The funds and patience to select at least three basic knives: a chef's knife, a slicing knife, and a paring knife.

A sharpening tool of some kind, either a classic sharpening steel, stone, or one of the newer types.

A knife block (optional).

About an hour in a well-stocked store.

2torial #0505: Learn2 Choose a Kitchen Knife Get the point!?! A sharp kitchen knife is a cook's best friend! And with care, a quality knife will last a lifetime. On the other hand, you'll want to throw away a bad one inside of an hour. A good knife will slice cleanly and easily. A bad knife will tear the meat, and make you work twice as hard as you have to. Good knives cost more than bad ones do, and sometimes it's tough to spend that extra money. But if you plan to do a lot of cooking, it's money well spent. Just ask an old chef! Make the commitment. Food processors have become commonplace in kitchens today. "Miracle slicing disks" are advertised every day on T.V., and cheap knives that "never need sharpening" are available at most corner stores now. Does anyone still use good knives? Well, if you don't want to spend your life cleaning various appliances, changing accessories or buying new knives every year, you'll want a decent set of knives at hand. Just keep them out of the reach of small children, O.K.? Step 1