Kitchen Stuff Thread (Pans, Knives, Women...etc)

[AgOnNy]

A bit of a different thread I know, but I like to spend some time in the kitchen (eating & trying to cook). I've got a few of things that I use to cook/prepare that I swear by (such as my Scanpan frying pan) but when looking for new/easier things I find it so damn hard to find online reviews or get decent recommendations (all crazy house wife that blindly follow a particular brand because it was on MasterChef or MKR!).

I recently picked up a Scanpan frypan (skillet) from Victoria's Basement here in Sydney for almost $100 off, but now focusing my attention on a good knife. I've got a sub standard block of knives right now, but I want a great all purpose kitchen/chef's knife. I want to be able to cut through meat like butter, vegies, anything I desire. I've looked at some of the Japanese & German knives but get a little lost.

Any of you fine gentlemen or significant others able to assist?

[GeneraL CyberFunK]

What's your price range?

[AgOnNy]

I'm willing to go up to $250 or so for something that's going to stay sharp (understand I'll alos need to take care of it). I'll end up hunting around to see if I can get it lower though.

[GreyWizzard]

Don't get your knives from a cookery store go to an actual chef's store. We had one in South Brisbane called Executive Chef. They sell only what actual Chef's use and not the junk or overpriced stuff you will get in a mall store. I remember my first chef's knife, it was awesome. I then accidently left it at TAFE and it was gone by the following morning

[pilonv1]

I'm willing to go up to $250 or so for something that's going to stay sharp (understand I'll alos need to take care of it). I'll end up hunting around to see if I can get it lower though.

I got a nice set of Scanpan knives in a block for $130 at Victorias Basement before Xmas. Would definitely recommend, just make sure you get something with some weight to it, they have some that feel pretty flimsy

[mech]

Global knifes have definitely been my favourite. You can get a nice set with block for $200-300.

I don't rate the Scanpan pans at all either, they scratch so easily. Here I use Calphalon which is awesome, in Australia I used the Jamie Oliver Tefal ones which were surprisingly good.

[mech]

This is what I used for 8 years or so before I moved, great knives.

http://www.petersofkensington.com.au/Pu ... -7pce.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here I use Wusthof which are nice, but imo not quite as good. Heftier though which a lot of people like.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Global knives here. Price as per mech and they're very good. Knives and block look sleek and metallic vs wooden blocks.

Regarding Scanpan, a shame to read they scratch as I dropped cash on a new Scanpan frypan half an hour ago.

[AgOnNy]

I don't rate the Scanpan pans at all either, they scratch so easily. Here I use Calphalon which is awesome, in Australia I used the Jamie Oliver Tefal ones which were surprisingly good.

I've actually gone from a Jamie Oliver Tefal frypan to the Scanpan. I'm pretty carefull either way with how I clean them, but noticed my Jamie Oliver slowly started to warp in the middle and non-stick surface has gone to shit after a couple of years. I also find I'm using less oil with the Scanpan.

This is what I used for 8 years or so before I moved, great knives.

http://www.petersofkensington.com.au/Pu ... -7pce.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here I use Wusthof which are nice, but imo not quite as good. Heftier though which a lot of people like.

I really like the look of these & have been eyeing off some of the range - http://www.globalknives.uk.com/sai-range" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Particularly:

25cm Cook's knife (seen for $175)


19cm Cook's Knife (seen for $159)

Global knives here. Price as per mech and they're very good. Knives and block look sleek and metallic vs wooden blocks.

Regarding Scanpan, a shame to read they scratch as I dropped cash on a new Scanpan frypan half an hour ago.

Still happy with mine!

[Cletus]

Essteele copper based stainless steel pots. They heat things as expected. Silicone handles are nice.

Stanley Rodgers knives. They're ok but I'll change them eventually. They cut things as expected but I think we can do much better.

[Misly]

I was a pig boner for 4 years before uni. You dont need to spend shitloads on knives, you just need to learn and keep practising knife sharpening skills. Get yourself a nice stone and a good steel. Maintaining your knives is kinda shaving-like fun.

[unfnknblvbl]

[obvious joke is obvious]

[unfnknblvbl]

On a serious note, I only have two tips, really:

1) non-stick teflon pans are bullshit unless you seriously don't care about your cooking utensils. A properly seasoned cast iron skillet, frying pan or griddle is vastly superior in the long run. They also make great clubs if you need to pound somebody's skull in. The only real downsides are that they're almost obscenely heavy, and that properly seasoning them can take months or years. All the while, you're cursing the pan for not being a non-stick one.

2) All knives go blunt. Seriously keen edges are more likely to chip and go dull quicker than ones that start off not as sharp. Relatively speaking, of course. Learn how to sharpen your blade properly regardless of the knife you buy. Or, buy a ceramic knife. They hold their edge for far longer than any steel blade (as long as you're careful, of course), but apparently you have to send them back to the factory to be re-sharpened.

[Madmya]

A materials engineer lecturer at UQ was spanking over this knife:

SHUN “Ken Onion”-SPECIFICATIONS: Steel: VG-10 cutting core clad with 32 layers of SUS410 stainless Handle: Ergonomic ambidextrous ebony PakkaWood
FEATURES: Clad Construction VG10 "Super Steel“–super-hard powder metallurgy Kasumi Method

Given he's a materials engineer, I'd say he knows his shit.

[Gamma]

I use Kiwi knives, which can be found at most dodgy asian supermarkets. They're $4 to $9 each and sharp enough to cut through all of the stupid things people cut through on infomercials. They last me about 12 months if I sharpen them regularly, but there's not a whole heap of incentive to do so when they're so cheap to replace. Spending hundreds of dollars on a knife or knife set strikes me as somewhat insane unless there's a benefit beyond "cuts stuff" that I'm blissfully unaware of.