Finally, any serrated knives were used to slice beef tomatoes, cube aubergines and cut lemons into wedges. Designed with a sharp serrated edge to easily cut through crusts and rusks. They’re also great for cutting fruits with fibrous skins, such as pineapples. Starting with the coarsest stone, draw the knife blade across the full length of the stone, from heel to tip. Wooden handle: Some pure wood handles will need oiling with a dedicated knife handle oil. Most modern wooden-handled knives have a light clear plastic coating to protect them. When washing, avoid prolonged soaking. Or, hold the handle out of the water and wash immediately. GLOBAL G-2 20cm COOK'S KNIFE - this is the best selling Japanese kitchen knife ever made. This multi-purpose knife is ideal for slicing, dicing and chopping and is a winner of multiple awards including Which Best Knife and the Housewares ICON Award.

Knives are commonly made from the following four materials: stainless steel, carbon steel, Damascus steel or ceramic. From carving up a Sunday roast to finely chopping an onion, we all know how much of a struggle cooking can be when kitchen knives are blunt, or simply not up to scratch. But with our best kitchen knives, you can enjoy easy chopping, slicing and dicing for years to come. The Santoku knife originated in Japan and is a general purpose knife. It has a thinner blade than a chef’s knife and is most effective when dicing, chopping and mincing. We didn't love the plastic handles, and no bread knife is included in the set (only a small serrated knife).

Hand-washing your knife is always preferable to dishwashing, even if the brand says your blade is “dishwasher safe”. And if you have a high-quality Japanese steel or German steel knife, you should never subject it to the likes of a dishwasher. The hot water and salt of the dishwasher will do your blade no favours, so as soon as you finish using it give it a wash and dry thoroughly to avoid corrosion. GLOBAL GS-38 9cm PARING KNIFE - useful for a variety of kitchen tasks, this nifty little knife is perfect for intricate cutting, peeling, mincing and dicing.

While the chef's knife worked well for everything except the onion, and the paring and serrated knives cut easily, we felt the high price tag might not work for many home cooks but fits better in our list of high-end knife sets. Hollow handles filled with sand provide excellent balance to these Global knives and their smooth contours and seamless construction eliminate food or dirt traps, offering the ultimate in safety and hygiene. Look after your knives well and they can last a lifetime. It’s important to clean and sharpen them properly, as well as store them safely and securely. Cleaning Global knives is straightforward and easy - simply wash immediately after use in warm water with a mild detergent. Dry with a soft cloth. Resulting from a partnership between Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller and cutlery maker Cangshan, this 7-piece set is ideal for seasoned cooks ready to take their home chef game to the next level. This dream set of knives is easy to use, has a great blade-to-handle ratio, and the overall size and feel are unmatched among the sets we've tried.There’s a lot to think about when investing in a knife set, but comfort is key; every knife should act and feel like an extension to the user's hand. All the sets on our list contain at least five knives, which should be ample for most home cooks. Consider the dishes you tend to cook and look for a selection of knives that will prove the most helpful. Vegetarians, for example, are unlikely to need a carving knife. However, for roast devotees, it will be essential.

There are hundreds of different knives on the market, each with their own culinary task. Some more specialist options include parmesan knives, oyster knives and salmon knives, so it's easy to get overwhelmed. But here are the main knives to consider: We then used the chef's knife to slice a ripe tomato and dice an onion. Next, we used the serrated knife to slice two equal pieces off a loaf of crusty bread, such as sourdough. Finally, we used the paring knife to hull three large strawberries. We assessed the knife's performance with each test, noting traits like comfortability, balance, design, and size. We asked ourselves if the knives felt particularly heavy or light, if the edge and face of the knife had any impact on functionality, and if the handles aided in the knives' performance.

How should you look after your kitchen knives?

Half tang: The blade extends half way along the handle. If too much force is applied, a half tang knife can snap, as only glue is binding the knife and handle. These knives look similar to a paring knife but they have a serrated edge. They’re great for cutting tomatoes and citrus fruits.

Some knives have rubberised handles for extra grip, others are moulded to fit the contours of the hand, and some designs combine the two. Plastic: Plastic handles tend to be smooth and free from grooves that can trap dirt. Some plastic knives are also slightly textured to offer a more secure grip. Keep them well away from heat sources when cooking to avoid melting the handle. Rat tail tang: The blade narrows as it goes through the handle and is commonly welded at its base. Knives with a rat tail tang can come loose over time, making the handle wobbly.We would recommend this to a friend who wanted a stunning-looking knife set, though the performance falls a bit short. Using the paring knife was awkward, and the chef's knife was not as sharp as we wanted. We also missed not having a stand. The Ginsu set had sharp edges right out of the box, which is impressive for the affordable price. Each knife is lightweight and sliced through paper, tomato, and diced onions easily. The paring knife we found to be well-balanced and sharp and a small serrated knife is included for harder slicing tasks, as well as a honing rod and kitchen shears. Though it doesn't include a bread knife, we found the small serrated knife to be able to slice through a baguette, and the paring knife easily hulled and cored the strawberries.