Cutlery Buying Guide
Make the most of your cutlery. We've put
together a guide to help you select the
perfect knives for the way you cook!
Choosing the Right Knife for the Task
Our sets include the most frequently used
knives, each designed for a particular task.
Choose a multitasking cutlery set with
knives that feel the most comfortable in
your hand, then add individual pieces for
specialized cutting jobs.
Best For:
Curating a collection of knives that
address all kitchen prep needs.
SHOP CUTLERY SETS
Chef's Knife
Also called a cook's knife, a chef's knife is an
everyday all-purpose knife. The wide, sturdy
blade, pointed tip and comfortable handle
support an efficient rocking motion for prep
work. This knife is great for both precise and
large-scale cutting.
Best For:
Chopping, slicing, mincing, dicing and
julienning; food types include: cauliflower,
broccoli, carrots, brussel sprouts, garlic,
peppers, onion and all proteins.
Santoku Knife
A versatile eastern-style knife that combines
a wider blade surface for large-scale
chopping and mincing with a sharp tip for
fast, precise slicing. Santoku means "three
benefits" in Japanese.
Best For:
Precise mincing, dicing and slicing; food
types include: celery, squash, potatoes,
cabbage, eggplants, cucumbers and kale.
SHOP SANTOKU KNIVES
Paring Knife
This little knife is indispensable for precise
cutting tasks, functioning like a mini chef's
knife. The knife's small size and short blade
(usually between 2 and 4 1/2 inches long)
make it exceptionally maneuverable.
Best For:
Peeling, slicing, trimming and dicing smaller
fruits and vegetables. Also great for everything
from creating garnishes to coring tomatoes,
hulling strawberries and deveining shrimp.
Utility Knife
Available in a variety of sizes with
either straight-edged or serrated
blades, this tool is larger than a paring
knife, but smaller than a chef's knife.
It's great for more exacting work.
Best For:
Precise slicing and chopping. Food
types include citrus, tomatoes, soft
cheeses and breads.
SHOP UTILITY KNIVES
Bread Knife
A bread knife has a long, narrow blade with
scalloped/ serrated edges and a pointed tip;
perfect for slicing through crisp crusts
without squashing the delicate interior.
Best For:
Slicing baked goods—from crusty artisan
loaves and bagels to soft rolls and buttery
brioche. Also useful for slicing tomatoes
and citrus fruits.
SHOP BREAD KNIVES
Nakiri Knife
This traditional Japanese vegetable knife
echoes the shape of a slender cleaver.
The beautifully balanced blade is
exceptionally sharp, so it's especially
useful for precision slicing.
Best For:
All types of vegetable prep, including quickly
chopping, slicing and mincing. You can also
use the side of the blade for scooping
prepped ingredients into a pot or bowl.
SHOP NAKIRI KNIVES
Steak Knife
These table knives are much sharper
than classic dinner knives, combining a
narrow upswept blade with a pointed tip
that makes it easy to cut meat away
from the bone. The knives also serve as
exceedingly sharp utility knives and are
great for vegetarian options like a dense
cauliflower steak.
Best For:
Slicing tender, juicy steaks, chops, fish
and other cuts of meat.
SHOP STEAK KNIVES
Boning Knife
Designed for prepping poultry and meats,
this knife has a sharp, maneuverable blade
that gives you precision control as you
separate the flesh from bones and cartilage.
Best For:
Removing bones from raw poultry and
meats – from a chicken breast to a leg of
lamb. Also great for precise tasks like
trimming a tenderloin.
SHOP BONING KNIVES
Slicing & Carving Knife
These razor-sharp knives have long, slender
blades that slice foods into neat, uniform
portions. Blades sometimes have
oval-shaped indentations that help prevent
foods from sticking. Tips may either be
pointed or rounded.
Best For:
Pointed-tip carving knives are ideal for
slicing roast meats and poultry – the tip
helps cut into joints and navigate around
bones. Rounded-tip slicing knives include
ham slicers and salmon slicers.
SHOP SLICING & CARVING KNIVES
Tomato Knife
This knife cuts even the ripest tomatoes into
neat, uniform slices. It combines a sharp
serrated blade with a pronged tip designed
for transferring tomato slices from your
cutting board to a plate, bowl or platter.
Best For:
Slicing tomatoes without tearing their
delicate skins. Also ideal for prepping citrus
fruits – or slicing and serving cheeses.
SHOP TOMATO KNIVES
A powerful, heavy but well- balanced cleaver
breaks down larger cuts of meat and poultry.
It features a sturdy, finely honed blade that
cuts cleanly and easily through bones and
tendons.
Best For:
Cutting through meat and poultry bones with
a single stroke. Also works well for chopping
and mincing firm vegetables.
SHOP MEAT CLEAVERS
Sharp, sturdy blades and comfortable handles make these tools extremely versatile. Most have a pull-apart design for easy cleaning.
Best For:
Varied tasks like trimming poultry, shaping pastry, snipping fresh herbs and mincing dried fruit. Also great for cutting parchment paper and kitchen twine.
SHOP KITCHEN SHEARS
Knife Care
Keep your cutlery in top condition
Cutting Boards
To prolong the life of your blades, always
use a resilient wood, composition or synthetic
cutting board—cutting on metal, glass or
marble surfaces will dull and eventually
damage your knife blade.
Honing Steel
Hone your knife blade with a hand-held
steel before each use. Using a ceramic or
metal steel helps maintain a knife's sharp
edge by smoothing and realigning the
worn carbon-steel cutting teeth.
Storage
Store knives in a block or in a drawer that's
fitted with a special cutlery insert. Other great
ways to safely store cutlery include
wall-mounted racks, magnetic knife bars
and individual knife sheaths.
Sharpeners
A knife's blade becomes slightly duller
with each use and will require sharpening
to restore the blade's original angle. An
electric sharpener is the easiest way to
give your cutlery a razor-sharp edge.
Knife Construction: Which Knife Suits You?
Forged Cutlery
Forged knives are made by heating steel to a high temperature. This "hardens" the steel, which is molded and hammered. Blades are tempered, ground, polished and assembled, sometimes in up to 50 different steps, most of which are done by hand. Forged knives feature a bolster and integrated tang.
Stamped Cutlery
The blade of a stamped knife is either precision laser-cut or punched from a sheet of steel. It is expertly tempered, sharpened and finished by machine, then joined to the handle of the knife. Featuring little or no tang, stamped blades are often thinner than their forged counterparts. Because they're more lightweight, stamped blades can minimize hand fatigue while cutting.