By Beth Lipton
Which blades make the cut? These simple yet powerful essentials.
Henckel's International classic 8-inch chef's knife
Photo: Victor Prado
A workhorse with a tough high-carbon stainless-steel blade and a comfy handle (the steel extends through it for balance) that chops, dices and minces like a boss. ($55, amazon.com)
Wusthof classic 9-inch double-serrated bread knife
Photo: Victor Prado
The edge cleanly slices through bread or roasted meat, sans crumbs or tearing. ($110, amazon.com)
Victorinox Swiss classic 3¼-inch paring knife
Photo: Victor Prado
The flexible, lightweight yet supersharp blade lets you get in close on delicate jobs like coring tomatoes, hulling strawberries and slicing garlic. ($8, amazon.com)
And to keep 'em sharp, you should also pick up these handy accessories:
Victorinox 10-inch honing steel
Photo: Victor Prado
Run chef's and paring knives a few times along this tool before each use to hone their edges. ($20, amazon.com)
King double-sided stone
Photo: Victor Prado
When honing isn't enough, use this about twice a year. The coarse side sharpens blades; the fine side refines and polishes. ($39, amazon.com)
The 3 Knives Every Home Chef Needs originally appeared on Health.com.
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