Decent Knife Set

[modeste]

I'm looking for a quality knife a and block. Any chefs on here recommendations please

[pastafreak]

I received this set for Christmas...very good and very sharp.

Amazon.com User Recommendation?th=1

[barry1010]

That's difficult to answer, what suits me may not suit you and of course you could buy a set costing around £80 to over £1000.

I have read good reviews about the Ninja which has a knife sharpener attached but I'm sceptical. 

The BBC Good Foods site has a recent review and recommendation article at various price points which might be a useful starting point.  I would only buy online if the seller has a good refund policy.  If the knife doesn't feel balanced and right in your hand you will never be happy with it

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-knife-sets

[barry1010]

Your post wasn't there when I started my post, Pasta. I'm glad you like the Ninja set

[MargoTester]

I remember watching a cookery programme when the professional chef stated that knife blocks should not be used and they should be stored either on a magnetic strip or block. I afraid I still can't post links

[barry1010]

https://www.delish.com/food-news/a44390107/never-use-a-knife-block/

https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-store-knives

I don't use a knife block.

[youngmafbog]

We have a set of (8) Dick Premiere plus knives and a waring commercial sharpener.  I bought them all separately so you get just the ones you want.  Had them a while now, they are really good.

Instead of a block consider a magnetic holder, it is about £25 but is really good as it doesnt blunt the knives at all and all are easily visible.  Also has the advantage of keeping the knoves well out the way of little fingers!

[barry1010]

I've never bought a knife set, either, often has knives I don't want and will never be used. I use a magnetic rack, it is strong enough to hold my meat cleaver.   

[youngmafbog]

Yes, our chinese chopper is on ours!

[nicebloke1]

There is for sure a lot of junk out there when it comes to a decent blade, and a blade that you can keep sharp with a proper butchers steel. Many of the knifes sold for kitchen use are pretty much as bad as the DIY saw blades, great to start off with for a few months then impossible to sharpen ie throw away. If you want a good knife that you can touch up on a steel try sourcing a butchers sundries. Some of the top chefs are putting their name to any old junk if the money reward is big enough. An oil stone is also a good investment. Serrated edged knifes have a short life and most won't resharpen that great if at all.

[barry1010]

You can get magnetic knife blocks if you don't want to drill holes in your wall, or don't trust it to hold your knives safely.  They can look quite smart and of course are very easy to keep clean and dry, unlike blocks.  Lots available, this in an example

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/27257/lakeland-magnetic-knife-block?srsltid=AfmBOoo88_YFFzlfBrfgQIU-uOiphb1cYfIQtcIgzhEGEisxHiGqXSUax9Y

[barry1010]

I've always thought it pointless spending a lot of money on a serrated bread knife but I wouldn't buy a cheapie because I don't think they are safe to use.

I think I paid about £15 for my Sebatier bread knife a few years ago, it's good enough for the job.  

[Lie-in King]

This will be of no help to modeste, sorry...

I've never been able to understand the prices charged for knives.  About 20 years ago, I bought an "Aldo Zilli" block (I can't even find a picture on t'web) for, I think, around £30.  The block has a sharpener that doesn't ruin the serrated bread knife & sorts the others out with 5 strokes.  They're lovely to use & perfectly weighted - for my hands at least.

A knife's a knife - if it cuts smoothly & cleanly, surely that's all you need?  Why is anyone spending £100s on a knife to chop tomatoes to within an atom of accuracy?

[barry1010]

I agree about the 'celebrity' knives

[barry1010]

LiK, I was in a self catering apartment some years ago and chopping food with the supplied knife.  It was very flimsy and I somehow sliced my hand very badly on the pad under my index finger.  That finger is practically useless now.  I don't trust knives that aren't balanced properly in my hand. 

[Lie-in King]

Barry - I'm sorry you suffered that injury.  It's not a huge leap to imagine that using a good, sharp, well-balanced blade might not have led to a worse injury - and no, I'm not suggesting that you lack the ability to use a knife correctly!

Tbh, had I been in your position with a "flimsy" knife, I'd maybe have not used it & bought/borrowed a more robust one, or not bothered & ordered take-out.  Genuinely.  Again, I'm not trying to make light of your injury.

I just don't get the obsession with horrendously-priced knives - even if I had £1m, why would I replace the cheap set that works perfectly?

[barry1010]

Nobody is suggesting you should, LiK, although I have read that those knife sets you have were very expensive at one time. I don't know how true that is. 

[Lie-in King]

Barry - as I said, it's old & would possibly be frowned on now as cheap tat.  I got it from one of the shopping channels on TV, I can't recall which one & I really doubt it was more than £30 -  that "feels" about what I could've afforded then.

I doubt you're interested, but this is the block (apologies, I couldn't be bothered to move everything & yes, I know it all needs a clean!) -

https://ibb.co/qgZkRzG

They're really very good knives 🙂