What is the best kitchen knife set to get?

not a lot of difference between the better known brands. In fact, you can get functional knives at TJ Maxx for just a few bucks.

Look at the Ken Onion knives. This is the one I have:
http://tinyurl.com/8yr3my4

Budget for "best" ?... I'd be happy to offer some specific recommendations.

IMHO, your money is better spent on getting 2-3 quality, well designed knives (that will do 90% of your prep work), a decent set of Japanese water stones, and learning how to sharpen and properly care for those few knives rather than buying a "full set" or trying to fill up open slots in a kitchen knife block...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread...29/blade_set_for_the_kitchen#Post6146329

My suggestion

http://www.global-knife.com/

If you're looking for high performance knives at a reasonable price, I would suggest that you take a look at these:

[size:14pt]Tojiro DP[/size][/u][/color]

A good starter set, from the Tojiro DP line:

Chef (8 1/4" / 210 mm)
Paring (3 1/2" / 90 mm)
Utility (6" / 150 mm) Available [u][color:#990000]HERE.


Optional (but very useful) additions:

Nakiri (6 1/2" / 165 mm) vegetable knife (A big favorite, here!)
Honesuki (6" / 150 mm) boning knife (available HERE )


.... and lastly, a bread knife.

I would not spend a lot of money on a bread knife, myself. It's just a saw, after all. I'm very content with my 10 1/4-inch Forschner. Here it is: LINK

I'm super happy with my forschner vitorinox knives, cheap on amazon or at the local resturant suppply place. Chef's knife, boning knife, a straight and serrated parer, a serrated bread knife and the "Santoku" knife of course. Use the santoku knife more than any of the others. Bought individually.

I'd avoid the stamped knives typically found in big box stores or any set for that matter. Shun's are fine if you have an affinity for Suminagashi clad blades but the geometry and handles are miserable for a working knife. If you scratch that faux Damascus it's permanent. Globals are a RPITA to sharpen properly but they were the first widely available J-knives in the US. I sold mine off several years ago and never looked back. They served me well but for the money there are a LOT of better choices today.
There is no one "best" brand but the suggestion for Tojiro DP was very solid. They are great working knives at a reasonable price point. Watch Korin for 15% off sales that they have twice a year. I've bought from Mark at CKTG as well. He is also a good source for stones.
Budget and sharpening skill should be considered as well as if the OP wants a Western edge or single bevel J-knives. Then there is the question of carbon Vs SS.
Today I prefer WA variants that offer a Western edge and traditional Japanese handles. Masamoto KS series is an excellent choice that offers this styling but they are well into the mid-price range unlike the Tojiros at the lower end of the price spectrum for a quality knife.
I'd highly recommend the JCK (Kagayaki) original series. I have one of the WA Gyutos and aside from the handle, Kanji and mirror finish it stands up very well to the Suisin Honyaki which is several times more expensive. I'll leave a link.
I'd suggest starting with the following;

A 240-270MM Gyuto based on size preference. I use 240 the most at home but in a professional kitchen 270 is the norm.
A petty in the 120mm range.

Those two knives alone will take you a very long ways. You do not need to buy a set or even the same brand. From there I'd expand to a sujihiki or slicer of choice, a chinese cleaver and a bread knife. Mac probably has the best value going in a bread knife.


http://japanesechefsknife.com/KAGAYAKIVG-10.html

I went through this not long ago. I ended up with Wusthoff Classics. They are a bit pricey, but are forged and seem like pretty good knives. They also came highly recommended here at the 'Fire.

Forschner are hard to beat for stamped blades.

I don't really know if I would call either one "best", but I can live happily with either........

Wusthof/Henckels were the backbone of my kit for many years but with so many Japanese knives that are so much thinner and sharper available today it's hard to suggest German steel any longer. However they will take a lickin and keep on tickin where J-knives don't dare go. If your inclined to the German knives avoid the stamped versions from Wusthof/Henkels sold at the big box stores made in Spain or any where other than Germany.
It would be well worth looking to see if any of the Wusthof "Le Cordon Bleu" series are still available. The last I saw they were on close out prices.
The Forschner paring knives and Scimitars are both stellar buys and in that same range the trusty ole Rapala shouldn't be over looked.

Do you go with the ES option? What style handle works best?

I have a set of Henkels that are ground blades, made in Spain. I paid $175 or so for a 7 piece set. Of course a 7 piece counts the sharpening stick and block as pieces, so 5 knives.

I have a 10" Dexter Russell chef's knife at my Mom's house and cook there for her and her 4 sisters every day. I do 99% of my cutting tasks with that knife. They only use little paring knives and I'll grab one from time to time to peel and core an apple or something. A 10" chef's knife will kick butt in most situations. I mentioned in another thread somewhere that I think a 10" chef's knife, a paring knife, and a flexible boning knife will do everything you could possibly want to do.

Dexter Russell Sani Safe knives will do everything you ever wanted a knife to do. If you want better looking, lighter and maybe a little better knives, the Spanish made Henkels are light, thin, and you can get them shaving sharp.

Not sure we're talking about the same Shun, but the geometry and handle on my Ken Onion Shun 8" chef's knife seems typical of higher end Japanese knives: straight, oval-cross section wood (pakka?) handle w/ heavy through-shank. Very natural geometry and EZ to grip and control, though the grip is smooth and straight, and not contoured to the hand, like most European designs.

My wife uses:

Kramer

Wilson

Carter

Krein

Sawtooth

in various styles. The best "sets" were probably from the late George Tichbourne , or Wusthoff Forged Classics reground to flatten the bolsters and distal taper the blades to a base .115 down to nearly a zero grind edge.

Sorry for the very belated response. I've never used the ES service from Koki and unless you are buying a very high end knife or have no sharpening ability I'd never pay some one else to sharpen my knife.
No one handle style is "best" IMO. It's just personal preference. I've become quite fond of octaginal WA handles. The "D" style is my least favorite. Western handles are available in many J-knives so you should have no trouble finding a handle you like in most brands.

Dave

Which handles hold up best in the dishwasher? My wood handled knives are taking a real beating from repeated cycles in the dishwasher.

journeyman you really have great kitchen knives. doubletap it's a good idea to immediately clean & dry by hand all good knives. dishwashers cause items to bang against each other which dulls the edges & ruins quality handle material. cranky72

Doubletap, you'd be in trouble at my house if you put a knife in the dish washer.

Oh man, don't beat up your good knives in a dishwasher.

My main chef's knife, a laminated 8" Ken Onion Shun, has been in daily use for (IIRC) 3 years without ever touching up the cutting edge. The edge holding ability has me spellbound and I am helpless to resist the urge to see how long it will hold a keen edge. Except for the patina of fine scratches in the blade's soft outer layers, it still looks new. Well, there are a few nicks and rubs.

Here's why:

*It is stored by itself, with no danger of touching anything metal.

*Every time it gets used, it cuts only the food, and always on a plastic board (because that's what I like to use).

* The moment cutting ceases, it is rinsed, dried and put away.

Just say no to knife abuse.

^^^^Word.

This was hard for me to read.

Salvage what you have by getting food grade mineral oil and soak the handles in it over night. Repeat as necessary.

My daughter was selling Cutco for a while, so we bought a set. Surprisingly, I have been extremely impressed with them.

John

Well, quit stabbin' her.

Now THAT's funny.

Do any decent knives have plastic handles that are dishwasher safe?

Dishwashers and decent knives, regardless of handle material do not mix. Why damage the blades?