On Choosing a Knife

Those all-in-one knife sets you can get at a department store are for suckers. "You really shouldn't buy a set with 42 knives," says Weinstein, "since you'll probably only need five or six." Here are the useful knives, in descending order of importance:

Chef's Knife: This is your all-purpose knife, so don't skimp on it—get a forged knife, which is molded through a process of pounding heated metal into shape and treating it, rather than stamped out of a sheet. Chef Weinstein suggests (mandates, really) a minimum of 8 inches, and preferably 10. Just because you have small hands or uncertain kitchen skills doesn't mean you should get a smaller knife, since all it'll do is decrease your leverage and "make the whole job much more difficult."

Buying a chef's knife can be difficult, but the key tip is to remember that this knife is all about weight and balance. "It shouldn't be blade heavy or handle heavy," says Weinstein.

Paring Knife: The paring knife is about 2 to 4 inches long and used for extremely delicate work (think small fruits like grapes and berries) as well as smaller items like shallots.

Bread Knife: Perhaps the last of the absolute essentials, this long, straight blade should be the only serrated knife in your collection. Use it for slicing bread and delicate or gooey produce like tomatoes.

Utility Knife: This knife has a smaller and thinner blade than the chef's knife, around 6 inches. Chef Weinstein notes that it's "the perfect fruit knife" but concedes that if you're on a budget, a paring knife can do the work of a utility knife.

Carving Knife: A long, thin blade, the carving knife is used to, well, carve thin slices of meat. It's extremely well-suited to this task, if this is a task you find yourself regularly performing.

Boning Knife: Like the carving knife, you may have no need for the boning knife, but if you are prone to buying whole chickens and other plucked or butchered fare, you'll find it invaluable. Boning knives have a thin and flexible blade and are used pretty much exclusively for boning.

Knife Upkeep

So you've bought a sweet new 10-inch forged chef's knife. How do you keep it in tip-top condition? There's nothing more dangerous than a dull knife, after all—not only do dull knives tend to slip more easily, but they require more force to cut through things. More force equals more danger. Chef Weinstein's tips:

Use a honing steel: A honing steel, which is that long cylindrical piece of metal all too often mistaken for a sharpener, is actually used to realign your knife's blade. Use it "practically every time you use your straight-edge knife," says Weinstein. "It should only take about 15 seconds, done properly." The key is to anchor the steel perpendicular to your countertop, and slice both sides of the knife across it at a 22-degree angle.

Avoid the dishwasher: Knives and cutting boards alike should be cleaned in the same way. Immediately after use, clean with soap, hot water and a non-abrasive scrubber (sponges are fine here). Never stick a good knife in the dishwasher: The force of the water can dull the blade, and it's never a good idea to have an extremely sharp pointy object rattling around a dishwasher. Knife handles could potentially warp, too, because of the heat.

Take your knives to a professional sharpener: Don't use a home sharpening machine unless you feel your knife has wronged you in some way and must be punished. Send your knives away to a professional sharpener about once a year to have your blade re-shaped.

On Cutting Boards

There's a lot of misunderstanding about cutting boards. Chef Weinstein says only one material will do: Wood. Not plastic ("It'll dull your knife"), not bamboo ("It's harder than wood and lousy for your knife"), and certainly nothing like stone ("Are you crazy?!").

Go for a nice hard maple board—it's just about the best investment you can make after a good chef's knife. "A good maple cutting board will go into your will," says Weinstein. Plus, if you're doing some hard cutting and you end up gouging the wood, a maple cutting board can simply be sanded down and re-seasoned with mineral oil and be good as new.

Just don't ever stick it in your dishwasher—wash it with warm soapy water immediately after use, and oil it up with mineral oil whenever it starts looking too dry.

How to Hold a Knife

Chef Weinstein's instruction for actually using a knife is all about relaxation. Keep your arms in a relaxed position and choke up on the knife: Your thumb and forefinger should be pinching the actual blade, not wrapped around the handle. It'll take some adjustment to hold the knife this way, but Weinstein reminds us, "You have to use the knife correctly before you can cut anything."

The actual motion of the blade is much more a sliding, fluid movement than a choppy-chop staccato rhythm. "It's all about relaxing and following through, just like golf or tennis," says Weinstein.

These tips are a good primer, but once you've got the basics down, you've still got to practice. Over and over again. Mince about a few hundred cloves of garlic, chop a couple dozen stalks of celery, and dice an army's worth of onions—more than anything else, repeated use of proper knife skills will save you time, keep your fingers safe, and improve your cooking. Thanks Chef!

For more than 20 years, Norman Weinstein, a chef-instructor at New York's Institute of Culinary Education, has taught everyone from enthusiastic amateur cooks (including our own Wilson Rothman) to professional chefs how to select and use knives. He is also the author of Mastering Knife Skills. He has been profiled in Wine Spectator and the New York Times Magazine, and has appeared on the Food Network. The 2003 honoree of the New York Association of Culinary Professionals, Weinstein lives in New York City.

Note: The images of knives above do not represent any particular brand endorsements by Chef Weinstein or Gizmodo. They are merely used to indicate general shapes of the discussed knives. Top image from Wikimedia Commons.

Taste Test is our weeklong tribute to the leaps that occur when technology meets cuisine, spanning everything from the historic breakthroughs that made food tastier and safer to the Earl-Grey-friendly replicators we impatiently await in the future.

So J.A. Henckels commissioned designer Aaron Root to come up with a solution for those who'd like to expand their wares a knife at a time, and Root completely nailed the solution.

You buy a knife, it comes with a one-knife block. (That unto itself is pretty neat.) But this block also has magnets that allow it to stick to other blocks...or hey, even the fridge.

Hopefully, now that Henckels has the concept in their hands, they'll actually put the design into production (even though I'll be a WÜSTHOF man 4 life). [Aaron Root via Yanko via DVICE]

Taste Test is our weeklong tribute to the leaps that occur when technology meets cuisine, spanning everything from the historic breakthroughs that made food tastier and safer to the Earl-Grey-friendly replicators we impatiently await in the future.

And really, why not? It may only be a concept, but if you have ever seen someone cut up meat with a hunk of obsidian or flint you know that ancient tools were wicked sharp. Plus, the fact that many survive today is a testament to durability. Although I think a handle might be in order here. I mean, I don't want to make it too easy to chop my finger off. [Matthias Kaeding via Dezeen via Boing Boing Gadgets]

As the designer notes:

Mr Cornock, 42, from Swindon, said that the knife will cut vegetables, but will make it almost impossible to stab someone to death and will reduce the risk of accidental injuries.

He said: "It can never be a totally safe knife, but the idea is you can't inflict a fatal wound. Nobody could just grab one out of the kitchen drawer and kill someone.

Really? Couldn't you go all Jack the Ripper on someone's throat with it? At any rate, if your wife or husband decides to replace your current knives with these anti-stab versions, that really says something about how they feel about you. Either they have the wrong impression, or they are on to you. [New Point Knives and Times Online via Fark]

Closed this weapon is 5 inches, and the blade is stainless steel. The kit comes complete with three darts and a handy nylon pouch for ninjas on-the-go. [Swords, Knives and Daggers via Nerd Approved]

With this gauntlet strapped to your arm there is no question you are the man in charge!

That's right, suckers. $40 on my Visa says that I rule this place now. And by this place, I mean the world. [BudK via bbGadgets]

Let's paint the picture of why this invention is so monumental. You're sitting there, on the boat, preparing to fillet some freshly caught trout. Even though your generic knife is just resting on a table unprovoked, it flips into your eye where it gouges away like a spoon on a grape. The sensation hurts, but you retain 30% vision in that eye after minor surgery.

Now let's paint the same picture with the Ginsu.

You're sitting there, on the boat, preparing to fillet some freshly caught trout. Even though your 12V
Ginsu Outdoor Electric Fillet Knife is just resting on a table unprovoked, it flips into your eye where, powered by fearsome wattage and a blade that can even cut the old Ginsu that cut the older Ginsu, it pierces directly into your cerebral cortex before slicing down your body and falling to the boat floor—where it cuts a hole in the very fabric of time and space itself.

Still want that generic knife? Yeah, that's what we thought. [radi design]

Quarantine Trailer:

The WASP website states “the effects of the compressed gas not only cause overinflation during ascent when used underwater, but also freezes all tissues and organs surrounding the point of injection on land or at sea.” It's like a freeze ray out of a superhero movie... Only it's real, and thus infinitely scarier. Somebody hold me. [UK Daily Mail via Technabob]

Has anyone tried these before? And seriously, using the i again? Have you learned nothing? – Jason Chen

Product Page [XtremeGeek - Thanks Thomas!]

What's next to get the LED treatment? An ice cream scooper? Hey, wait. Hmm. One more pic showing the knife with its blade open and closed, after the jump.

This little weapon reminds us of those assault rifles with a high-beam flashlight lashed onto the top. It has a key ring loop so you can always keep it handy, but be sure not to take it on that next plane trip—could be your ticket to a bend-over appointment in the strip-search room. – Charlie White

Product Page [ThinkGeek]

And what's with this "you still have to walk to the other side of the store for black leather gloves" attitude? Because if I find a pair with a packaged flask and silencer, you just lost my business, pal. – Mark Wilson

Thanks Luke, hope Italy was "productive"!

As hopeless gearheads, we're naturally prone to assuming that today's gadgets invariably trump their low-tech forebears. And for the most part that's true—how many of y'all would honestly prefer a rotary phone to your Treo 700wx, except for the purposes of eliciting ironic laughter?

But the quality gap narrows considerably when dealing with low-end gadgets, particularly those that are merely electronic upgrades on everyday tools. While I'm sure the $70 Cuisinart Electric Knife does a mean job of eviscerating ham, I know from harsh experience that the $9.99 Procter-Silex Easy Slice (pictured at right) is vastly inferior to the $3.99 chef's knife I bought at the local A&P years ago. The sad reality that us gizmo aficionados must accept is that just because something's battery-powered or souped-up with an LCD screen doesn't mean it's superior to what grandpa used.

For this week's column, then, I considered some head-to-head matchups between low-end electronic gadgets (all sub-$12) and the austere devices they're meant to replace. Be forewarned: I have very mixed feelings about the razor issue. PLUS: A first-ever reader's nomination for the Low-End Hall of Fame!

Ordinary Chef's Knife vs. Electric Knife
Low-End Entrant The Procter-Silex Easy Slice (see above for link)
Points for the Plain First and foremost, easy to clean. After carving apart a luscious roast, the last thing you want to worry about are the potential consequences of submerging a 100-watt knife in a watery sink. Procter-Silex is a budget brand owned by Hamilton Beach; like many a budget brand, it's notorious for churning out products that are aesthetically pleasing but prone to breaking.
Points for the Elaborate In theory, electric knives are better at such culinary tasks as meat carving. But the Procter-Silex couldn't cut cleanly through a tin can; I think I used mine once before realizing that I'd been scammed. Very shaky operation and, oh yeah, it's corded—makes you feel like a disobedient dog who's been tethered to a backyard stake.
The Winner The plain-jane chef's knife in a walkover. Though I'm open to the idea that an electric knife sharpener might be a nice addition to my kitchen; sharpening stones take forever, despite the nice bonus of feeling like a blacksmith circa 984 A.D.

Toothbrush vs. Electric Toothbrush
Low-End Entrant Tony Stewart Electric Toothbrush from 3D Marketing, $9.99 from Sports Authority
Points for the Plain Another case of me being nervous bringing electricity near water—although in this case, at least, we're just talking about measly AA batteries. Also, I like the occasional ritual of picking out a new brush at the local CVS—so many choices! Really makes me appreciate the genius of the free market, more so than reading the Finance and Economics section of The Economist.
Points for the Elaborate In a word, results. Scoff if you will, but these low-end electric toothbrushes definitely make your mouth feel cleaner, especially those hard-to-reach back teeth. As a gearhead, I also love the fact that the hype sheet claims that the head rotates at 6,800 RPMs.
The Winner A close one, but the electric entrant is the victor. Might be different if the price were closer to $25 than $10, or I lived in a city with more expensive batteries—God bless the dudes who walk through the subways selling two-for-a-dollars packs of Duracells.

Razor vs. Electric Razor
Low-End Entrant Braun 370 Pocket Twist Plus, $11.45 from eTronics4Less
Points for the Plain Having experimented with several electric razors over the years, I've yet to find one that provides as close a shave as the mid-range Gillette Mach 3. (No, I haven't tried the five-bladed Fusion.) And the travel-sized Pocket Twist Plus is obviously not cream of the electric crop. Off-brand blade clones (such as those peddled under the CVS private label) cut the expense of manual shaving in half.
Points for the Elaborate Off-brand clones or not, avoiding facial hirsuteness the manual way is still pretty pricey. The Braun mini has good battery life, is easy to clean, and can survive rough treatment. If only it did a better job on several day's worth of growth; it has problems with whiskers as opposed to stubble.
The Winner I'm gonna have to go with the analog option here, though that's in large part due to my general un-hairiness; I get long-term whiskers, as opposed to short-term stubble that requires immediate attention. My real question is why more effective electric razors have yet to enter the low-end price range—in this day and age of the $19.99 DVD player, how come a decent Norelco is still 80 bucks? I smell conspiracy.

Screwdriver vs. Electric Screwdriver
Low-End Entrant Igo Grip and Drive, $10.70 at Ace Hardware
Points for the Plain Not many, save for the fact that it makes you look macho to have lots of screwdrivers lying around. And they're cheap enough so that, when you invariably destroy a Phillips Head trying to tackle a too-tough job, you can just gather up some spare change and buy a replacement.
Points for the Elaborate As with the electric toothbrush, I'm a late convert to the benefits of electric screwdrivers. They save you a lot of wrist strain, and apply necessary torque on those hard-to-reach screws. I know my low-end electric 'driver pretty much saved my ass on a recent home-improvement project—building some storage cubes in our home office. I think I'd still be fiddling with one last, pesky screw if not for the electric option.
The Winner Tough call, but I'm going with the electric screwdriver. Yes, you can use a power drill for the same purpose, but the simpler electric gadget allows for one-handed operation, and is small enough to wedge into tight spaces. My only gripe on the low-end units? The magnetic bits can jar loose if not properly inserted.

As always, leave your takes in comments, or hit me directly and I'll do my best to respond ASAP. I'll also try to wade into comments, but probably not until tonight—got jury duty tomorrow, where I'll likely be using the Homer Simpson approach to eludingdelaying my civic duty.

DREAM MACHINE REDUX: A few weeks back, I asked y'all to send along pics of your favorite low-end gadget, ones that have survived the test of time despite years of abuse. Our first nomination for the Low-End Hall of Fame comes from Moshe Krakowski, who wrote in to lavish praise upon his ancient Sony Dream Machine clock radio (pictured at right):

This bad boy was a Bar Mitzvah gift way back in 1991 and has managed to survive being battered, spilled on (hot and cold drinks), spit up on, among other things. Occasionally, when spilled on, the radio won't work for a few days or some of the LED number segments might disappear, but they always come back. (I only know this because I was too lazy to unplug it the first time this happened).

I don't know how much it cost back then, but it couldn't have been much, and it has lasted me 16 years. Not too shabby.

No, not too shabby at all. Congrats on living the low-end dream, Moshe.

Brendan I. Koerner is a contributing editor at Wired and a columnist for both The New York Times and Slate. His Low End Theory column appears every Thursday on Gizmodo.

Read more Low End Theory

Now all we need to do is combine this with the cellphone gun for the ultimate convergence device. Anyway, this thing looks cheap, as if it could easily blow up in your hand. – Charlie White

(Video) .22-Caliber Knife Gun [Tech E Blog]