Road Test: Chefs' Knives

The F&W Test Kitchen tested a selection of steel chefs' knives from around the world, many borrowed from Manhattan's Broadway Panhandler; here's how they performed.
—Nicole Cloutier

Japanese

Lightweight knives with blades that are renowned for keeping their razor-sharp edge longer than other types; especially good for fine dicing and slicing.
Japanese Brands
Global, Shun, Masamoto

American

Versatile, well-balanced knives that are good for everything from mincing to heavy chopping; generally these knives are good value.
American Brands
LamsonSharp, Dexter-Russell, Chicago Cutlery

French

Relatively lightweight and narrow-bladed all-purpose knives. The metal collar that separates the blade from the handle is rounded, making it comfortable to grasp.
French Brands
Sabatier, Deglon

German

Sturdy knives with wide blades that are great for "rock" chopping—rocking the knife back and forth on the cutting board, which many chefs favor.
German Brands
Wüsthof-Trident, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Messermeister

Published July 2004