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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:
All sorts of everyday kitchen prep – from
mincing, peeling and trimming to slicing,
chopping and dicing.
Chef's Knife >
Also called a cook's knife, a chef's knife is one you'll reach for every day. Its wide, sturdy blade, comfortable handle and efficient rocking motion make it ideal for all-purpose prep.
Best For:
Everyday prep – from chopping and slicing to mincing, dicing and julienning.
Santoku Knife >
Count on this Japanese knife to assist you with all sorts of prep tasks. It cuts cleanly and precisely, whether you're using a back-and-forth slicing motion or a straight-down chopping motion.
Best For:
Fast, precise mincing, dicing and slicing all
types of ingredients (santoku means "three
benefits" in Japanese).
Utility Knife >
Think of a utility knife as an all-purpose
kitchen tool. Its handy size falls somewhere
between a chef's knife and a paring knife.
Available with a straight-edged or
serrated blade.
Best For:
Everything from chopping, mincing and slicing
fresh produce to cutting sandwiches or
halving bagels.
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.
Bread Knife >
A bread knife has a long, narrow blade with a
sharp, serrated edge – 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.
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.
These classic knives have long, slender blades
that easily slice foods into neat, uniform
portions. Depending on the knife's purpose, the
tip 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.
Kitchen shears are among a cook's best
friends. Sharp, sturdy blades and comfortable
handles make them extremely versatile – and
most shears 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.
These table knives are much sharper than
classic dinner knives, combining narrow,
upswept blades with pointed tips that make it
easy to cut meat away from the bone.
Best For:
Slicing tender, juicy steaks, chops and
other cuts of meat.
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.
Professional chefs use a powerful, well-
balanced cleaver for breaking 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.
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.
Knife Care
Keep your cutlery in top condition
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.
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.
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.
Sharpening >
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.