SAN ANTONIO – The holiday season is coming up fast, a time when even novice cooks often enter the kitchen. One tool that can make meal prep and entertaining easier is a good chef’s knife. Consumer Reports put several to the test.
Consumer Reports evaluated 8-inch chef’s knives from Henckels, Wusthof, Mac, KitchenAid, Global, Zyliss, Keemake, and Mercer.
CR’s ergonomics expert says a knife with a well-designed handle allows you to do more work and prevents you from becoming tired, and it decreases the likelihood of accidents. Testers checked out the balance, comfort, and feel of the knife handles, and the force transmission from the handles to the blades.
A trained chef then used the knives in his home to prep a variety of vegetables and to debone raw chicken. Which ones sliced, diced and deboned the best?
According to testers, the Henckels Premio 8-inch Chef’s Knife for $40 seems to fit every hand, with a contoured handle that’s comfortable to grip. The weight of the blade feels just right, and it’s not too heavy or too light.
For the best classic design, they recommend the heftier Wusthof Classic 8-inch Chef Knife for $150. The blade is a single piece of steel that runs from tip to handle.
The best budget pick is the KitchenAid Classic Forged 8-inch Triple Rivet Chef Knife for $20. Although it’s not made of carbon steel, the blade cuts easily.
Some good tips for caring for your knives: Keep them sharp and avoid putting them loose in drawers. And don’t put them in the dishwasher because the blades can get knocked around and dulled.