A Guide to the Different Types of Knives

Types of Knives

Did you know around 350,000 people get hurt while handling knives in the kitchen each year?

Using old or the wrong knives can increase your risk of injury and impact the quality of your cuts. If you haven’t replaced your knives in a long time, you may want to consider making some upgrades. Not only will newer knives function better, but they are more ergonomic.

Keep reading to learn about the different types of knives so you can fill your block with the essentials!

Chef’s Knife

One of the most common types of knives people use is a chef’s knife.

Chef knives are larger than steak knives, but not as big as a cleaver. They have a broad shape that allows you to slice through most ingredients. The sharp tip and slightly curved blade make it easy to cut veggies, fruits, and meat.

Dicing, disjointing meat, and mincing herbs can be done quickly with these knives. Many people also use them to chop nuts. When you want to crack through items like nuts and garlic, you can lay the knife over them and carefully push the knife down.

If you’re looking for practical cutlery options, this is the best choice. Many people say that chef’s knives can handle almost every cutting task.

Cleaver

Finding knife options that can hold up to heavy vegetables and meat can be a challenge.

Cleavers are the best kitchen knives for cutting squash, meat (bone and tendons included), and root vegetables. You can slice, dice, mince, and pound ingredients to decrease cooking time.

If you buy meat in large quantities and have to quickly break it down, a cleaver will get the job done. Cleavers can be identified by their rectangle-shaped slade that is flat. Cleaver blades are thicker than chef’s knives and can take care of heavy-duty slicing.

Cheese Knife

Creating a charcuterie board without a cheese knife can be an aggravating task.

Cheese knives are typically made with stainless steel, sometimes there are holes present in the blade. Both the metal and holes help with cutting the cheese because they are stick-resistant. When the cheese sticks to the blade, it can damage other pieces and turn into mush.

When you view cheese knives at the store, you may discover several types of cutlery. Soft cheese, spreaders, and pronged knives are a few of the most popular. For neat cuts, you can also invest in flat or narrow-plane knives.

Bread Knife

Have you ever pulled fresh bread out of the oven, cut it, and the dough smushed together?

This can ruin a perfectly good recipe and reduce the number of pieces you get out of each loaf. A bread knife can carefully cut through the dough without ruining its shape or appearance. The serrated and long blades on these knives can handle soft, crunchy, and flaky dough.

Check out Stirring With Knives to discover the best bread knives of 2023! You can quickly serve a baguette or slice into homemade bread and each piece will be flawless.

Boning Knife

Cleavers are great for cutting through meat, but they can be difficult to manipulate while cutting smaller pieces.

Boning knives are best used when you need to pierce into the meat. Cutting through tissue, raw meat, and ligaments is easy with a slim and sharp blade. The main purpose of a boning knife is to remove the meat from the bones.

Many people confuse boning knives with fileting knives. Filet knives are light and flexible while boning knives are more durable.

Utility Knife

Although the name can be misleading, you won’t find a utility knife in your toolkit.

Utility knives are similar to a chef’s knife, however, they are smaller and the blade is a bit narrower. Utility knives are often six inches long, perfect for cutting fruit, meat, and even sandwiches. If you only have a few items to slice and don’t need a chef’s knife, this is the best alternative.

This type of knife is meant for general use and can be your everyday knife in the kitchen. The sharp blade can handle most ingredients and dishes, but grab a larger knife if you’re cutting into something durable.

Santoku Knife

If you’re looking for a precise knife, the Santoku knife is recommended.

Santoku knives are similar to a chef’s knife, however, only one side of the blade is sharp. The blade has one sharpened edge, with a pointed tip and curved blade.

If you have to mince or julienne meat and vegetables, this should be your choice of knife. The best part about this knife’s design is that you can also scoop the freshly cut items into your pan or bowl!

Paring Knife

Before fancy vegetable peelers came to the market, people used paring knives.

Paring knives are a mini-version of a chef’s knife. It offers the most precision, so much in fact, you can turn food into artwork with it! Paring knives are ideal for cutting and mincing potatoes, onions, and apples.

If you have a lot of items to cut, this won’t be the most practical option, but it comes in handy almost every time you cook.

What Types of Knives Do You Need?

Learning about all types of knives can help you feel better prepared in the kitchen.

When you use the wrong tools, you increase your risk of injury and can damage an amazing recipe. Whether you follow a plant-based diet or eat meat at every meal, these knives can help you slice each bite. You can impress your family and guests by using a beautiful set of knives that stay sharp and sleek.

Take a look at our site for more content about kitchen utensils and innovative tools!