Another vote here for Cutco.

I use this knife constantly:

http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=1721#.U9gpiYBdXmU

10" wide whustof. Or just their regular sized chefs knife. If I could only have one, that would be it.

But I'd like to have 2, and add a paring knife to that. I could easily live with just those 2. (And a bread knife if I could have a 3rd. I really like my knives... )

you should go with two knives. One Santoku and one paring knife. Nothing else needed, except maybe if you have a dinner party and want to set the table with steak knives.

I don't understand how anyone who is halfway competent in the kitchen could get away with just one knife.

Slicing bread, cutting chicken breasts, destemming strawberries... you do this all with the same kind/size of knife? What if you need to cut raw meat and veggies at the same time? I understand the desire to have less (and I certainly am very minimal with my kitchen tools) but having a decent set of knives is one of life's simple pleasures.

Go to a store with a good selection of knives and hold a number of chefs knives. You will quickly figure out which size and brand you like best. Learn how to care for it and sharpen it. I personally like Global knives, but you need to figure out what is best for your hands. I have a 5" chefs knife, a veggie knife, a couple of paring knives, a bread knife, and a set of steak knives.

I bought a set of steak knives when I was 24. I live alone and have been just using ONE from the set for the last 15 years. It cuts everything.

Victorinox always gets high marks and is rated as a best buy from America's Test Kitchen. I'd consider getting this set of 4 knives:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-4-Piece-Knife-Fibrox-Handles/dp/B004IEBTZ4/ref=sr_1_8?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1406659739&sr=1-8

Pretty much all you need.

Wusthof classic chef's knife. I was in your shoes years ago and now have a set but still use my original single knife as well.

Anonymous wrote:I love Zwilling JA Henckels. The twin series is very good. If you only want one knife, I'd go for either the 4" paring or the 6" utility. The latter works well for things like melons where you need a larger knife, but (for me and my small hands) it can get a little uncomortable if I'm using it for peeling something smaller.

+1 I have the Santoku (not the longest one) which works okay for most things, and a small paring knife from them. I also have a diamond steel. If I wanted to, I'd add a regular chef's knife (in hindsight I would have started with the chef's and added the Santoku later) and a less expensive bread knife. A tomato knife might also be nice, but my Santoku does great with tomatoes as long as it's sharp.

I love Zwilling JA Henckels. The twin series is very good. If you only want one knife, I'd go for either the 4" paring or the 6" utility. The latter works well for things like melons where you need a larger knife, but (for me and my small hands) it can get a little uncomortable if I'm using it for peeling something smaller.

Yes to 14:15. I have a set of Henckels knives and the only one I use with any regularity is my chef's knife. Bed, Bath & Beyond has a decent selection and you can use your coupons on some brands. Macy's often has them too and they have sales/coupons.

You might want a couple of steak knives too, if you ever eat steak or pork loin.

I would choose a really good five- or seven-inch chef's knife. Then get a cheap Kuhn paring knife. That really is all you need.

Please recommend a good knife for general kitchen use. The one I bummed from my parents when I moved into my first place isn't going to cut it any more, no pun intended.

Thanks!