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knives? Preferences?

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RKClassic06
RKClassic06 Posts: 2
in EggHead Forum
Looking to purchase a good set of knives.  Wanted to know any opinions...Henckels?  Wusthof?  Calphalon? Mercer?  would like this to be the last set of knives I buy...I know you get what you pay for...
Thanks in advance
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Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.
    I'm with @jtcBoynton here.  Give the search function here a look-numerous threads about knives or add egghead forum to a google query and you will find plenty of material to digest.  FWIW-

    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.
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,186
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    First decide if you want a western style ( Wustof) or eastern style (Shun) knife and buy two quality pieces. You can build a collection from there.
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  • 1voyager
    1voyager Posts: 1,157
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    I have Wustof and Shun but my go-to knives are Victorinox with Fibrox handles. They are fantastic knives and a fraction of the price of Wustof and Shun.
    Large Egg, PGS A40 gasser.
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
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    I agree with the comment to not buy a set. I have a 10" chef knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife that handle almost all of my needs. Buy quality that looks and feels good to you. If you don't already have one - consider a cutting board as part of your knife investment as well.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • Salmonegg
    Salmonegg Posts: 79
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    Kenji Lopez-Alt has a good series of knife reviews over on Serious Eats.  That's a good place to start- not that I agree with every one of his assessments, but I think he goes about reviewing knives is a sensible way. Although there's no substitute for holding a knife in your hand, I've had pretty good luck getting knives based on the videos and forum reviews at http://www.chefknivestogo.com.
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  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
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    Echo all of this.  Also find a store that will actually let you hold and try the knives, make sure it feels good in your hand

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,767
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    i can do pretty much everything with a long asian chef knife but do use a fillet, a long slicer occasionally, and one of those showtime can cutting knives. i could put every other knife i have in storage
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Leodensian
    Leodensian Posts: 1
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    I have Global 10" Chefs Knife, boning knife and bread knife and a small paring knife and never have need for any others.
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  • Salmonegg
    Salmonegg Posts: 79
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    Agreed. I have a shun granton santoku and a Wusthof chef's that I use for pretty much everything, depending on which one's sharper at the time, plus some miscellaneous parers, the choice of which is mostly determined by which is closest and clean/dry.
       
    If somebody wanted to buy me a tester from http://www.bloodrootblades.com I'd be happy to post a detailed review to the forum, though.
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    All of the above.  

    Go to a local place that will let you work one.  Sur la Table will let you demo any knife on their wall.  

    For me, I enjoy Shun knives.  I demoed Wustoff, Shun, Global, and Henkels.  The Shun just felt better in my hand.  
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I have several Wusthofs. Use the 8" chef knife several times a day. The others, much less. I would like to get a decent Japanese chef knife. I understand they take and hold an edge much better than German. That and my Wusthof serrated bread knife (great for meat slicing too) would probably meet my needs. Doesn't have to be a Wusthof; Dexter or Forschner would be fine (and cheaper). Oh, and a $5 peeler from the grocery store.

    IMO, a paring knife is pretty much worthless. I use mine to remove the plastic sleeve on the top of salad dressing bottles. Or if all my steak knives are in use. =)

    ISTR some guy on here saying that he just owns a cleaver. Period. Uses it for everything. Like Martin Yan.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • bigbadben
    bigbadben Posts: 397
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    I have shuns, MACs and several Artifex knives.  I personally like light Japanese knives.  
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  • Rte1985
    Rte1985 Posts: 304
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    I have a Chicago chef knife that suffices.  Mora is great and cheap also... A lot of people don't use moras for kitchen use but I love them
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  • TN_Sister_State
    TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
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    I have a Mac chefs knife for everyday cooking needs. It's fantastic and for the price well worth it. Have had it well over a 2 years and can still slice onion so thin it melts in a pan. I also bought their ceramic sharpener with it. This link is the exact one I have.
    http://www.cutleryandmore.com/mac-professional/hollow-edge-chefs-knife-p18060?gclid=CMmZuOnUis4CFVYjgQodl4EIow


    Franklin, Tn
    LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    I went down the @TN_Sister_State 's knife rabbit hole last year and have also been quite pleased with that knife.  Certainly did not need it but I am now at the point where I have convinced myself that I don't want/need any more.  Hopefully it continues to last.  
    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.
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  • TN_Sister_State
    TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
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    lousubcap said:
    I went down the @TN_Sister_State 's knife rabbit hole last year and have also been quite pleased with that knife.  Certainly did not need it but I am now at the point where I have convinced myself that I don't want/need any more.  Hopefully it continues to last.  
    I keep thinking i need another and have to bite my tongue. 
    Franklin, Tn
    LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

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  • RKClassic06
    RKClassic06 Posts: 2
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    great info...most likely doing to stay away from a set...then I can build my own collection and keep them in a 'sleeve' hidden from my kids using them for the wrong purposes.  thanks for all the advice
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  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
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    Cleaver, filet, chef's, slicer and a heavy bread knife (really slice tomatoes well). I will check the Mac chef's knife out, I need a new one.
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    RKClassic06 said:
    great info...most likely doing to stay away from a set...then I can build my own collection and keep them in a 'sleeve' hidden from my kids using them for the wrong purposes.  thanks for all the advice
    Good decision to not go w. a set. I have lots of knives, different makers and styles. Principally I use an 8" chef, a 5" petty, and a 3" paring. But I have a slicer, a cleaver, etc.  These get much less use, so while they are decent knives, they don't have high end steel. The ones I use mostly are fairly expensive.

    A good steak should be tender enough that a fairly inexpensive set would work. Unless you want to impress at a meal with good looks. Then its the fineness the handle and finish of the blade, not so much the cutting edge.
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  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 9,295
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    Agree with others above. Full set not needed.

    I do a lot of varied cooking and largely use only a chef's knife and a petty (and realistically, could get away with the chef's knife only without much fuss). 

    I recommend investing in a good chef's knife and then adding others as you deem necessary. 
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  • gmac
    gmac Posts: 1,814
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    If you want to go custom check out Dog House Forge www.doghouseforge.com. I really like their work. 
    Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,102
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    I use a hatchet.  Works for everything I need.
    They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. That's against their interests. - George Carlin
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    @Ozzie_Isaac -  the cutlery of choice for spatchcocking a turkey for sure.  I've not perfected it for fine motor skills in the kitchen-working on 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.
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  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
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    The Mac gets great reviews. May take the plunge. 
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  • TN_Sister_State
    TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
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    GrillSgt said:
    The Mac gets great reviews. May take the plunge. 
    I bought mine and have never regretted it, I can slice tomatoes like a knife through hot butter. I would suggest getting their ceramic sharpener to go with it.
    Franklin, Tn
    LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

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  • dynomxer02
    dynomxer02 Posts: 2
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    I like my cutco knives
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited April 2017
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    I got lucky, and was smart in '08.  While my head was buried in Med-Surg books and crushing it bartending, snagged all of these clearanced out SS classics for 50-75% off.  

    In hindsight, I would pay full retail for the classic line.  The full blown customs are nice, and worth the $$$, but ventures beyond what I'm willing to invest in kitchen knives.  I'm a fan of Kershaw's EDC knives, for similar reasons, they're the real deal.  
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,208
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    When I got married a friend that ran a Corned Beef factory in Detroit set me up with a good set of commercial knives. They're Dexter-Russell with wood handles. Stainless Steel blades, but they hold an edge pretty well. There's a 12" Chef's knife, a 14" Scimitar carver ("The Sword"), and an 8" Boning knife. They've served me well for 35 years. I've picked up a few other pieces over the years, but could get by with the core set.
    Michiana, South of the border.
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