All About Kitchen Knives

While all you really need is one good chef's knife, the modern version—combining Japanese, German, and American design—comes in a dizzying array of options. Here are three rules for chop shopping. While professional chefs wield 12-inch blades with abandon, home cooks should get a knife with a blade around 8 inches in length. If you slice and dice only when you need to, a light knife can be just right.