Most people that are either skilled in the kitchen, or professional chefs know the importance of having good quality knives. These are the essential tools of creating culinary masterpieces, and fine dining quality gourmet dishes. But a question always arises, should I have one complete set of knives that are the same brand or maybe have a hybrid collection of individual Chef Knives like a knife here and a Wusthof knife there?
There is no right or wrong answer here. The answer lies with two factors that you have to choose.
- Your taste: what kinds of chef knives you like to use.
- Your budget: How much are you willing to spend on chef or kitchen knives?
Here are some pros and cons to both choices for you to put to the test:
Complete Chef Knife Sets
Pro:
· You have found a brand you like and trust then purchase the matching set complete with sharpening steel.
· Typically, the complete knife sets come with a chef knife japanese steel, or knife wrap to roll up and store your investment when not in use.
· With buying sets that match handle color and logo branding your kitchen has an esthetic look of order and symmetry.
Con:
· The main con here is price. This is where your budget is a consideration. A complete set of Henckels may run a bit pricey but they will last a lifetime with proper care. So if price is a factor, you may have to sacrifice quality for a less expensive brand.
· Maybe one brand of knife makes a great 8″ full tang Chef Knife, but they don’t do such a great job on their 4″ paring knives. If you buy the knife set you’re stuck with tools that you really don’t like. This is a waste of money.
Individual Chef Knives
Pro:
· Buying individual chef knives affords you the opportunity to try out different brands. You may like the feel of a Shun Chef knife, and also like the Cutco bread knife. In each brand the bolster, tang and handle are made differently. Depending on the job you’re doing in the kitchen, an individual knife may be the best choice for you.
· Similarly, when you buy chef knives individually, you are able to control your budget and spending more. For example, you may want to spend more on a fine quality Wusthof 10″ chef knife but may only need the quality of a Victorinox paring knife.
· I think having a mixed selection of individual chef knives look more professional. It shows that you have taken the time to research the most efficient knife for the job you want to do.
Con:
· You don’t get symmetry look when buying individual chef knives. If you want each handle that sticks out of the knife block to match this is obviously not the way to go.
· Speaking of Knife blocks. Knife Blocks and knife wraps are typically sold separately when you buy chef knives one by one.
· Another trade-off for shopping this way is that you get a different quality of each Knife. That can be both good and bad. You can determine which ones will hold up to more use and which ones will keep a sharp edge more than others can. Again, this goes back to your budget, and preference.
