Knife set

DrPhil

Our kitchen knife set is falling apart and I need to buy one. Don't want to buy cheap crap again so does anyone have any recommendations?

I've been told that Victorinox is best. I know I'll be looking at around £80-100 but rather that than buy a set cheap for around £30 that fall apart.

DIYlady

I have a Robert Welch set that are beautifully balanced, but I can't remember how much they were.  Might be more than you are looking to spend, but worth a look

Suave

Hi,

Nothing beats a good quality Japanese Knife - will last a life time if looked after - you can get a pretty decent one for £80-£100.

Plenty of choice tbh as there are so many Japanese Knife makers so it can be confusing as to which to get but the good news is that being Japanese, they should all be of outstanding quality regardless.

Suave!

bluedroog

Global are very good indeed, I like the fact they're made from a single piece rather than a blade set in a handle.

They might be above budget, I remember the large one is very expensive but you may find a fewer quality knives are a better investment, or find a deal on a set.

A proper steel is worth it too.

http://www.globalknives.uk.com

DrPhil

Just a tad above budget...

6 knife set starts around £250!

Trollslayer

Definitely.
It is worth remembering to be gentle using a steel. Chefs go though knives quite quickly because it saves them time. Being gentle can get a razor sharp edge.

beckford

Was looking at these on amazon. Don't know if there any use to you?

Michel Roux Jr's 3 Piece Global Professional Knife Set: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

Also, is it better to sharpen with a stone or steel?

Digital Tench

It's worth the expense though - perhaps just buy the large kitchen knife, vegetable knife and the go to a Chinese store to get a big chopper (how embarrassing, brain freeze and can't remember it's proper name)!

I have a mate who runs a restaurant who gets people in to sharpen his knifes, I'll find out what he recommends for home sharpening solutions as well.

JimmyMac

I have globals, bought the full 6 knife set. In fairness I probably only really use the g-1 chefs knife and gs-5 veg knife. Both have the flexibility todo almost any job The difference in using knives of this quality and anything else is quite pronounced!

For sharpening I have a minosharp which does the job periodically but I also get them sharpened professionally for about £6 per knife every 6 months

These knives should last a lifetime so while it's a heavy initial investment it works out long term

markgodley

They both have their own purposes.

A steel doesn't actually sharpen the blade (if it does only very, very slightly), it actually hones the blade. In short it realigns the blade of the knife (if used correctly).

The stone is actually what sharpens the blade of the knife. You wouldn't normally need to do this unless the blade was actually visibly damaged or have a poor cut that a steel doesn't seem to resolve.

If you use the steel before or after each use for a few strokes this will keep your knifes nice and sharp for many years.