Kitchen Knives 101
When shopping for knives there’s a few key tips to keep in mind in order to find the perfect fit. Not all knives will work with your style of cutting and should influence the brand or type you plan on investing in. Here are seven tips to making sure your kitchen purchase is the correct one.
- Test Runs. There’s nothing quite like completely understanding the feel of a knife. If you’ve just purchased a knife the first thing you should do is wash it off and slice a tomato on a cutting board. It’ll help you get more comfortable with it. The more times you use it the better.
- Shop In-Person. We live in a time of online shopping, but try to go in-person when selecting a knife. Take a few of the knives for a test feel, holding it in your hand and feeling the weight and grip. A good store will also have something to cut such as carrots or celery. Try them out and see what’s best for you. You can find the one you like the best, and then see where it’s available online for the best deal.
- Dishwashing is Safe. You shouldn’t make a habit of it, but dishwashing a knife should be fine. Always check the label instructions if the knife has any materials that can cause issues.
- Blocks Can Be Useful. Most of the time, knife blocks provide way too many knives than someone can use. The block also can dull the blades when returning and removing the knives. There are self sharpening blocks on the market which help to keep the factory edge. Magnetic knife bars are also a great option to leave knives in an easy place to reach and free up counter space.
- Sharpening. You probably aren’t sharpening your knives as often as you should be. How often the knives are used and the surface they’re used on will determine when it’s a good time to sharpen. If you are using them daily on a wood or plastic board, try sharpening them once a month. You can test the knife by trying to slice a tomato. If it doesn’t slide through easily, it’s time to sharpen.
Source: the Kitchn