Balance
The balance of a quality kitchen knife is determined by the weight of its blade in relation to the weight of its handle. Both should be equal. In addition to that not only should it be balanced in weight but it should have a balanced appearance, i.e. all parts of the best kitchen knife should match in style, materials and finish.
Comfort
The best kitchen knife should at the very least be comfortable in your hand so that it requires less effort and physical strength for you to cut more efficiently.
Safety
Look for handles that are made of materials that provide a secure grip when performing the greasiest cutting tasks. The heel of the blade should be blunt in case you prefer to grip further up the handle toward the blade.
Construction
All parts of quality kitchen knives are assembled without any unnecessary gaps and allowances which keeps food out. Everything should be fused and solid as this not only ensures reliability, durability, but also contributes to the overall appearance.
Quality and corrosion resistance
The best kitchen knives are made of corrosion-resistant materials, such as carbon stainless-steel, which significantly prolongs the durability of a knife’s blade. Blades that are forged are considered to the best, however, stamped (cut out of a sheet of metal) blades can take an edge when sharpened and they are more reasonably priced.
Sharpness
The ability of a blade to retain its sharpness for longer periods of time is called “edge retention” and is in my opinion the most important element of any quality kitchen knife. Show me a knife that keeps it’s edge and I’ll show you one that requires the least amount of maintenance.
Design
Generally speaking any quality kitchen knife has all of the above features which determines its design, i.e. design follows function.
In conclusion
If you look for all of the aforementioned features in a kitchen knife most likely you will have one or more that will last a lifetime. There are several great brands to choose from such as Henkels, Wurstof, and Global all of which produce excellent performing knives in three price ranges.
I suggest the mid-price range, that is unless aesthetics are at the top of your priority list. in which case you’ll want to go with the high priced line. Keep in mind that higher priced kitchen knives are not necessarily better performers but they are typically more attractive.
The bottom line is that the most important consideration when buying any kitchen knife is how it feels and fits in your hand, i.e., natural, awkward, heavy, or perfectly weighted for your hand size and strength.
