If you do a lot of cooking from scratch, a good knife is an essential piece of kitchen kit. 

It’s one of the first things you’ll reach for each time you begin to prepare a meal and something you’ll use time and time again. 

Whether you’re a master chef or a disaster chef, having a sharp kitchen knife will help make cooking easier, safer and simply a more pleasant experience. 

But for a tool that humans have used for literal millennia, the price variation on different knives – anywhere from less than $100 to over $400 – can be more than a little perplexing.

Choosing the right knife

What makes the best knife can be subjective. Is the weight of a knife important to you? The size? What it’s made from? 

All of these factors can influence your decision, as can the simple issue of price. 

Sami Levett is a chef and recipe developer for QuiteLike, a subscription meal box service. She says that a well-made, sharp and comfortable knife will make your time in the kitchen safer, more enjoyable and more efficient. 

It will also help you make the most of your food: “a good knife can cut effectively and precisely through ingredients, preserving their quality,” she says. 

A dull, poor-quality knife can not only damage ingredients – for example, delicate herbs can be crushed and bruised when cutting with a blunt blade – but it’s also a safety risk. 

“A dull blade requires the knife wielder to press down with force, which can cause accidents from the knife slipping,” says Sami.

If you’d rather cut the tip of a zucchini instead of the tip of your finger, a sharp, well-honed blade is crucial. 

Our kitchen experts have compared 12 cook’s and chef’s knives from a range of brands and price points to find out which blade is best.

Our test included knives that cost as little as $5, and as much as $379. For each one we assessed cutting performance, sharpness and ease of use.

We found that (as is often the case) expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better, though in this case it does play a part.

Do you need to spend hundreds on a chef’s knife?

According to ÌÇÐÄVlog expert Peter Zaluzny, probably not. But a cut-price knife might not impress either. 

“Knives that cost more than $100 outperformed almost all of the cheaper models in our test,” says Peter. 

“But you don’t necessarily need to pay top dollar to get a very good knife that retains its sharpness.”

And conversely, paying top dollar won’t necessarily guarantee you’ll get a very good knife: the lowest-ranking knife in our tests costs $200 and was outperformed by a $5 Kmart Anko knife. 

Our tests also found plenty of mid-priced knives that are good-quality options for home cooks.

Should you buy a $5 Anko knife from Kmart or Target?

While our tests didn’t find any knives for less than $100 that we would recommend, that doesn’t mean they don’t have their place. 

“Cheaper knives may not perform as well as those that cost over $100,” says Peter. 

“But their performance-to-cost ratio is often much better. In other words, some cheaper knives aren’t as good but offer much better value for money. There are still good options if you’re on a budget.” 

ÌÇÐÄVlog test coordinator Elias Plastiras, who conducted our recent test, agrees. 

As part of our in-house testing he sliced his way through 30 tomatoes, 30 onions, 45 carrots and 20 steaks, assessing each knife for how easily it cut through each food. The less effort needed to cut, the higher the score. 

Along with our in-house tests, we partnered with the University of New South Wales to conduct an assessment simulating wear and dulling of the knives. This revealed that the cheaper knives in our test didn’t stay as sharp as the more expensive options.

“You don’t have to spend a lot to get a nice, sharp knife, but you might need to spend at least $100 to get one that will stay sharp for a longer period,” says Elias.

Should I pay full price for an expensive knife?

In some product categories, we frequently see sales and discounts.

For example, in our mattress review, we find that when shopping both online and instore you can often make substantial savings on recommended retail prices thanks to sales that offer big price reductions. 

After shopping around for this test we found that it seems to be a similar story with knives. 

Want a big-name brand? Check the sales

“All but the cheapest knives are pretty well permanently on sale,” says Peter.

“Many homeware retailers slice a reasonable chunk off the RRP across most of the year and prices often drop even further during popular sales periods like the end of financial year, Black Friday or Boxing Day.”

Peter recommends that if you find a knife you want, it pays to shop around online and compare prices. “You won’t have to work very hard to find a deal,” he says.

How long should your knife last?

A good knife will last a long time, provided it’s cared for and stored correctly.

Sami suggests that you follow these steps to keep your knife sharp for as long as possible.

1. Sharpen it regularly

Routine sharpening with the correct materials such as a whetstone or fine ceramic honing steel will keep your knife working as it should. There are professional services available that can do this for you if you aren’t able to do it yourself at home.

2. Wash it well

Never put your blades in the dishwasher and make sure you dry them using paper towel rather than a tea towel. “Tea towels can leave residue on the knife, resulting in rust, depending on the metal it’s made from,” says Sami.

3. Cut wisely

Don’t use your knife to cut directly on hard surfaces such as bench tops, sinks or chopping boards made from glass or bamboo. “Ideally your chopping board should either be wood end-grain or soft plastic,” says Sami.

4. Store it properly

Keeping your knife in the box or scabbard it came in, or in a knife block will help protect the blade. Storing a kitchen knife loose in a cutlery drawer is not only a safety hazard, it’s also likely to cause your blade to dull more quickly.

For help with choosing the right knife as well as tips on costs, discounts, and paying the recommended price, our kitchen knife buying guide has lots of advice.

The post Should you spend $400 on a kitchen knife? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• How we choose what we test
• How we test kitchen knives
• Test criteria explained

But with prices ranging from less than $10 to $400 or more, it can be hard to cut through the marketing fluff to find the right balance of price and performance. Is a $299 knife really better than one that costs $50, or does the cheaper one work just fine? 

This is how we answer those questions, and more, with our 20cm kitchen knives test.

How we choose what we test

We test 20cm cook’s and chef’s knives from a variety of manufacturers and countries, including Japan and Germany. 

We look for knives available at a range of price points, starting with affordable models widely available in supermarkets and major retailers. We also buy expensive knives sold only in specialty stores, kitchen and homeware retailers and online.

The aim is to buy knives from popular, easily identifiable brands or models sold exclusively through popular retailers. We also typically add one or two lesser known brands to the test where we can.

We buy two of each knife – one for cutting performance tests and one for the knife sharpness and edge retention tests. That way the knives are assessed out of the box as opposed to being partly worn down from a previous part of the test.

How we test kitchen knives

Our kitchen knives test is made up of two components:

• Cutting performance conducted in house by our test experts.
• Knife sharpness and edge retention tested in partnership with the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

We also conduct an ease of use assessment with left and right-handed volunteers in-house, to prepare good and bad points and a general summary of how it feels to use each knife.

Cutting performance

Our testers slice a variety of vegetables and one type of meat to assess cutting performance:

• Tomatoes (full slices)
• Carrots (julienne)
• Onions (half-moon slices)
• Steak (diced)

Our testers look for clean, evenly cut slices with little resistance from the blade. 

These test contribute equally to the cutting performance score (25% each).

Knife sharpness and edge retention

We partnered with the University of New South Wales to conduct a sharpness and edge retention test. The test is carried out over two main parts: a cut depth test to assess the knives sharpness, and a burnishing process to simulate wear and dulling of the knives. 

These tests are conducted with a mechanical rig for consistency and safety.

The initial sharpness and final sharpness are used to generate the sharpness score. 

Knives that maintain a greater depth of cut after burnishing are considered to have better edge retention, as they are more resistant to the wear and dulling induced by the burnishing process.

Initial cut depth

Each knife is mounted on an actuator stage with a constant load of 760 grams applied for the cut. Ethylene-vinyl acetate foam is mounted in place for the blade to slice through. This is used due to its high homogeneity, which ensures consistent results throughout the testing process.

The linear actuator moves the knife at a rate of 20 millimetres per second to cut into the foam, for a total distance of 150mm. Then the depth of the cut is measured. A deeper cut indicating a sharper knife, as it can more easily penetrate the test media under a constant load and slice length.

Burnishing process

This simulates wear and dulling that occurs during normal use (for example, chopping vegetables). The knife is mounted on the same actuator stage then run along a D-shaped, 12mm galvanised steel rod at a constant load of 150 grams. This moves the knife through 50 burnishing stroke cycles, with stroke lengths of 160 mm.

Repeating the process

Each knife is subjected to three cut depth tests with two 50-cycle burnishing processes in between them. This allows for a comparison of the knife’s performance at three points: initial sharpness, after 50 burnishing strokes, and after 100 burnishing strokes.

Test criteria explained

The ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating is made up of:

• Cutting performance score: 70%
• Sharpness score: 30%

The Sharpness score is made up of:

• Initial sharpness (30%)
• Final sharpness after 100 strokes (70%)

The post How we test kitchen knives appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Our expert testers
• How we choose what to test
• How we test
• Test criteria explained

Our expert testers

There’s no doubt that our home economist Fiona Mair knows her way around a kitchen and has seen gadget trends come and go. With 30 years of experience she has seen lots of new technology enter the kitchen space, and knows what makes a good appliance tick. Our test officer Chantelle Scodeller is also an expert in the kitchen, putting products through our rigorous test methods.

How we choose what to test

There are so many spiralizers on the market, including very cheap versions found in market stalls. Where possible we try to buy branded models available in department stores and kitchenware outlets.

To come up with our list, we survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models and we take member feedback on board. Our buyers then purchase products as you the consumer would, either in-store or online. This is to ensure that products we receive have not been tweaked in any way, or received special treatment during transit. We’ll disclose the rare cases when we’ve borrowed a major new model directly from the manufacturer (for example, if it’s not yet in the shops during testing).

How we test

Performance

To test performance, our experts spiralize three vegetables popularly used in these gadgets: zucchini, sweet potato and carrot. For each vegetable, we rate the appearance based on criteria including:

• evenness
• length
• whether the strings/noodles have separated properly
• whether noodles broke apart during spiralizing.

We also test apple spiralizing performance, but don’t currently incorporate it into the final score because not all models have this feature.

Ease of use

When assessing ease of use we look at a number of factors including:

• stability on the workbench or in the hand
• changing/assembling the blades
• ease of storing blades
• operating the levers/cranks
• comfort during use (which includes how easy it is to secure the fruit or vegetable on to the unit) 
• ease of cleaning cracks and crevices
• safety features.

Test criteria explained

Our results consist of performance (60%) and ease of use (40%). Any spiralizers that score 70% or more overall can be recommended.

The post How we test spiralizers appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

Alton would flip his lid if he saw the Kleva Range Essential Bundle ($50 plus $11.90 postage and handling from the TV Shopping Network), boasting six gadgets aimed at slashing your prep time in the kitchen. Kleva is a brand of infomercial/mail-order products (think: magic dusters and the “world’s best knife set”) commonly seen on the TV shopping channels.

Our colleagues convened a panel of nine staffers, ranging from an ex-chef to rank amateurs. They graded each gadget for performance and ease of use, before being asked if they’d shell out for it.

Kleva Edge Can Opener

• Price: $40 (buy one, get one free)
• Ease of use: 5.8/10
• Performance: 6.8/10
• 1/9 would buy

Kleva reckons this is the “world’s best can opener”. It’s pitched at those with dexterity issues, with the ad claiming it is “perfect for those with weak joints or arthritis”.

While it generally produced clean, rounded edges, a majority of our panel said the handle was stiff and took considerable pressure to turn. Some complained the handle (annoyingly shaped like a large “K”) was uncomfortable and awkward to use.

If you struggle opening cans, we think there are much better options available, namely the Culinare Magican Auto Can Opener ($19) or the Sunbeam OpenAll Electric Can Opener ($40).

Kleva Rapid Chop

• Price: $50 (buy one, get one free)
• Ease of use: 8.2/10
• Performance: 7.1/10
• 3/9 would buy

Essentially a manual food processor, the Rapid Chop uses a pull-string to spin two stainless-steel blades inside a plastic container. Our panel found it a breeze to use, but said it took longer than the claimed three pulls to produce finely chopped onions. There were also noticeable differences in size between onion pieces.  

Some users said that because you need to chop vegetables into relatively small pieces before placing them into the device, it’s not really a timesaver over manual chopping. It’s also a hassle to clean. The general verdict was that unless you’re hopeless with a knife, it’s unlikely to speed up your cooking, though it largely performs as claimed.

The Rapid Chop will appeal to those who can chop an onion into quarters but lack the dexterity for fine dicing. The similar Zyliss Classic Food Chopper is available for $40.

Turbo Veggie Twist (Spiraliser)

• Price: $10
• Ease of use: 2.6/10
• Performance: 2.3/10
• 0/9 would buy

“Good god, terrible thing! Sides were difficult to hold as the metal handles have sharp edges. I now have a bleeding thumb!” This was the verdict of Consumer’s market researcher, as recorded on a blood-stained assessment sheet. Others also said they felt unsafe using this vegetable “pasta” maker, since the blades inside the plastic cones are too exposed. Its performance left the panel cold – most of the panel found it crushed zucchini instead of spiralizing, while it was only marginally better with carrots.

We recommend checking out our spiralizer review if you’re looking to sneak more zucchini and carrots into your kids’ diet, but we think you should give the Turbo Veggie Twist a wide berth.

Kleva Chef Power Peeler

• Price: $10
• Ease of use: 4.1/10
• Potato peeling performance: 5.2/10
• Pumpkin peeling performance: 5.4/10
• Tomato peeling performance: 4.0/10
• 0/9 would buy

Kleva says this “perfect slicer” will see you “stop struggling with plastic peelers or cheap blades that simply don’t cut!” Our panel disagreed, finding its performance and ease of use no better than a bog-standard $2 peeler from Woolies: a very poor result for a $10 utensil. Instead, consider the Oxo Good Grips Swivel Peeler ($13).

Kleva Chef Julienne Slicer

• Price: $10
• Ease of use: 3.1/10
• Performance: 2.7/10
• 0/9 would buy

Claiming to offer the performance of “13 knives at once” to create perfect julienne strips, we found the Kleva Julienne Slicer was even more of a lemon than the Power Peeler. “Produces less strips and more pulp. Only useful as a zester,” reckoned one panellist. “Would have more luck with a soup spoon,” said another. A better bet is the OXO Good Grips Julienne Peeler ($5).

Kleva Seal

• Price: $20
• Ease of use: 5.4/10
• Performance: 4.9/10
• 1 (maybe)/9 would buy

Powered by two AA batteries, this gadget uses heat to seal plastic and foil bags. By now, you won’t be surprised to hear our triallists weren’t fans. Issues included struggling to seal the starting edge of the bag, meaning at least two passes are required, and it can inadvertently cut thin plastic.

While most panellists eventually managed to seal both chip packets and plastic salad bags, they questioned the need for the Kleva Seal when cheap zip-lock bags are widely available. Like most items in the Kleva Range Essential bundle, it’s a good concept that doesn’t live up to the hype.

How we calculated scores 

Scores are averages weighted equally between each panellist. We’ve made alternate suggestions based on Assistive Technology Australia.

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