A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen at all. It’s the most important tool for just about any food prep task, be it chopping vegetables, slicing bread, filleting fish, or carving a turkey. However, every kitchen knife is designed for a specific task. At times, it can get confusing to find which knives are essential for your kitchen. Hence, we’ve rounded up the most needed kitchen knives and provided explanations of what they’re used for. You can pick these knives conveniently from JCPenney along with all the other essential kitchen tools and appliances.
Types of Knives
For your shopping convenience, we’ve gathered all the knives you’ll need in your kitchen and provided them as a set. So you can either buy individual knives or a complete set featuring stainless steel or high carbon steel blades (some even include a stand or a cutting board!).
 |  |
Chef’s Knife
A chef’s knife is the most valuable kitchen tool that you can use to chop, slice, dice, and mince all types of vegetables, fruits, fish, and meats. The most sought-after variation of a chef’s knife is its Japanese variation known as a Santoku knife. The Japanese word santoku translates to “three uses” and is therefore used for slicing, dicing, and mincing. The blades of these knives are usually forged or stamped for durability.
Carving Knife
A meat carving knife features a long blade ideal for slicing cooked meats like roasted chicken, smoked ham, or fried turkey. As it’s much thinner than a chef’s knife, a carving knife lets you carve thin and precise slices.
Cheese Knife
As the name suggests, cheese knives are designed to cut through all types of cheeses. They let you cut cheese without any sticky mess and make serving a whole lot easier.
 |
Serrated Knife
Serrated knives, also known as bread knives, let you slice different types of bread with crispy crusts. Most of them have an offset handle to prevent your knuckles from hitting the cutting board.
 |
Paring Knife
A paring knife is extremely versatile and can be used for many food prep tasks, from peeling vegetables and chopping fruits. You can also utilize it to devein shrimps and slice hard cheese.
Cleaver
The wide, long blade of a cleaver makes it one of the largest knives to have in your cutlery kit. Its surprisingly thin and lightweight blade is perfect for crushing garlic, slicing meat, and even chopping vegetables.
 |
Slicing Knife
The long straight blade of a slicing knife helps cut through cooked meats like smoked hams and sirloin steaks with ease. Some even feature Granton edges to ensure the meat doesn’t tear while cutting.
Boning Knife
A boning knife allows you to conveniently separate meat from bones. It helps reduce the amount of wasted meat.
Kitchen Shear
You can use a kitchen shear to pan dress a whole fish, butcher chicken, cut pastry dough, and chop herbs. It’s one of the most utilized tool in any kitchen.
 |
Care and Maintenance
Keep your knives shiny and clean by regularly washing them with warm, soapy water. Dry them thoroughly and place them in a traditional wooden block or acrylic stand for stylish display and storage. You can also invest in an electric or handheld sharpener crafted to hone and sharpen your knife perfectly.
 |  |  |
At JCPenney, find the best kitchen knives, cutting boards, and sharpeners to keep your blades sharp and your fingers safe. Shop for them and share your finds with us by tagging #AllAtJCP. Then follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to see if you are featured.
