Knives

[nuzbim]

i'm interested in investing in a good set of knives to use around the kitchen.

what would the PMC folks recommend? i'm lookin for an entire set but would like to keep the price under 700

[morningwood]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I like Cutco knives, just my preference.

[syklopz]

Your knofe choices depend on a ton of factors. IMO, How they feel in your hand being the most important. I want to get the Shun knives that Alton pimps on his site, but I can't afford them. I have found some really great Global knives at the local restaurant supply for CHEEPS. I bought a 12Inch chef's knife for $40, and I use it everyday.

[BadAxe]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I like Cutco knives, just my preference.

LOVE Cutco's. I mentioned this before, but I tried to be a Cutco Salesman YEARS ago when I was like 19. Didn't work out, but boy what I set of knives i got out of it. Still have one left, but will definitely be looking to acquire some more Cutco's soon.

[Quads]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I like Cutco knives, just my preference.

X2. I own Cutco.
If I were shopping, I'd probably go WÜSTHOF

[Aust1227]

Hinkle (sp?) Five star.. Can't beat them. Cutcos are 2nd.

[timsta007]

Cutco knives are ok but there just are limited uses for serated knives. I much prefer a very very sharp straight edge. I agree Wusthof or hinkle are great choices.

[Blake]

I have a set of Calphalon Contemporary's....love them...good weight, comfy handle..and the my wife's favorite part, they name of the knife is on the end of the handle. So when they are all in block you can tell what each knife is without pulling it out. Cuts down on the knife shuffle.

As for cutco's my parents have a nice set and they are pretty good...nice and sharp as a sereted knife should be. But like Tim I prefer a good shard straight edge.

[PapaBear]

I've had a set of Henkle 4 stars for around 13 years I think. Really durable knives, though I have broken the tip off of one from a drop. I really like the 4 stars, but if I remember right, I didn't care for the 5 stars when they first came out. I really did not like the "molded" handle design. Best advice I could give would be go to a shop and feel them. I would probably say most of the high end knives are comparable in quality (for the most part). The rest is going to be feel. How do you like the balance? How do you like the grip? etc...

[BadAxe]

Cutco knives are ok but there just are limited uses for serated knives. I much prefer a very very sharp straight edge. I agree Wusthof or hinkle are great choices.

What do you do with a straight edge that can not be done with a Cutco? I am not saying that in disagreement, just wondering. I do a lot of cooking at home, and have found my Cutco able to handle anything I need. Cuts things very smoothly, doesn't leave jagged edges behind. Can cut through the tough stuff, and handles the delicate stuff easily as well. So I am just wondering where the straight edge knives come into play that a Cutco can't handle?

[sunsetpizza]

You might check Linens n Things for some henckles or wusthof.
since they're headed out of business you might find a deal.

I got a nice set last year for my wife there - Henckles is what I bought as a set. It was less than $200.

[nuzbim]

well i went with a set of wusthof classics from amazon. based on reviews and the process of making them i figure they'll last me a long time.

[Slick]

I got some Cutcos for my birthday in April and I'm still trying to decide how much I like them. a definite upgrade, but I had really really high expectations. Jury is still out.

[pond007]

Miracle Blade 3 baby. Only way to go....
















j/k.

[gator20]

Hinkles

[Doctor_XXX]

As I believe our buddy Alton Brown once said, "The 'best' knife is the one that YOU reach for the most." You want something sharp, that lasts...but you really want it to fit your hand, and be the right size for the job. I'd advise against buying knives online, even though it might be cheaper. To me, you've just got to hold them in your hand(s) and feel how they are weighted, angled, shaped, ... Be careful, and do some research ahead of time if you do.

For what it is worth, some of my faves are Zwilling J.A. Henckels blades. A little heavy for some, but they fit my hands nicely, and I keep going back to them, time after time, for almost ALL of my cutting needs.

YMMV. :rolleyes:

[Blake]

I would say go to a William Senoma or a Sur La Table store. They have MANY different sets of knives from multiple manufacturers. They will pull them all out and let you hold and feel any you want. This way you can see which ones feel good in your hand and what weight you'd like. Sometimes they'll even have pieces of leather you can try cutting with the knives so you can feel the blade pull and such.

Also keep in mind...awhile the 25 knife set looks impressive, you really only need about 3 knives. A good chef's knife, a paring knife or similar shorter bladed knife and a sereted bread knife (good for cutting tomatos too). These are the 3 knives I use the most out of my set. I'll bust out the long Slicer blade when I need it but I can do 90% of my cutting with my chef's knife.

[Quads]

That's a good point. Don't get dazzled by number of knives. I use 3 or 4 diff knives out of a set of 10. French Chef, Paring, and Trimmer.

[sunsetpizza]

My neighbor's friend's kid started selling for Cutco last week. They put us down for a referral. Took me for over $200 on misc shit this morning.

He made $40 commision though so whatever.... damn though - he mentioned his girlfriend. I should've made him text me a picture. Probably too late now, right?

[Redneck Rebel]

Cutco knives are ok but there just are limited uses for serated knives. I much prefer a very very sharp straight edge. I agree Wusthof or hinkle are great choices.

I don't know a whole lot about kitchen knives like some of the chefs we have on here, but I'd have to agree with this statement. Nothing compares to a well maintained straight edge.

[timsta007]

What do you do with a straight edge that can not be done with a Cutco? I am not saying that in disagreement, just wondering. I do a lot of cooking at home, and have found my Cutco able to handle anything I need. Cuts things very smoothly, doesn't leave jagged edges behind. Can cut through the tough stuff, and handles the delicate stuff easily as well. So I am just wondering where the straight edge knives come into play that a Cutco can't handle?

I realize this thread is over 2 years old but I though I would answer this question anyway. I used to work as a butcher, so I'm used to doing a shitload of meat preparation that some regular home cooking types may never need, but taking the skills I learned at that job I can do a shitload more stuff now in the kitchen and loads of it would be impossible with a serrated knife. To name a few:

Cutting a whole chicken in to quarters or eighths
De-boning a chicken leg/breast
Removing the silver skin from a beef tenderloin
Slicing extra thin cuts of veal scallopini
Filleting a whole fish (salmon)
Removing the skin from a piece of fish

These are things that with the products available in stores now aren't always necessary skills for an average chef, but they are things I do regularly in my cooking.

Bottom line, is that I think a straight edge is superior in almost every way to a serrated blade ***IF*** it is kept very sharp. That is the reason why for many people, the serrated blade is easier, because maintaining an ultra sharp knife is another job to do. Honestly, whatever works for you and your cooking is whats important. Like others have said above, pick a knife that gets the job done and feels good in your hand and you'll be happy.