FINDING THE RIGHT KNIFE
Vegetables, meat, fish and herbs - there’s a knife for efficiently and comfortably cutting anything in the kitchen. But which knife is used for what purpose and how can you tell the good from the bad?
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THE ZWILLING GUIDE: HOW TO FIND THE KNIFE FOR YOU
What makes a good knife? And what makes a good knife for you? These are two very different questions which we’ll delve into the specifics of and give you some inspiration. Here at ZWILLING, we only have good knives as a matter of course. But which knife is right for you, the purpose you need it for and the food you’re cooking? If this is what you’ve been wondering about, then you’ve come to the right place. Read on to find out about the main knife types, their properties and how you can find the right knife for you at ZWILLING.
We’re providing you with extensive help in finding the right knife for you as we have such a wide range of different knife types on offer. This means that there’s a huge variety of knives for you to choose from, which have all been developed on the basis of long-standing tradition. ZWILLING has been around since 1731. We’ve been hard at work from then until now, channelling a huge amount of effort into our core field, knives. You can find the fruits of our hard work on our online store: a range of knives for every taste and to meet every need. Read on to find out which is the right one for you.
THE MAIN TYPES OF KNIVES
The range of knives on offer at ZWILLING has grown over time into an extensive range.
From all-purpose knives, bread knives and through to top-quality Japanese Damascus steel knives, we have everything you might need in your kitchen.
Every knife has a specific purpose that it’s used for, but that does not mean that it has to be used for that purpose alone. Let’s take the fillet knife as an example. Is this simply a specialist knife to be used for one thing and one thing alone? Certainly not. A fillet knife is an excellent tool for separating large cuts of meat away from inedible parts. But the sharp, slim blade is also great for cutting vegetables or chopping up tomatoes or oranges. Then there’s the serrated knife, this kind of blade can slice bread, as well as tomatoes. And this goes for most of our knives: they all have their own raison d'être and specific fields of usage, but they can also do more. Every knife can have a wide array of uses, so make sure to think outside the box when knife shopping.
If you really want to do things properly, it’s also important to pay attention to what properties knives have. For example, did you know that blades have hardness scale ratings? Or that knives can have different levels of flexibility? Here are the five most important properties to take note of: 1. Edge retention = indicates how long a knife stays sharp for. 2. Rockwell hardness scale = the harder the blade, the longer the edge will stay sharp. 3. Flexibility = this is of particular interest for fillet knives and when it comes to hard, unyielding food (e.g. pumpkins). 4. Balance = how well does the knife sit in your hand and how evenly is the weight distributed between the tip and end of the handle? 5. Resistance to corrosion = how resistant is the knife to rust?
WHICH KNIFE, WHICH BLADE LENGTH?
One aspect which relates to knife design is the length of the blade. Using a small kitchen knife or long chef’s knife makes all the difference depending on what kind of food you’re chopping. Here are two key bits of information to help you get orientated: 1. A 200mm blade (meaning 200mm in length) is a classic, and most widely used. You’ll always be on the right track with this one. 2. The following rule of thumb: the length of the blade should be suitable for the size of the food you’re chopping. Especially blades that are too short can make cutting up large bits of food hard work. For example: if you want to carve a roasted joint or cut up a watermelon, we recommend choosing a big enough knife.
Here at ZWILLING, we’re in no doubt that you’ll find a knife, whatever your budget. The question of price is always an important one, but ZWILLING has a fitting response. You can find knives at entry-level prices all the way through to top-of-the-range Japanese knives, and there are options for you to kit out your kitchen with all kinds of high-quality knives from all different price brackets. And even our most expensive knives are sure to give you your money’s worth.
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Naturally, choosing the blade is an important step on your way to finding a knife. But there’s more to a knife than just the blade, and ZWILLING also has a huge range to choose from when it comes to these other components. What kind of bolster should your knife have, what type of handle and what material should this be made from? How would you like the blade, bolster and handle to piece together to create a design that’s right for you? Question after question, that you can easily find the answer to on our online store. Simply use the many options available on our store, like the filter function for example, to make your search for a knife a success.
Besides all the technical information we can offer you to help in your search for a knife, let us also say that your knife simply has to feel right to you. This also comes down to your personality: some people like cooking with lightweight knives, whereas others prefer more weight, such as those working in the restaurant industry. Every one of us has certain biases and preferences when it comes to knives. It’s a bit like shopping for shoes: not only do you have to like your knife, but it has to fit you.
If you want to know for sure before making a purchase, drop by and take matters into your own hands, literally! ZWILLING isn’t just online, but perhaps there’s also a store near you. Why not pay us a visit and find out for yourself which knife is best for you by exploring and handling our range in person? Our in-store sales advisors possess outstanding technical knowledge and will be happy to advise you.
