CUTS LIKE A KNIFE

As you can tell from my registry post, I am taking this registering thing pretty seriously. Especially the kitchen items. I want the things I choose to work well, and stand the test of time, and be something I'd be willing to buy for myself, if I don't receive it as a gift. I LOVE cooking and cook quite a bit, so my kitchen items are important to me.

Because of this I have put extensive research into the items I have registered for in the kitchen, and have decided to share the fruits of my labor.

My first quest was for knives.

Askmen.com had this to say about what to look for in a good kitchen knife.

good knife should feel solid and durable in your hand. It should feel heavy and stable. Most chefs try to balance the flat part of the blade above the handle on the side of their index finger to determine if the knife has equilibrium.

The best knives have blades that are one solid piece of metal and run from the tip to the butt end of the handle (the tang is the part of the blade inside the handle). To ensure that your knife has proper symmetry, look for one that has more than a ¾ tang.

bestkitchenknives.com gives these 7 things to look for in knives

1. Sharp and finely ground surface
2. Cutting edge retention – This are the things is you can only find out after you buy the knives 3 months later, duh! This is where a little bit of online research help.
3. Craftsmanship – A good craftsmanship mean here is the parts of the knives must be joining perfectly together. This is particular important for hygienic reason and handle!
4. Comfortable and safety – A handle that are design to be providing secure grips and comfortable will always make a big different here.
5. Balance – When you start cutting, balance is playing an important key on how easily for you to use the knives. Best kitchen knives always have top notch balanced.
6. Corrosion resistance – this is part of edge retention factor and proper chemical composition technology of the steel is a major big PLUS. Unfortunately, mom like us have no way to tell what the best composition technology:P Well, this is where we just have to listen to the expert or manufacturer report.
7. Easy wash – well, not many people use dishwasher to clean their knives, at least not from me. But I think quality knives should never be put in a dishwasher even though the manufacturer said it’s okay to do that. Anyway, dishwasher or how easy to wash might be another hidden factor that we can easily miss.

The major brands for quality knives that I came across in my research were Wustohf, Henkels, Global, Shun, and Cutco.

After reading some reviews and talking to some sales people at Bloomingdale's and william's sonoma, I decided it was either going to be Shun, or Wustohf. Ultimately I decided on Shun because I like the way they feel in my hand better. I think the handles are a little easier for my small hands to hold. I also like that they will sharpen them for you at any time. ( NOTE IF YOU CHOOSE SHUN: Shun IS specific to hand dominance, so make sure to mention if you are left handed!)

Since at the moment I don't' own very nice knives I decided to register for a set. But if you already own some knives and are looking for a certain type of knife
kitchenEmporium.com has this comprehensive list of knife types to tell you which type of blade will be the best for what type of job.

Are there any particular items on your registry that are particularly important to you ? Linens, kitchen items, fluffy towels, coffee maker ?