Everybody needs, (and deserves), a great chef’s knife. There’s no faster and safer way to deal with your produce. Treat your knife with care by not asking it to hack through the impossible, such as bones and solidly frozen foods. Keep it clean by immediately washing and drying it after each task. Keep it sharpened as needed and hone the blade to keep the edge balanced. Oh, and don’t just throw it in a drawer or in the dishwasher where it will get beat up!

A good knife is not cheap, and a cheap knife usually isn’t good, so take care of your investment. This one was a birthday gift, so I don’t know the exact cost, but I do know it was $100 plus from Kan’s Kitchen. Expect to spend a little cash for the best.