If you want to rock your favorite cuisine just like the chef style then a chef’s knife is the ultimate game changer that you need now! Oh, but don’t you know how to choose a chef’s knife? Well, it’s actually a little hard but will sort your all-cutting myths once and for all.
A chef knife is a single vital competitor to all the random knives available at your kitchen counter and certainly, it’s worth all of’em.
A single indispensable chef knife can beat the need for a chopper, slicer, dicer, and miner (at times). If you have to choose a single knife for your kitchen then we recommend you choose a chef knife over any other knife. (You won’t regret it at all!)
Let’s see what it takes a knife to be a chef knife!
| The outcome of the Post!
Choosing a chef knife is easy when considered from the review perspective of knife-makers. According to all the experts, the size, weight, shape, and material of the knife make it a chef’s knife. But that’s not all, your personal preference for grips and blades is also what matters.
Therefore, we can certainly say that choose a chef knife that’s 8 inches long( as suitable for the palm) with grips of your choice and a blade designed to do any job required in the kitchen settings including cutting, chopping, dicing, slicing, and mincing (garlic cloves and stuff). |
A Complete Buying Guide on How to Choose a Chef Knife?
We’ve done extensive research on chef’s knives and found some surprising dynamics to evaluate before buying. If you need a closer look at these perspectives, read on to learn more.
Weight
Knives are the most commonly used cutlery, in an entire day of a domestic kitchen. Therefore, it’s quite hard to lift a heavy knife all day long. As it results in a headache.
But still, it majorly depends on the user what type of cooking he wants to attempt. Or whether one cuts more tough ingredients or brittle ones?
As heavy knives can effectively chop and cut tough, rooted ingredients while less heavy knives easily work on brittle ingredients.
Size
Every task demands a different knife size but that’s a general perception. What experts think of this aspect is quite a straightaway pick.
According to many knifemakers, the size of a chef knife used in domestic kitchens should be 8″.
The reason for suggesting an 8 inches chef knife as a good start for a home cook is the comfort associated with handling this size.
If you look forward to having a single knife for several tasks in the kitchen then an 8″ chef knife sufficiently handles all the tasks needed in the kitchen.
Otherwise, the chef knives’ size range starts from somewhere 6″ to as long as one foot long which provides a pretty expanded variety.
Blade
The blade is obviously the top priority when choosing a chef’s knife. This, of course, is going to work for all good reasons by the end of the day.
Chef’s knife blades are made from several steel types and other materials like ceramic and whatnot. But the most durable and long-lasting (if handled with proper care) are high-carbon steel blades.
Carbon steel retains a sharper edge with a con of natural discoloration or rust in case of mistreatment.
This con occurs only if knives are left wet for drying in air. Always dry your carbon chef knives with a clean cloth right after rinsing to avoid discoloration and rust.
Grip
That’s the part that gives you cramps or comfort, nothing in between!
Grips are the first thing that is associated with your feelings. Holding the knife for the first time will let you know with its grip whether you’ll love chopping and dicing or do it with stress and frustration.
Basically, the feeling is very essential and indicating when choosing a chef knife. How is the knife going to be fitted in your palm? Or will you enjoy working with the chosen one for long hours?
Pinch grips can influence which portion of the grip will end up in your palm. Dramatical!
Grips can be wooden or plastic. Guess what? The wooden ones are better than plastic ones even though these are molded right according to hand shape.
Wooden handles repel oil and grease while plastic ones accumulate and can cause health hazards.
Tang
The continuation of the blade under the complete handle is called Tang.
Three lengths of the tang are usually seen; a full tang, a partial tang, and a rat-tail tang.
The best one is the full tang and it adds durability and longevity to the life of your knife. Likewise, second, comes the rat tail which is long, thin and narrow, and strong.
The weakest tangs are the partial tangs.
What’s else that matters too?
Despite all these facts, if you know any specific size and shape of chef knife that you are familiar with and comfortable with then don’t switch it for something you haven’t used before. Start with what you already know. Doing this will take you a long way ahead!
The cuisines that you usually try on are also the ones that will let you decide on a knife. You can assess whether you do more chopping, slicing, dicing, or mincing. And pick a knife accordingly.
Bottom Line!
How to choose a chef knife can be easy as well as tough depending on your information and the interest associated with the specific purchase.
A chef knife is a versatile knife that can replace all the other cutting tools in your kitchen. It can slice, dice, chop, and even mince depending on need.
Any chef knife that feels good in hand is good to go with. The main aspect is the relationship with this cutlery partner as you might need to hold it for long hours in dinner plans or meal prep days.
Be Careful, choosing your favorite piece of cutlery by considering all the dynamics that we listed here. It will surely help you out!