What knife should I buy? A no-fuss guide for home cooks

“I need a new set of knives. What should I get?”. We get variations of this question most days in the shop. There’s an assumption that you’re not fully kitted out until you have a set of five or six knives, stored in a heavy-bottomed wooden block engraved with a TV chef’s signature. I’m sure those knives are perfectly fine but I can guarantee that only one or two of them will actually get used regularly.

If you're looking for a ‘hero’ knife - a knife you reach for every day which is capable of almost all everyday kitchen tasks - our simple guide is going to point you in the right direction!

Knife knowledge: the basics

Buying a ‘proper’ knife can be a bit of a head scramble - there’s a lot of terminology which can make buying a knife seem daunting or possibly even intimidating. So to keep things super simple, we’ve pulled together a quick guide to help you choose a great all-rounder knife - or your main knife, if you like:

Most popular types of general-purpose knife

• A chef’s knife - the classic western kitchen knife

• Santoku - a Japanese all-rounder

• Gyuto - the Japanese version of the chef knife

Gyuto/Chef vs Santoku

• Santoku - translates to “three virtues”, meaning it’s great for meat, fish and veg. It has a slightly flatter edge profile which is nice if you use the push-cut technique. The standard blade length - between 165mm and 180mm - is the shortest you want to go for a main knife: it’s big enough to get through the larger veg but still pretty compact.

• Gyuto/Chef - also great for meat, fish and veg but has more of a curve towards the tip which is nice if you favour the rock-chop technique. They’re usually slightly longer than the Santoku, which some people find unwieldy, but that extra few cm can be helpful when tackling extra large veg or even slicing cooked meat. 

If you can, try both first - don’t overthink it, just choose which feels right for you!

Knife sizes

• Santoku - typically 165mm -180mm

• Gyuto/chef’s knife - typically 210mm but can be found from 180mm - 300mm

Steel choices

Most decent knife retailers will have many different steel options, all bringing different things to the table. Some will get sharper, others will stay sharper for longer, some will be tougher, others will be easier to sharpen and so on. 

This is by far the most intimidating part for a lot of people because it’s not something you can really learn from just using a knife. And whilst the steel your knife is made from does matter for the knife’s performance, you don’t necessarily have to get bogged down in it, although it's a fun thing to look into if you become a knife enthusiast! 

To help you choose, here’s a very basic overview:

Carbon steel (Shirogami/White, Aogami/Blue/ Super, SK)

• Prized for their ability to get sharper and stay sharper for longer

• Needs washing and drying immediately after use

• Will patina and rust if neglected

• Can chip if misused 

Stainless steel (VG10, Ginsan, AUS10, 440C)

• Will still get very sharp but typically doesn’t stay as sharp as carbon steel 

• Easier to care for and more forgiving than carbon steel 

• We always recommend washing, drying and putting away knives immediately but a stainless steel knife can be left to air dry with no expectation of rusting or patina

• Can also chip if misused but usually a little more resilient than carbon steel

We always urge our customers to consider this carefully: yes, we all want a knife that will be sharper for longer but nobody wants a rusty one, so ask yourself, “If I get a carbon steel knife, will I (or my family!) remember to dry it immediately after use?”. If your answer’s “no”, you might prefer a stainless steel one!

Handle types

This really comes down to preference. A lot of our customers will initially lean towards a western handle out of familiarity but don’t dismiss the Japanese handle’s simplicity. 

Japanese handles (Wa handle)

• Usually made from wood, sometimes with a horn collar around the top (ferrule)

• Much more comfortable than people often expect

• Gives the “full package” when buying a Japanese knife

Western handles (yo handle)

• Usually made from wood, sometimes resin or plastic

• Classic western style - you know what you’re getting

Price guide

When looking at Japanese knives - hero knives, made of high quality steel with sharper edges, better edge retention, better cutting performance, beautiful aesthetics and expert craftsmanship - you can expect to pay more than when buying the aforementioned sets. In fact, you can pretty much spend as much as you want but you don’t have to. 

• Somewhere in the region of £100 - £180 is a fair price for a good, low-mid Japanese knife

• North of this you’ll be looking at further refinement, fully handmade knives (forged), further increased potential for sharpness and edge retention (although these things can be found in the lower price bracket too).

Take a look!

If you’re ready to kit yourself out, here are a few recommendations, mainly in the low-mid bracket, with a few premiums in for good measure.

Why a good knife matters

Whether you’re a budding pro chef or a home cook, having a really good knife really is a joy, if you ask us. The way they glide through food is bliss - almost makes you giddy! They make food prep quicker, easier, safer and MUCH more enjoyable. 

We’ve all been there, struggling on with blunt, knackered knives that have stuck with us since our student days, but we’re here to tell you there’s a better way to slice and dice, and it doesn’t need to be overly costly, complicated or intimidating, we promise you!

And if you make it to Ilkley, we’ll happily go through this with you. Plus, you can try all the knives you like and make a fully informed decision.

A word about maintenance!

It’s worth mentioning that no matter how good your knife, it will always need sharpening. No knife will stay sharp forever! More on this in an upcoming post!