I'd like to know: [1] Some choices of name BRANDS of kitchen knives that would be a good gift for a Chef? [2] What price range would they be? And [3] what makes a complete set of chef's knives?
Thanks for your input!
Kevin G
Favorite Answer
If you are seeking to buy some knives for a Chef friend, then I would suggest a gift certificate to a local store that carries a variety. Knives to a Chef are personal choices....and even if you spend top dollar for the best Wustoff or Henkel or GLobal knife on the market, doesn't mean he or she will like it. Most all Chefs don't have all knives in their cases made by the same manufacturer. I personally like Wustoff 8"chef, but the Global 10", and like the Henkel pro S for smaller (paring, filet) knives. Never buy a packaged set for this reason. To be on safe side, if your Chef friend already has knives then look into a good quality oil tri-stone, whet stone set for sharpening.
Curious
Wustof is one of the all-around best. When looking for a good chef's knife, you are looking for a good feeling of balance between the blade and the handle. It is also recommended to look for a handle that is integral with the blade. Handles that are riveted are less expensive and will break down with time. You want folded steel for the blade (the same way that they used to make swords). There are some people that swear by ceramic. The challenge for the active chef is that the blade really can not be sharpened. The blade stays sharp for longer periods than steel, but once it goes dull or gets chipped you are done. You also should have someone with you whose hands are about the same size as the chef that you are shopping for. Knives are a personal tool and they need to feel good. I have a Wustof that I bought in Germany and I absolutely love it. My sister-in-law can't stand it because she says that the handle is too big. Her hand is smaller than mine and it just doesn't fit. In contrast, I can't use her knives because the handles are so small that I never feel like I can get my hand tight enough around them to have a good hold.
This is just some of the shopping criteria that you may want to consider. Fante's has a great shopping guide by type of cooking, the chef, the parts of the knife, etc. The link is listed in the source.
A good chef's knife will cost between $100 and $500 depending on what you choose. Smaller knives will cost less. The best knife gift I ever received? A gift certificate with a picture of a good chef's night and a date that the gift giver was going to take me to the store to shop for it. I ended up with a great knife and a fun night!
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Fine Cutlery Sets
Sarrafzedehkhoee
The best way to buy knives is one knife at a time. Don't buy a 'set'. Wushtoff Trident, Henkels, Global, Zanger -- and many more are very good knives. Each company makes all kinds of knives, but each has a knife or two that they make better than others. Zanger, for example, makes a terrific Chinese cleaver. Henkel's makes an excellent chef's knife and a great bread knife. I have a sushi knife from Global. You have to shop around.
Susan D
There are a number of really good knives out there for beginners and pros. But the quintessential top chef's knife has to be Wusthof. They are really beautiful knives and quite expensive. You might want to consider buying one knife each time you can afford it.
Forschner are good all around knives and well made. If however you are beginning to collect a good set of knives, I recommend that you start with the best of what you can afford. Look for "full tang" and "high carbon steel". Learn to care for them properly: how to sharpen, clean and store them. Don't put your good knives in the dishwasher, wash them and put them away each time you use them, don't store them in a drawer with other utensils. Always keep your knifes sharpened and honed.
Good luck.