I have the 8” Fibrox in my block of Wusthofs and I continuously reach for the Fibrox. It is fantastic and certainly BIFL.

I have this and it's my favorite for sure.

Can't go far wrong with one of these if it's a wieldy hunk of German steel you're after. I've got one of these along with a cheap sharp & lightweight Santoku. Between them they pretty much cover all of my chopping needs.

I have a wusthof pro and pretty good. Sturdy, easy to use, and can hold a decent edge.

I don’t know why people are downvoting you. I’ve had a Dyson hot/cold purifier for ages, no issues. It connects to wifi and you can control it with your phone or with its remote. I use it while I sleep and the filters last about a year at least.

Depends on what you're cutting. If versatility is what you need, buy German made. If you're slicing meats or fish, buy Japanese. They have a specific knife for each food. They treat knives like tools so there is a tool for every application. I've been collecting Matsumoto knives every time we visit Tokyo. I am still using my Western style carbon steel knife purchased 18 years ago. Requires sharpening once a year.

I have a 7 or so piece set and their scissors. Can’t speak highly enough about them. It’s everything I want in a kitchen knife. Weight / shape / balance / sharpness. Made in USA. They check all the boxes for me.

Mine are a decade old. They could use a sharpen at this point but I can still slice tomatoes with ease. I’m very happy with the purchase 10 years in and confident they’ll never need to be replaced. I plan on sending them back to lamson soon for a free professional sharpening.

Instead of brand you should know what to look for

You want the tang or the metal part to either be part of the handle or forged into it like a global. You want a couple of rivets minimum if it's not forged handle/blade.

Next you need to know what you plan on cutting with it whether it includes bones or other dense materials or just soft vegetables, meats and fish.

Japanese knives have a slighter angle and less material over all (for the standard chef's knife) (there are cleavers as well that can be used for everything). That and the bevel for Japanese is usually about 18°

European knives are different, they're heavier, have a larger bevel and can handle heftier cuts without sharpening. They however won't glide through vegetables as well or be as precise.

Every brand will have its entry level cheaper versions and ones that are designer and others that are great for both the professional and the home cook.

Notable brands are:

European:

• Victoriaknox
• Wustoff
• Henkel

Japanese

• Mac
• Kikuichis
• Global
• Kershaw-shun

Agree. I have the santoku version of this. It is a great knife. Reasonably priced. Durable. Holds an edge well. I've got a bunch of German knives that were more expensive, but certainly not any more effective for their purpose.

The reality is that any good knife maker will make a BIFL knife, assuming whoever sharpens it knows what they’re doing.

I’d recommend that you check out the Tojiro DP gyuto. It’s a full 8” and can handle the majority of kitchen tasks, although I wouldn’t want to use it to dice garlic, for example.

It’s a solid, well-build knife in the gyuto style (so it’s a western chef knife style). It is stainless steel so maintenance is much easier. The blade is thin so it will cut very well. It’s also relatively hard so it will maintain its sharpness for awhile.

If you compare that to German chef knives, they are typically thicker and softer but not always.

I would strongly recommend you not go to r/chefknives because you’ll spend way too much. But stainless steel, western blade profile/handle, and a thin edge geometry make it one of the best knives you can get for $100

It’s been pretty solid. I was looking for a knife that a) wasn’t dangerously sharp and that i’d feel comfortable having others use, b) performs well and c) wouldn’t be a major loss if my partner accidentally put in the dishwasher

I use a Chefpro. It does a great job. Also recommended by America's Test Kitchen.

It's simply not worth your time to sharpen a $30 knife with manual stones.

I used one

You absolutely need and must look for precision guides with your roll sharp otherwise if the knife goes off kilter you can remove too much from one side (much the same as wheeled grinders)

YES! I did the same several years ago. It is my Go-To knife and has never failed me. A few strokes on a Steel, and it is good as new.

Yep these are the cheapest and best starter knives that take an absolute beating and come back for more

Granted I prefer my kikuichis and shuns over em but these are absolutely the best you can get for about $30

I love my Zwilling Henkel Santoku knife, it came as part of a knife block set, but I find I use the Santoku most regularly. It's 7-8"?

Global's are great but the handle is extremely divisive you'll either love it or haaaate it.

Make sure you test one out prior to purchase

Finally seeing this comment. The cleaver is a favorite of mine too.

Meaty meat? Get yourself a nice Santoku knife. We use a Shun Classic and it’s amazing and they RE sharpen for free. We use ours all the time and after a year of routine use (4-5 times a week) it’s still razor sharp.

My global knife is the tits. One of the better investments I've made in the kitchen and in my life. So easy to use

You beat me to it! I got mine 2nd handed in 2015. Works great. Literally my favorite thing in the kitchen to this date

I canceled my Weber for a Napoleon. I hope it lasts forever.

We bought one a few years ago; it stays sharper than our Global, and is much heftier. Our Global is very lightweight, not sure if that's true of all of them.