The Only 2 Kitchen Knives You Need (And 4 You Don’t)

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  • Опубліковано 27 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 206

  • @PrudentReviews
    @PrudentReviews  8 місяців тому +1

    Read my full guide for more details: prudentreviews.com/types-of-kitchen-knives/
    Want to know when top kitchen knife brands like Zwilling, Wusthof, and Shun go on sale? Join our free newsletter to get deal alerts: prudentreviews.com/newsletter/

  • @Kate.g.
    @Kate.g. 9 місяців тому +31

    I have 4 knifes 1. Santoku 2. Bread 3. Office (small chef) 4. Chef. Probably a very unpopular opinion, but I prefer the Santoku knife to the Chef knife 😅

    • @cbbohn8107
      @cbbohn8107 7 місяців тому +5

      I also prefer the santoku, but I use a chef’s knife to cut vegetables because it is more curved and rocks better

    • @Liverpool1ne
      @Liverpool1ne 4 місяці тому +5

      100% prefer santoku over chef’s knife. More versatile and the name even translates to three virtues/uses.

    • @d-meth
      @d-meth 2 місяці тому +3

      I love a 5" santoku and use it for most things

    • @zoned1361
      @zoned1361 Місяць тому +2

      Nothing wrong with good Santoku knife. The point is you feel comfortable using it, whichever knife you use.

    • @zoned1361
      @zoned1361 Місяць тому

      @@cbbohn8107 I like it to for the same reason, especially when chopping onions or garlic to fine peaces.

  • @eronavbj
    @eronavbj 7 місяців тому +41

    My wife has used a paring knife almost exclusively for more than 40 years, since that’s what she’s comfortable with, whereas I am far more likely to use the chef’s knife. Never underestimate the subjectivity of cutting choices. Few individuals are trained professionally in this area. Most learn these skills from an older family member.

    • @sarahlongstaff5101
      @sarahlongstaff5101 3 місяці тому +1

      Yeah, I was going to say, when my kids were small, I used the paring knife all the time, slicing carrot sticks and apples and green beans for small hands and mouths.

    • @5dstrix
      @5dstrix 2 місяці тому +3

      My parents used to use a serrated utility knife for just about everything the same way your wife was likely using a paring knife. I later got them a chef's knife, they had no idea what to do with it lol.

    • @VT-mw2zb
      @VT-mw2zb 2 місяці тому

      Yes. My wife, her mother and my mother prefer the santoku and nakiri because "they aren't pointy and scary". I have a 210mm chef's knife but they only occasionally use it to cut big watermelons or cabbage. Otherwise, they use the 5 or 8 in santoku. I use the chef's knife because it's the sharpest knife and I am comfortable with the sharpness that I get it to (shaving sharp). They found the sharpness "scary".
      I need a couple of paring and petty knives around because often, there are two people in the kitchen and one will work on the meat and the other on the vegetables and/or fruit. There need to be extra knives around.

  • @macsarcule
    @macsarcule 9 місяців тому +39

    On the paring knife, I can see your point, but I’ve also seen loads of grandmas who do all their work, very quickly, with a paring knife, directly over a bowl, sans cutting board. Horses for courses ✌️😌

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 5 місяців тому

      whats sans cuttin board ?

    • @justinwalker3235
      @justinwalker3235 4 місяці тому +5

      @@stevethea5250sans means without

    • @Thomas-p1f1u
      @Thomas-p1f1u Місяць тому

      @@macsarcule
      IMO
      A Utility knife would be more useful than a paring knife to most people with large hands or long fingers...
      I almost never use my many paring knives!

    • @Mithic_sk
      @Mithic_sk 23 дні тому

      ​@@stevethea5250*megalovania intensifies*

    • @Mike_Jones68
      @Mike_Jones68 3 години тому

      People just need to learn how to use the tools. It's literally that simple. Tho I guarantee the grandmas of the past cooked like minimum 100x more than any of us do now, so tons of hands on with the knives for certain

  • @ropro9817
    @ropro9817 9 місяців тому +4

    Totally agree, as a casual home cook, I've never found a paring knife to be essential. I bought one a long time ago but I literally never use it.

    • @PrudentReviews
      @PrudentReviews  9 місяців тому +1

      Same

    • @johndoh5182
      @johndoh5182 9 місяців тому +2

      What we need is totally dependent on the foods we work with and the way we prepare them. I need both a 4" pairing knife with a fine tip and a 2.5" thin bladed flexible pairing knife. Those small 2.5" pairing knives are ones you end up throwing away because there is no good way to sharpen them. You KNOW when you need them.

    • @PrudentReviews
      @PrudentReviews  9 місяців тому +1

      @@johndoh5182agree it is totally personal. In my opinion the chef’s knife and serrated bread knife cover most tasks for the average home cook - but it’s certainly not universal.

    • @NoZenith
      @NoZenith 9 місяців тому +1

      Once I learned how to use a paring knife properly by watching a video of Jack Pepin from Epicurious or some other channel here on youtube, I find I waste far less strawberries by pouring them instead of cutting the whole top off and taking both ends out of an apple and then peeling it and cut it in half and then cutting the core out is so much faster than trying to peel it with a peeler and then cut it up with a big knife knife!
      I recommend a tall profile pairing knife, something that's about an inch from The Cutting Edge to the spine. That way you can wrap a couple fingers around the handle and put your other two fingers and thumb on the blade itself to guide the knife through stuff. It's pretty amazing I highly recommend looking up the Jacques Pepin videos

    • @sarahlongstaff5101
      @sarahlongstaff5101 3 місяці тому +1

      I think paring knives are more parents. I used them all the time when my kids were small. Now that they're older teens, I use the chef's knife. But I'm not dicing grapes, apples, cheese cubes, and other veggies and snacks for kids' hands.

  • @mariotrujillo1673
    @mariotrujillo1673 9 місяців тому +9

    Something I'd add with the two Chef's knife approach; have a different size. An 8in paired with a 6in works pretty great in my experience.
    On one hand if you're making a smaller meal like a personal or two person salad with a boneless chicken breasts, the 8in can feel a bit of an overkill but the 6in will get the job done and since it likely one you use less is going to be a little sharper.
    Another point is if you and your significant other are cooking together, one of you is likely cutting the fruit/veggies while the other is cutting the meat. Again you don't need the big 8in for a bunch of fruits/veggies and if your significant other is on the smaller side, having a smaller knife might be more comfortable for them.

    • @JPK1337
      @JPK1337 5 місяців тому

      True but I'd go larger. I have an 8 inch carbon steel gyuto and a 10 inch zwilling pro for like breaking large fruits or hard cheese, chocolate, nuts, corn on the cob. anything that would chip my Japanese knife.

  • @danziegner
    @danziegner 29 днів тому +11

    Regardless of what anyone else says: 8” chef’s knife, 10” serrated bread knife, and a 3-1/2” pairing knife.

    • @Junkmeister
      @Junkmeister 28 днів тому +1

      Agreed. I feel like I could use a cleaver or brisket blade myself. But that’s my kitchen preference

    • @larsvegas1505
      @larsvegas1505 6 днів тому

      Chinese chefs knife.. bunka.. ham slicer.. deboning knife.. and a peeling knife. (dont need a bread knife.. any sharp knife does the trick.. hate the serrated ones).. I own multiple chefs knives.. never use them anymore.. chinese one is just better.. or a bunka for light work.

  • @robertcameronjones
    @robertcameronjones 5 місяців тому +6

    I have quite a big collection of knives. I also cook every day. I have two knives I really need as well. My go-tos. 1) 7" Victorinox Chinese cleaver. It's better than a chef's knife for general work, and it's a built in scooper upper too. 2) A mercer boning knife that does all the paring knife stuff plus boning. Those two knives handle 95% of my daily work, and I love them. Neither are expensive. The boning knife is a bit harder to sharpen, but it's quite versatile.

    • @theoverunderthinker
      @theoverunderthinker 3 місяці тому +1

      I use a high carbon steel Chinese cleaver shaped knife (not a meat cleaver, I think like yours). I have an extensive collection of knives and I still use it more most things. I have a Japanese boning knife (for get the name: honesuki maybe?) for taking apart chickens, but use the chef's knife for most daily cooking chores (meaning, when I just want food).
      I use everything else based upon mood because I like the others, but I could get the job done with only the one.

  • @EAGauss
    @EAGauss 22 дні тому +1

    A half a year ago I got myself a Victorinox Swiss Modern chefs' knife 20 cm; Victorinox Swiss Modern santoku 17 cm; Victorinox Swiss Modern 6.9003.10 vegetable knife 10 cm. I'm really happy with the purchase.

  • @zoned1361
    @zoned1361 Місяць тому +1

    Great overview! Finally someone said it and I agree, chef's knife is essential. Bread knife is really useful. Everything else is purely optional but not needed.

    • @indrajitgupta3280
      @indrajitgupta3280 25 днів тому

      Sure, that's accurate, but I have a 4" knife bought off a street vendor's stall, that does all my quick work for me. Small things - chop up a green chilli, slice it lengthwise, stuff like that. It looks dishy, too, like a miniature Santoku.

  • @tomlevasseur8550
    @tomlevasseur8550 25 днів тому

    As a chef and knife sharpener for over 20 years with many of those years overlapping as a baker I found two knives essential; the 8 inch chef knife and the paring knife. Try slicing enough apples for a dozen pies, apple crisp, etc on a daily basis, without a paring knife, but that’s a restaurant. At home most of my edc carry, lubricated with food safe lubricants. Work perfectly as a paring knife.

  • @staticvoidmain
    @staticvoidmain 6 місяців тому +4

    nakiri is my favorite knife. it wasn't demonstrated, but the thing i like doing the most with is is mincing / fast chopping.

  • @Chitario
    @Chitario 12 днів тому

    I agree, but for comfort reasons (and to decorate my magnetic knife board) i like to have 4.
    -Chef knife/gyuto 21-24cm
    -Santoku/smaller chef knife around 16-17cm
    -pairing knife around 9-11cm and thin/flexible (perfect for removing connective tissue in meat for example)
    -serrated bread knife >24cm, which i love to also use on big pumpkins and watermelons too!

  • @andyb1368
    @andyb1368 5 днів тому

    I had never really thought about much, but as watched the video, about the only knives I use is a chef’s knife for cutting meat, vegetables, and herbs, a serrated knife for bread, and a peeler. If I am cutting something small for which a paring knive might be easier, I am usually too lazy to get it and just use the tip of my chef’s knife.

  • @demokraatti
    @demokraatti 4 місяці тому +1

    For me the most essential knife in my kitchen is some 165 mm long wide Japanese knife. It can be a bunka, nakiri, usuba or maybe even a santoku. They are faster and more nimble than a chef knife when cutting or shoveling vegetables. Besides that a long protein slicer is nice to have. The restis less than necessary.

  • @brokko_le3
    @brokko_le3 2 місяці тому +1

    I love my nakiri, I use it most of all my knives. Then again, I don't cut a lot of meat, so it makes sense. It's small and agile and still great to scoop the cut vegetables. A chinese chefknife might even be better for that, but I still need to get used to the size. A thing I find very important in a knife is that vegetables don't stick to the surface too much when cutting. I prefer any knife that has the least stickage, no matter what type it is.

    • @indrajitgupta3280
      @indrajitgupta3280 25 днів тому

      The trouble is that to get that effect on a knife without patterns that repel vegetable slices, one has to sharpen it asymmetric, straight to the edge on the unused hand side, coming in at the edge at 20 to 30 degrees. For the right-handed, slant on the right, for the left-handed, slant on the left.

  • @josevera5094
    @josevera5094 10 днів тому

    A pairing knife is vital for cleaning/preaping foods for cooking: removing bones, cleaning fish, cleaning some vegetables. Basically any work where lots of movement is neccesary

  • @ersari
    @ersari 9 місяців тому +35

    If you keep your chef's knife properly sharp, I find it cuts bread better than a breadknife. So your second knife in a 2-knife set could be a 3"-4" paring knife. But you are right, paring knife's are over rated.

    • @JPK1337
      @JPK1337 5 місяців тому +18

      American bread, yes. real German or French sourdough, not a chance.

    • @ironfoot1938
      @ironfoot1938 3 місяці тому +2

      @JPK1337 have you tried it though? Not sure about sourdough, but from my experience a decent bread here in Switzerland (Yes we have real bread too) is no problem for my chef knives. I'm a sharpening hobbist though, and I'm pretty sure that once they are dull they will do a crapy job.

    • @Thomas-p1f1u
      @Thomas-p1f1u 3 місяці тому

      All a really true Vegan needs is a Chinese Chef Knife, a Bread Knife, a Peeler, and a Box Grater.
      *Chinese Chef Knife - Findking
      *Bread Knife - Mercer Renaissance
      *Peeler - OXO
      *Box Grater - OXO

    • @ironfoot1938
      @ironfoot1938 2 місяці тому

      @@johnnysilverhand1733 What does better mean? a chainsaw will cut a bread faster, but is that better?
      A sharp non serrated knife is comparable with the speed of a serrated one, but leaves a much smother finish that has a different taste & probably lets fewer water evaporate.
      You can also sharpen a knife to a toothy edge (staying on a low grit) which is kinda a mix between both options. BTW hair is a fibrous material isn't it?

    • @JJ-kc3nx
      @JJ-kc3nx Місяць тому

      if you only know toast as bread than yes you dont need breadknife 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

  • @dubiousName
    @dubiousName Місяць тому +1

    I’ve never seen anybody use a peeler like that! I always pull the peeler towards me instead of pushing outward. So much easier pulling!
    The only time I push outward is for white asparagus, but for that I use a special asparagus peeler.

  • @antlerman7644
    @antlerman7644 9 місяців тому +1

    5:27 Nakiri is probably my second most used knife, especially if you eat a lot of vegetables they're very good, also much easier to sharpen.

  • @Kluneberg
    @Kluneberg 9 місяців тому +1

    Interesting video, my use is different. Most used for me is a Nakiri(as a chef knife), then a tourné knife(not a fan of peelers and those small curved style of knifes are fantastic) and a butter knife(for spreading stuff). Never felt I need anything else. Bread knives I find completely pointless, I can cut a slice of bread that will look like machine cut by just using any chef knife, however I'm doing the opposite of what you recommend, no pressure on the knife just many light strokes going forward and back.

  • @dennisleighton2812
    @dennisleighton2812 2 місяці тому

    Quite interesting!
    I differ, however, on a few points. I have a bread knife like you suggest, but I almost NEVER use it. The only time I might use it is if I have bought a sourdough loaf with a particularly touch crust (which I would usually avoid in future). Instead I insert the tip of my chef's knife to get a start into the crust and widen the cut lengthwise, then complete the cut as normal. Works a treat, and NO bread knife. [Note: in my youth my Mom had a different type of bread knife, which was the norm those days. It was of a similar shape but the blade was MUCH thinner and the serrations were tiny straight cuts in the edge, in batches of about 12-15 cuts then an open edge and the next batch. These were monstrously sharp and cut like crazy. Why do we not see them anymore? Besides these modern bread knives are SO thick, they are more like spades! Also, they are mostly left-handed, and I am right-handed, so it's hard to get an even thickness with the cut. Hate them!]
    Secondly, I fully agree about the 8 inch chef's knife. No quibble there. It's a great all-rounder.
    However, I have a variation. I have added a Santoku to my magnetic rail, as I really love the ergonomics and use it more often, exactly for the jobs you mention.
    In addition, I disagree about the paring knife - this is the knife I use most frequently by a country mile! I use the Victorinox 3 inch paring knife - cheap, ergonomic, and very easy to sharpen. In fact, I always have at least 3 about the place! The main reason is that when I sharpen I do all three and swop out as needed. Sharpest for jobs needing a keen edge (like tomatoes) and the other less sharp ones for general jobs with soft material like potatoes. They are different colours so I know which is which.
    Disclaimer: I also agree with you about that 4 1/2 inch "utility" knife. I've had one for years but one doesn't see them around much. Mine has been sharpened so often, it looks more like a filleting knife these days!
    So, my thoughts, and I'd love to get some feedback!
    Cheers mate!

  • @fredlar9421
    @fredlar9421 6 місяців тому +15

    Two knives? That is double of a Chinese chef has.

    • @Baltihunter
      @Baltihunter 3 місяці тому +4

      That’s true. They’re experts with those big cleavers 🐲

  • @iixxion
    @iixxion 5 місяців тому +1

    You have some great knowledge on your channel, and I agree 100% with your two essential knife recommendations, but your knife skills need a LOT of work. I only point this out because people come to your channel to learn the right way to do things, and if they copy your knife methods, they will learn things incorrectly. Also, do not cut tomatoes with your bread knife. yes, that's not a serrated knife, it's a bread knife. it should only ever be used to cut bread items. If you keep your chef knife sharp, it will cut through any tomato with ease. Your chef knife can be used on many bread items with proper technique, but yes, those loaves with an excellent thick hard crust will be a challenge.

  • @32a34a
    @32a34a 6 місяців тому +2

    To slice a English muffin in half I just use a fork. The Made In knives are really nice and have a good comfortable fit.

  • @oml81mm
    @oml81mm 4 місяці тому

    I would go for two chef's knives, one about eight inches and one nearer five or so. My speciality knife, which is seldom necessary for most folk, would be a thin, flat and flexible (and very sharp) knife for working with fish.
    Most important is sharp knives and a good cutting board. I use bamboo.

  • @dragonlord2451
    @dragonlord2451 7 місяців тому

    i use the MAC MTH-80 daily in my kitchen, it is probably the most forgiving Japanese knife and i cant recommend it enough for people entering the japanese knife segment. Its very durable being slightly thicker than a standard japanese knife, but far easier to get clean cuts with than a western knife having better geometry than a western knife. Its a great middle ground. Mine is hair whittling sharp, i hone it frequently and have not chipped it.

  • @jc3drums916
    @jc3drums916 7 місяців тому +3

    Some things not mentioned in this video:
    1) Japanese knives come in three categories of steel: stainless, carbon, and semi-stainless tool steel. The latter two will get you the best performance, but even the stainless is harder than German steel. All must be sharpened by hand.
    2) There are two kinds of Japanese chef's knives, gyuto and kiritsuke. Gyuto is the standard kind, with a blade shape based on French knives I believe, while kiritsuke has a straighter edge sort of like a santoku (but longer and with a sharper point), and is traditionally used only by the executive chef of a restaurant. It's designed to be capable at the jobs of usuba/nakiri (vegetable cleaver) and yanagiba/sujihiki (slicer), and is often used as a chef's knife/gyuto as well.
    3) Japanese knifes may be single- or double-beveled (usuba vs. naikri, etc.). Single-beveled knives are capable of thinner cuts than standard double-beveled knives, but they're more difficult to sharpen and steer to one side when you try to cut straight down, so they take some getting used to. They are also specific to one hand, and left-handed knives are usually special orders and cost 50% more.
    4) Longer knives can process more food, depending on what you are cutting. However, they require larger cutting boards, and the really long knives may be too long for small kitchens, such as those in apartments, which may have shallower counters. 8" chef's knives seem to be the standard, but I prefer a slightly longer 240mm (~9.4"), but even that was on the verge of being too long for my apartment kitchen.
    I do not recommend Shun knives. They're decent, and they look beautiful, but they're a bit overpriced. Also, they may be Japanese knives, but their blades have the shape of a German knife, with a straighter spine and more curved belly. If you want a relatively inexpensive Japanese knife, try Tojiro.
    I agree that paring knives aren't necessary. I only use mine for strawberries, tomatoes, and maybe mincing garlic, although I tend to use my petty more, even though it's longer and a little more difficult to be precise with, just because my paring knives are all cheap and don't cut as well. That said, watching guys like Jacques Pépin quickly peel with a paring knife makes me want to use them more.
    I use my chef's knife just fine on crusty bread. Just don't press too hard, and pierce the crust a little with the tip of the knife before cutting. That said, I do plan on getting a long (>10") slicer at some point, which will also be used on large loaves and even cutting cakes into multiple thin layers.
    I think it's good to have a petty or utility knife to complement the chef's knife, for cutting small things, supreming citrus, etc.

  • @evanherk
    @evanherk 5 місяців тому

    I have a dozen good knives but the one I find myself using most lately is a victorinox Chinese cleaver. Thin, light, well balanced, razor sharp and it will transport the cut stuff through the kitchen on the blade. Occasionally I reach for my 9 inch Gyuto or my Japanese 5 inch petty knife. Add a peeler and a bread knife and that's 99+% of all my kitchen cutting.

    • @apsynto
      @apsynto 4 місяці тому

      I have one of those and love it. That, curved blade pairing knife and a cheap but Japanese made santoku get used for 99%of the jobs.
      Strangely enough I prefer the cheapo even though I have both Kai and Global versions

  • @David-ym2vk
    @David-ym2vk 2 місяці тому

    My paring knife IS my utility knife. I use it for most things that aren't bread or large pieces of protein. I've also found serrated knives with rounded edges rather than pointed ones work best for bread as they cut more than they saw.

  • @adriangafel5118
    @adriangafel5118 3 дні тому

    Love my Nakiri and Santoku. Misen and Mercer make fantastic knives in my experience.

  • @Alan_Mac
    @Alan_Mac 18 днів тому

    I've a handmade 7" utility knife and a mass market 8"bread knife with an offset blade. That's all I need.

  • @laraoneal7284
    @laraoneal7284 9 місяців тому

    I was going to ask you to do Knives video & after I subbed to I found this. You are so thoughtful and thorough Andrew. I just love ur vids.

    • @PrudentReviews
      @PrudentReviews  9 місяців тому

      Thank you!! If you think of a video idea that I do t have yet, please let me know. Always open to new ideas.

    • @laraoneal7284
      @laraoneal7284 9 місяців тому

      @@PrudentReviews yes I will. Just bought one zwilling utility knife.

  • @450aday
    @450aday 3 дні тому

    3 knives: the Chefs knife, a good serrated knife and a fillet + deboning knife. Maybe a good cleaver too

  • @Theofiilus2978
    @Theofiilus2978 4 місяці тому

    In Germany they do have the Bread slicing machine in many grocery store though, but not in my country. I have a bread knife and also a small pairing knife sized knife with serrated i love it. When i graduate i need to upgrade my ikea chef knives to proper ones. I got one one in fancy box from my father I don't know how good quality it is. It doesn't show any logos just Rostfrei text which obviously means Rustfree/ stainless.

  • @ksjazzguitaryt
    @ksjazzguitaryt 18 днів тому

    I would say you need a paring knife - sometimes there is small work to be done and using a big chef's knife can be dangerous. And I live in Spain so I also need a cochillo jamonero. I loave my santoku but I guess you could argue that I don't *need* it. The utility knife sure comes in handy.

  • @jeetts59
    @jeetts59 5 місяців тому

    Needing and wanting are words apart. I love my selection of Japanese knives , I get great pleasure out of using them.

  • @mauricioventanas
    @mauricioventanas 23 дні тому

    I have a bunch of knives from a cheap supermarket set. The santoku (bought separately at better quality) and the bread knife are the only ones I use comfortably. I only use the others when I can't find my favorite ones. This is probably because I really don't have a decent chef knife, but the cheap one I have feels a bit too big for most of the stuff I do.

  • @aprilwangyuqing
    @aprilwangyuqing 6 місяців тому

    I had a wired set by wmf which consists of a chef knife, a Chinese chef knife, a scissor, and a petty, totally makes sense to me. I use Chinese chief knife for everything except cutting melon, or chief knife for everything except tenderizing meat.

  • @Visitkarte
    @Visitkarte 8 місяців тому +2

    Darling, you never lived on Balkan. We do 90% of the kitchen work with a pairing knife.

  • @Justin-ve5mg
    @Justin-ve5mg 3 дні тому

    I find that Chinese clever is incredibly useful knife. Chops like a Santoku but can also hack through a whole chicken. The other knife I use regularly is boning knife.

  • @krs48
    @krs48 7 місяців тому

    When you see Jacque Pepin operate a paring knife you realize it’s pretty handy. I have a set of knives and I use all of them. So in reality it’s a personnel preference. Chef knife, paring, boning, bread, cleaver,Those will do most if not everything.

  • @Thomas-p1f1u
    @Thomas-p1f1u 2 місяці тому

    Great review!
    I own well over 50 kitchen knives.
    I rarely use any knife other than my Chef and Utility knives!
    DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!
    Unless you're a fish monger or a butcher, you won't need either a boning or filet knife.

  • @3catmom844
    @3catmom844 9 місяців тому +4

    Thank you for your insight, it is always appreciated.

  • @WhatsTheT
    @WhatsTheT 9 місяців тому +1

    Team Two Chef’s Knives.
    1 German Made - Wusthof
    1 Japan Made - Miyabi

  • @DrJuan-ev8lu
    @DrJuan-ev8lu 6 місяців тому

    I get by completely without a chefs knife. There are 2 or 3 kicking around but they never get use by anyone. All slicing and dicing and meat prep gets done with a 5 inch paring knife (Sabatier) and a 7 inch Santoku (Victorinox). An inexpensive 10 inch bread knife from a kitchen supply store cuts all the bread ... I can't stand the shorter ones. Total cost is comfortably under 100 bucks. A good sharpening steel for burnishing up the knife edges is essential, possibly as important as the knives. There are 10 or 12 inch good ones on Amazon for 20 give or take and that brings the tab to about 100. Some sage advice is chose knives that you can comfortably pinch grip and control in your hand, offer corrosion resistance and do not flex much. And never cut on a glass cutting board, use wood or plastic instead.

  • @FiliusFidelis
    @FiliusFidelis 18 днів тому

    While I have an array of knives I use a Santoku knife like 95% of the time, pretty much only change if I decide to have some bread, which I consider a rare treat (tasty but gives me heartburn), or cutting up something like a chicken, I find my filéknife better for that.

  • @JoshuaYoungsma
    @JoshuaYoungsma 7 місяців тому

    Chefs knife is the one i use the most with serrated and paring knives coming in 2nd and 3rd. I do own a very nice santoku but hardly ever use it.

  • @madthumbs1564
    @madthumbs1564 4 місяці тому

    Japanese knives do not require less frequent sharpening. -This is a common misconception and fed by observer bias. The harder steel allows for a more acute edge angle that results in less bruising (which makes veg prep look better longer), and easier cutting. If you want edge retention simply; go for a wider edge angle. -It also helps to have a decent end grain board -not too hard / soft (bamboo is full of silica and may as well be glass). Also not abusing the knife with lateral stress (scraping the board with the blade edge) and a lesser extent walk chopping.

  • @tubenhans6190
    @tubenhans6190 7 місяців тому

    REAL bread crusts feature a combination of hardness and small coefficient of friction that makes the cut with a chef knife hard to accomplish without pressure, which you need to keep the crumb's structure intact. That's why a sawing rather than slicing motion with little pressure and a bread knife's edge design is beneficial.
    Cutting up fresh watermelons is much SAFER this way as well, b/c a slightly dulled chef knife will slide off rather than cut through and may hurt the hand holding the melon. Just try it out and decide what feels safer and easier...

  • @arizonamom8773
    @arizonamom8773 24 дні тому

    My mother always peeled her apples, potatoes, onions and cut them while holding the vegetable in her hand. This is not uncommon among housewives many years ago. I also do the same and never cut my hands. I have been cooking for over 50 years. I use a peeler for carrots.

  • @wolfgangreichl3361
    @wolfgangreichl3361 14 днів тому

    I'd put a decent knife sharpener on the No.1 spot (me: 80, 200, 400, 800 grit diamond plate-assembly for €15). This allows you to use really cheap knives ... once you get into sharpening thing. I sharpen my knives every day on principal, which means two to three times a week in practice; it takes just a few seconds.

  • @lingth
    @lingth 27 днів тому

    I use a scissors to cut bread.. you cut a snipe on the crust, then go around the crust/bread to break through the outer crust, then cut through the center later so you dun end up squishing the bread.
    So i would go with a Santoku Knife and a Kitchen scissor.

  • @toddjones1403
    @toddjones1403 9 місяців тому +2

    I have a Shun classic six inch chef’s knife. It’s nimble and doubles as my paring knife.

    • @PrudentReviews
      @PrudentReviews  9 місяців тому

      Good call - I almost included a 6-inch chef’s knife as a nice to have. Very versatile size.

  • @Hemond1
    @Hemond1 Місяць тому

    Having a rep as the family chef, I've been roped into carving the turkey or ham a couple of times at family holidays. In every case not a single knife in the house was sharp, sheesh. (and no steel of course) Also not a single chef's knife. Just those long thin bread knives. What do people use to cook? Serrated steak knives?

  • @peterl.104
    @peterl.104 6 місяців тому

    Maybe it’s because I use a slicing, as opposed to chopping, technique for cutting up veggies but I find no problem slicing through French bread with my chef’s knife so I never understood the need for a bread knife. I’ve been tempted to get a paring knife but maybe I will get a utility knife instead. Thanks, even though I don’t agree with parts of this video.

  • @colinburgess9455
    @colinburgess9455 5 місяців тому +1

    I have many knives.. in the kitchen I only use one knife and it’s not even marketed as a kitchen knife. Perhaps you should widen your horizons.

  • @arnoldpfusterschmid1108
    @arnoldpfusterschmid1108 6 місяців тому +2

    I totally disagree with the need for a bread knife. If you can's slice your bread with a well sharpened chefs knife, go for more practice.
    The main disadvantage is not beeing able to resharpen a serated knife. And I won't use a bread knife for tomatoes, since this is like tearing it apart.

  • @antlerman7644
    @antlerman7644 9 місяців тому +1

    3:21 tomato gets cut from a "toothy" edge sharpened between 400-2000 grit whetstones. You really don't need a bread knife for that.

  • @donaldkovacs
    @donaldkovacs 4 місяці тому

    My 6" chef's knife is my every day driver. I use it for almost everything.

  • @christiancurec3574
    @christiancurec3574 26 днів тому

    We use only 2 Santoku and a Paring knife. The rest is still unused. I keep them sharp all the time.

  • @jeromejarboe6944
    @jeromejarboe6944 5 місяців тому +1

    Not a knife but very useful is a good pair of shears. For those things you need to do that you don’t want to ruin your good knives doing.

  • @jdhsingi
    @jdhsingi 9 місяців тому +1

    Wonderful video...thank you. But I get by with a traditional Chinese Vegetable cleaver......it could be nice to see a review of those.

  • @kevinstoneburner1116
    @kevinstoneburner1116 25 днів тому

    Paring knives are, by far, the superior choice for fighting knives.

  • @johndavis5654
    @johndavis5654 9 місяців тому

    I think every home chef needs a chef knife, a large serrated knife, a pairing knife and a boning knife. After that a serrated utility knife and a beak knife

    • @bladdnun3016
      @bladdnun3016 Місяць тому

      Do vegans need a boning knife? And what jobs is a beak knife better at than a regular paring knife?

  • @Caseydog3
    @Caseydog3 Місяць тому +1

    Love my paring knives rather use it for slicing garlic as well as many other uses

  • @indrajitgupta3280
    @indrajitgupta3280 25 днів тому +1

    In reverse, there's nothing that you can do with a chef's knife that you can't do with a Santoku.

  • @ElTejocotetl
    @ElTejocotetl 4 місяці тому

    I would had suggested a Chinese cleaver (cai dao or vegetable knife) over the santoku and it does way more than the nakiri, but you still need a pointy knife like a pairing or utility knife but with my cleaver, utility and serrated I’m more than ok

  • @marty5627
    @marty5627 8 місяців тому

    Agree with the general philosophy. I do vote for the 3 knife option, in my case gyuto, petty and bread rather than chef, paring and bread. But seriously, recommending Shun for Japanese knives??? So many brands that good for less money or better quality for the same price.

  • @rg-web-design
    @rg-web-design 4 місяці тому

    A Japanese vegetable cleaver, a meat cleaver and a long serated bread knife is all I use.

  • @douglasrandall6737
    @douglasrandall6737 Місяць тому

    I have found on Japanese knives the edge near the handle is sharp and catches on towels when you wipe them off.

    • @bladdnun3016
      @bladdnun3016 Місяць тому

      Makes it easier to sharpen, though.

  • @arturhakobyan6850
    @arturhakobyan6850 2 місяці тому

    Our choice is chef's knife, pairing knife, or stake knife and serrated stake knife wich we use for cutting bread. Since all my knives are made of kind a "soft" steel. They need to be sharpen pretty often. Once or twice a week. Ok maybe it is not a full sharpening ceremony but at least 3-4 minutes of sharpening on 2 stones and stroping. I cant do anything on kitchen without my chef knife.

  • @67daltonknox
    @67daltonknox 5 місяців тому

    I do 90% of my work with a 6inch chef's knife, but I have a dozen others that fill a particular need. Ever tried prepping a grapefruit with chef's knife?

  • @morehn
    @morehn 4 місяці тому

    I have a chef's knife and bread knife.
    Paring knife feels good for small things but definitely not necessary.

  • @bdeitur
    @bdeitur 7 місяців тому

    IMHO
    You need a good chefs knife and a (cheap) pairing knife. A paring knife is essential for me.
    But after that, a slicing knife and a serrated bread knife are also useful.
    And, although not essential, I have been reaching for an inexpensive small Santoku a lot...mostly for vegetables the way you use your Nakiri knife
    I do agree that knife sets are not worth it.

  • @HumpaLumpaBiriBam
    @HumpaLumpaBiriBam 4 місяці тому

    agreed 100%, Since you were taking about nicer knifes, you jcould show better, i.e: french peeler rather then cheapest, plastic one from dollar store ;).
    to recap, get good quality peeler. They cost 7 bucks top and bob's your uncle ;)

  • @lucianovelarde9655
    @lucianovelarde9655 9 місяців тому

    What do you think of these? Dexter Russell 12603 Sani-Safe Cooks Knife, 6" Blade. I've been using them since I was cooking back in 1972. My son owns a lot expensive knives but most people ask me where I got my Dexter knives?!! have you ever tested them??

    • @Thomas-p1f1u
      @Thomas-p1f1u Місяць тому

      @@lucianovelarde9655
      Dexter knives are heavily used in the food industry. From large meat processing facilities to small restaurants, Dexter knives are highly regarded.

  • @SpeoLori
    @SpeoLori 20 днів тому

    It doesn´t mention a slicing knife, thin and long, for salami, sliced oven-baked meats, etc. The chef´s kinfe is too rough for that, as the edge facilitates splitting of the vegetables, prevent cheese from sticking, etc. that makes it too rough for cooked or minced meat.

  • @Keiuran
    @Keiuran 9 місяців тому

    Could you review the Anolon Copper pans? They're nonstick and I've had one for a couple years and it's been doing pretty good so curious how it would stack up against Hexclad, All-Clad, and Anolon's other offerings.

  • @bohemiansusan2897
    @bohemiansusan2897 9 місяців тому +2

    Almost hit unlike because you along with others consistently fail to mention Chinese chef's knives. No excuse for that.
    I mostly use a Chinese chef's knife. Its great for thin slicing boning, fileting and chopping. Always used the corner of the blade the same as the western knife tip. Plenty of Chinese chefs on YT that can demonstrate the skills. Just avoid the ones from the UK. Best thing about a Chinese chef's knife is it eliminates the need for a scraper or dough slicer. BEST Chinese chef's knives come from China and $30-40 will get you a better knife than from Japanese or Western knife companies.
    Next for me is smaller utility knife. I peel, core and carve with one. Mine are cheap 70s grocery store knives. They are carbon steel and stay sharp for ages. No chips ever in them as my parents or kids never were gentle with knives. Used them in my knife kit at work for years.
    Bread knife and my preference is an off set. The wider the saw teeth are, the less that bread shreds or creates crumbs. Only serrated knife I will use.
    I do have a simitar because I do some butchering. A western 12 inch chef's knife is handy for big and hard things as well. The extra length helps out a lot.
    There are a lot of knives that are fun to use at work but they suddenly disappear, despite having my name engraved on them. For that reason my work knives are usually under $10 each and I add insane sharpness to them before use.
    Most folks I see with high end knives don't really need them. Analogous to my sister have $8,000+ in copper cookware and only heats canned food with it or tries to microwave food with them. Ramen is too difficult for my birth family.

  • @TheJupiter786
    @TheJupiter786 28 днів тому

    So for those multipacks, you only need the chef's knife at that quality, so get the other two cheap, so you don't save money you just spend more on knives at a quality you don't need them at

  • @stefansk8
    @stefansk8 9 місяців тому +3

    I really can't understand why the serrated knives are so widely recommended. I have a few and almost never feel the need to use them. Maybe they're 10% better at cutting crunchy bread compared to a sharp chef's knife, but for everything else a sharp chef's knife does everything better. If I were forced to narrow down to a few knives I'd choose a higher quality 8" chef's knife with full tang X50CrMoV15 steel and wooden or metalic handle, a decent #300/#1000 dual grit wheatstone, and some cheap but decent such as the plastic handle victorinox: 1 short length paring knife and one short to medium flexible filleting knive.

    • @danhall3450
      @danhall3450 9 місяців тому +1

      The "Little Vickies" are famous among commercial fishermen in Alaska for their utility & durability both at a very reasonable cost. If one is lost or damaged, not a big deal!

    • @2adamast
      @2adamast 6 місяців тому

      When I have bread warm out the oven a serrated knife is champion, but the rest of the time a sharp slicer will do.

    • @Thomas-p1f1u
      @Thomas-p1f1u 2 місяці тому

      Only bread bakers will find a Bread Knife really useful.

    • @Steamrick
      @Steamrick Місяць тому

      I cut a lot of tangerines as part of my breakfast routine and a serrated tomato knife is by far the easiest unless you're into getting your whetstone our daily.

  • @tarjei99
    @tarjei99 3 дні тому

    Victorinox chef knife and the "standard" Norwegian peelers.
    I think the Norwegian kit allows me to work faster.

  • @xxx-tj6cj
    @xxx-tj6cj 25 днів тому

    I would suggest that 3 knifes is not ideal, what is missing is a fille't knife, a thin bendable sharp blade, that will clearing fat out of meat or to slize a fish

  • @Differentchef
    @Differentchef 4 місяці тому

    Are those hexclad knives any good?

  • @awakenspirit3277
    @awakenspirit3277 8 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for this video

  • @CoreyFreeman-vl8yh
    @CoreyFreeman-vl8yh 8 місяців тому

    What color are the Oishya japanese knives you keep showing? The handle looks like a really pretty teal, but online I’m only seeing an olive green and a Mediterranean blue. Neither quite look like yours but maybe it’s just lighting?

  • @tomislavhoman4338
    @tomislavhoman4338 Місяць тому

    My wife is afraid to use my Santoku and uses exclusively utility knife all the time :)

  • @johndoh5182
    @johndoh5182 9 місяців тому +1

    The knives you need are dependent on the foods you work with and how you prepare them, and what you like to use or are comfortable using when doing so.
    I need one knife for most things I do, a 7" Santoku. I PERSONALLY like that more than a chef knife which I rarely use. However when I need the chef knife the santoku won't do.
    I need:
    8" Chef
    10" Chef (and if you don't need one, cool, I do)
    7" Santoku
    4" pairing (and if you don't need one, cool, I do), as in REALLY sharp
    A tiny thin blade 2.5" pairing knife with a flexible blade
    8" filet, flexible
    7" filet, flexible and wider
    serrated bread knife
    A CLEAVER, heavy duty
    I should also learn to use a boning knife, it would make my life a little easier working with different bone-in meats, but I can do the same thing with the specialty 7" flexible filet that I have.
    I have no use for any fine Japanese blades because I don't do anything that requires one.
    I've seen this kind of video before (you only need 2 knives). I find them humorous. How in the WORLD do you go through chicken bones without a heavy duty cleaver? Do you work with small soft fruits where you want the knife hand right next to the fruit, not 8" away so you have better control? As in making VERY fine cuts in a strawberry? And I could go on and on with this. Knife selection/usage is going to be dependent on what I said in the first sentence and the more things you do in a kitchen the more you will discover that you want to learn how to use a wider selection of knives.
    So, that's one thing, knife types that you need to do the work YOU do in the kitchen. The next is selecting the right one for what you do. And this gets into the whole thing of types of metals used to make the knife and how it works for YOU in maintaining them.
    Almost all my knives are Mercer Genesis. They have metal that's a little softer than Wusthof Classic knives. I have to hone and sharpen them more often. I don't care, it's easy to do with a Wusthof pull through sharpener. However this also means I'm sharpening them to 14 degrees and their stock angle is 15 degrees. Once again I don't care. The one degree difference, going from 15 to 14, with a metal that a company feels should be set at 15 degrees means you will dull the knife faster. Once again I don't care because it's easy to maintain them with a Wusthof pull through.
    BUT, when I need an 8" or 10" chef knife, I need them to be heavier than Mercer Genesis blades and I have the newer Wusthof Classic for that which sharpen to 14 degrees. I can go through some serious stuff with those blades. What I DON'T have is a cheap 8" chef knife because whatever I might possibly do with a CHEAP 8" chef knife, I find I can do easier or just as well with the Mercer Genesis 7" Santoku. So, when I NEED the chef knives I'm cutting though stuff that I need to put more force into, and I want a heavier, fine quality chef knife to do that.
    And when I need a cleaver, there is NOTHING that replaces a cleaver or you're buying a new knife to replace the one you just ruined.
    My brother in law needs a blade that I don't based on what HE does, and that's a 12" Victorinox Pro Straight Butcher Knife. Why one might ask? He's a butcher and cuts thin slices of pork for chops or whatever else he's cutting that people want. He's cutting fresh meat, not meat that's been frozen at one point or mostly frozen. He also needs a boning knife. He also needs a heavy duty cleaver.
    But yes for people that do almost nothing in a kitchen an 8" chef knife could do, but you might want to try using a good quality 7" Santoku. You may find you like that better for a lot of typical cutting. I know I do. There's also the Chinese chef knives which have a really wide blade almost like a cleaver and many people like using those. I've never bothered.

  • @danielcluley870
    @danielcluley870 7 місяців тому

    I would add a flexible boning/fillet/utility knife

  • @tek_soup
    @tek_soup 7 місяців тому

    Thanks! this some good info!

  • @sheldonrainville5409
    @sheldonrainville5409 2 місяці тому

    My peeler even has the attachment to remove the little blemishes on the potatoes. So ya no need for the smaller knife

  • @sergn717
    @sergn717 5 місяців тому

    As you approach the end of the loaf of bread, if you cut it with a chef's knife it may slip on the crust towards your hand and cut it. Ask me how I know.

  • @kaleoariola
    @kaleoariola 2 місяці тому

    I love my Oishya knives. Weird you would show them. But recommend other knives

  • @frost_burn2400
    @frost_burn2400 2 місяці тому

    There is Always the right tool for the right Work you dont pair a Chicken or a Steak with a Chefs or a bread knife a paring knife is Essential in the kitchen.

  • @Not_Sure_
    @Not_Sure_ 26 днів тому

    When you're setting a table for 4,5,6,7, or 8 guests at your house, I'm sure you're not going to have a chef's knife for every guest.

    • @PrudentReviews
      @PrudentReviews  26 днів тому

      That's a good point, I should have clarified I was talking about prep knives.

  • @cliffhaczynski6121
    @cliffhaczynski6121 6 місяців тому +2

    You had me until you mentioned using separate knives and cutting boards for stir fry, which will all end up being in the same pan upon completion of the cutting.
    Some people are a little paranoid about chicken.

  • @peetsnort
    @peetsnort 4 місяці тому

    If I coul only have 2 they'll both be the big chefs knife. That way I'll be guaranteed ones razor sharp when I'm busy

  • @MsJacobowski
    @MsJacobowski 5 місяців тому

    Never used a chef knife in my entire life! And I am sixty now. I used to throw dinner parties for up to 12 guests, with three, sometimes four course meals. All I need are a pairing knife, a carving knife and a serrated knife. The odd watermelon or squash is just fine when cut with a serrated knife. The only other knife I love is a utility knife. And a peeler is totally unneccessary. The peels they produce are much too thick. I bought a santoku about two weeks ago, because it was beautiful, but I actually don't have much use for it.

    • @Xiphos0311
      @Xiphos0311 5 місяців тому +1

      🙄 insufferable.

  • @bladdnun3016
    @bladdnun3016 Місяць тому

    If I had to choose two, I'd much rather lose the bread knife than the paring knife.