Tag: kitchen knife sharpener

Top notch ceramic cutlery has become the latest obsession in kitchen accessories.  If you watch cooking shows on television you will see many professional chefs using ceramic knives.  In the culinary field ceramic knives are an essential accessory for all kitchens even novice cooks.  As with all tools there is a special purpose for each knife.  There are knives for cutting meat, dicing vegetables and slicing fruit.  Ceramic cutlery is well known for retaining a sharp edge and is made from zirconium oxide.  There are several advantages to purchasing ceramic knives as well as some disadvantages.  Continue reading for more information to help you make an educated decision before investing in knives for your kitchen.

Ceramic Knives: The Advantages Of Ceramic Kitchen Cutlery

• In comparison to steel kitchen knives, ceramic is known for retaining a sharp edge for months especially if cared for properly and used sensibly.
• Another advantage is how user friendly, light weight and safe ceramic knives are in comparison to steel knives.
• If you are looking for a non-corrosive option in cutlery that is stain proof these knives are the way to go.  For chefs and cooks these two options make ceramic a no-brainer over steel for professionals throughout the industry.
• Ceramic knives are easy to clean.  Ceramic is easy provides a non-stick surface that is non-reactive making it easy to clean up after a long day of cutting, slicing and dicing.

Ceramic Cutlery: The Disadvantages Of Ceramic Kitchen Knives

• Zirconium oxide is an expensive material therefore ceramic knives are a pricier option over there steel counterparts.  If you are looking to buy ceramic knives purchasing a block set may be a way to cut the cost.
• Another disadvantage of ceramic is that it tends to be a bit fragile.  They are not a good choice when it comes to cutting bones off of meat or other hard materials.  Just because ceramic knives are fragile does not mean they aren’t tough enough to do most any job you need them to do in the kitchen.  They will not shatter but again caution should be shown when cutting tough bone.
• Ceramic blades are breakable.  This is another inconvenience of ceramic knives.  Be careful when applying pressure to knife, handle them with care and use them for cutting softer foods.
• It is also important to note that ceramic, once dull, is not easily sharpened.  In order to sharpen ceramic knives you must send it in to the manufacturer as sharpening ceramic at home is difficult and not advisable.

When looking for cutlery, ceramic is a highly efficient, useable material for kitchen knives and accessories.  Look online for deals that can make shopping for your kitchen knives affordable.

The road to finding the perfect kitchen cutlery is not one that has to be complicated or expensive.  Buying quality kitchen knives isn’t about purchasing an expensive set of knives; it is all about the basics.  The most important tip is to purchase knives that fit and feel right in your hand.  It will not matter what the latest chef is endorsing or what celebrity name accompanies the knife block set, what matters most is how it feels when you are using it.

The basics are important when buying cutlery.  When it comes to the assembly of a kitchen knife there are four basic components to every knife; the front of the knife, the tang, the bolster and the handle.  Each component offers a unique benefit to the user.

The front of the knife contains the knife blade, spine, tip and heel.  The part that cuts is the knife blade.  This is the sharpest part of the knife and is incredibly important to the knife’s use.  The spine of the knife is the area opposite of the blade.  The spine is used to add stability and weight to the blade and is the area in which you can add pressure when cutting without the worry of slicing your hand. The knife tip is the area that comes to a point on the end of the blade.  The tip is perfect for smaller cuts and for help in opening packages that are difficult to open.

The knife tang is the metal piece that extends from the knife blade that the handle attaches to.  The tang, along with the spine are the pieces of the knife that offer balance and weight.  Without the tang the knife would be too front heavy for proper use.

The knife bolster is the area on the knife that looks like a collar that separates the handle from the blade.  The collar is an important part of the knife as it acts as a guard for your fingers against possible slipping when cutting with the knife.  In knives the bolster can run all the way from the spine to the edge or on a partial way.  Quality knives for the kitchen will have a bolster.  Knives without bolsters are not a good choice for use in the kitchen.

Kitchen knives can be purchase with handles made out of several different materials.  The importance when choosing a knife handle material is how it feels in your hand as you are cutting with it.  Note that just because you choose a paring knife with a plastic handle this does not mean that all of your cutlery will feel best with plastic handles.  In cutlery it is okay to mix and match to meet your preferences.  Look at all the options in materials for your knife handles including wood, composite, stainless steel and plastic.

When seriously looking to purchase kitchen knives it is a good option to go to several department stores to test out the different options and to see what fits your needs.  When purchasing kitchen cutlery look online. Many online knife specialty stores offer the same knives as department stores at a discounted price.  Online shopping for knives is a great way to get the cutlery you are looking for without breaking the bank.

KnifeMule.com is an online retailer specializing in a variety of specialty knives including kitchen cutlery and top brands such as Zero Tolerance, Boker Tree Knives, W.R. Case Knives and more.  For more information or to purchase a variety of knives online find us at https://www.knifemule.com.

Having the right tools no matter what trade you are in is important.  This is true for everyone from mechanics to artists to chefs.  Quality tools and materials to work with seem to always make every job or task so much easier.  An artist can’t use the fifty cent drug store paint brushes that come in school watercolor kits as the bristles tend to fall out.  A true artist needs a quality brush and top of the line watercolors.  The same is true in the kitchen.

Every kitchen from the novice home kitchen to a five star restaurant kitchen they all need quality knives to prepare food with.  Food preparations are not only made simpler with quality tools but presentation of the food is better as well.  With that said here is some advice on finding essential cutlery pieces for your home kitchen.

At first it is important to be equipped with the basics; a chef’s knife, a utility knife, a paring knife and a knife for slicing.  These are essential knives for all home kitchens.  Not only are these pieces a must but they also must be made of quality materials that work with your style of cooking.

You must first determine if you prefer knives that are forged or stamped.  Most people will have a preference.  A forged knife is made of one single piece of steel and cut and molded into shape.  Forged knives offer a sturdy blade option with a solid bolster and heel that helps to protect your hand during cutting.  A stamped knife is a knife that is made by machine.  They are stamped out and identical to the other knives being produced with it.  Stamped knives tend to be more flexible and inexpensive than forged knives.  Both forged and stamped knives are capable of performing in the kitchen.  They do cut differently and feel different when held so take time to test out both options until you can tell which you prefer.

Another thing to consider when choosing cutlery is the level of care that you will be able to provide when using the knives.  In busy families knives tend to sit in a sink and go unwashed after meal prep or even thrown in the dishwasher both of which are not advisable.  If this describes your busy family consider finding a low maintenance knife that is not prone to corrosion.  Kitchen knives that require regular sharpening are probably not ideal either.  It is important to note that your kitchenware needs to be ideal for you and your family. Quality can be purchased at all levels of care.

One more tip in finding kitchen knives that will help you become a meal preparation master is the handle grip.  When thinking about the four essential knives we spoke about earlier consider that if you purchase a set they will all have the same handle style.  This may not be appropriate for you.  I prefer a larger handle for my chef’s knife with a grip whereas on my paring and slicing knife I prefer a smooth small handle.

Many stores provide a knife testing station.  It is important that before you put money into a set of cutlery that you are happy with the way it performs and handles with you.  When testing knives work with a variety of mediums from meats to fruit to herb; this will allow you to see how well the knife performs for a variety of purposes.

KnifeMule.com is an online retailer specializing in a variety of kitchen cutlery including chef knives, paring knives, slicing knives and more.  For more information on brand name knives, cutlery and specialty gear visit https://www.knifemule.com/category.php?cat=Kitchen+Cutlery.