Kitchen knives are something we encounter every day. We use them when we make breakfast, when we are going to have lunch, or when we need to peel a lemon to make a cocktail. Often, we don't pay attention to the form of knives' blades and handles, nor do we seek to comprehend what this or that knife is meant for.
But sometimes we notice that it's inconvenient to perform this or that kind of work with a certain kitchen knife: for example, it's uncomfortable to cut meat with a knife with a short blade, or it's uncomfortable to use a wide knife for peeling potatoes.
That's why we composed this article, in which we will give you some useful recommendations on how to choose the best knives used in kitchen for different purposes.
So, what are the main types?
Paring knife
Usually, it is a small knife with a narrow and short blade. A sharp tip is the most important feature of such a knife. It makes it easy to cut out eyes on potatoes and tails on fruits. Some models of knives can have curved blades.
Utility knife
This type of knife has a medium-sized flexible blade. A utility knife usually doesn't have a sharp pointed tip and it can be either straight or curved.
It has the characteristics of a paring knife and a chef's knife, yet it is somewhere in between. Such a knife can do everything. Take a good look around your kitchen; you'll almost certainly discover a few of these knives here and there. This type of knife is designed to do most jobs in the cooking process: peeling and cutting vegetables, slicing and filleting fish, cutting ready meals into portioned pieces. Serrated utility knife is very popular model allowing to perform delicate cutting without crushing the food. The knife known as steak knife, is overall just a type of utility knife with small modifications to allow to cut the steaks with ease.
Chef's Knife
The chef's knife is the most important in any kitchen. Everything may be accomplished with this knife if you have the necessary expertise. Literally everything. One of the peculiarities of chef knives is the correct weight balance. It should be built so that it not only cuts but also chops food. There are two basic types of chef knives: the European version with a sharp tip and curved blade and the Japanese Santoku chef knife with a flat cutting edge and perpendicular lobes on the blade.
Cleaver
If you love meat and regularly cook it, you may appreciate a good cleaver. This type of knife is perfect for cutting through bones. It has a thick, heavy blade that can easily break through joints and cartilage.
When cutting big pieces of meat, you may do combined chopping and cutting actions with this design.
Bread Knife
Those who enjoy fresh bread with a crispy crust will surely appreciate a long knives with a serrated blades. A knife with this feature is well suited for both hard crust and soft flesh. It's quite easy to cut fresh morning baguettes into thin slices with bread knives without crushing them into breadcrumbs.
Fillet Knife
This knife is perfect for filleting fish and poultry. The blade of a fillet knife is long and thin, with a sharp point. It can be either straight or curved. A great advantage of such a knife is that it has a narrow width, which helps to make precise cuts without damaging the meat.
The knives used in the kitchen could be stainless steel knives, as well as high carbon steel knives. Each have their pros and cons depending on cook's preferences.