Dice and slice all kinds of food with this full Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Knife Set

Trying to cut your pot roast or a fresh loaf of crusty bread with a basic steak knife is a difficult and frustrating task. For proper food preparation and presentation, you need a set of the best kitchen knives. Inferior kitchen knives break, don’t hold an edge and rust when washed. Choose from some of the best kitchen knives available for a set that will last for years of work in the kitchen.

Victorinox kitchen knives, made in Switzerland, are some of the most well rated knives used by home and professional chefs alike. The Victorinox brand includes some of the most expensive of the best kitchen knives, but lines like the RH Forschner set are less expensive without sacrificing quality. The Victorinox Rosewood set is also a good deal, offering seven knives and a sharpener for under $250.

Forged blades from the finest carbon steel, like those offered by the Wusthof company, give you durability that cannot compare with stamped or rolled kitchen knives. Heavier and longer than Japanese kitchen knives, these traditional European chef’s knives are well weighted for cutting through tough meat or quickly chopping stew vegetables. A small Wusthof knife set of 3 blades costs about $180.

Another of the top European knife brands is J.A. Henckels. These kitchen knives are sometimes criticized for having welded handles rather than riveted ones like seen on Wusthof kitchen knives, but the company says that the weld is just as strong as riveted steel. Their Pro S Chef’s line is the best and most expensive of their products.

If you feel that the Japanese make the best kitchen knives, choose a set from Global Knives. These ultra thin, lightweight blades make take getting used to if you use heavier European style knives, but they hold their edge longer and can be sharpened to a finer point. The lightweight of Global Knives may make them less adequate for heavy jobs like cutting a side of beef.

On the less expensive end, Chicago Cutlery offers American made kitchen knives at a lower price point. While these knives lack the extraordinary quality and durability of the more expensive knife brands listed above, many hobby and home chefs consider them the best kitchen knives due to the balance between price and quality.

Wusthof and Victorinox top the list of European kitchen knives, but Japanese made Global Knives are just as nice. Some brands offer less expensive options for new home chefs, like the bargain lines of Victorinox and Chicago Cutlery. Any set of knives from these five knife makers will provide years of service for all your chopping, mincing and filleting needs.

Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Knife Set Review