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. 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: In contrast to the rest of the knives in the set, the shears do not seem ergonomic—especially for small hands. There’s no such thing as an ideal weight of knife; it comes down to personal preference. Most experts would agree that a chef’s knife, for example, should have some weight behind it, but you don’t want a knife that’s so heavy it strains your wrists. 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.

Sharpening stones take a while to master, as you need to ensure you’re drawing your knife across the stone at the correct angle; most experts agree 20 degrees is correct. Here's how:These knives look similar to a paring knife but they have a serrated edge. They’re great for cutting tomatoes and citrus fruits. A sharp knife is a safe knife. Those that are blunt or unsharpened require more force to cut, which increases the likelihood of slipping and causing injury. Like the manual sharpener, it has V-shaped circular steels of varying coarsenesses. But instead of pulling against the steels, the electric sharpener will buff the blade with the rotating steels as you lightly drag the knife through the Vs. 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. 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.

From classic chef’s knives to bread knives, a good quality knife set will cover all bases, so you shouldn’t find yourself having to make do without a key bit of kit at the last minute. While some brands claim their knives are dishwasher safe, we’d always advise against this to keep them in top condition. From slicing large loaves of bread to delicate cuts of fish, there's an appropriate tool in this set.Knives are commonly made from the following four materials: stainless steel, carbon steel, Damascus steel or ceramic. Carbon steel: The traditional material used for making knives, carbon steel stays sharp for a long time. However, it's prone to rust (seasoning it with mineral oil will help prevent this) and requires more care and maintenance than its stainless steel counterpart. But if you're serious about cooking and not working within a budget, carbon steel is the way to go. Unlike knives with metal or plastic handles, wood requires more attention to detail and regular upkeep to prevent unwanted side effects like warping, discoloration, and splintering. This knife set is comprehensive and versatile, with a blade to match virtually any slicing and dicing task you may encounter in the kitchen. In the lab, our experts put the main knives in each set to work on an array of ingredients, using a variety of chopping skills. To test chef’s knives, they diced onions, sliced cabbages and cut steaks, while they used utility knives to chop mushrooms, shred lettuce and julienne peppers.

We conducted standard knife set testing when evaluating the Cangshan Oliv set, including common (and often challenging) kitchen tasks suited to each individual knife. Starting with the coarsest stone, draw the knife blade across the full length of the stone, from heel to tip. When buying knives online, you’ll also need proof that you're 18 or over. Here are the terms and conditions from the biggest retailers:verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ The tang refers to the unsharpened, unexposed part of the blade that extends down the handle. There are three main tang types: Gently pull your knife through the two rotating V-shaped circular steels, and repeat around five times. It's compact, easy to store and often the cheapest sharpening option, but it won't sharpen as finely as other methods.

Cangshan is a cutlery brand renowned by culinary experts like chef Thomas Keller (Cangshan's brand ambassador) for its authentic handmade craftsmanship in China's renowned knife district, use of high-quality materials, and award-winning products. 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.The best practice is to wash knives in hot, soapy water and then dry them with a tea towel, rather than leaving them to air. We do always test dishwasher-safe claims, regardless.