Are you ready to upgrade your knife sets and join the major chef leagues?
Did you know? One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make as a chef is choosing your knife set. Why? our set should serve you for a lifetime! It’s a significant investment!
This is your opportunity to be picky about your knife's quality.
Getting Started
Start by looking into leading kitchen brands.
The hallmarks of a good kitchen brand include:
- A variety of sets and blades for different stages of your career —Early on, a 5-tool set is enough. However, as you grow and master the kitchen, you may need an 18-tool set for more advanced recipes.
- A wide selection of premium and quality knives — They come in different styles. You can be stylish without compromising on quality.
- Affordable sets — if you’re worried about the cost, some come with the option of a payment plan.
Once you identify a brand you love, focus your attention on the actual knife sets.
Every kitchen tool is unique. While some knives can multitask, others focus on certain types of food. Make sure to buy a set that covers all of your needs.
Here is everything you need to know before choosing a quality set from Dalstrong.
The Top 3 Essentials You Need in a Basic Set
Shogun Series X 5 piece Block Set
Building a professional knife set takes time.
In the early stages of your career, you only need a few basic knives to complete most of your food preparation tasks.
You can start with basic knives, then gradually build your set. Over time, you’ll add more tools to your set to match your growing skills and experience.
Note: A good basic set will come with a knife block for easy and safe storage.
Every beginner knife set should have 3 basics.
Namely:
The Chef’s Knife
This is an all-purpose cutting tool you can use on both vegetables and meats. You can use it to chop, cut, slice, mince and so much more. It is one of the most versatile tools in a kitchen, and you will use it for everyday tasks.
The chef’s knife in your kit should feel comfortable. Since you’ll be using it almost on a daily basis, it needs to fit perfectly into your hand.
Look at the chef’s knives in different sets before deciding.
In most cases, if the chef’s knife in the kit fits you, then you will love the other knives in the kit.
Most basic kits will also offer a santoku — the Japanese equivalent to the chef’s knife. The biggest difference between the two is that a santoku features a more flat blade, which means you won’t rock as you make a cut. Having both in your set is an advantage.
The Paring Knife
This is often a smaller 2-4” blade for finer tasks (such as trimming fats from meat cuts and mincing vegetables).
This is a functional, all-rounder tool, meant to make your work more efficient.
It complements both the santoku and chef’s knives, allowing you to work faster.
When choosing a paring knife, make sure you find one suited to your hands. Smaller paring knives work better for people with small hands. If you have average or large hands, find a set with a paring knife that is 3.5” or bigger.
The Serrated Knife
Shadow Black Series 9" Bread Knife
A serrated knife will help you with everyday tasks (such as slicing pastries and cutting roasts).
A good quality serrated knife protects the integrity of the food.
It also improves your presentation while serving.
With premium materials, most serrated blades need little to no sharpening.
This is a perfect tool if you are looking to plate a very presentable meal. working to improve the aesthetics of your dishes.
If you find a basic kit with the above knives, you are ready to master the kitchen.
You can now expand with general-purpose knives, or specialty knives suited to your cooking style.
The Best Characteristics to Consider Before Choosing Your Knife Set
“Buying knives can be an intimidating experience. They come in all different shapes and sizes, all of which do certain jobs - you wouldn't want to use a slicer to core a tomato.”
Brad Leone, Chef
If you’re intimidated by choosing a suitable knife set, you are not alone. Even experienced chefs feel intimidated.
You need to look out for unique characteristics, such as:
- The material.
- The type of handle.
- The weight and balance. accompanying block or storage kit.
The Material of the Blade
Image source: onthegas.org
Most manufacturers use stainless steel. It is popular and easy to access. Yet, stainless steel does not keep its sharpness and requires regular sharpening.
A high-quality alternative is high carbon steel. It is the top choice among professional chefs.
High carbon steel offers better edge retention than stainless steel. You need not sharpen it after every use.
Did you know? Dalstrong Knives use a wide variety of high carbon steel from different parts of the world.
You can choose blades made of premium steel from Spain, Germany, or Japan.
The Weight and Balance of the Knife
There is no magical number that can get a perfectly balanced knife It all depends on the design and materials of the blade and the handle.
Quick fact: In a set, you’re getting several knives of various shapes and lengths. As such, smaller manufacturers have a harder time balancing them.
Dalstrong’s investment in innovative craftsmanship ensures every knife is perfectly balanced. This helps make food preparation easier.
Did you know? You can use each knife repeatedly for extended periods without injuring your wrist.
The Handle
Dalstrong uses a variety of handles that are balanced with the blade’s material.
Options you can choose include:
- Shogun Series X uses a G-10 garolite fiberglass-like handle — This is a military-grade material made to survive in a busy kitchen. It can withstand high heat and moisture, and serve you for a lifetime. Each G-10 Garolite handle features an engraved end-cap that improves its performance and gives you better control.
- The Gladiator Series uses a laminated pakkawood handle. —This is a high-quality wood, strengthened with resin to improve its water and stain resistance. Pakkawood offers exceptional grip, making it easy to use for long periods.
With the two options above, you interchange the style you like better and improve your experience in the kitchen.
The handle style also changes depending on whether you are right or left-handed. For double bevel knives, you can hold the knife on either hand since both sides have an edge.
For single bevel knives such as the santoku, you need to specify your preference to match your dominant hand. Most knives serve right-handed users, but you can always request a custom set if you’re left-handed.
How to Choose a Quality Knife Set
Now that you know everything you need to consider before choosing a knife set, you’re ready to decide on what you want.
Your choice should boil down to:
Your Budget
At Dalstrong, you can choose from a wide range of sets, available at different prices.
You can get starter sets or even specialty sets that you can add to your basic kit.
Once you’re ready to make the financial commitment, you can access a flexible payment plan. This makes it possible for you to own the set of your dreams without the financial strain of a one-off payment.
Your Cooking Style
Once you get your basic knives, think of your cooking styles and the tasks you spend most of your time on.
One good example of this is the Shadow Black Series Steak Knives Set, perfect for people who cook plenty of meat.
An equivalent of this, for a vegetarian chef, would be the Gladiator Charcuterie and Cheese Set. It serves as a perfect companion around softer foods such as vegetables and cheese.
The Feel of the Knives
You will know your perfect fit once you hold the knives and try them out on different tasks.
Since this is a very intuitive process, you can return your knives after 120 days. This gives you enough time to get a feel for the knives. With that, you can have a better discussion with customer support and get the right set for your kitchen.
Remember: You can contact their customer service team with complaints and requests. Dalstrong is built on a guarantee of quality.
Invest in a Dalstrong Knife Set Today
Whether you are a novice chef looking for an entry-level set or a master looking to upgrade, Dalstrong has a set of kitchen knives for you
You can explore the different sets available before making the commitment.
Based on the options available, your decision will boil down to your budget and style.
Whether you like a set containing every knife you can imagine or a minimalist set:
Dalstrong has the right knife set for you.
You can also check in with our Expert Knife Finder Quiz and get specific recommendations based on your needs.
