How to buy a knife

A good knife is one of a cook’s most indispensable tools. When shopping for a new knife, the choices can be almost overwhelming. There are many sizes, styles, handles, and other options to sift through. So how do you know what’s best? That’s what the The Chicago Tribune’s Bill Daley asked several chefs and authors in a recent article.

Most respondents said there are only two knives that are crucial for most cooks: a chef’s knife and a paring knife. For the former, the most important criteria to choose the size and weight of the knife are fit and comfort – there is no “one size fits all” solution. Most chefs, however, recommend getting a chef’s knife with a full tang, where the metal of the knife extends the full length of the handle, for better balance.

Daley runs through the knives that are in the collections of a few famous authors and chefs. Dorie Greenspan, author of the much-anticipated Dorie’s Cookies, recently purchased Shun knives. Her favorites are the 5 1/2-inch Classic Santoku Knife and the 8-inch Classic Western Cook’s Knife. Southern cooking authority Virginia Willis prefers a longer knife and uses the Wusthof Classic 10-inch Cook’s Knife. What style and brand do you like?