Types of Kitchen Knives (I)

We receive many questions about which kitchen knives to buy, since sometimes it's hard to know the difference between some models or which is best suited for our type of cooking. There are many options and I think it's important to choose well: it's a utensil we'll use almost daily for many years. Also, the difference between a good knife and an average knife is significant; it's worth having good knives and maintaining them well so you can work comfortably and safely.

There is a lot to discuss about the different types of knives but in this post I'd like to start by explaining the first difference between the knives we have in the shop: the composition of their blade. In my opinion, understanding which type of knife you need is the first question to answer when choosing a knife.

The most common kitchen knives are stainless steel; there is more variety and they are generally the first purchase choice, but it's also worth considering knives with ceramic blades and carbon steel ones. You'll understand why.

CARBON STEEL KNIVES

I'd like to start by talking about carbon steel knives (like the Pallarès Solsona). It's a traditional knife from the area where we live, handcrafted with carbon steel (iron). Carbon iron has the drawback that it rusts if we don't dry it immediately, but it offers a lot for very little: it's an economical knife with a very durable blade that is easier to sharpen than stainless steel. Interestingly, Pallarès exports almost all of its production of carbon steel kitchen knives, as they are highly valued in other markets such as the United States, Northern Europe, or Australia. You can see more details about these knives in the post Virginia prepared (here).

Pallarès Solsona carbon steel knives, with beech handle (left) and boxwood handle (right)

CERAMIC-BLADED KNIVES

As a much more modern alternative, we have ceramic-bladed knives. Without being prohibitively priced, they have an excellent cut, hold their edge very well and have the advantage of not altering the flavor of foods at all (a metal blade can oxidize fruits or vegetables) and they don't oxidize them either.

These can be cleaned in the dishwasher, but against them is that they are more fragile than steel ones and therefore we must avoid both impacts and cutting very hard foods or those containing bones. It's also important to always use them on soft surfaces, such as wooden or plastic cutting boards.

I think they're an excellent option, since they cut really well and if we use them properly, they keep their edge for many years due to the hardness of the ceramic. Virginia also wrote a post talking about Kyocera ceramic knives where she explains their characteristics and her personal experience with them in detail. Aside from Kyocera, which are the best known, the shop also carries 3 Claveles ones.

Kyocera ceramic knives and 3 Claveles

Let me explain that at home we use both Pallarès knives and Kyocera -they make a very good combination: the ceramic ones are ideal for cutting fruit and vegetables without tasting any metallic flavor, and the carbon steel ones, which cut like the devil, I love to use for cutting cheese, cold cuts or meat. I love the cut of both, so I keep them close at hand and pick one or the other depending on what I'm going to cut. Personally they are essentials for me.

STAINLESS STEEL KNIVES

Stainless steel is by far the most used material to make all kinds of kitchen knives and scissors. These are knives that, as their name says, do not rust, so they do not require special care. In general we can say they are robust, but there is an enormous variety of stainless steel knives, both in design and functionality and in manufacturing quality. To avoid making this post too long, I plan to write another one explaining the different types of knives we can find on the market, to help as much as possible in choosing the most suitable for our needs. But I would like to make it clear that the composition and manufacturing of stainless steel varies greatly depending on the brand and model; not all knives cut or hold their edge the same.

This does not mean you need to spend a lot to have a good knife: the Forgé series from 3 Claveles, the Opinel (although previously they were sold in Sets, now you will find them individually here) or the Gourmet series from Wusthof are excellent options at a very reasonable price. They are good knives, at a level far superior to what we usually find in non-specialized stores, with an unbeatable quality-price ratio.

Stainless steel knives 3 Claveles, Opinel and Wüsthof Gourmet series

On the other hand, if we're looking for a truly special knife, the Wüsthof Classic Ikon series, the new Le Creuset or the KAI Japanese knives do not disappoint at all. We'll soon publish a new post explaining the differences between these knives and what to consider when buying a knife at this price level.

Stainless steel knives Wüsthof Gourmet series, Le Creuset Damascus steel knife and KAI Japanese