In your kitchen, it's important to have the right size and shape of knife for the task at hand. This makes food prepping safer, easier, and less time consuming. Use this guide to learn more about different types of knives and their uses.
Chef's knife
You’ll find a chef’s knife in almost every kitchen. It’s a chef’s best friend and performs well at an array of tasks. From slicing and chopping, to dicing and mincing, the chef’s knife does it all. A typical chef’s knife will have a tip that curves upward so you can rock the knife back and forth for easy mincing.
Santoku
The Santoku is a traditional Asian-style knife that excels at chopping, slicing, and making paper-thin cuts. Much like the chef's knife, it excels at a variety of tasks. The Kullens grind on the blade helps minimize friction and prevent food from sticking to the knife.
Original slicer
The Original Slicer is the earliest of all Ginsu knives, the one that started it all. We've taken the knife from our original infomercial and made improvements to its build and design. This blade slices, cuts, and saws through the toughest of foods while maintaining a sharp edge for tasks like slicing thin sheets of tomato. You probably won't use it to cut through aluminum cans in your kitchen--but who says you can't?
Utility knife
With so many specialty knives available, sometimes you just need a knife for all the other jobs. A utility knife is great when you need to cut large vegetables or meats that aren’t big enough to bother with a chef’s knife. It’s also great for any of those random, quick cutting jobs around the kitchen. Smaller than a chef's knife but larger than a paring knife, this versatile knife excels at everyday tasks.
Serrated utility knife
This performs all the tasks of the fine-edged utility knife, but the serrated edge is specially designed to slice delicate foods such as tomatoes. You can use this all-purpose knife on small fruits, fibrous meats, breads, cheeses and more.
Paring knife
The paring knife is a cornerstone of any knife set. This small, sharp blade is perfect for a variety of detail jobs where precision is key--from peeling fruit and coring tomatoes to slicing garlic into paper-thin sheets. Its small size allows more control of the blade than when using a larger knife.
Slicing and carving knife
Use this knife to cut cooked meats, poultry, and fish into perfect slices. The long, thin blade ensures that you get smooth and even slices every time. Use your slicing and carving knife in a sawing motion to keep the blade sharp and strong over time. Using a chopping motion can deteriorate its strength . Around the holidays, this item is an essential component in your cutlery set.
Bread knife
Everyone loves homemade bread but slicing it can be tricky, as every slice seems to want to collapse in on itself. If you use a bread knife, the deeper serrations on the blade and the raised handle make it perfect for cutting through bread without applying too much pressure. Although it's not the most frequently used knife in your kitchen drawer, the bread knife is unmatched in its performance for a specific set of tasks. Its serrated edge makes it a useful tool for cutting more than just bread--use it to cut squash, melons, or any other food with a tough exterior and a soft middle.
Tomato knife
This knife has a finely serrated blade that easily and expertly cuts through the skin of tomatoes without tearing them. The serrations apply pressure evenly across the cutting surface, while the forked tip makes it easy to pick up and serve slices. But the tomato knife isn't just for slicing tomatoes! It works well on citrus fruits, salami, or even lettuce.
Boning knife
When you’re dealing with large cuts of meat with the bone still in, grab this narrow-bladed specialty knife. The boning knife features a curved blade with a sharp point for making incredibly precise cuts as you remove meat and poultry from the bone.
Cleaver
Looking for a tool to cut through the tough stuff? The cleaver is a knife used by butchers and chefs for chopping meat or large vegetables. This knife's broad side can be used for crushing garlic, or as a great transportation surface for moving chopped foods to a pot or a pan.
Steak knife
You should use the steak knife on prepared foods once you’ve sat down to eat. Traditionally, they are only used for cutting steak or hearty pieces of meat in a table setting. In a pinch, a steak knife can substitute for a utility knife when you need to slice or trim down small pieces of food.
Kitchen shears
Shears are a must-have for any busy kitchen. This versatile tool can be used to cut anything from poultry and vegetables, to twine and plastic bags. Remove those stubborn twist-off caps thanks to the grippy steel teeth in the middle of the shears' handle. The teeth are also effective for cracking seafood or nuts.
Honing rod
This is essential for honing your knives so they stay sharp longer between sharpenings. Over time, a fine-edged blade will become warped and irregular with use. The honing rod smooths and realigns the worn steel on the blade's edge.