Kitchen Knife Buying Guide

When it comes to kitchen knives in NZ, it’s not like Lord of The Rings. There is certainly not one knife to rule them all. Many different types of knives are available, from Santoku knives for fine slicing to steak knives for your rib eye or even cheese knives for a Friday night platter. Each knife has its unique purpose and style, and when it comes to the best kitchen knives, many of them are available at Briscoes. 

We really do have you covered with general kitchenware, including knives. But, with so many different styles and kitchen knives available, it can pose a small headache when choosing the right options. That’s why, we’ve written this extensive guide. We’ll explore all of the main considerations when it comes to knife buying and answer the questions; ‘how do I choose a good kitchen knife?’ and ‘what is the most useful kitchen knife?’ Here are the main points we’ll go over: 

The benefits of a top-quality knife

What to look for in a good knife

The different types of knives

The range of kitchen knives at Briscoes

Let’s get started!

The benefits of a top-quality knife

Surely, all knives are meant to be sharp, right? Why should you bother taking the time and money, to find one of good quality? There are many reasons the kitchen knife buying process can be an important one. 

Less risk of injury

Whether you’re using a chef’s knife, carving knife or anything in between, a good quality option means there’s less chance of injury. You may think that a knife that’s not as sharp mean’s there’s less risk of a cutting injury. In actual fact, it’s often the opposite. When a knife is not of good quality or sharp enough, it is more likely to slip off of what you’re cutting. Think of when you’ve tried to cut an onion with a blunt knife. It can be hard to break the outer layer. When cooking, it’s crucial to minimise cuts, grazes and puncture wounds as much as possible. 

More precise cuts

For precise cutting, slicing and dicing, a good Santoku knife is often a preferred option. In saying that, depending on how fine you’re trying to cut, a good chef’s knife or some of the other best general kitchen knives on the market can also get the job done. A good-quality knife is vital so that the food you’re cutting isn’t smashed but instead sliced. If you’re creating a dish with fine small pieces, cuts or you’re working with cheese, a top-quality knife helps for a better end product. 

Better tasting food

As an extension of our last point, food often tastes better when there’s an optimal balance of flavour. Sometimes, this perfect balance is only possible when ingredients are cut to a particular size. Sure, you may not be a contestant on MasterChef, but sometimes the quality of your chef’s knife can make or break what you’re creating in the kitchen. 

Top tip: If you’re looking for recipe ideas where the balance of flavour is key, check out our slow cooker recipes or summer and winter air fryer recipes. 

Faster cutting

Firstly, it’s important to mention that knife safety should always be a priority before trying to slice and dice faster. However, if you’re a seasoned cook, you may want to prepare ingredients more efficiently. One way to do this is to prioritise a good quality knife. Cutting is more laborious when your kitchen knives, Japanese kitchen knives, or even paring knives are blunt. As you need to apply more pressure to use your knife, you’ll become slower over time.

What to look for in a good knife

With so many different knives, each with its unique purpose, you may think that comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges. In some aspects, like serration, this may be the case. However, there are trends that you can look for to know when you’re onto a good thing. 

Good handle

Especially regarding fine dicing, control is the aim of the game. Yes, choosing a Santoku knife to start with can be a good idea, but sometimes control is significantly impacted by your knife’s handle. If you have a knife with a handle that is the wrong size or loose, it can make it very difficult to make an accurate cut. The handle's material can also affect a given knife's durability. Popular materials that you should look for include:

• Wood
• Bone
• Plastic
• Carbon fibre
• Metal

Balance 

When it comes to what makes a knife well balanced, this may be slightly more bespoke for each knife type. In saying that, a knife’s balance can indicate that the knife you're looking at is the best of its type. For example, professional chef’s knives should usually have the balance based around the butt of the blade for ease of use and control. It can be a good idea to research in advance how a particular knife type should feel in terms of balance, so you know what to look for. 

The right size

As humans, our hands are all different shapes and sizes. As such, it’s vital to take the time to find a knife that feels good in your hands. Not only should the knife fit the contour and size of your dominant hand, but it also shouldn’t feel too heavy. Japanese kitchen knives are often lighter than their western chef's knife alternatives. Being able to hold a knife can be an added benefit of buying from your local Briscoes store instead of online. 

The right material

Thought all knives are just made from metal? You’d be mistaken. There are many different knife materials out there when it comes to the blade. The best blade material may vary between a paring knife, steak knife or cheese knife, but generally, you’ll want to look for carbon steel, stainless steel or ceramic in terms of durability. 

How to know when to replace a knife

Sometimes if your knife isn’t cutting it, so to speak, you can just give it a good sharpen. Read our guide on how to sharpen knives like a pro for advice if this is the case. In some instances, however, it may be a good idea to replace your kitchen knife. Signs to look for that may indicate your knife needs replacing instead of sharpening or honing include:

• Chips
• Groves in the blade
• Bends in the blade
• The knife is falling apart at the handle
• Excessive rust

It can be a good idea to try to sharpen or hone your knife in the first instance. If that doesn’t fix the issues, it’s time to start shopping! Check out our range of knife sharpeners online. 

The different types of knives

As we’ve already mentioned, when choosing the best kitchen knives, it’s more a case of picking knives that are especially suited for a specific job. Here are some of the most popular kitchen knives in NZ. We’re leaving your regular butter knife off this list. 

Paring knife

Sometimes called a peeling knife, a paring knife is very common in kitchens across New Zealand. A paring knife often is a short blade between 6 and 10 centimetres in length. Given its size and shape, a paring knife can be handy for reaching and cutting obscure or hard-to-reach places. They’re also great for cutting veggies into small bits. 

Steak knife

It’s in the name, but a steak knife is perfect for cutting and working with steak or other meat. You’ve probably used a steak knife before and noticed that most of them have a serrated blade. This serration makes it easy for you to cut your perfect steak. To pierce through meat, a steak knife may also feature a sharp pointed tip. If you are cooking steak, read our guide on how to season a cast iron pan. You don’t want your meat to stick while it cooks!

Bread knife

A bread knife is also a kitchen knife that you may have used at some point over the years. As you’d guess, a bread knife is perfect for slicing through a loaf of bread. Good bread knives usually feature a large serrated edge, kind of like teeth. The saw-like blade is perfect for sawing through crusts without squashing your loaf. View our bread makers online if you’re keen to bake your own bread. 

Santoku knife

A Santoku knife is a famous Japanese kitchen knife. A santoku knife is popular with chefs and other cooks as an alternative to a chef's knife, as it’s often a bit lighter and with a different balance. The term Santoku means ‘three virtues’. A Santoku knife is great for precise cutting, dicing and mincing. For more details about these knives, read our guide on what is a Santoku knife (and why you need one).

Carving knife

A carving knife is hard to miss in any given kitchen. This long and skinny knife is sometimes known as a slicing knife and is perfect for carving roast meat. Given how narrow it is, there is less surface area which makes for nice even slices of meat. If you plan to do a pot roast, read our slow cook recipes and slow cooker buying guide. 

Chef knife

Regarding versatility, it’s hard to look past a chef's knife. That’s probably why so many chefs use these for their daily cooking. Sometimes known as a cook’s knife, a chef's knife has a curved blade that makes it easy to use a rolling or rocking technique to slice and dice ingredients and vegetables efficiently. 

Cleaver

A cleaver may look like something out of a horror movie, but they have really practical uses in the kitchen. A cleaver is often heavy and big, almost like a small axe. This particular shape and weight are so that you can easily cut through bone and thick meat. A cleaver is also sometimes known as a butcher's knife. 

Utility knife

Almost the polar opposite of a cleaver, a utility knife is commonly used for smaller jobs and is very versatile. Being smaller but similar to a chef knife, a utility knife is fantastic for soft fruit or other smaller jobs. It features a sharp tip that helps with slicing and dicing on a smaller scale. 

Tomato knife

The name is a dead giveaway with tomato knives. This knife is designed specifically for working with tomatoes of all sizes. A tomato knife will usually have a slightly serrated edge that helps break the skin of tomatoes without ruining the flesh beneath. 

The range of kitchen knives at Briscoes

At Briscoes, we’re proud to be a one-stop shop for chefs and cooks across the country. Our range of kitchenware includes an extensive selection of all kitchen knives we’ve already mentioned in this guide. Thanks to our price promise and fast delivery to your door, you can shop online with confidence. Otherwise, you can shop at your nearest Briscoes store, which can be helpful, especially if you want to get a feel for the knife you’re considering. When it comes to knives, explore our range, including: 

• Individual and knife sets
• Knife block sets
• Scissors

Need a new knife sharpener or knives?

If your current knife isn’t cutting it, it may need sharpening with a knife sharpener. Or, it could be a good idea to buy a new one. For further information about knives, reach out to your local Briscoes team. For more knife advice, read our guide on how to sharpen knives like a pro.