Quick answer: the essential knives in a kitchen knife set are a chef knife (8 inch), a paring knife (3 to 4 inch), a serrated bread knife and a utility or santoku knife. These four handle roughly 90 percent of everyday cooking. Everything else in a set, such as a cleaver, slicing knife, boning knife or steak knives, is useful only if it matches the way you cook.
This guide explains what each knife in a kitchen knife set is for, so you can tell which knives you really need before you buy a set from the ASC Forge kitchen knife set collection.
What are the 4 essential knives every kitchen needs?
| Knife | Typical blade length | What it is used for |
|---|---|---|
| Chef knife (or gyuto) | 8 to 10 inch | Chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing vegetables, meat and herbs |
| Paring knife (or petty) | 3 to 5 inch | Peeling, trimming, coring and small detail cuts in the hand |
| Serrated bread knife | 8 to 10 inch | Crusty bread, tomatoes, cakes and anything with a hard outside and soft inside |
| Utility or santoku knife | 5 to 7 inch | Mid-size jobs: sandwiches, fruit, cheese, quick vegetable prep |
1. Chef knife: the one you will use most
The chef knife is the main knife in any kitchen knife set. A curved 8 inch blade lets you rock-chop onions, slice chicken breast and mince garlic with one tool. If a set has a weak chef knife, the whole set is weak, so judge a kitchen knife set by its chef knife first.
2. Paring knife: for small, precise work
A paring knife is a short knife for work you do in your hand rather than on the board: peeling apples, hulling strawberries, deveining shrimp. In Japanese-style sets this job is done by a slightly longer petty knife.
3. Serrated bread knife: for crust and soft skin
A serrated edge saws through crust without crushing the soft crumb. It is also the best knife for ripe tomatoes and layer cakes. You cannot replace it with a plain edge, which is why it earns a place in the essential four.
4. Utility or santoku knife: the in-between knife
A utility knife fills the gap between the chef knife and the paring knife. A santoku does the same job with a flatter, wider blade that suits straight up-and-down chopping.
Which extra knives in a set are worth having?
- Cleaver: worth it if you break down poultry, cut squash or chop through small bones.
- Slicing or carving knife: worth it if you cook roasts, brisket or whole fish.
- Nakiri: a flat-edged vegetable knife, worth it if most of your prep is vegetables.
- Boning or fillet knife: worth it if you butcher meat or fillet fish at home.
- Steak knives: table knives, not prep knives. Useful for serving, not for cooking.
How many knives should a kitchen knife set have?
For most home cooks a 5 to 8 piece kitchen knife set is the right size: it covers the four essential knives plus one to four knives you will reach for weekly. Very large sets often pad the count with steak knives and duplicates, which is fine if you host dinners but unnecessary for daily prep.
Kitchen knife sets that cover the essential knives
- ASC Forge 5-piece forged chef knife set: cleaver, chef knife, slicing knife, utility knife and paring knife in one set.
- ASC Forge 8-piece kitchen knife set with pakka wood handles: a fuller high-carbon steel set for cooks who want a dedicated knife for each job.
- ASC Forge Japanese kitchen knife set of 5: gyuto, nakiri, santoku, deba and petty for cooks who prefer Japanese knife shapes.
- ASC Forge 16-piece acacia knife block set: prep knives plus six steak knives and kitchen shears for households that also want table knives.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 3 most important knives in a kitchen?
The three most important kitchen knives are a chef knife, a paring knife and a serrated bread knife. With these three you can do almost every cutting task in a home kitchen.
Is it better to buy a knife set or individual knives?
A knife set is better when you are starting a kitchen or want matching knives, because it usually costs less than buying the same knives one by one. Individual knives are better when you already own good basics and only need to fill one gap.
Do I need a santoku if I already have a chef knife?
No, a santoku is not required if you have a chef knife, because both do general chopping and slicing. Many cooks still like having both: the chef knife for rocking cuts and larger food, the santoku for quick, straight chopping of vegetables.
What size chef knife is best for a home cook?
An 8 inch chef knife is the best size for most home cooks. It is long enough for large vegetables and meat but still easy to control on a normal cutting board.
Ready to choose? Browse every handmade kitchen knife set at ASC Forge or see single blades in the kitchen knives collection.