5 Knives You Need in Your Kitchen

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Have you seen those beautiful sets of kitchen knives displayed in the butcher blocks, but you have no idea what some of them are for? I’m going to help you out with the five knives you actually need in your kitchen.

When my husband and I first moved in together and set up our kitchen, we purchased a knife set that included 20-something knives. Five of them were steak knives, but I had no idea what most of the knives were actually for. It was a cheap set and the handles fell apart after a few years, so when it was time to replace the knives I shopped for very specific pieces.

Favorite Kitchen Knives

8″ Chef Knife

10″ Serrated Bread & Pastry Knife

4″ Paring Knife

Carving Knife (and fork set)

7″ Santoku

If you have a limited budget for purchasing kitchen knives, getting individual knives is a better value than purchasing a full set. The first two knives you should get are a paring knife and either a chef’s knife or santoku. Henckels even has a two-knife set that has exactly those.

Knife Care

Now that you have invested in quality knives, you need to take care of them. Knives should always be hand-washed and dried. Do not put them in the dishwasher. Non-serrated knives can be sharpened to keep them sharp. Remember to only cup on a proper cutting board to protect the blades.