Updated: June 2010; January 2018; March 2019
I love my kitchen knives. But then, I love to cook.
If you're not passionate about cooking, then maybe you don't need lovable knives but you should have good ones. Happily, there are good ones available at an affordable price. You certainly do not have to spend $600 for a set of prestige blades.
Brands and buying
My favorite high-end brands are Henckels, Kershaw Shun, and Misen. Misen is a new brand, sold direct to the consumer. The quality is outstanding and the price is terrific: about half the price of high-end bladed and of equal or better quality.
Victorinox Forschner Fibrox knives are a great value — inexpensive, yet they consistently have scored top ratings in Consumer Reports and Cook's Illustrated. I finally added one to my drawer and a curious thing happened: I found myself using it more and more, and neglecting my much pricier knives. Not as fancy and stylish as some of the others, but it's lightweight, well-balanced, and stays very sharp. They are available in restaurant supply stores and at Smart and Final.
As of 2019, my recommendation is the Misen. An 8-inch chef's knife is $65 (or less: they offer 15-20% discounts to new customers when you go to their website). That's about $20 more than the Victorinox.
I think it's very important to handle the knife before you buy or understand your return privileges. The feel of the blade matters.
Which knives do you really need?
Those lovely knife sets in the big wood block are usually not a good deal because they include knives you don't need. It also restricts you to one manufacturer. Buy a piece at a time and you can get just the ones you will use, and can select the model and manufacturer you like best for that piece.
If I could have just one knife it would be an 8- or 10-inch chef's knife because it is the most versatile. Most guys get the 10-inch chef's knife because, well, it's bigger, and they are guys. But for most people, the 8-inch is easier to use.
My second knife would be a 4-inch paring knife. I love the Henckels but have not tried the Shun.
My next addition would be a decent bread knife. This is the only one you should have with a serrated edge! You can get by with a pretty inexpensive bread knife. I had a Tri-Star for years and it was just fine. I also had a Chef's Choice and now a Mercer. These are better quality and not a lot higher in cost.
Finally, I would add a boning knife, which has a thin, flexible, sword-like blade to maneuver around bones. If you roast a lot, it's handy. But you don't really need one.
That's just four knives. Really, it's all you need.
Recommendations
My favorite knife is now the aforementioned Misen chef's knife. I have the 8-inch chef's knife and their paring knife. Both were $90. They also have a bread knife.
If value is the most important factor, go for the Victorinox Forschner Fibrox at around $40.
Before the Misen, I also loved the Kershaw Shun Santoku -- the 7-inch one without the scalloped cuts (the "Granton" edge). It is not cheap but it's always sharp, extremely well balanced and easy to control, and looks terrific. My previous knife was a Henckels and it's still going strong after 40 years.
If $130 seems a little steep, here's an amazing deal: The $30 Shun Wasabi santoku. Made by Shun, it's not as pretty or well balanced as its higher-priced sibling, but it's a very nice knife for the price. I bought one for my mother, mainly so there is a decent knife when I go there!
Sharpening, and Using the Steel
See: Sharp Knife Tips
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