8-inch chef's knife

What it is and why it matters

A chef's knife is the all-purpose kitchen knife with a broad blade. It chops vegetables, slices meat, minces herbs and crushes garlic. One sharp chef's knife handles most cutting jobs, and a sharp blade is safer than a dull one because it doesn't slip.

Used in 225 Simmerbee recipes: needed in 221, nice to have in 4.

In our guides: #2 in Starter kitchen: the 15 things you'll use most, #9 in What you need to start baking, #2 in Small-kitchen essentials