The right knife eases life in the kitchen

Wielding the right blade is the key to safety and ease in the kitchen.

From precision to all- out raw cutting power, the right knife makes a huge difference when preparing meals. Josh Hooper, a knife specialist at an Ottawa kitchen supply store, shares his five must- haves:

1. The chef’s knife

Use: This all- around chopper is the most- used kitchen knife. With a wide blade, sharp tip and good weight and balance, Hooper says it does “80 per cent of what you need to do in your kitchen,” from dicing vegetables to slicing meat.

Expect to pay: $ 100 to $ 220

2. The paring knife

Use: This knife is designed for handling the smaller details of food preparation — from peeling delicate fruit to trimming veggies.

Expect to pay: $ 15 to $ 185 3. The bread knife Use: A serrated blade to slice without crushing or bruising. This knife is most effective on anything with a hard skin and soft interior, like tomato, eggplant, baked potato, cake and of course, bread.

Expect to pay: $ 175 to $ 475

4. The Santoku knife

Use: A traditional Asian chef’s knife originating in Japan, the Santoku differs from a European- style chef’s knife in its flat shape. The Santoku makes for very precise work despite its size, but not quite as effective on large chunks of meat. Perfect for vegetables and herbs.

Expect to pay: $ 213 to $ 494

5. The carving knife

Use: This long- bladed slicer is especially popular around the holidays. The longest of the set, but much thinner than a chef’s knife, the carving knife makes easy work of slicing turkeys, hams, roasts and any other large servings of meat.

Expect to pay: $ 58 to $ 142