The Best Chef Knife

The best chef knife can’t be defined by a single set of features. It’s all about hand-feel: The knife should comfortably tackle a variety of tasks, functioning as an extension of your forearm. We talked to two chefs, a cooking instructor, and a knife expert, then chopped, diced, and peeled with 11 best-selling chef knives to see which stood out.

Most Popular: MAC MTH-80 Professional Series 8-Inch Chef Knife with Dimples

- The “mighty MAC” was the clear favorite of our testing team — and widely praised by the experts we spoke with. It’s maneuverable enough to chop mint leaves, slice carrots, and peel butternut squash, offering clean cuts without requiring perfect form. It feels comfortable for both large and small hands, and its medium-weight balance means it’s neither too light nor too heavy (we’ll go ahead and call it the Goldilocks of knives). A half-bolster helps you maintain a professional grip, and dimples prevent food from sticking to the sides of the knife as you chop. Retails at $175.

Best for Experienced Cooks: Shun Classic 8

- The Shun has a weight and heft similar to the MAC and is versatile enough to handle a range of dicing, slicing and chopping — but only if you treat it right. The knife is covered in an outer layer of Damascus steel, which provides a gorgeous appearance but makes the knife edge more likely to chip if you don’t use proper chopping technique. Like the Mac, the Shun is a half-bolster knife, helping you maintain a professional grip without the added weight of a full bolster. Several of our novice cooks had trouble holding the Shun comfortably, but testers who were already experienced in the kitchen loved its elegant performance. The Shun is slightly more expensive than the MAC, retailing at $182, and a good pick for those who’ve mastered the basics.

Best Starter Knife: Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife

- If you want a quality knife but don’t have a lot of money to invest, the Victorinox is our pick, retailing for around $45. While half an ounce lighter than both the MAC and the Shun, the Victorinox is large — wide blade, wide no-slip plastic handle — and designed to take on big jobs. (Think large cuts of beef, not chicken tenders.) Our testers found it comfortable and easy to use even when chopping herbs, but noticeably bulky compared to the Shun and MAC. The Victorinox’s price point also means the blade might not hold an edge as long as a more high-end knife. If you’re just beginning to explore the world of fancy kitchen equipment, consider it a test run: try it for a few months, and if you find yourself using it all the time, think about upgrading to the MAC or the Shun.

Chef knives are versatile, but you’ll still need a few specialty knives. Don’t forget to keep your chef knife properly sharpened! Also, Honing and sharpening are not the same. Lastly, avoid the dishwasher at all costs.

For the full guide to chef knives — check out: http://www.reviews.com/chef-knife/ Article Courtesy of Reviews.com