Why That Knife Set You're Planning To Buy Is A Waste Of Money

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Picture Thanksgiving dinner. You have the family over, the meal is ready, and you're just about to carve that big turkey in front of everyone. You look at your knife block and you're stumped. Should you get the chef's knife? The Santoku? The fork-tipped carving knife? Is this long one for filleting or for bread? If you've ever been confused by all the knives in that set you bought, don't feel bad. Many people are. You don't need an entire block full of knives. Most professional chefs will agree.

In his book Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain said that knife sets are a con. He explains that home cooks don't need an entire set of knives. All you need is "ONE good chef's knife." He goes on to explain that a good chef's knife, which isn't necessarily a heavy or expensive knife, can cut anything. Onions, watermelons, tomatoes, steak; you don't need a different knife for everything that you plan to cut.

Even some companies that make and sell knives have small basic sets available that only include a few blades. This is helpful if you don't have much counter space for a bulky knife block. It's also ideal for people new to cooking or knife skills. Compare that to a set that can include 22 knives or more.

Anthony Bourdain suggested Global as a high-quality chef's knife that wouldn't break the bank. They're not as popular on Amazon as many of the top-of-the-line chef's knives. But if they're good enough for Bourdain and you can get them at a good price, they'll work for you. The Victorinox Swiss Chef's knife is also reliable and reasonably priced, but it still costs more, making Bourdain's recommendation seem like a better value.

A quality knife block can be useful. But how often have you just grabbed whatever knife was handy and used that? There are times when a cleaver, a filleting knife, or even a paring knife might be ideal, but a chef's knife still gets the job done.

There's a reason a chef's knife is called a chef's knife. It might be the only knife you ever see a chef use. For something very fine and elaborate, like carving some radish rosettes or peeling fruits, maybe a more dexterous knife would be good. But a sharp, reliable chef's knife is enough for most home cooks.

Bourdain recommended getting a knife that's as large as you're comfortable using. Most experts seem to agree that the bulk of what you'll find in a knife block is extraneous. That means they're not the deal they seem like, either. If a knife block costs a few hundred dollars more than one or two good-quality knives, and you don't need the extras, it's a waste. Even if buying them separately costs more per knife, you'll save money by only getting what you need. Save yourself the frustration and the financial burden of a knife block, and just get a couple of knives that you can rely on.