How Important Is a Good Quality Kitchen Knife? Plus, the Best Blades to Try Now

It seems Americans have a love-hate relationship with cooking. In 2020, one survey of 2,000 people suggested that the majority of the US population thinks that knowing how to cook is attractive, and around 70 percent believe that cooking is their love language. However, another study, conducted by OnePoll in 2022, also found that more than half of Americans feel that they consistently “mess up” easy dishes.

Now, if you want to improve your cooking abilities, we can’t promise that good-quality kitchen tools will turn you into Wolfgang Puck. But we can say for certain that they will help make things easier in the kitchen. And if you want to level up your culinary skills (and your attractiveness at the same time, apparently), finding a good knife is a strong place to start. 

Why is it important to use good-quality kitchen knives?

Good-quality kitchen knives are an important starting point for good-quality cooking. This is for a few reasons. Firstly, they make things safer. A poor-quality blunt knife is more likely to cause injury because it requires more pressure from you to cut, which increases the risk of slipping and catching your fingers instead. 

But they also make you feel the part (confidence is key when it comes to cooking a great meal) and they give you a better quality slice when it comes to chopping up your ingredients.

“The difference between a good knife and a bad knife is startling,” notes food writer and editor Lucas Oakeley for Mob. “Try and dice an onion with a butter knife and you’ll quickly find that out for yourself. Not only can a well-made knife help make you a better cook, but it can also make you enjoy cooking a lot more, too.”

The best kitchen knives to level up your cooking

If you’re not sure exactly where to start when it comes to knife shopping (totally fair, by the way), then we’ve compiled a few suggestions here that will have you whipping up delicious meals in no time (for vegan recipe inspiration, check out our extensive collection here!). 

Unfortunately, when it comes to perfecting your technique, well, we can’t help you with that—but we recommend starting with YouTube.

Mercer Culinary

1 Mercer Culinary Millennia Bread Knife, $20

At under $25, this Millennia bread knife from Mercer Culinary is a steal. But the low price is certainly not a reflection of its quality. Crafted with high-carbon Japanese steel and an ergonomic, non-slip handle, it’ll easily and comfortably slice through even the toughest of loaves, as well as fruits and cakes.
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Misen

2 Misen 3 Inch Paring Knife, $35

Smaller paring knives, which have a shorted, slightly curved, non-serrated blade, are handy for cutting up smaller fruits and vegetables—think cherry tomatoes, spring onions, and shallots, for example. They’re also handy for peeling, too, as they’re smaller size means they can make thinner cuts. This one from Misen is a great choice; it’s sharp, durable, and has a bolster shape, which helps provide more comfortable control over your ingredients.
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Mercer Culinary

3 Mercer Culinary Genesis 8” Short Bolster Chef’s Knife, $46

At the affordable price of $39.95 (at the time of writing), this short bolster knife from Mercer Culinary is designed to make mincing and chopping up vegetables quick, easy, and satisfying. The durable blade design features high-carbon German steel and a taper-ground edge, while the handle is comfortable and ergonomic, and offers that all-important non-slip grip.
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4 Victorinox Fibrox Santoku Knife, $142.80

A santoku knife is a traditional Japanese knife with three uses: slicing, dicing, and mincing. While it can be used to chop meat (or vegan meat!), it is also suited for vegetable slicing, too. Right now, this one from Victorinox won’t break the bank (it’s down from $62 to $36.22 on Amazon), but it’s a great choice for novices in the kitchen. It features a Granton blade, which means the vegetables you’re cutting won’t stick, and instead, will fall away from the knife with ease.
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Global

5 Global Model X Chef’s Knife, $159.95

This knife from Global is a worthy investment if you’re looking to take your cooking seriously. Made with high-carbon stainless steel, the Model X was crafted in Japan, and features a versatile, double-bevel blade (which means it’s sharpened on both sides). The handle is filled with sand to ensure balanced, heavy-weight slicing, and the dimpled design makes it comfortable and easy to grip.
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Charlotte is a writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.