The last kitchen knife you'll buy!
That's a pretty bold statement, but I can back it up, I bet. I worked for many years in the front and back of restaurants and bars. I've purchased so many Walmart knives that just suck. I've also spent a couple hundred on a CHEF KNIFE that was a henckles from a specialty knife shop - but only a couple hundred. I know there are a bunch of yet even more expensive, but I'm really too cheap for the $200 knife. The best knives were always the ones in the kitchen. The abused, beat up, sharpened so many times they're half of their original size, orange handle from cutting carrots for a couple years - the real hero of the kitchen. Usually sitting on a cutting board or stuck in a bucket of sanitized water.
When I was a bartender, every bar had a knife, one of these little paring knives for cutting mostly citrus. Hard to hold, wooden, upsetting. I'd go back to the kitchen and beg the crew to borrow a knife and I can get things done fast.
After leaving working in restaurants, I went through so many Walmart and Amazon knives that were either brand new dull, flimsy multi-part handles, but the worst was wobbly blades. I know sometimes it's on purpose like when you're cutting / filleting fish, some cheese, etc, but for the most part I want a nice solid thick knives that cut right where you want them to.
I found a set of these knives at costco - no particular brand, but you know you have the real deal when it has the `NSF` branding on the blade. Then you know that thing will last for a very long time. It came with 2 kinves, one 8" one 10" and they lasted more years than I can remember. Probably about 10 years or so. I was able to google a knife sharpening service that allowed me to mail my knife, get it sharpened for like $6 (10 years ago remember, probably double now) and have it shipped back to me.
The links at the top are the most recent I bought back in 2022 and they show no sign of old at all. First thing I did was cut my finger. The next thing I did was leave this Amazon review.
This knife is as sharp as the frickin sun. First thing I did was cut my finger. Beautiful! I've worked in a lot of restaurants and am used to the nameless NFS plastic handled chef's knives. It's what I grew up with, it's what I like. This is a better representation of those knives and definitely worth it. The large blades let you sharpen often so they will have a very long life.
I strongly suggest if you're looking for your forever knife to give these a try. Amazingly cheap and great knives.