Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Youtube | Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Cutlery
Options
Pghegger
Posts: 58
My kitchens is woefully short on every type of cutlery. I need to bite the bullet and get a nice set of steak knives, knives for prepping trimming and slicing meat and vegetables as well as shears for spatchcocking chicken. Is there a great set out there that accomplishes all of the above at a reasonable price or is it best to by each piecemeal?
Comments
-
What's a reasonable price for you? I have $300 steak knives and also $40 ones. Kitchen knives can range from $20 to $2000 per knife it's all in what you think is reasonableXLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ
-
I'm no knife guru (there are plenty here who should be along) but I would not get a set. Buy a couple of quality kitchen knives to handle all those duties and then if you want a set of steak knives, go for it.Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win. Life is too short for light/lite beer! Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
-
I have been eyeing these guys but still can't seem to get myself to pull the trigger
XLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ -
Look around here. I have eggspensive $200-300 sushi oriental knives, Henkle but my favorite are regular old carbon steel and some from this manufacture. If you need a steak set for the guests then go for it, but everyday are some in this area IMO.
http://www.swissknifeshop.com/shop/swiss-army/victorinox/swiss-army-knives/victorinox-kitchen-cutlery
-
Dexter knives are not "showy", but are very reasonably priced, and I really like the 4 I have. If they have what you're looking for, Restaurant Depot has good prices on Dexter.
I agree with @lousubcap in regards to not buying a set. I purchase knives as I develop an actual use for them.
Phoenix -
Overall, its better to buy piecemeal. That way you can spend a bit more for better knives that you really need, and no more than necessary for lesser used.
At the least, you need a good chef knife, and at least one smaller one. Myself, I have the standard 3, a chef's, petty and parer. Those are used continually. Most people have at least one other special, like a bread knife or a tomato knife. I have a Japanese style called a deba, originally intended to break down bony fish. I use it for poultry and cutting pork skin.
I've never understood why steak knives are so expensive. A good steak should be so tender that it doesn't need much of a blade to cut it. I s'pose it because they are for fine occasions. Still, unless they are really beautiful, $30 apiece should do the job.
If you get some good knives, be sure to have a way to sharpen them. Even the best knives will need maintenance w. use. Good knives require skill to sharpen.
-
knives are very personal.
you will want to maybe hit Williams Sonoma to see what they have so you can try them. even if it is just to hold them. they used to have carrots at the place near me where people could try them out. you're looking for a comfortable grip, balance, weight, whatever feels good in YOUR hand. they will have a wide range.
the german stuff (wusthof, henckles, etc.) are softer stainless, but that is for ease of use and sharpening. you will need to run them over a steel every time you use them and sharpen (or have them sharpened) maybe once a year. they have a double bevel edge in order to try to keep an edge longer
the curve on the blade of these chef's knives (the german style ones) suits those who learn to chop with a rolling cut, where you keep the tip of the blade on the board and continually roll the blade down to chop
the other side of the spectrum has the japanese and carbon steel blades which hold an edge longer, but are more difficult to sharpen (for the average home DIYer). they are also tough enough (to hold an edge) that the can get away with a single bevel, a keener edge. they can stain, like any carbon steel, but that is also to be expected. patina. you'll see a lot of them with the damascus patterns. most of those are actually just veneer, for visual effect. they are based on the very real science of how damscus-type steel is made, and there are a number of high end makers selling real ones, but if you see one for $89, it's likely a stainless steel core with a very thin layer of the damacus pattern
they also tend to have a flatter blade edge, one not as conducive to a rolling chop (or whatever you call it). it is (for me)more like chopping straight up and down. it's not worse, it's just different.
it's not a case of what is better. it's what is better FOR YOU.
there are also more economical knives, plastic handles and stamped blades, the kind that many many chefs use in real kitchens. and they can be damn affordable. dexter-russel, sani-safe, etc.
i learned to use a german knife, and so prefer those. i tried the wusthof santoku, which has a japanese profile, and found it uncomfortable to use.
as @gdenby says though, don't run out and buy a $600 block of knives. buy a chef's knife. then maybe a paring or serrated slicer, as you feel you need them.
some japanese chefs use nothing but one cleaver. so sure, you don't "need" any more than one knife. but again, do what works for you. "right tools for the job" and all that
[social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others] -
Thanks for the advice all. Much appreciated.
-
One thing to note. Older European knives, almost antiques now, and most contemporary Japanese use carbon steel, and are highly reactive. While they will form a patina that reduces corrosion, if not kept clean and dry, the edges will be messed up. If you cut acidic foods, and/or fail to wipe a wet blade down, they most likely will need a re-sharpening. For this reason, most of the knives I use have a stainless cladding protecting a more reactive core.
As @Darby_Crenshaw notes, the cutting style is different. I started w. a Sabatier many years ago. The French blade shape was much flatter than the German style "big bellied" that now seems standard. The nearly flat Japanese shapes were not designed for a rocking cut, but a draw cut, or a shaving downward slice. So I've had no problem using them.
There are some knives which take extreme edges, and do not corrode. There is an older steel formulated by Sandvik around 1905, called AEB-L, that was created for straight razors. Blades made from that are really nice. There are more exotic modern steels that also have edge retention along with stain resistance. Warther cutlery of Pennsylvania now uses a steel named S35VN which has fine qualities.
-
I've been using a MAC chef's knife for about a year. Paid about $60 for it. Sharp as hell and still holding its edge.
-
We've went the "set" route before. Inevitably there are knives in a set I don't like and won't ever use. Nowadays much prefer to buy them individually. Steak knives I'd maybe buy 6-10 of the same for matching set of them....everything else individual purchases.LBGE 2013 & MM 2014Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FANFlying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
-
concentrate on a 8 to 10 inch chef knife, go try some out and hold them. my preference is an asian style with a sharp 10 dgree bevel, as light as possible, round or D shaped handle. really dont like the german style, heavey knives, with 30 degree bevels. you really have to try them, my global deba has a great blade but my finger has a callous going on 10 years from holding that handle
fukahwee maineyou can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it -
The feel of a knife in your hand gets way to little attention, and is the most idiosyncratic. Greatest blade on earth, in a handle that 98% of the people love will be a total turkey you will hate to use if you are in the 2%. That makes shopping for knives difficult. You really want to touch-and-feel them. I am a big online shopper, but won't do it with knives. Research knives? you bet! Find the makes and models of interest? Absolutely. Buy one sight unseen? no way. William Sonoma and other high end kitchen stores have among the best variety in store, but they tend to the higher end knives. That really helps evaluating a set: you may like the chef's and a paring knife in a set, but find the other 3 just don't feel right to you. I have a strong preference high carbon steel knives, which have been out of favor for 20+ years now (stainless...of one type or another rule the American market), but they do exist. The problem is finding them in a store to touch-and-feel.
Stay Calm and Egg On
1 lonely medium in Rockville, MD -
To echo some of the sentiments above, you should really hold a chefs knife before you buy it. You want to make sure it fits your hand and you'll be happy with it.
that being said, I own a few Global knifes and am very happy with them.XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA -
i agree with above, just buy what you need. sets have too many you will never use. i own a santoku, a chefs knife, a slicer, and a pairing knife and this setup suits me well.
as for steak knives i bought two of these on amazon about 7-8 years ago and cant recommend them enough. still sharp with no rust after all those years
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004RFM0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
-
I would recommend bypassing the sets and getting just the knives you need. Sets seem to always to include knives you don't really need - to boost price/profit. For me, the two essential knives for the kitchen are a chef knife and a paring knife. The others that I use a lot are a boning knife, bread knife, and a long slicer. Yes, I have others, but these five are the ones I use for almost everything.Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
There are times when a set of knives go on sale. Buying the set is not much more than buying a couple of pieces.
-
Mikee said:There are times when a set of knives go on sale. Buying the set is not much more than buying a couple of pieces.
-
I bought a small set of Wusthof knives about 30 years ago and they have served well. I believe there were only 4 knives in the set and it was a good start. The block had room for 8 knives and a steel so I had room to add as time went on. I would buy a small set like this again. Mine had a Chef's knife, a bread knife, a paring knife, a carving knife and a steel.A poor widows son.
See der Rabbits, Iowa -
1move said:I have been eyeing these guys but still can't seem to get myself to pull the trigger
You sure you want these? They look a bit beat up. ]:)--
Jeff
Near Twin Cities, MN
Large BGE -
@MN-Egger I wish they discounted them for that no such luck, still $800 for the bigger one. Check out the video, the music is stupid but just watch how well they cutXLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ
-
-
FYI - carbon steel does not hold an edge long, but it's easy to sharpen and you can easily get it extremely sharp. And they're not expensive. However, they rust and thus need to be cleaned and dried soon after use, not just thrown in the sink soup of dirty dishes.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
For our wedding my wife and I got a high end block of knives. For a while I really liked them. Today I only use one of them and it actually didn't come included with the set but was an after market purchase for it. It's a Nakiri knife which I prefer over a chefs knife when cutting veggies. It's pretty sturdy so I can use it if I don't quite need the cleaver. The only knives I use now for food prep are my Forschner butcher knives that run about $25-$35 each at a restaurant supply store. As for steak knives I use the cheap ones that came with our silverware unless company is over them I grab the ones from the block.
-
I can't argue against buying only the knives needed, however, in my situation, I had no good kitchen knives, so following the recommendation of SGH, I got this set of Victorinox on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FA3C5MI/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=
I was really only looking to buy a granton slicer and a good chefs knife. I looked at buying those two separately at several kitchen stores. Found I could buy this entire set for the same or less and get the extra pieces for "free". I have since added another boning knife and a breaking knife. Until I become much more skilled, I think these will serve me well. Then I may want to begin collecting higher end, speciality knives that serve a particular purpose.Tommy
Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies -
FarmerTom said:I can't argue against buying only the knives needed, however, in my situation, I had no good kitchen knives, so following the recommendation of SGH, I got this set of Victorinox on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FA3C5MI/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=
...
Until I become much more skilled, I think these will serve me well. Then I may want to begin collecting higher end, speciality knives that serve a particular purpose.
As mentioned up-thread, nakiri style knives are great for cutting vegetables. The "Kiwi" brand goes for less than $10, comes near razor sharp, and will stay that way for months w. daily use.
-
FarmerTom said:I can't argue against buying only the knives needed, however, in my situation, I had no good kitchen knives, so following the recommendation of SGH, I got this set of Victorinox on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FA3C5MI/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=
I was really only looking to buy a granton slicer and a good chefs knife. I looked at buying those two separately at several kitchen stores. Found I could buy this entire set for the same or less and get the extra pieces for "free". I have since added another boning knife and a breaking knife. Until I become much more skilled, I think these will serve me well. Then I may want to begin collecting higher end, speciality knives that serve a particular purpose. -
I have a couple of Forschners that I added to my set. They have worked well for me also. I believe you have made a good choice for a first set of knives. They will suffice for many years. I actually prefer the handles on those to my Wusthoff classics, the larger grip works better since my arthritis has gotten worse over the years.A poor widows son.
See der Rabbits, Iowa -
bettysnephew said:I bought a small set of Wusthof knives about 30 years ago and they have served well. I believe there were only 4 knives in the set and it was a good start. The block had room for 8 knives and a steel so I had room to add as time went on. I would buy a small set like this again. Mine had a Chef's knife, a bread knife, a paring knife, a carving knife and a steel.
Then, every year after that, right before Mother's Day, I'd buy one more knife to add to the block; set was completed years ago. I use them all (boning knife, bread knife, tomato knife, kitchen shears, long slicing knife) except the santuka, it doesn't really get used.
According to Cook's Illustrated most if not all European manufacturers have now gone to the narrower, Japanese-style angle. I've purchased a Chef'sChoice electric sharpener which has one wheel designed to knock down a 20-degree angle to 15, but have yet to take the plunge; I plan on leaving the heavier of my two chef's knives at the original 20-degree angle, as I use it solely for hacking through bones and squash, and it hasn't needed resharpening yet._____________"The reason I go out with young men is because men my age or older — well, now they’re all dead."
-Cher
-
Give this site a look. It is a chef ware site....but choose the cutlery link. I purchased a set for my daughter and she and her husband have been very pleased with them. They want break the bank either. https://www.happychefuniforms.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwq6m3BRCP7IfMq6Oo9gESJACRc0bNB7gt9x_ab3z2dmM8HPOK4C4G1ik8mRRe795PKG0iNxoC-G3w_wcBEllijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax
Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
Run me out in the cold rain and snow
Categories
- All Categories
- 182.8K EggHead Forum
- 15.7K Forum List
- 459 EGGtoberfest
- 1.9K Forum Feedback
- 10.3K Off Topic
- 2.2K EGG Table Forum
- 1 Rules & Disclaimer
- 9K Cookbook
- 12 Valentines Day
- 91 Holiday Recipes
- 223 Appetizers
- 516 Baking
- 2.4K Beef
- 88 Desserts
- 165 Lamb
- 2.4K Pork
- 1.5K Poultry
- 30 Salads and Dressings
- 320 Sauces, Rubs, Marinades
- 543 Seafood
- 175 Sides
- 121 Soups, Stews, Chilis
- 36 Vegetarian
- 100 Vegetables
- 313 Health
- 293 Weight Loss Forum