The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 56

• Cons: There’s no bolster or heel, so using the blade
grip for a long time on this one may irritate your
forefinger where it rubs against the spine.And there’s
nottoomuchspaceunderthehandlewhenthebladeis
against your cutting board, so you might end up
rappingyourknucklesafewtimes.Theall-metalhandle
cangetslipperyifitgetsmessy(thoughnobodyshould
be cooking in a messy kitchen anyway!). Ideal for
vegetarians who want precise veg work and don’t deal
withmessymeats.
• The best buy option: The 8-inch Victorinox Fibrox
Chef’s Knife (about $25). This is a favorite among
beginning cooks who aren’t yet sure they want to lay
downover$100forachef’sknife.
•Pros:It’sverysharprightoutofthebox,andit’svery
light,whichsomeusersmaylike.Grippablehandle,and
plentyofknucklespace.
• Cons: It has a stamped blade, with no real weight or
heft, and it’s difficult to resharpen. Cheap feel and
construction—this isn’t a knife designed to last a
lifetime.Poorbalancecanalsoinstillbadhabits.

Japanese-StyleChef’sKnives
• For the average cook: The 7-inch Misono UX10
Santoku (about $180).This is my personal favorite. It’s
notthefirstknifeIeverfeltattachmentto,butit’sthefirst
oneIeverfellinlovewith.Wouldthatweneverbeapart.
• Pros: It’s perfectly balanced, with a very comfortable
bolsterthatmakesthebladegripadream.Thebladeis

Swedish steel, which is extremely sharpenable and will
hold an edge for a long, long time. Although it is
designed for slicing and chopping, the blade has a
strong-enough curve that you can even do some
Western-style rocking with it, giving you the best of
both worlds. Strong, sturdy construction, and plenty of
heft—arealbeautytobehold.
• Cons: Just one: price. It’s not a cheap knife, but
considering that it will last you a lifetime, $180 seems
fair.
•Forthesmall-handedcook:The7-inchWüsthofClassic
Hollow Ground Santoku (about $100). I used this knife
extensively in restaurants, where precision vegetable
slicing was required—so much so that it lost a good
centimeter of its width with repeated sharpenings. I grew
quitefondofitintheprocess.
• Pros: Like all top-of-the-line Wüsthof products, it’s
impeccably constructed. It has a much more slender
blade than Western-style Wüsthofs, so it’s easier to
make small, precise cuts and more comfortable for
some cooks. The hollow-ground granton edge (with
dimplesalongbothsidesoftheblade)meansthatfoods
likepotatosliceswon’tsticktoit.
• Cons: It’s not big enough for most really heavy-duty
tasks—say, splitting a butternut squash or hacking
through a chicken. Luckily, your cleaver will take care
ofthat(seehere).
• The best buy option: The MAC Superior 6 ½-inch
Santoku (about $75). A favorite among pros and home
cooksalike.