“What knife should I buy as a beginner?!”…We’ve all been there.
So you are looking to buy the best kitchen knife for a beginners…You came to the right place! Knowing more about this kitchen tool will provide you with a better understanding of what you are paying for. This guide will cover the basics of a chef’s knife. By the end, you should be off to a good start leading the next knife debate at your friend’s dinner party. There are several components that you will need to consider when buying a knife that is right for you.
Anatomy of a Knife
Tip: The front-most part of the blade. The tip can either be pointed or rounded. The image above shows a pointed tip that can be used to pierce objects/food or for precise cutting.
Edge: Runs from heel to the tip, and is the primary functional portion of the knife. Used to cut stuff.
Heel: The portion of the blade that is closest to the hand. As this part is closest to the hand, it provides the most power when in use. Primarily when cutting thick or tough-to-cut foods. Sometimes there may be a bolster on the heel to prevent accidental injury.
Handle: Where the chef will naturally grip the knife. The above image demonstrates a slip-free grip handle. The most popular materials for the handle are wood, plastic, and stainless steel.
Butt: The end of the knife handle.
Spine: The top of the blade. Can be thought of as the ‘non-sharp’ edge (since it also runs from tip to heel)
Tang: The part of the blade that extends into the handle. The farther the tang runs into the handle, the more centrally balanced and sturdier the knife is (discussed in the article). The above image shows a partial tang knife.
Material
One of the most important considerations when purchasing a knife is the material of the blade. The material will tell you how and when you can cut, sharpen, and clean your knife. There are several different types of alloys and metals used for knives. For simplicity, we will cover the most common three: carbon steel, stainless steel and ceramic.
Hardness
The short and sweet version is: the harder the blade, the more the edge can retain sharpness. The trade-off for this is that it will chip more easily.
Ceramic knives can hold onto the sharpness of the edge better than carbon steel and stainless steel, but will eventually lose their edge. This may seem like a great quality (and it very well could be), however, they are much more difficult to maintain once the edge is lost or chipped. I personally am not a big fan of ceramic knives as I have an obsession with maintaining my equipment. I can not deny, however, they are a great selection for a face-value knife.
In terms of hardness, carbon steel and stainless steel are quite similar. This fact will vary depending on the amount of carbon in the material (higher carbon means harder blade). It is widely considered that stainless steel on average is less hard, but more flexible.
Density
The density of the blade material will tell us a lot about the knife itself. One of the biggest influences this will have on the knife is the actual weight of it. While ceramic is the lightest of the aforementioned materials, carbon steel and stainless steel are quite similar.
Rust
Ceramic knives do not rust.
While stainless steel is coated on the outside to help provide water, humidity and acidity resistance, it is still susceptible to rust and should be cleaned after use.
Carbon steel is a sensitive material and is vulnerable to rust when exposed to water or humidity. This results in a material that must be cleaned and dried as soon as possible once used. The cleaning process becomes more crucial when dealing with acidic foods as it will deteriorate the blade quicker.
Maintenance
Ceramic knives require the least amount of constant care; however, once things go wrong, they are harder to deal with. Here is a quick guide on how to maintain ceramic knives.
Stainless steel knives require some maintenance, but they are not as strict as their carbon steel counterpart. The stainless steel material is a special alloy that is resistant to most of the environment that a kitchen may have. As such, since stainless steel is such a forgiving material, it is a great starter for most beginner home cooks.
Since carbon steel is a porous material, it is quite vulnerable to several molecules can get trapped in the pores and cause damage. Leaving acidic juices (such as when cutting lemons, tomatoes, etc.) will cause the steel to lose its edge and rust quicker if cleaned quickly. In general, this means if you want to own a carbon steel knife, you should be diligent on proper care.
Tang
The tang of the blade can be thought of as the ‘tail’ of the blade, or how far back it extends into the handle. Knives will either have a partial or full tang.
A full tang has the blade running the full length of the knife, where the handle is two pieces of material that sandwiches the metal. This design will provide a more robust and durable knife overall while naturally adding more weight into the handle to even out the center of gravity and allow for easier chopping. Since this requires more metal, the cost of the knife will increase; however, it is definitely a worthwhile investment.
As the name implies, a partial tang only partially extends into the handle. These knives typically have a shorter lifespan compared to their full tang counterparts, as it inherently has a weakpoint where the blade is connected to the handle. While these knives are naturally heavier in the blade, some manufacturers will compensate by using heavier materials in the handle. An imbalanced knife is not necessarily a bad thing; however, it does significantly affect how the user cuts items. An imbalanced knife is more demanding on wrist strength.
Center of Gravity
I find that the center of gravity is often overlooked when selecting a chef knife and it is a topic of complete preference surrounding the user. The chef’s knife will be your primary tool in the kitchen for most tasks and using it should feel like an extension of your own hand.
The center of gravity will affect how much strain you will put on your wrist and how much effort you will need for specific actions, however, knowing this comes with experience. If this is your first knife purchase, I would recommend buying a balanced knife.
To check the balance, extend three fingers and place the knife sideways on them. Move the knife left or right until it is not tilting in either direction. This is where the center of gravity is.
Blade Curvature
The curvature of the edge is more of a personal preference (in face, most of this article is up to preference!). In essence, the more curved the blade, the more rocking motion you can do (i.e. slicing). So the question is: are you a chopper or a slicer?
Note: While chopping and slicing are different techniques and should be used in different instances, for the purpose of a beginner, we will consider them personal preference in this article.
Length
No matter what people say, size does matter…At least in the case of a chef’s knife. The length of the chef’s knife may range from 15-30cm (6-12 inches) and will determine affect how the user can cut. Note that longer does not mean better!
A lengthier blade allows for longer single slices (cleaner, less tearing), whereas a shorter blade is more centrally balanced and can be used for quicker and stronger chopping. This being said, the most popular length of a chef’s knife is 20cm (8 inches) due to having a good balance between length, speed, and power.
Recommendations
I will recommend two knives will give you a great run for your money.
The full tang recommendation: Henckels classic 8″ Knife
One of the most versatile knives in terms of durability, weight and overall performance that I have used is the stainless steel Henckels classic 8″ Knife. Henckels is a popular and well-known German manufacturer that has time over time proven it’s value in both kitchenware and knife-making.
The partial tang recommendation: Victorinox 8″ Chef Knife
I don’t normally go for a partial tang knife as I prefer a heavier handle, however, this stainless steel Victorinox 8″ Chef Knife has a non-slip grip handle that makes it extremely easy to switch between washing and cutting ingredients while cooking. It is very well balanced for a partial tang knife and comes from the Swiss manufacturer Victorinox — a popular brand for all things kitchen (and swiss army knife!).