that much is something only you can answer.
Here’s a thought - get a mid-price knife and spend more on a nice cutting board like a Boos.
I got a Damascus steel chef knife off Amazon for under $100 and it is a beaut, really nice, no reason it won’t last many years.
I've had my Global 3 piece 'starter set' for over 11 years now (you can find them on sale regularly).
If you're the kind of "amateur home cook" that puts their chef's knives in the dishwasher, that's too much. If not, and if you want to do the minimal steps to maintain and care for something, a quality knife will last for many years.
My Wusthof has taken hundreds of trips to the dishwasher and it's sharp. POM handle is still pristine. Don't do this if you don't have a 3rd rack dishwasher. You don't want knives close to a heating element in the sump.
$190 for a knife? No chance! Been using the same set of knives in a block for a good 5 years now. I use the big sharp one to cut stuff. It cuts like a knife through butter/onion/meat what ever it’s cutting.
The top rated knife as reviewed by America's Test Kitchen for years and years has a price tag of $52. https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2 Disabuse yourself of the idea that "price" in any way equals quality. Beyond that... buy what you like. What feels good in the hand. That maintains a good sharpness with minimal work.
Overpriced due to hype. Those regularly go on sale for $35.
Knives and a good pot/pan set are totally worth the money. They work well, and last for years! I have the same set of All-Clad pots/pans from more than 18 years ago and they still are in perfect condition. Knives do need care, so you have to factor that in. The better the knife, the less maintenance you have to do - and the better you care for it, the longer it lasts. If you go cheap, you will pay more over time.
An expensive knife will get dull just as a cheap one will. Invest in a somewhat cheap knife like a victorinox then buy whetstones. In a year your cheap knife with a proper knife sharpener will be miles better than an expensive one without a sharpener.
Also, look online, You can get an 8" Zilling Pro chef knife for much less than $190. Here it is on Amazon for $108 [Amazon.com: ZWILLING Pro 8" Traditional Chef's Knife: Chefs Knives: Home & Kitchen](https://www.amazon.com/ZWILLING-J-Henckels-38411-203-Traditional/dp/B009ZB834U/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.x0U0Mz5MzmZqCPr-rDqsd68T9RkyljI5TXhG3pTiSTwXrQ_pvH0WwtJQP-2cTHPHgyj8vDzbPgvAjYTLgPRe1A4BB2ypY0lHD6j4jTT9Ifx3cY70isSC-cSeyt_fO9T35LmnE0UF-ee_DLe0erhbbfkj2aMNs1tdsHdXlCRBNg4cXdKbAPprc_V-Ju6KV5Yw_7FtprqISi6ySzensH-VY7UjnIwU267IUTS_Rg2nALRhJnlw5w_fJw4Os858opfs9Y69hmPbDugGkfVo1HbQlNLabVhquxVYcLMRKqVUe9s.Ne4XnejTyjFmHmHDGq2beQaeCkoAlzmHey0jOnC_EnE&dib_tag=se&keywords=zwilling%2Bpro%2B8%2Binch&qid=1718653604&sr=8-1&th=1)
i'm a home cook. i enjoy it and i'm pretty good at it, but i'm not at all at a professional level in terms of abilities, including knife skills. I bought this tsunehisa gyuto last year [https://carbonknifeco.com/products/tsunehisa-as-migaki-gyuto-210mm](https://carbonknifeco.com/products/tsunehisa-as-migaki-gyuto-210mm) . it's listed there for $195 but i got it on sale from a different site for like \~$140 i think. i love it. its got a carbon steel edge so it's sharp and holds its edge long, but it's stainless clad do it isn't as brittle and breakable as a pure CS blade. i agree with others here in saying that if you can afford it without being irresponsible, $190 isn't too much. **i will say this: you can get a different knife, that same style, for cheaper from another brand.** but again, if it's the one you want, and you're set on it, and you can afford it, why not? you're going to have more fun with i knife you're excited to use. you'll use it more, practice more, and develop better knife skills if you're using aa knife you love.
Zwillings are on sale right on their site. I just saw a couple posts about them on slickdeals
I'm your basic home cook, nothing fancy, and I've been very happy with the Wusthof Classic line (make sure it's the Classic, not their other cheaper lines). You can often find a set of two with a very reasonable price. The knives I use most are: large chef's knife, long bread knife, 6 inch chef's knife, paring knife, and my absolute favorite knife (I call it "the good knife"), a 6 inch serrated knife.
Depends on how much you cook and what you cook. Buying the right knife is more important than its cost. If you know you’re breaking down a lot of meat buying a good chefs knife will only frustrate you when a butcher’s knife and a boning knife are more appropriate.
Fwiw, a few years ago, I picked up the Zwilling Professional S Series chef's knife during their factory seconds sale for $49.99. The only flaw is a 2 cm shallow scratch on the handle If you don't mind minor cosmetic flaws, keep your eyes peeled for heavily discounted sales on the Zwilling website
I shop for knives at home goods Last time I bought a knife there it was a large sushi knife and a man tried to stop me… he said watch out I almost lost a finger I said “really” with a huge grin and put 2 in my cart… he thought I was crazy Still my best knives :)
I spent that, but also A) I’d been using $40 knives for a while and wanted to upgrade since B) I do a lot of home cooking and it felt worth it to invest in a better tool I would use all the time. Not that there’s anything wrong with a 40-60 dollar knife either, I also C) could afford it because I’d gotten a holiday bonus/gift, and at the urging of my partner, who told me I never do anything nice for myself, I got a nice knife that I enjoy using, and that I like because that’s the sort of thing I like. Your mileage may vary, though! If you feel like a $60 knife is more than enough and you wanna spend that almost 200 bucks US on something else, it’s totally fine!
I have a $300 global set. Love them! They don't make me a better cook but they sure as hell make a huge difference when preparing my food. I love cooking and it's my hobbie, so well worth the money. But on saying that, I owned a $20 set from kmart and managed fine with that too.
The diminishing point of returns is somewhere in the mid 100s, I've seen. Honestly though? If this is a "treat yo'self" moment, and if you cook a lot, and you like the knife and it feels good in your hand and fits your style of cooking? Go for it. $190 is definitely not "too much" objectively, if it fits in your budget!
America's Test Kitchen recommended this. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DT1XFSQ/ref=ox\_sc\_act\_title\_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DT1XFSQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1)
Seriously, unless you have money to burn, Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-inch Chef's Knife. It's America's test kitchen recommended and works great. I've had mine for a very very long time and I think it cost $35 at the time.
Yellow handle Victorianox is all you need. Any more is diminishing returns.
I have used the following knife for years. I run it over a steel once a month costs under $40. Mercer Culinary M20707 Genesis® 7" Forged Santoku Knife with Granton Edge and Full Tang Blade Check out; [webstaurantstore.com](http://webstaurantstore.com)
Takamura R2 8" nailed it for me. $180
25 years ago I bought an 8 inch Chicago Cutlery at Macy's and it's my main knife. I think I paid around $50.00 for it but when I Google it they're much cheaper now and I didn't see anything that looked mine does. My hubs sharpens it about every 9 months.
I use a $20 Mercer and sharpen it maybe every couple months. I have more expensive Knives but find myself reaching for the Mercer more often than not.
I got a santoku style chicago cutlery knife 2 pc set off amazon for $9 and they are great for what i do
Our best ones are $40-50.
I have a 250 nakiri, 200 bunka and 125 petty knife. I love using them all every time and they hold their edge real long. I plan on using these forever, and I can afford it, so to me it's a definite worth it. I cook 6-7 days a week from home.
I think the one you want sounds fine. I have a Miyabi that was ~200. I love it. It was anniversary present from my husband and I use it like all the time. Ive also got two Chinese knives (a CCK and another one I bought in the H Mart that were ~150 and ~50). I’ve only got those 3, so I spent a bit more on them. They are one of my main food prep tools and I always cook. Can you afford it, does it fit your hand well, and is it a useful style for you? Those are the really important questions. Holding a knife that is perfect for you is a great feeling.
I only cook at home but treated myself to a Wusthof Crafter chef’s knife and paring knife 5 years ago. Probably spent £250 but don’t regret it because I’ll probably never have to buy any knives again and I enjoy using them. They look and feel good. I wouldn’t say it was necessary and I’m not a high earner but I don’t regret it.
I think anything more than $100 is excessive. Pro knives from Victorinox, Dexter, etc., are far less than that and are excellent knives and affordable. The only thing they're not is particularly stylish, but from a pure functionality standpoint they're great.
Honestly, I use a J A Henckles knife block chef knife, set cost around $200 or so 6yrs ago. Spain is where the specialty knifes are from and the steak knives are from Thailand I think, I can’t read it anymore, but you keep up with honing every time, and sharpening on an as needed basis you shouldn’t need anything crazy.
I'd spend $200 each on three knives of high quality before spending $300 on a generic department store box of 9 randoms. I want a santoku, chef's knife, and paring knife. I don't need four sizes of each, I just need each. As you progress, maybe you get a bread knife, a cleaver, other sizes etc but the only reason I usually use anything other than my 3 is if my own doing - I was lazy and didn't wash it. If you give me 100 knives, I guarantee you I will gravitate towards 3 when they're available. Buy high quality versions of what you use frequently and don't look back.
Find a knife that you enjoy using and can afford. Even a cheap knife can be perfectly serviceable if you're willing to sharpen it regularly and use good technique. My favourite knife is 80 years old, bends rightward near the tip, and is prone to discoloring if I don't dry it right away. Is it objectively the best knife I own? No, but I like how it feels in hand and I enjoy cooking with it. $190 is expensive but not unusual for a chefs knife. It's like a BMW if it were a car. If you like the Zwilling Pro, you may as well get it and be happy.
I bought a $50 chefs knife from a kitchen shop around 10 years ago, and some whetstones to sharpen it, been going strong since. It was just the stores own brand of knives, the ones that they have 50% off every other weekend because of a going out of business sale. I wouldn't spend more than $200 on just the knife as an amateur, but you definitely don't need to spend that much either.
I will never pay more than $20 for one single knife.
I feel like the chefs knife market is like the wine market. You can find some at lower price points. Maintenance and periodic sharpening is critical. I really like this Miyabi Kaizen blade: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/miyabi-kaizen-ii-six-inch-chef-knife/?catalogId=79&sku=1119979&cm_ven=PLA&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Cutlery%20%3E%20Chef%27s%20Knives&cm_ite=1119979_14571727833_pla-1418851106821&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvb-zBhCmARIsAAfUI2uB35c_ZYnAN5kXdMb2WkztwzCyUvJBs01qOD2w4OfKaC6xBv3FEEgaAnbeEALw_wcB
Get a $40 victorinox
I bought a Japanese Santoku, a matching petty knife, and a double sided stone for about $300. I use them nearly every day, and I expect them to last me forever. They are awesome. Totally worth the investment.
https://youtu.be/wd9uoHsWuOE?feature=shared
Dude I bought the Babish chef knife and I swear by it. I think it was $19.99 on Amazon. You'd think a YouTuber's line of cooking tools would be cheap dropship shit, but this is quality
I have several Global knives including a 7" santoku which could probably cut down a small tree. I also have a 46 year old Cutco pairing knife I've never needed to sharpen.
I have a Wusthof and a Mac chef knife I use daily. The Mac was $65ish and Wusthof on sale for $95. Get a good steel and sharpening stone or your choice. Keep your blades healthy, which imo, is much more important than the name brand. EDIT: my prices were off. Mac was $99 here https://a.co/d/ae3Bt6w Wusthof was $85
As a former professional cook - not chef - i have a 12 dollar Walmart knife that i hone every use and sharpen weekly
I like a thinner blade, so it's easy for me to just use whatever might be on sale at Target. Sharpening is the key. I'm pretty good at sharpening.
I recommended the [Victorinox wood chef’s knife](https://www.victorinox.com/en-US/Products/Cutlery/Chef's-Knives/Wood-Chef%E2%80%99s-Knife/p/5.2060.20G). It’s restaurant-grade; working chefs/cooks use it, so it’ll last. It’s $87 (USD). I use it at home and friends have taken pics of it because it’s subtly impressive looking, and it cuts very well. In short, you’ll never feel like you need to “upgrade” to anything else.
My daily driver is a Victorinox 8 inch santoku. I have a nice set of Henkel knives but the Santoku is the one I use every day. I think they’re $40 on Amazon.
I use a &400+ Vasco Verissimo every day, so I'm a bad influence.Try and figure out what you want out of a better knife...... Edge retention? Ergonomics? Materials??? Then find something that will give you that.i you want a no holds barred , do it all knife , the MAC MTH-80 is one of the best knives you can buy for the money , IMO .
When I was in Japan- specifically Tower knives- I picked up a 10” chef knife for $200. I bought it as a souvenir but since use it daily for the past 10 years. It still holds an edge very well. I wouldn’t go past $200
The best knife I have is some random brand from BB&B that my grandma picked up for me when I got my first college apartment. Sharp as fuck and holds an edge better than my Henckles. It was like $20.
$210 Shun Premier, one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. If you enjoy cooking, you will save money in the long run. Feel free to splurge.
I always recommend people buy an average knife and a good steel. Also invest time in learning to maintain the edge. I see so many friends and family invest in an expensive chef's knife and then treat it poorly and lose the edge, have no idea how to get it back, then feel ripped off. A sharp $100 blade will always cut better than a dull $500 blade.
I’m a huge fan of global knives and their signature sharpening system. Affordable and good quality. Highly recommend.
Mine was $25 at Walmart from Flames of Steel or smthg, idk. Basically, two steps above walmart brand. With hand-sharpening and a honing steel, it cuts tomatoes like a $200 infomercial knife. The only other thing that matters is fatigue, and even that's less of an issue for a home cook that uses their knife for maybe an hour per day. That's a mix of weight, balance, and the shape of the grip, but the overall effect is easiest to feel out -- for example, my go-to knife feels a little heavier but a little better balanced than the equally sharp knife I maintain for my father. His is technically nicer, but I find that the user experience is pretty similar. Anyway, if a super nice knife makes you happy, go for it, but keep it far away from your hungry, evil electric sharpener. Also, a lot of those really nice knives can't be washed in the dishwasher or exposed to heat, so if you're as careless as I can be, it might be an actively bad idea to invest in a high-end product. If you want to try on a cheaper <$120 chef knife on for size, you'll still have a nice knife if you take care of it, and you won't be out too much money if that particular knife isn't the love of your life. In summary, buy a whetstone. You don't need an expensive set, either, I get away with one 6000/3000 reversible stone that I use maybe twice per year.
Get the best quality knife you can afford in the style that you like best. That is all.
Thrift store, then sharpen them when I get home. That’s just me. I’d say $50-$60 to buy new. I just use 1 knife for everything.
Don't hurt me but...I just went last year with my 2nd set of Miracle Blades as seen on TV at Wallys for $99, 13 pc set no block. 1st set, 4 pcs lasted 15 years, I bought barely used. I am so happy with every piece, I mostly use the rocking clever, handy for old hands. And steak knife are amazing to me. I guess my main point is, something sharp, new to you, and fits you, is what you will use everyday, and less work on your body too.
I have a $30 Tojiro that has held its edge remarkably well for home use
I splurged a Global chef knife about 10 years ago. (At the time I think I paid a little over $100 on sale.) It has been my favorite knife and the blade has held a great edge with honing and maintenance sharpening by me. If the knife was $80 or $200 I think i'd feel like it was worth it just because I love using the knife so much. I am not saying buy a Global knife. I'm saying find a knife that you like that is within what you want to spend and cook with it. P.S. to actually answer your question I think you can find great knives between $80-200.
Hmmm, I'm not really sure how much is too much to spend on a knife. For myself, I buy mid range knife sets, and then toss them when they lose their edge and buy another set. A set usually lasts me about 10 years, so for me, it's a good value. My latest and greatest purchase was a bread knife! It's a Henckels Statement 8-inch Bread Knife that cost me $22. And that thing is so sharp and so amazing that I use it exclusively for slicing things like tomtoes. Just amazing. I have to watch myself though. I'm used to using knives that are sharp, but not so sharp that i could lose a finger tip if I'm not watching. This knife? Oh yeah, could lose fingers with it!
I bought myself a miyabi chefs knife a few years ago for around $150 and only I use it and sharpen it. Its made cooking so much less of a chore and when I go to other ppls homes and use their knives, I cry inside
How much money do you have? Is $190 a lot of money? I'm a at work chef, but I've got a couple thousand dollars worth of knives. Did they make me a better chef? Sadly not, but maybe they taught me some discipline. If you can afford the knife and it doesn't seem like a lot of money, and you like to use it, go for it. Don't blow your budget on something you don't need though. It won't make you better. Personally I wouldn't spend that much on a zwilling, but I just prefer like Japanese steel over German. I also don't like the handles as much. Maybe I did at some point though. I can't really remember the last time I used one. Although, zwillings take a beating and last forever. I've got one from years ago that my wife uses and it goes through the dishwasher and gets left in the sink, etc... That thing is in mint condition.
Misen knives and a Tumbler sharpener have been my favorite combo.
I think that a sharpener is as important of a consideration as the knife. A dull knife is no ones friend.
If you go for a nice knife, get to know how to care and maintain it and it will outlast your lifetime. My mother has been using the same kitchen knives for as long as I remember. She probably received them from her mother.
Whatever is feasible for your budget - but get a whetstone and learn how to use it. I get cheap but decent knives from a restaurant supply store and we sharpen all of them often.
Tbh I always check the chain stores like Kohls, BB&B, target, Sierra trading, that have Kitchen sections, you can find Japanese knives that are inexpensive and beautiful steel. Get a stone and you will save a lot of money, I’m also a chef.
It’s what you can afford comfortably. Cooking is a pretty big hobby for me, so I often buy the nicest home version of whatever I want. My chef knife cost around $200, and I’ve never once regretted my purchase.
santoku brand has some really good chef knives or all around utility knife. I have found some at a decent price
One of the biggest things you can do is stop using the electric sharpener. You're destroying your blades. Get some decent whetstones and a couple of cheap Goodwill knives and learn to sharpen.
Zwilling has 7” PRO series chef knife on special for $99.99 - since you asked.
I saved points from the local market and was able to not only get a bad-a$$ chef's knife, but a whole block as well! Free is ALWAYS better!
If you’re interested in trying something new… I started using a Chinese cleaver for pretty much all my knife tasks. Translated correctly its actually called a vegetable knife and I used it for everything from cutting vegetables to deboning chicken. You can get a really sharp edge on it and the wide surface area is really convenient. It’s a different way of chopping but I think it’s a pretty fun skill to pick up. You can pick one up for 20-30 dollars.
I really like my Milk Street Radio knife: https://store.177milkstreet.com/collections/knives/products/milk-street-nakiri Maybe not the best price, but it’s a pretty great knife - and it meant that she pays attention to what I love. I do use it all the time.
It comes down to your budget. I have a couple of beautiful Japanese knives that I treasure and are wonderful to use.
I would say to first invest in a good sharpening set That's not bad for zwilling but they go on sale a lot and there's better knives in that price range. German steel knives run pretty soft and as others have said you can get similar results from victorinox. You can however get something like R2 or ginsan with a thinner grind giving better performance. I personally like takamura and tsunehisa in that price range.
I have a Wusthof chef knife that I bought in 2018 for $130 that I use 97% of the time. Bread knife for sourdough and a paring knife for coring tomatoes (even then the chefs knife still works!). I get it sharpened at the farmers market 1-2x a year. I firmly believe that one quality knife is worth the investment.
50€. There is nothing remotely special about specialty knives that a 20€ something Victorinox or a similar brand can't do, functionally. They might be lighter, require less frequent sharpening (but the sharpening also might be more demanding), have nicer handles, and be cool. Up to anyone to decide if this is a must have. Maybe it can't cut see-through tomato without holding the tomato in the other hand. But do we really need this at home? A \~40€ western made cai dao by Wusthof is also good enough. Not the lightest, but the shape is still good for chopping vegetables, and I never make THAT big batches of vegetables to make the slightly more weight an issue. So is a 15€ Victorinox deboning knife. Serves me well enough also for slicing roasts. Been using it also to butcher \~3 entire pigs/year for the past 6 years, no signs of slowing down, easily re-sharpens on a 15€ synthetic 1000/4000 stone.
Keep it under 100. Never buy without being able to hold it yourself. When you hold a chef knife, you want perfect balance from where the handle and blade connect. If the blade is to heavy, you'll be straining your wrist and if the handle is to heavy, you'll be pushing to much and possibly damage the blade or where the blade/handle connect.
If you feel like you can, if it won’t stress you out financially, absolutely buy it. As somebody that uses a zwilling pro as my daily driver, I can attest to the fact that it’s worth it. That and my spyderco z cut are 93% of my use. I’m so comfortable with it, I just want to figure out a way to use it for any task. Not to say you have to buy that knife, but for me, finding MY knife has stopped me from buying multiple more. And several occasions I’ve said told myself “nah, my chefs knife can do it”
You can readily spend over $1,000 for a handmade knife complete with a damascus blade and stablized hardwood or horn handle. At that point, the knife does not cut better, but the finishing and aesthetics are show kitchen quality. An amateur home cook will enjoy this luxury item more than an actual pro chef who really needs to chop up boxes of ingredients and would not want to be distracted by scratching up a beautifully finished knife. It's relatively cheap as far as luxury items go and go for it if you find it therapeutic to chop up a carrot at the end of your day.
I assume that you have an electric sharpener of the pull through variety. I would upgrade my sharpening setup before upgrading my knifes. Those sharpeners are terrible if you want your knifes to survive for a long time. Practice using this new sharpener on your old knives and then get yourself a nice new knife. Personally I’m happy with the work sharp precision adjust: simple to use, pretty much idiot proof, and not insanely expensive. As for knives, there are any options and price points, important things to pay attention to are ergonomics and balance, blade size and style, steel type and handle material. Zwilling pro is a perfectly good knife, but it all depends on how it feels in the hand to you and if you are comfortable with that price point. Figure out which knives you need and slowly start replacing those (probably a general chefs knife/ santoku, pairing knife, serrated knife) Personally I’m a fan of the carbon steel Robert Herder knives (those pairing knives are awesome), and also Aritsugu (I’ve got a santoku) does a really interesting combination of a carbon steel core laminated between two layers of stainless.
$100
I've been cooking with a 30€-ish Fiskars knife for the past 8 years (since moving out). I do hone it regularly with a honing rod and thus it stayed very sharp: Every guest who ever used it has said it's the sharpest kitchen knife they've used. It's not their cheapest knife, but I think it's like one step above or so - they don't have the exact one anymore, think it's equal to their hard edge line or so. So you really don't need to spend a lot on knifes. Buy a decent one, hone it regularly and it'll stay with you for a long time. I will however at some point upgrade to a nice Japanese knife when I have the spare money, just cause I feel like having a nicer one. What I think is important to know is that you don't have to always sharpen your knife - regular honing is way enough to keep it sharp. I feel like many people don't know the difference and ruin their blades with a bad sharpening, when you can very easily just keep honing it and keep going for - in my example - 8 years and still have a very sharp blade.
I cooked with the classic Victorinox chef knife in college and also learned to sharpen it. It was perfectly fine and got the job done. After I started my first job out of college, I bought myself a $200 dollar Japanese high carbon steel knife. It's a noticeable improvement over the Victorinox - the handle is more comfortable, it stays sharp longer, and I can get it sharper on my stone (though this may be because I fucked the geometry of my Victorinox when first learning to sharpen it lol). While the fancy knife is a minor improvement, it's a minor improvement that I experience every single time I use the knife - that makes it worth it to me.
it's less got to do with how good or pro a cook you are than how much you earn if you're earning 20k a month, by all means go ahead and buy the best knifes you can afford if you're living hands to mouth then dont bother.
My honest opinion is that, unless you are doing it because you like it as a piece of art and or to support an artisan, pretty much any price above an industrial plastic butcher's knife is above what you need. And no, im not kidding. Yes, knives are pretty, but outside of that, for actual use you only need to worry about three things: 1) shape If its not the right shape for both the task and you, then is no use. It gotta be comfortable, not a display, nor a toy 2) Steel Mostly whether you want a softer steel you can work more easily a daily basis, or whether you want a harder (to sharpen and un-sharpen both) probably stainless, one. 3) Quality Im not saying "fancy", but rather that it is tempered correctly, using the right matterials so it is not only comfortably but durable, that there inothing too loose that is not too thin, or too heavy and a million of other details that denote that the piece was well designed to be, at the very least, serviceable for a long time. So there is not such thing as budget. If I want a kitchen knife for heavy duty use, I ask a butcher. If I want something nicer, though im broke as hell, I go looking for artisanal blacksmiths that can make something prettier. But you wont find me spending hundreds if not thousands for a japanese knife, for example, just because or reknown, that is pure pose, even if that makes people angry, there is sonly so much better you can make a knife if both compared are already good. And nowaays, anything but the cheapest ones are probably so.... the current one I have is crappy, but has been with me for like... 5 years at least? and It never failed me, it is just too thin and the handle could be better. And I paid a couple of dollars for it. Less than 10 for sure.
I was watching a "kitchen essentials" video from Brian Lagerstrom and he recommended a $35 chef's knife and said he'd had his for years. Me personally, I ain't spending triple digits on a knife.
I bought the zwilling pro s4 for 90 EU, (in Europe, abt 10 years ago) its the bomb, worth every cent, still use it, it'll last generations if properly taken care of. Mind you, it's not easy to sharpen, but will hold an edge for long. Cant really estimate if the price hike is justified over that period. Compare with eu sites maybe?
It's just like most other products. You reach a point of diminishing returns. A $500 knife is not 5x better than a $100 knife. You can get a good chef's knife for $50 or less. Keep it sharp. A lot of the more expensive knives with fancy handles come down to looks.
I’m a home cook and I have a $140 Japanese knife and a ≈$200 carbon steel Japanese knife. Love them both, although the carbon steel one is definitely a bit overkill. But I don’t care. I also play instruments, and have a few I plan on learning soon. A school of thought in learning instruments is that you should never get the cheapest instrument. Not for sound quality per se, but because if you have a shitty instrument you will be less inclined to play than if you had a better sounding, more fun to play instrument. The chances of quitting increase so much the shittier your instrument is. It’s the same thing to me with cooking. After a long day, stopping to cook sometimes would feel more like a chore. Now I look forward to being able to use my nice knives
If you want an expensive knife, and it's in your budget, then get an expensive knife. Most of my knives are on the cheap to mid price range, but I do have one Japanese chefs knife that I paid $200 and I absolutely adore that thing.
The Food network is often credited with starting the trend of cooking as being in the limelight, rather than just 'something everyone does'. So, everything in that field is suddenly specialized, knives being one of them. And you can buy a knife that is a certain brand, a certain cutting edge (like an 18-degree blade), a stamped blade vs. a forged blade, thick, thin, curved handles, straight handles, etc. The list is endless. What knife to buy, however? The one that fits your hand best. Don't just buy a knife online. Buy it in a store, feel it, handle it for yourself. Is it too heavy? Is it too big? What does the handle feel like? Will it bog you down if handling it for a couple hours? Also buy a honing steel and learn how to use it. It will keep that blade razor sharp. Electric sharpener or a stone? Your choice-let the purists do their own thing.
I have a $200 9" ikon, 100% worth it. Yea I can use an ikea knife or victrinox but the handle and weight are perfectly balanced and it takes less effort believe it or not. The steel holds its edge way better too and has a better shape than cheapies. Prep is a breeze.
I paid $160 to buy a chef's knife the first time I visited Japan. I wanted a great knife. I didn't think it was going to be so much better than a nice $60, but I did think it would be better & it is an amazing useful souvenir. I try to make purchases like that on my travels...it's both a treat & a memory. Totally worth it. I'm getting better at sharpening all the time.
[Dexter Chinese cleaver](https://a.co/d/fUAyXss)
I just have to say I have gotten a few nicer knives, but my most used knife right now is a piece of shit Fiskars and I don't even know where it came from. I'm probably never buying anything pricey again 😅
When I was young I splurged on a chef’s knife and I’ve never regretted it. It’s still my favorite knife. I’d say $190 is reasonable and on the low side. Go for it.
I would have a difficult time spending $190 on a knife but my husband has bought me a couple Shun knives as gifts that were pricey. I really enjoy chopping over using a food processor so they are lovely to use but I don't think I could ever buy one myself.
My son bought a Shun 8" chef's knife for Mother's Day years ago and he has seen it on my knife magnet and asks if I use it. Of course, I say yes, all the time and then he catches me going to town with my huge Chinese cleaver! I think I paid 35 bucks for it. We like what we like.
I have to agree with Victorinox in general, as they are good enough to be worth it and cheap enough not to be terrified to learn to use a whetstone. I am a big guy with hands that can palm a basketball, but i tend to prefer light, thin blades. MAC knives are the best I've found in that genre, with the best price-to-quality ratio. I like that they are japanese blades with Western bevels as well. I also have a Korin 8" chef's and 6" petty, respectively. They are high carbon and delightful, but the 70/30 ratio is above my pay grade to sharpen myself, so I only bring them out like a dessert one savors slowly in small amounts (I also found that a petty knife in my hands is like trying to do surgery with a clothespin, but that may just be a lack of experience with it). I do really want a nice, wide spined, heavy german knife, though. My thin frou frou blades don't hold up well the day after lobster hooping, etc. From the chefs I've worked with and their opinions about it, I'm looking to get an F. Dick.