Before buying, hold the knife to make sure it isn’t too heavy or big (or too light or small) for your hand. It needs to be evenly balanced and to feel comfortable and easy to grip.

Carving Knife – The thin, light blade is easy to manoeuvre, perfect for carving. Only ever use carving knives horizontally as, after time, the blade will snap if used vertically. Remember, the sharper the knife the cleaner the carve.

Serrated Knife – Use this knife with a sawing motion to cut through foods that are softer inside than out, such as bread and tomatoes.

Mezzaluna - The long, curved blade is designed to be rocked back and forth over the food, while the two handles allow you to exert a downward pressure. Ideal for chopping herbs, as it won’t bruise them.

Filleting Knife – A filleting blade is thin, gently curved and flexible so you can stay in close contact with the contours of the fish or poultry and cut the fillets as thick or as thin as you like.

Vegetable Cleaver – This is a Chinese-style cleaver has a thinner blade than a meat cleaver, making it suitable for chopping hard vegetables or slicing or trimming meats, but not for cutting through bones. Wield it using an axe-like motion.

Small Utility Knife - The smaller blade size suits slicing and trimming smaller vegetables and meats.

Large Utility Knife – The unusual blade tip makes this knife just right for slicing, paring, peeling ( especially large vegetables ) and carving. The blade is constructed using layers of stainless steel, so it’s extremely strong and durable.

Paring Knife – These short-bladed knives are ideal for peeling and slicing small fruit and vegetables as the smaller the blade gives greater accuracy and precision.

Large Chef’s Knife – The wide blade let’s you chop, mince and dice without your knuckles hitting the cutting surface. These knives are also very heavy, which makes them ideal for cutting large, hard vegetables or large amounts of herbs.

Small Chef’s Knife – This is a smaller version of the large cook’s knife, making it ideal for all purpose chopping and dicing. It is the perfect size and shape for those who find big knives too large and heavy.