Kitchen Knife Guide: What You Should Know Before You Buy

When it comes to knives, you need to make sure you know what you're buying. A good set of knives doesn't come cheap. You can expect to pay at least a couple hundred dollars for anything decent enough to last you more than a couple years. The sad thing is, you can spend hundreds of dollars and still get ripped off if you don't know what you're doing. Just because a set costs a lot of money doesn't make it a good set of knives. Here are some things you need to keep in mind when looking for the right set.

The right set for you is the one that meets your needs. There are a few needs people have in common when it comes to knives. They want a set that's sharp and built to last. They want it to stay sharp and be resistant to discoloration. They also want it to cook food for them and appreciate in value until they sell it and retire from the money they make off of it. OK, maybe the last sentence is a bit of an exageration, but the rest isn't.

Getting an expensive knife set is a big step for most people. Unless you really know what you're doing, it's best to stick to the tried and true manufacturers like Shun, Global, JA Henckels and Wustoff. There are a few newcomers that have great sets too like Anolon and Calphalon. Don't spend thousands of dollars on a set of knives just because it's expensive. A lot of new manufacturers have sets on the market that claim to be something special, but really aren't. Some older knifemakers do to. There are a lot of people who claim to love their CUTCO sets, but I just don't see thousands of dollars in value when I look at them.

I see a lot of sites telling people to buy high-carbon stainless steel. That's great and all, but just remember, there is no government standard that defines exactly what high-carbon stainless steel is. Manufacturers can't sell you iron and tell you it's stainless steel, but they do have a decent amount of leeway in regards to the alloys they mix with their steel to make it stainless. Also know that the more stainless a steel is, the softer it's likely to be. No steel knife is truly stainless. They are stain-resistant, but will begin to break down if left wet or dirty.

Handles are another area where manufacturers cut corners. They use cheap materials that chip and break easily. It's also important to test knives out in person before buying them. That set that was perfect for your neighbor worked great with her smaller hands, but it just doesn't cut it when it comes to someone like you who has larger hands. If you bought the set solely based on her recommendation, it may be too late by the time you realize that set isn't the right one for you.

Do your research and read about what others think. The best reviews are those done by other consumers. They are the ones most likely to tell the truth about a set of knives.