Chef's Knife 

The Chef's knife is extremely versatile in its category. This knife is suitable for the vast majority of everyday tasks from chopping, dicing, mincing and slicing. These knives are available in a variety of sizes. They have a broad blade that curves upwards towards the tip to allow fine mincing. The spine of the blade is thick for added weight and strength.  

Paring Knife 

The paring knife has a very sharp point to easily remove pips and seeds. Ideal for intricate cutting tasks, like cutting small vegetables and fruits, mincing herbs, trimming the fat from a piece of meat, or slicing a wedge of hard cheese. These knives are perfect for peeling and slicing small fruit and vegetables. 

Santoku Knife 

The Santokus, generally known as a Japanese chef’s knife is becoming very popular amongst professional chefs. The word ‘Santoku’ translates as three good things which refer to the three cutting tasks this knife is designed to perform; dicing, slicing, and mincing. It has a wider and straight blade that makes the work easier for chopping vegetables and mincing herbs.   

Boning Knife 

Boning knives are often a chef’s best friend as it allows them to de-bone and cut through hard flesh easily. A boning knife is long and thin with a sharp tip. This knife can handle cutting through bones, tendons, and ligaments.   

Types of Blades 

Forged 

Forged knives are considered of the best quality. The blade is made from a single piece of steel that's molded under extreme heat and then pounded into form. The blade is then polished and sharpened into the finished product. These knives are heavy, durable, balanced, and will typically hold a sharp edge well. 

Stamped 

A stamped blade is made in a machine. The blade is cut from a piece of steel, usually via a hydraulic press, and heat-treated. Then the blanks are ground, polished, and the edge is sharpened after the blade is formed. 

Sharpness 

A knife’s sharpness doesn’t just determine how well it works; it also influences how safe it is to use. The best Kitchen Knives stay sharp for long periods before you need to sharpen them again.

Weight 

This is a factor that’s all about your preference. Some people will find a lightweight knife easier to use, while others appreciate a heavier one as they feel like they have more control over it. Choose the style that feels right to you. 

Grip 

The grip is a very important factor to consider as without a good grip, cutting perfectly is impossible. A good grip allows you to balance the knife easily helping you cut through almost anything. If it feels uncomfortably heavy towards the back of the handle or the blade, then chopping will be more difficult work for you. 

Material 

The material of a knife holds a lot of importance. A knife is something which is used very frequently and at such you cannot afford for them to break or rust. Some high-end knives use carbon steel instead of the usual stainless steel, because of its strength, but it is not considered safe.  Such knives rust easily and can also react with certain acidic foods, discolouring the food. Another option is high-carbon stainless steel, which gives the benefits of a stainless-steel knife with a durable and sturdier blade. Some knives can also be seen in ceramic material. This super-hard material is lightweight, ultra-sharp, and will not dull easily. Because it's ceramic, it'll shatter if dropped and can also chip or break if used improperly. 

Handle  

Always look for a wide and sturdy handle. A good handle indicates good balance. There should be enough clearance on its underside that you don’t bang your knuckles as you chop. The handles shouldn’t feel slippery when you hold a wet knife.