Choosing the Right Kitchen Knives

Choosing the right knives for your kitchen will depend on what type of food preparation and cooking that you do. Do you do a lot of meal preparation that involves chopping and dicing? Do you make your own bread? Maybe you eat out a lot, or bring home takeout and just need a simple utility knife to cut or slice food up.

The size of your hands makes a big difference when choosing your knives. If you have small hands, you're not going to feel comfortable using a knife that is twelve inches long. Many women prefer a six inch knife, while men may prefer an eight or ten inch. If the knife feels comfortable in your hands, you've chosen the right knife.

The chef's knife lets you slice and dice without wearing you out. The blade on this knife varies from six to fourteen inches, and is primarily used to chop and mince vegetables. If your knife is very sharp, you can even do some decorating with it.

A paring knife is usually between six and ten centimeters. The plain edge blade is ideal for peeling, making garnishes, or even de-veining a shrimp. The handle can be either wood or stainless steel, whichever you prefer.

The utility knife is your all-purpose knife. The blades of a utility knife can be double or single edged and spare blades can be stored in the handle. Its size is between a chef's and a paring knife. The utility knife can be used on large vegetables that are not large enough for a chef's knife, and for smaller slices of sandwich meats.

A serrated bread knife works great for that crusty garlic or homemade loaf of bread. The serrated edge cuts cleanly on foods that have a crusty exterior and a softer interior. The blade size is usually six to eight inches. Serrated knives also cut tomatoes without turning the tomato to mush. One disadvantage of a serrated knife is that it can't be sharpened, so you may need to replace it more often than a chef's knife.

A carving knife will slice through meat quickly, without wearing out your hand. It can also double as a sandwich knife. The blade on this knife is thinner than on a chef's knife, and varies in length from eight to fourteen inches.

If you want a heavier handle on your knife, you'll be happier with stainless steel. Stainless steel handles are more durable, and thought to be more sanitary. The down side is extra wear and tear on your hand and wrist.

Wood handled knives give you a good grip, and the handle isn't slippery when it's wet. Wood is considered to be more attractive, but over time it needs to be treated with mineral oil. Wood doesn't tolerate too much water, so hand washing is necessary.