Cooking changes radically when you become a mom. You forget about those tasty meals for yourself in favor of some quick ones which can be eaten while holding a baby. If your child can transition to veggies and fruit, you must now also chop, dice and slice before putting the food into the blender. The best chef knives can visibly ease this cooking process. Yet, before enjoying their benefits, you need to choose the right products.
Chef knives are recommended by restaurant personnel from all over the world. They are designed for professional use, but also rewarding for the average or amateur cook. A chef knife manages to cover the tasks that an 18-pieces cutlery set usually handles.
Below you can find a thorough guide on finding and choosing the best chef knives you can use at home, while you take a short break from caring for your child.
How to Recognize the Best Chef Knives
Chef knives are cutting tools that can perform tasks from cutting large pieces of beef to slicing spinach leaves. They blade usually has a length of 8 inches (20 centimeters) and around 1 ½ width (around 3.8 centimeters). They come in more types, based on handle stability and blade sharpness. You can discover and explore through the best rated chef knives by checking out this buying guide.
There are a few types of chef knives:
- German: More curved along their cutting edge.
- French: Straighter edge with curves near the tip.
- Japanese: Santoku chef knives are light and sharp. Gyuto knives work best for beef and meats with volume.
- Chinese: Similar to Japanese knives and cleavers.
The above types are grouped by characteristics. However, there is no type which works better than the others. Choosing the best chef knives is only a matter of personal preferences.
The Best Chef Knives for a Handy Mom
You’ve designed your kitchen to be fully functional. Now you should also ensure an optimized cooking process. Here are the best chef knives with brief tips on how to choose them based on the characteristics you prefer.
Before we detail them, you should be aware that the best chef knives ensure a smooth cutting process thanks to their blade, handle and bolster – where the blade and handle meet. The knife should feel balanced in your hand. You hold them tight, while they should harmoniously make a straight cut. All quality chef knives are made of high-carbon stainless steel to ensure durability.
German Chef Knives
Also known as Western, the German chef knives have heavier handles which focus more on balance. You can find such handles even in Japanese cutting products. Steel is thicker and cuts through volume easier.
They usually have a curved blade, which allows you to easily move the knife back and forth while cutting. You might notice that some of them have longer blades. Cutting with such products needs an adjustment process which might last up to a few days, since they are a bit heavier.
Japanese Chef Knives
Japanese chef knives are a bit more difficult to maintain, but they look more impressive. They usually have blades made from dozens of layers and ensure a quick cutting process. Japanese knives suit best if you ae a heavy vegetable eater and need more speed than power. They are thinner, sharper and easy to use. Blades are flatter to ensure continuous chopping. They also come in shorter versions.
Santoku knives particularly have thin blades which larger width. They lack bolsters, but they compensate with different-angled blades. Santoku knives became popular in recent years and impress customers through design and functionality.
French Chef Knives
Chef knives made in France usually come in a single piece of stainless steel, which is polished for high quality. Some specialists claim that French chef knives get dull quicker but are also easier to sharpen. These knives are easy to handle and are versatile when it comes to cutting.
Chef knives made in France should ensure high stability as they usually have a smaller bolster with a circular profile.
Trying Out the Best Chef Knives
If you already feel tempted to purchase one of the best chef knives, don’t rush into those cheap convenience stores. They usually sell imitations which get dull quicker and guarantee no stability. Search for the products in online stores or specialized shops for restaurants.
According to specialists, a chef knife might cost around $300, but it is also one of the basic tools you need for cooking. You may even stop using other knives once you’ve tried one of the above.
If you can test out knives in the shop, you can slice an onion, cut parsley or even a melon. Otherwise, take a piece of paper, cut through it and verify if you’ve made a straight line.
Bringing the Knives Home
Your family-friendly kitchen should be safe both for your tools and your children. You first need to ensure knives a storage place which is away from children and which protects each of the pieces it contains. Usually, chef knives come with maintenance and storage instructions. Nevertheless, you should store them separately, in designated boxes.
Sharpening is easy for chef knives. Also, you can wash them with a regular sponge. However, don’t insert them in dishwashing machines, as they might affect the blades. Get used to the knives and enjoy quick and versatile cutting!
Featured Image Source: Depositphotos.com.
