So you're ready to invest in a good set of kitchen knives. Awesome... but which to get? And why those in particular?

As with so many other things, it's a matter of opinion. These are my opinions.

Basic/general advice

Invest in quality first, and variety later.

Remember that kitchen knives need maintaining and protecting.

That thing about blunt knives being safer is an appealing myth - but it is a myth.

Which ones do you need?

There are so many to choose from, specialised for so many things. Analysis paralysis is natural. The good news is that it's simple:

You need a chef's knife.

That's it.

With a bit of practice, you can use one of these for virtually everything in the kitchen that involves a knife. The Global G-2 is my go-to, and if I had to replace my entire collection I could do it with this alone.

Other types that are often useful

• Santoku
  • Short version: an even more versatile take on the chef's knife.
  • You might get one of these instead of a chef's knife, or as well as one.
  • If you get one with a scalloped blade, this is great for things like chicken breast - the scalloping breaks the suction, making it easier to slice through.
  • Personally, I alternate between this and a chef's knife, usually according to which one's clean.
• Utility knife
  • Much smaller than the chef's knife, it's good for smaller things that a chef's knife might seem excessive for.
  • The Global GSF-24 was the second "proper" knife I bought in about 2002, and I still use it daily.
• European-style kitchen knife
  • Japanese knives are generally narrower and better for slicing flesh, while European ones are generally thicker and heavier, and thus better for chopping vegetables.
  • This summary is likely to upset many people, but it's my experience.
  • Yes, I have a Solingen kitchen knife, which I use exclusively for chopping veges. It does a sterling job.
• Bread-knife
  • It really only has one purpose, but if you slice loaves of bread on a regular basis, you'll want one of these.
  • They are disturbingly good at slicing your flesh open. Use them with extreme caution, and I'm not kidding. I wouldn't be surprised to find surgeons using them.
  • I have no idea how to sharpen these, other than hand them to a professional knife-sharpener. Fortunately, I've never needed to do this.
  • We have two bread-knives; one was inherited from a grandmother, and it still works perfectly. Honestly, we only got the second one because it's prettier.
• Carving knife
  • These are narrower than chef's knives, to make it easier to follow the contours of the bone.
  • You don't need one, but if you carve roasts on a regular basis it'll make your life easier.

Related useful things

Hone and steel

Basically, things to make knives good at cutting things, and to keep them that way.

Hone

Also known as a whet-stone (not "wet"), this sharpens the edge by removing material from around it.

It's usually in the form of a rectangular block of stone.

Steel

This is where things get less-expected.

The edge of a kitchen knife is actually a very fine (and thus delicate) fin of metal sticking out from what looks like the edge, if you're not looking at it through a microscope. This is why they need so much more care than table knives.

A "steel" is a metal* rod with lots of longitudinal grooves, with a handle and (hopefully) a guard to protect the hand holding it. Its purpose/function is to align that fin of metal, to make sure it's sticking straight out. This is exactly the same function that's performed by a strop for a straight-razor; the only difference is in just how fine that fin is.

A steel is not used to sharpen the edge. This is important to understand, both to use the steel correctly, and to avoid frustration from misplaced expectations. It improves the ability of the knife to cut things, without removing metal from it.

*Usually they're made of metal. The Global G-45 is made of a ceramic compound, which combines the function of a hone and a steel.

Carving fork

Not actually necessary but, if you're carving up a roast, these things are perfect for holding the thing in place.

What brand?

Obviously, I'm a Global fan. However, there are many good brands on the market. "Do your own research" but remember that reputations are earned.

Global knives

Things I can tell you about them:

• The stamped knives are for people who use them every day.
  • I've been using my G-2 for about 15 years, and I'll probably bequeath it to somebody when I die.
• The forged knives are for people who use them all day.
  • If I had grandchildren, they'd probably bequeath my GSF-24 to their grandchildren.
• Once you get a feel for them, they take an edge well and hold it for a long time.
• The ceramic sharpening steel is all you need to keep these things in good working order.

Sharp knives are safer? Seriously?

Seriously.

For a given amount of force, then yes: the blunter the knife, the less likely it is to cut you. However...

• The greatest danger is from the knife slipping while you try to cut something.
• A sharp knife needs less force.
  • Less force means it's less likely to slip.
  • Even if it does slip, it'll be moving more slowly and land with less force.
    • This means less damage to whatever it hits.
• A sharp knife is less likely to slip.
  • If it's properly honed, it'll slice into the thing you're trying to cut instead of sliding off the surface.
• A blunt knife tears; a sharp knife slices.
• A clean cut heals faster.