Whether you're just starting to dabble in the kitchen or cooking's an integral part of your daily life, one thing's for certain: you need a reliable chef's knife. It is, without question, the most vital tool in cooking. Although it's easy to be seduced by elaborately cut knives or 26-piece knife sets, the truth is that all you really need is one unfailing all-purpose knife.
A chef's knife, which generally has a blade that's eight to ten inches long, is the workhorse of the kitchen: it's long enough to slice, heavy enough to cleave bones, and precise enough to mince. You opt for a knife that's $30 or $300, or Japanese or German, but regardless of what specific knife you have in mind, there are a few universal attributes that you should take note of when shopping for one. Keep reading to see what you should look for in a chef's knife
