Tool Reviews

Kitchen knives are an accessory designed for processing food. With the help of them, they clean, cut and cut meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and various gastronomic products.

Types of kitchen knives

The classification of kitchen knives is based on the purpose of the accessory and the type of product being processed. The following types are distinguished:

• universal;
• boning;
• cook;
• cutting;
• sirloin;
• for cutting;
• for the cleaning;
• hatchet;
• for steak;
• for bread;
• for cheese;
• for tomatoes;
• for oil;
• santoku (Japanese);
• nakiri (Japanese for vegetables).

Universal

The universal knife is used for cleaning, chopping and cutting fruits and vegetables, sausages, herbs, cheese, meat products.

It does not differ in characteristic features: the blade of the tool is of medium width, the width of the blade narrows towards the end, the end is pointed. The thickness of the blade is about 2 mm, the geometric shape of the blade is straight or wavy.

Povarskoy

Equipped with a wide blade and comfortable heavy handle. The standard width of a chef’s knife varies from 2mm to 4mm.

The tool can be used for:

• cutting vegetables;
• green shredders;
• cutting meat products;
• beating meat (butt).

The length of the main appliance is about 45 cm, the average chef’s knife has a length of 35-40 cm, the smallest one is from 25 to 30 cm.

boning

With the help of the device, the deboning of raw and cooked meat is performed. The characteristic features of the boning knife are:

• blade of medium width, sharply tapering towards the end;
• curved cutting edge
• narrow, pointed upward;
• straight butt.

sirloin

The accessory is designed for thin cutting and filleting of fish or meat. The product is equipped with a thin, flexible and long blade. The blade of the appliance may have recesses or small grooves that prevent food from sticking to the knife blade.

chopping

The meat cutter is mainly used in professional kitchens. The blade of the knife is curved. With it, you can effortlessly cut sinewy or tough meat.

Paring knife

Designed for peeling fruits and vegetables. The knife is equipped with an elastic short blade with a sharp end, a smooth cutting edge and an ergonomic handle.

Another type of accessory for peeling fruits and vegetables is a peeler knife. A characteristic feature of the tool is two blades turned towards each other.

Some models of peeler knives are equipped with rotating or floating blades. The peeler is ideal for peeling fruits and vegetables of the correct geometric shape – apples, cucumbers, zucchini and zucchini.

With this device, you can chop cabbage and cut into thin vegetable or fruit slices.

Slicing knife

Cuts ready-made meat products, ham, smoked and salted fish into thin slices. Characteristic features of the accessory:

• narrow long blade;
• smooth edge without teeth.

bread knife

The bread knife is equipped with a sawtooth cutting edge, the blade has the same width along the entire length. The shape allows you to cut bakery products without crushing them. The knife is also suitable for cutting watermelon, melon, pineapple.

steak knife

A cutlery kitchen utensil with which, during a meal, ready-made fish, meat or vegetable products are cut into small pieces. The edge of the knife can be smooth, serrated or combined. The device is equipped with a thin and narrow blade.

Tomato knife

A characteristic feature of the tool for cutting tomatoes is a narrow blade, equipped with small teeth and a forked tip. The kitchen accessory will also accurately cut oranges, lemons and other vegetables or fruits with hard skins and soft centers.

cheese knife

A knife for cutting cheese has a thin and narrow, slightly curved blade, a serrated edge and a forked tip. The blades of some models are equipped with slots that act as air pockets and prevent cheese from sticking to the blade.

For cutting soft varieties of cheese, it is rational to use a string knife. It is a small board, over which a thin and very sharp blade is fixed.

butter knife

Butter knife is characterized by a wide short blade, the edge of which is made in the form of a rounded spatula. The cutlery is used for spreading butter, jam, pate and caviar, honey on bakery products.

hatchet knife

It is used for cutting large pieces of meat and poultry, cutting meat bones of medium thickness, cartilage and tendons.

The characteristic features of a billhook knife are a short wide blade and a bevelled edge. The cutting edge is very sharp and even.

Japanese santoku

Santoku is a multifunctional balanced knife for the kitchen. The shape of the Japanese santoku allows you to cope with three main tasks of the cook:

• shredder;
• felling;
• cutting.

Design features of the device:

• narrow handle;
• wide blade;
• thin cutting edge;
• double-sided sharpening.

Nakiri for vegetables

Nakiri is designed for cutting vegetables. The blade of the device is rectangular in shape, the cutting edge is thin, tapering from the base to the tip, the thickness of the trailing edge is 2-2.5 mm.

Characteristics

Knife blade length

Kitchen knives for peeling vegetables and fruits are equipped with the shortest blade – from 5 to 10 cm. Blades up to 13 cm long have knives for cheese, tomatoes and steak. The maximum length of the universal kitchen knife is 15 cm, the deboner is 16 cm.

Longer blades are equipped with:

• chef’s knives – from 15 to 30 cm;
• hatchet knife – up to 18 cm;
• loin – up to 20 cm;
• bread knives – up to 23 cm;
• for cutting – from 20 to 30 cm;
• Japanese santoku – 15 to 20 cm;
• Japanese nakiri – 16.5 to 24 cm.

blade material

For the manufacture of kitchen knife blades, the following materials are used:

• steel;
• forged steel;
• damascus steel;
• three-layer steel;
• ceramics;
• titanium.

Steel

Kitchen appliances are made of carbon and stainless steel. Knives made of stainless steel with the addition of chromium, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, and vanadium have the best performance.

Auxiliary components give additional qualities to the material:

• chromium – gives hardness, enhances the anti-corrosion qualities of stainless steel;
• manganese – improves wear resistance;
• molybdenum – protects against brittleness;
• vanadium – makes the blade especially sharp.

Forged knives

The manufacturing technology of forged knives is quite complicated and consists of several stages:

1) procurement of material;

2) hardening;

3) rough forging;

4) finishing;

5) hardening.

Multi-stage technology allows you to get a strong, beautiful and durable product.

Damascus steel

Damascus steel is a patterned multilayer material. The layers of steel are interconnected by repeated forging. Each layer of steel contains a different amount of carbon, which affects the degree of softness of the material.

Three-layer steel

The blade of the knife consists of three layers: the outer ones are made of mild steel grades, the central one is made of hard metal.

Titanium blades

Titanium coated kitchen knives are extremely durable. They are not susceptible to corrosion, have antibacterial qualities.

Ceramic knives

Devices are made of zirconium dioxide by dry pressing. Next, the product is baked at high temperatures for two days.

In the household goods market, ceramic kitchen knives with a white and black blade are presented. The black color of the blade is obtained by adding special dyes. Such devices are characterized by greater wear resistance.

Handle material

The following materials are used for the manufacture of handles:

• tree;
• plastic;
• steel;
• steel with insert.

wooden handles

The wood for the knife handle is solid hardwood:

• cherries;
• walnut;
• beech;
• birch.

In expensive professional knives, precious wood is used to make the handle.

Wooden handles are pleasant to the touch, aesthetic and ergonomic, resistant to temperature extremes. However, during operation, the wood cracks, soaks under the influence of moisture, loses its original appearance.

Knives with a wooden handle require careful maintenance.

Plastic handles

For the manufacture of plastic handles used:

• bakelite;
• ABS;
• polypropylene.

Polypropylene is used in models of kitchen appliances of a budget price category.

Plastic handles of kitchen cutlery may contain metal or rubber inserts. The rubberized handle prevents the knife from slipping out of your hands.

Synthetic materials are characterized by their practicality, they do not require special care, they are resistant to moisture and aggressive chemicals. The advantages of plastic holders include low weight and affordable cost.

Steel handles

Steel handles are durable and reliable, characterized by a long service life. Steel handles are resistant to acids and salts, able to withstand temperature changes, do not crack or loosen, are hygienic.

Steel with insert

Handles of kitchen appliances made of steel with wood or plastic inserts have an attractive appearance. Decorative inserts lighten the weight of the product.

In addition to these materials, ceramic appliances can be equipped with silicone handles.

Additional features and accessories

Blade with teeth

Some models have a combined blade shape. In them, a smooth cutting edge is combined with a serrated blade, another name for the blade is a semi-serrated blade.

Serrated sharpening looks like a saw, however, unlike a sawing tool, the teeth of the blade are located in the same plane.

Benefits of a serrated blade:

• serrated sharpening increases cutting efficiency;
• the blade stays sharp longer.

Cases

Many manufacturers equip kitchen knives with additional accessories designed for storing products. Often, ceramic cutlery is sold complete with a plastic case.

Kitchen knife sets come with stands or storage cases made from wood, fabric, plastic, steel, and a combination of materials.

Advantages

Ceramic blades

Cutting tools with a ceramic blade have many advantages:

• do not oxidize;
• do not rust;
• do not absorb odors;
• have a sharp cutting edge, perform high-quality cutting;
• weigh little;
• have an attractive appearance;
• do not require frequent sharpening;
• heat resistant;
• easy to care for;
• environmentally friendly.

Steel Blades

The positive qualities of steel blades largely depend on the type of steel and manufacturing technology.

The main advantage of carbon steel is its low cost. The blade of the knife is quick and easy to sharpen, but it also quickly loses its sharpness.

Damascus steel blades are characterized by such positive technical and operational qualities:

• strength;
• durability;
• wear resistance;
• originality of the pattern;
• high cutting ability.

disadvantages

Disadvantages of kitchen knives with a ceramic blade

• inflexibility;
• fragility;
• high price;
• not suitable for cutting hard and dimensional products;
• sharpening the knife is carried out only with the help of special sharpeners.

Ceramic kitchen products are sensitive to mechanical stress and fracture loads; when dropped or hit, the brittle material easily cracks and splits.

Ceramic blades are not designed for chopping motions, dense and hard foods can cause the blade to warp.

Disadvantages of steel kitchen knives

• resistance to corrosion;
• oxidizability;
• transfer of metallic taste to products;
• quickly dull.

How to choose kitchen knives?

Before buying a chef’s knife, first of all, pay attention to the quality of the product. First of all, inspect the blade of the device and the handle, they should not have chips, stains or cracks.

The blade of the device must be smooth and uniform in texture and color. The knife should fit comfortably in the hand, not be too heavy.

If the kitchen knife is in a balanced state, then it is balanced. If there was an overweight in one direction or the other, then the purchase of such a product should be abandoned.

Pay attention to the way the blade is attached: it is better to give preference to models in which the blade runs along the entire length of the handle. The rivets connecting the knife blade to the handle must fit snugly against the base.

Molded plastic handles without rivets are not the best option.

An important selection criterion is the quality of the cutting edge. It should be even, be a solid shiny line from the handle to the tip of the knife set. The cutting edge must be sharp.

Sharpening quality

When choosing a kitchen knife, pay attention to the type of sharpening. Knife kitchen appliances can have one-sided and two-sided sharpening. Single-sided sharpening has two main advantages:

• increases the rigidity of the cutting edge;
• increases wear resistance.

The following criteria act as an indicator of the quality of sharpening the cutting edge:

• sharpening angle;
• blade thickness.

The sharpening angle is a parameter that depends on the hardness of the steel. Knife kitchen appliances made of solid steel have a sharpening angle in the range of 23-25⁰for blades made of softer metal, the sharpening angle is 45⁰.

Important nuances

The hardness of steel is determined in a laboratory and specified by the manufacturer of the cutlery. The hardness of the material from which the cutting edge is made must not be less than 45 HRC and more than 60 HRC.

Material with a hardness up to 45 HRC is easily deformed when sharpening an edge. With a hardness exceeding 60 HRC, the knife becomes dull quickly.

When choosing a tool, it is important to pay attention to the width of the blade. The wider the blade, the more sharpening cycles the device will withstand, the service life of such a knife will be longer.

There are also models with laser sharpening on the market. Despite the name, the laser is not used to sharpen the blade, but in the process of hardening the metal.

A characteristic feature of laser sharpening are matte lines that are perpendicular to the cutting edge of the device.

Set Selection Criteria

When choosing a set of products, the parameters for assessing the quality of the goods are identical.

It should be remembered that a practical knife set must necessarily include basic tools:

• a small knife for peeling vegetables and fruits;
• boning knife;
• knife for cutting meat;
• knife with serrator sharpening;
• universal cutter.

What are the best kitchen knives

An ideal kitchen knife should have the following technical and operational qualities:

• multifunctionality;
• strength;
• wear resistance;
• resistance to corrosion;
• long service life;
• easy and high-quality cutting products;
• do not become dull for a long time during operation;
• have an ergonomic handle.

Such products are characterized by a number of advantages, which include:

• increased strength;
• very long service life;
• maintaining the sharpness of the blade for a long time.

The ideal knife set for men is a stainless steel chef’s knife made by forging. The universal length of the chef’s knife is 21 cm.

For women, the best option would be a universal kitchen knife with a length of 13 to 16 cm. Such devices combine the performance characteristics of a classic chef knife and a slicer.

How to use

In order for the devices to serve for many years, while maintaining the original performance, you should follow the main rules:

• Kitchen knives are not dishwasher safe.
• Do not use hot water to clean carbon steel cutlery.
• After washing, the device should be wiped dry.
• It is unacceptable to store kitchen cutlery in bulk with other cutlery.
• For cutting products, do not use cutting boards made of glass, marble. The use of glass and stone accessories will quickly dull the blade and may lead to deformation of the cutting edge.
• Knives are used only for the purposes for which they are intended.
• Do not cut frozen food with a kitchen knife.

Kitchen knife manufacturers

Apollo

The main specialization of the company is the wholesale supply of household goods. The trademark is the official representative of the Japanese manufacturer of kitchen knives GLOBAL in the Russian Federation.

The line includes more than twenty series of kitchen knives. The assortment of the company includes models of different price categories, from budget devices to exclusive tools.

The collections include kitchen accessories with high quality stainless steel and ceramic blades.

In addition to individual devices for cutting meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and other products, Apollo’s catalog contains sets of kitchen knives and related accessories.

Fiskars

One of the directions of the Finnish company Fiskars is the production of cutlery for the kitchen:

• knives for tomatoes;
• bread knives;
• meat knives;
• for cleaning;
• sirloin;
• small, medium and large chef’s knives.

The brand’s products are distinguished by functionality, stylish design, and ergonomics. The range of kitchen utensils for cutting includes several series:

• Fiskars Solid – the blades of kitchen knives in this series are made of German-made forged stainless steel.
• Fiskars Functional Form – Includes single stainless steel kitchen cutlery and multifunctional sets of 3, 5 and 7 cutlery.
• Fiskars Functional Form Plus – an improved series, the blades of cutting tools are made of high quality stainless steel with an anti-corrosion coating.
• Fiskars Edge – the blades are made of Japanese stainless steel, sharpened using a special technology.

Gipfel

The company occupies a leading position in the ranking of manufacturers of tableware and kitchen utensils. The brand’s products are sold all over the world, representative offices are located in 40 countries.

The German trade mark Gipfel has been represented on the Russian market since 1997.

For the manufacture of products, high quality ecological materials are used. The blades are made of high carbon steel, the surface of the blades is treated with a non-stick coating, which prevents food from sticking to the blade when cutting.

The company catalog includes:

• a series of professional kitchen appliances made of carbon steel with plastic handles,
• a series of ceramic products with plastic covers,
• kits and related accessories.

The assortment of the German manufacturer includes many individual knife tools of a specialized orientation:

• for oil;
• for the cleaning;
• for bakery products;
• for meat;
• for a steak.

Nadoba

The Czech company is a division of a German diversified concern. Since 2010, Nadoba has opened a separate production and supplies products under its own brand to the home goods market.

The brand offers consumers chef’s knives, cutting knives, santoku. The company’s catalog also includes universal models and kitchen knives for a specific product group:

• for vegetables
• for bread;
• for oil;
• for pizza.

regent

The Russian trademark represents Chinese-made kitchen utensils and accessories on the market. The choice is quite diverse, the lineup includes products of economy class and medium price category.

The product line consists of six series, each of which includes kitchen cutlery for different purposes (bread, cutting, vegetable, universal, chef’s, hatchet knives):

• PRESTO – tools with stainless steel blade, handle material – polypropylene.
• FORTE – stainless steel cutlery with bakelite handle.
• MASTER knife – forged stainless steel kitchen knives with Bakelite handles.
• RETRO knife – stainless kitchen utensils with hevea wood handles.
• RUSTICO – stainless steel kitchen tools with mahogany handles.
• LUNA knife – all-metal stainless steel knives.

Rondell

The company’s products have proven themselves among professional chefs and ordinary consumers.

This is evidenced by the recommendations of the National Guild of Chefs and a number of awards that the German brand was awarded for the quality of its products and consumer sympathy.

The trade line consists of seven collections:

• Rondell Lanze for BBQ;
• Rondell Glanz Black;
• Rondell Glanz White;
• Rondell Anatomy;
• Rondell Falkata;
• Rondell Langsax.

The Rondell lines include German-made stainless steel and ceramic kitchen knives. The double-edged steel kitchen knife blades are made using a unique three-stage hardening process.

Ceramic products are completed with a plastic case for storage.

For the manufacture of handles, the German manufacturer uses:

• ABS plastic;
• ABS plastic with rubber lining;
• combination of materials – steel and plastic.

SAMURA

The company represents high quality Japanese kitchen knives on the Russian market. Products are made using Japanese advanced technology using high quality materials:

• single layer steel;
• three-layer steel;
• damascus steel;
• black ceramics;
• white ceramics.

For the manufacture of handles, artificial stone, fiberglass and steel are used.

The SAMURA collection includes professional universal kitchen knives and knives of specialization:

• boning;
• steak;
• bread;
• vegetable.

The popular SAMURA series are:

• SAMURA CERAMOTITAN – cutlery made of black ceramic with titanium coating.
• SAMURA ECO-CERAMIC is a collection of ceramic kitchen utensils, mainly consisting of models of fruit peelers, vegetable cutters.
• SAMURA HARAKIRI is a single-layer steel kitchen utensil with a black plastic handle.
• SAMURA DAMASCUS – knives with Damascus steel blades with double sharpening.
• SAMURA BAMBOO – all-steel cutlery.
• SAMURA SAKAI – knife kitchen utensils made of special Japanese steel “tsuchime” and a handle made of natural wood. The production technology of blades of the SAKAI series provides for multi-stage sharpening and fine polishing with a water whetstone.

Suncraft

The company represents high-quality Japanese-made kitchen knives on the world market for household goods.

The Suncraft Linear Series includes:

• a collection of chef’s knives made of molybdenum-vanadium and Damascus steel;
• japanese santoku knives;
• nakiri knives;
• universal knives made of Damascus steel, ceramic tools complete with a plastic case;
• devices for thin cutting;
• vegetable steel knives with a wooden handle;
• chopping knives.

In the lineup there are budget models, goods of medium and high price categories.

Supra

The line of products for the kitchen includes kitchen knives of a universal and narrow direction.

The model range offers a wide range of products made of Damascus and Japanese stainless steel, zirconium knives and Japanese titanium-coated cutlery, vegetable peelers with floating blades.

Ceramic kitchen knives are equipped with ergonomic silicone handles, they are distinguished by bright colors – red, lilac, in the lines there are models with a classic black handle.

A collection of Damascus steel kitchen utensils fitted with wooden handles. Thermoplastic elastomer is used as the material for the manufacture of handles in models with a titanium coating.

TalleR

The company specializes in the production of kitchen utensils. It has been present on the home goods market since 2005. The line includes single knives for the kitchen, sets and knife accessories.

The lineup includes:

• Knives from stainless steel with handles from shock-resistant plastic.
• White ceramic cutlery with plastic light green handles and storage cases.
• Knife sets of 4,5 and 7 items. Complete with wooden and plastic stands. Blades of devices are made of corrosion-resistant steel.

Tefal

The international trademark was founded in 1954, the company’s products are sold in more than 120 countries around the world.

The product line combines several series of Chinese-made kitchen knives:

• Ingenio Black – black ceramic cutting devices, products are equipped with protective nozzles.
• Ingenio White – white ceramic accessories complete with plastic storage cases.
• Tefal Talent – kitchen knives made of high quality stainless steel.

Tramontina

The trademark offers the consumer a fairly wide selection of knives for the kitchen, the product line includes several series and individual devices of a narrow focus.

The narrow focus devices include:

• butter knives;
• for tomatoes;
• bread knives;
• cheese.

Linear series of Tramontina brand:

• Century – kitchen knives of this series are characterized by a classic design. For the manufacture of blades, the manufacturer uses high quality hardened steel.

Handles of kitchen utensils are made of fiberglass – a composite fiberglass material.

• Carbo – presents kitchen tools and hatchet knives made of hardened steel. For the manufacture of handles, valuable wood is used.
• Century Polywood – distinguished by a presentable exterior design. Blades of kitchen knives are made of stainless steel, handles are made of fine wood.
• Tramontina Professional Master – kitchen utensil blades are made of cryo-treated steel. The production technology makes it possible to obtain a hard and durable cutting blade.

The handles of kitchen knives are made of plastic with an antibacterial coating.

Victorinox

The Victorinox line consists of knives for professional and home use.

The lineup includes:

• 11 models of bread knives,
• 30 types of cutting and sirloin kitchen appliances,
• 11 models of chef’s knives;
• 21 knives for peeling fruits and vegetables;
• 8 kinds of steak knives;
• 12 types of knife sets.

In the collection of the Victorinox brand, you can find kitchen knives made of steel and ceramics. For the manufacture of handles, Swiss manufacturers use modern synthetic materials and natural wood.

Zwilling JA Henckels

Zwilling JA Henckels is a German company that has been on the market since 1731. The main principles are the perfect German quality and high functionality of products, the use of innovative materials.

Zwilling JA Henckels knives have received recognition all over the world, the company’s products have been repeatedly awarded prestigious prizes and awards.

The Zwilling JA Henckels range of cutlery combines 9 series:

• Carbon Collection Show Detailpage – carbon steel kitchen knives with wooden handles.
• Collection Show Detailpage – Damascus steel kitchen utensils with handle made of synthetic materials with stainless steel rivets.

• Euroline Essential Collection Show Detailpage – Carbide steel kitchen cutlery with brushed polymer handle.
• TWIN 1731 is an exquisite collection of forged kitchen knives with ebony handles.
• ZWILLING Pro Show Detailpage – high carbon steel appliances.
• FOUR STAR – universal kitchen knives made of German high-carbon steel by forging, handle material – hard plastic.
• Twin Four stars II – an improved version of the four stars line FOUR STAR.
• PROFESSIONAL “S” – kitchen knives for professional chefs.
• TWIN SIGNATURE – kitchen knives made of stainless steel and plastic handle with company logo.

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