DIY Network

Buying Knives DIY's home care expert shares tips on buying knives. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-126

Carolyn Forte, Good Housekeeping Institute's home care director, joins host Stephanie Lydecker and shares tips on how to buy knives.

She helps you slice through the confusion surrounding high quality knives and reveals what to look for when purchasing a set of knives. She also shares a few secrets on how to find a good value in this high priced market.

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	Carolyn shares tips on purchasing knives.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Buying Knives

• Purchasing knives can be a tricky business, but it really is pretty simple. The one knife that you shouldn't live without is a chef's knife (figure A), or cooks knife as it is also called. It is the all purpose kitchen workhorse and the blades can range in size from 5-14". The average size is about 8-10" and the size most consumers find comfortable. Professional chefs may prefer longer blades; consumers with small hands might try a shorter one.

• The main purpose of this knife is to chop, slice, and mince and it is specifically designed to make every aspect of these jobs easier. The blade is broad with a smooth, even curve that provides a rhythmic rocking motion to finely mince herbs or garlic. To chop an onion or potato where you need more impact, you can use a straight down chopping motion. Slicing cucumbers or chicken breast for a stir fry is also easy.

• The thick band of steel (or bolster) in front of the handle keeps fingers from riding up the blade, and the wide end of the blade near the handle keeps your knuckles from hitting the board as you chop. The flat side of the blade can even double as a cleaver for crushing garlic or pounding meat.

• High carbon stainless steel is the best blade material. It is easy to sharpen, holds its edge, and is easy to clean. The blades can either be forged, where hot steel is pressed, molded or even hammered into the desired shape, or stamped which means they are cut from a sheet of metal. Forged knives are more durable, better balanced, and of higher quality than stamped knives, but they are also more expensive. Forged knives can cost from $75-100 and stamped knives from $40-50.

• The one main thing to keep in mind when buying a chef's knife is how it feels in your hand. If you aren't comfortable with the knife, you will never use it. The handle should be easy to grasp and seem in balance with the blade. You should also make sure the blade is well anchored and secured to the handle.

• A full tang—the part of the blade that extends into the handle—is generally the sign of a good quality knife (figure B). Wood handles look beautiful and feel good to hold, but today composite plastic handles can be found on many good quality knives and they are easy to clean and also very durable.

• While you do not want a knife that is too heavy, it is important to have some weight. You will need weight for chopping, crushing and pounding—so don't choose one that is too light. Also, trust your first instincts because you can usually tell right away what knife works for you.

• There are a few other knives that should be added to your collection once you have a chef's knife. A paring knife is extremely useful—it is small enough to peel fruit, cut cheese or mince garlic. It is always nice to have a bread knife as well. Its serrated edges let you cut through touch bread crust without crushing the inside. A carving knife or slicer is also helpful to carve meat and turkey.

• There are many ways to save money when buying knives. Be sure to shop around—even the high quality knives frequently go on sale. Also, it is possible to get a great chef's knife for approximately $45. Also, be sure to take a look at complete knife sets. Often these offer the best value for your money since you are buying in bulk. Complete sets (figure C)—including steak knives, shears and a sharpening steel—have been known to retail for as little as $200. They are also a good wedding registry item or housewarming gift. But, they are only a good value if you use all of the pieces. It not, it is probably best to buy them piecemeal.

GUESTS :

Carolyn Forte
Home Care Director
Good Housekeeping Institute
E-mail: cforte@hearst.com
Website: www.goodhousekeeping.com