Chef Knives

[shiznit]

My wife wants some proffesional chef knives, I've heard that Henckles and Wusthof are amongst the best. Can anyone suggest which they think are the best buy?


Thanks

[gingejbee]

Recent Which? results : Global G-2, Wusthof 4572, Taylors Eye Witness and Henckels (in that order of preference).

[Milvus]

I use Henckles 4 star knives. I would certainly recommend them. Comfortable to use and hold a great edge

[vodkancoke]

I trained using Sabatier which are fantastic and I still use them and I also have a set of Global knives which are also very good

[Donquixote]

Go and try them! It's really important to actually hold a knife before you buy it, especially with the premium end knives such as Henckels, Wusthof, Global or Gustav Emil Ern. You will be amazed at the difference in weight and 'feel'. Everyone's hands are different and, just as certain brands of shoe fit differently to each person's feet, certain knives will feel far more comfortable than others. I've been a chef for 16 years and I can't stress enough how important this is; I celebrated getting my first job in a Michelin kitchen when I was 18 by treating myself to a 10 piece set of Globals, but as good as those knives were they just didn't suit my hands and gave me pressure lesions. I now use Wusthof and G.E. Ern. Also, Global knives are very well made and very sharp, but nowhere near as robust as the German brands. I have always found Globals to pick up nicks and dents quite easily. Nisbets had a sale on Dick knives recently, which are also extremely good quality, so you may be able to pick up a bargain on their website. But like I say, I'd go to your local kitchen store and try a few out first.

Don

[EcclesCake]

I use Henckel Professional 'S', Wusthof (not sure which range) and have some Sabatier V. I also use cheap and cheerful Victorinox and the bottom end of the Wusthof range for work, they are good knives and the price is at a point where I don't mind losing one.

All the above have good blades that hold an edge well. I know that many people rave about Global but personally they don't fit comfortably in my hand and I don't like the weight of them.

My advice is to go to a good cook shop that has a large range of knives (Steamer Trading in the South have an extensive range) so that your wife can handle the knives and find what feels most comfortable in her hand.

[EcclesCake]

Good advice Don ;-)

[redcrx]

i agree that they should be held before buying, I loved the look of global but called into my local Steamer Trading and found them to be awkward to hold, especially the smaller knives. I bought a set of Robert Welch which i love instead.

[EcclesCake]

I should have added that a steel isn't a decorative object or something to keep knives company.....it should be used and used frequently. It's much easier to keep a sharp knife sharp than it is to try and get an edge back on a blunt knife.

[Donquixote]

Couldn't agree more with Eccles Cake. If you're going to invest in a good set of knives, buy a good steel too. Once a knife has lost its edge it's a pain in the posterior to get it back again! A couple of passes on a good diamond steel before each use and they'll serve you for a lifetime.

[shiznit]

Thank you for all your answers. I have heard of most of them, and appreciate the recommendation to try them first. I want it to be surprise, and seeing as i know nothing about chef'ing me trying them would be useless. I have heard mixed things about global, but good things about the rest, particularly Sabatier. We have some of those already, but i think they are just the off the shelf cheap ones.

Thanks again, AB never lets me down