Knives are some of the most basic and most important tools in the kitchen.
As such, care should be taken when selecting a cutlery set.
Knives are important for preparing food, because differences in the evenness and uniformity of cut food can make huge differences in the way they cook.
Good knives can turn a mediocre cook to a good cook and turn a good cook to a great one.
With many knives on the market, it can be tough to decide what to buy, but here are a few things to keep in mind in order to purchase a set of knives that will last for a lifetime.
One of the most important things to consider when purchasing cutlery is to buy the most expensive knives that are within budget.
Knives come in a variety of prices, but generally, the more expensive the knife, the better it will perform and the longer it will last.
Knives come in two basic varieties -- stamped and forged.
Stamped knives are made by rolling out thin sheets of metal.
From this metal, powerful presses cut knife blades from the sheets.
Forged knives are made using solid blocks of metal.
These blocks are heated and then put under tremendous pressure where they are squeezed into shape.
Forged cutlery is more expensive than stamped blades, but they perform better and have longer life spans.
Forged blades also extend into the handle of the knife, giving them better balance and weight.
This is called having a full tang.
When presented with the option, one should always choose forged blades.
The next point to think about is the composition of the knife set.
Cutlery sets come with many knives, but not everything is necessary.
A basic knife set should have a chef knife, a paring knife, a serrated bread knife, a boning knife, and sharpening steel.
With these four knives, almost any cutting task can be done in the kitchen.
Also optional are kitchen shears, which can be useful for cutting things like poultry.
One other aspect of cutlery to think about is ergonomics.
Knives handles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which may not suit each individual owner.
Being able to comfortable grasp a knife is important for maintaining safety and producing accurate cuts.
A knife should feel balanced in the hand and the grip should be comfortable.
Too large of a grip can make controlling the knife difficult, while too small of a grip can lead to inaccurate slicing.
Finally, the last aspect of buying a cutlery set that will last for life is the consideration of storage.
Knives need to be properly stored for safety and also so that they do not dull prematurely.
Storing knives loose in drawers is dangerous.
Often, cutlery sets come with wooden knife blocks.
While these may work, they still produce friction when inserting and removing a knife, which can lead to dulling of the blade.
Instead, magnetic knife racks, which can be mounted to a wall, provide the best solution.
If great care is taken when purchasing knives, high quality knives can last a lifetime.
Spending more money up front on a good set of knives is a wise decision that should be thought of as an investment rather than expenditure.
As such, care should be taken when selecting a cutlery set.
Knives are important for preparing food, because differences in the evenness and uniformity of cut food can make huge differences in the way they cook.
Good knives can turn a mediocre cook to a good cook and turn a good cook to a great one.
With many knives on the market, it can be tough to decide what to buy, but here are a few things to keep in mind in order to purchase a set of knives that will last for a lifetime.
One of the most important things to consider when purchasing cutlery is to buy the most expensive knives that are within budget.
Knives come in a variety of prices, but generally, the more expensive the knife, the better it will perform and the longer it will last.
Knives come in two basic varieties -- stamped and forged.
Stamped knives are made by rolling out thin sheets of metal.
From this metal, powerful presses cut knife blades from the sheets.
Forged knives are made using solid blocks of metal.
These blocks are heated and then put under tremendous pressure where they are squeezed into shape.
Forged cutlery is more expensive than stamped blades, but they perform better and have longer life spans.
Forged blades also extend into the handle of the knife, giving them better balance and weight.
This is called having a full tang.
When presented with the option, one should always choose forged blades.
The next point to think about is the composition of the knife set.
Cutlery sets come with many knives, but not everything is necessary.
A basic knife set should have a chef knife, a paring knife, a serrated bread knife, a boning knife, and sharpening steel.
With these four knives, almost any cutting task can be done in the kitchen.
Also optional are kitchen shears, which can be useful for cutting things like poultry.
One other aspect of cutlery to think about is ergonomics.
Knives handles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which may not suit each individual owner.
Being able to comfortable grasp a knife is important for maintaining safety and producing accurate cuts.
A knife should feel balanced in the hand and the grip should be comfortable.
Too large of a grip can make controlling the knife difficult, while too small of a grip can lead to inaccurate slicing.
Finally, the last aspect of buying a cutlery set that will last for life is the consideration of storage.
Knives need to be properly stored for safety and also so that they do not dull prematurely.
Storing knives loose in drawers is dangerous.
Often, cutlery sets come with wooden knife blocks.
While these may work, they still produce friction when inserting and removing a knife, which can lead to dulling of the blade.
Instead, magnetic knife racks, which can be mounted to a wall, provide the best solution.
If great care is taken when purchasing knives, high quality knives can last a lifetime.
Spending more money up front on a good set of knives is a wise decision that should be thought of as an investment rather than expenditure.
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