Many people probably think that any knife can be used for any task. This is far from true: Every knife has a purpose, and ...

A good chef’s knife is an essential in every kitchen ... since — a handmade blade from a tiny shop in Kyoto, a Zwilling cleaver that was priced right on a day I felt like buying a cleaver ...

My chef’s-knife collection is substantial. I’ve owned some since I moved out of my parents’ house a decade ago, I’ve received others as gifts, and I’ve tested quite a few for this story.

To curate this list, I first took into consideration the backbone of most great groupings: a sharp, durable chef’s knife. With the exception of a couple of speciality packs (like steak knives ...