Every artisan and serious craftsperson needs an indispensable set of proven tools, and the same goes for chefs. While the prevailing assumption is that one multi-purpose knife may be adequate for cooking as a means of survival — and only the Michelin-starred professional requires a varied set for different purposes, any competent cook can testify to the fact that using specific knives for their designed purposes makes them last longer, makes the entire process of ingredient preparation discernibly easier, and raises the quality of a meal in subtle ways. If you tire of attempting to finely chop garnishes with a meat cleaver, this list of the top five knife sets available in Malaysia will help you to complete your kitchen toolkit.
Image Credit: BigSpoon
Malaysia’s online retailer of kitchenware provides a basic starter kit for the aspiring chef with a 7-piece set that includes all the stainless steel tools necessary to produce a decent meal: a dependable meat cleaver, a slightly tapered boning cleaver, a versatile chef’s knife, and a smaller knife for chopping fruit, in addition to a pair of shears, a sharpening rod, and a knife block to hold them all. The knives are of monoblock construction — meaning that the blades and handles are a single piece and the blades won’t eventually become dislodged from the handles. The knife block is of a tilted design to allow water to drip off the knives, and it is mounted on a non-slip mat made from EVA rubber for safety.
Ikea Förslag 3-piece Knife Set
Image Credit: Ikea
Even after all we’ve said about professional chefs needing complete knife sets, some die-hard cooks will stand by the use of a single multi-purpose chef’s knife to prepare entire meals. Ikea’s Förslag knife set is for such chefs. This set includes three different sizes of the versatile chef’s knife, each featuring slightly tapered edges that bridge the divide between the French and German styles of chef’s knives to enable rapid chopping or effortless rocking on a cutting board. These knives are made with tapered tangs to reduce their weight, and the handles are wrapped in plastic and synthetic rubber to prevent slipping.
Primada Cuoco 6-piece Knife Set
Image Credit: Primada
This knife set includes a stylish standing block that holds a floating cascade of five special-purpose knives made from medical-grade (420) stainless steel. The knives range in size from a 3.5-inch paring knife to a 6-inch cleaver, and each knife is of monoblock design – with ergonomic non-slip grooves on the underside making repetitive motions safer and easier. Cuoco blades are designed by an affable Italian designer of kitchenware mononymously known as Mario, and made available in Malaysia by the Nakada Group via the Primada online retail platform.
Samaria Cutlery Profine 6-piece Knife Set
Image Credit: Samaria
For those seeking a simple set to start with – but one with knives made from medical-grade stainless steel rather than the conventional standard of food-grade stainless steel, Samaria Cutlery provides the basic tools in the Profine 6-piece knife set. The set includes a simplistic stand made from clear acrylic, which holds the sharpening rod, shears, 6-inch cleaver, and two sizes of the versatile chef knife upright.
Image Credit: Villeroy & Boch
With centuries of history to its name, the Villeroy & Boch name is one that appears on ceramics in such high-profile locations as Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater, New York’s Holland Tunnel, the Orient Express, and even the Catholic Pope’s dining table in the Vatican. If you’re looking for the highest peak of luxury to be present in your knife drawer and on your countertops, then Villeroy & Boch’s Vivo line of knives is the brand to look for. Their collection features every conceivable design of culinary knife manufactured in either monoblock and full tang varieties for durability or comfort.
* Brands are listed alphabetically
