Knife guide – choose the right knife for your kitchen tasks

Whether you’re a home cook or a professional chef, your knives are possibly the most used (and important!) tools in your kitchen. In this guide we’ll cover the many different types of knives available and what they are used for, so you can find the knives that fit your needs.

Five VARDAGEN knives with wooden handles, in various sizes, are displayed on a black magnetic rail mounted on a wall.

Knife set

A knife set brings together the essential knives you need for everyday cooking in one convenient collection. With the right combination of blades, you can handle a variety of tasks—from cutting vegetables to slicing bread and preparing meat. Having a set helps keep your tools organized and ensures you always have the right knife within reach.

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A stainless steel IKEA 365+ 5-piece knife set

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Chef's knife

The cook’s knife is the star of the kitchen tools. Designed to be multi-purpose, the cook’s knife is sturdy enough to handle meat and large root vegetables, but delicate enough to slice fruit and mince fine herbs.

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A person wearing a white long sleeve shirt is slicing a yellow capsicum on a chopping board using an IKEA 365+ cook’s knife.

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Utility knife

The utility knife is slightly smaller than the cook’s knife but is just as versatile. It’s a handy companion for virtually all food preparation needs, like slicing fruit, vegetables, cheeses, etc.

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Hands chopping carrots on a wooden chopping board using a utility knife with a black handle.

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Bread knife

The bread knife is designed to cut all sorts of bread, as well as soft vegetables, with ease. The serrated edge means you can saw as cleanly through tomatoes as you could through hard crusts.

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A bread knife on a wooden chopping board next to a loaf of bread where some slices have been cut and a tea towel.

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Paring knife

The paring knife is more agile compared to large knives when it comes to more detailed work, like cleaning and peeling fruit and vegetables. This small, light knife works almost like an extension of your hand when you use it.

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Hands are pealing a red apple with a paring knife in stainless steel.

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Vegetable knife

The vegetable knife is particularly useful for shredding, mincing and cutting all sorts of vegetables into strips. The broad blade makes the knife extra stable to use. The blade has a special design with indentations that lets air into the cutting surface so the food you slice does not stick to the blade.

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A vegetable knife in stainless steel on a wooden chopping board next to tomatoes on top of a tea towel.

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