1. Steak knives – everyone needs at least a set of 6 steak knives in their home kitchen.  You never know when you’ll have company over for a big meal, and butter knives just won’t do the job.  Steak knives are essential to a kitchen knift set, and are so versatile that you can use them for almost anything.

2. Paring knives – these are the shorter blade knives, usually about 4″ or so.  These are used for paring potatoes, fruits, other veggies, and for cutting and dicing.

3. Carving knives – while you may not need many of these, you should have at least one.  This way, you always have a large knife ready when you do need to carve something larger, such as a turkey.

4. Filet knives – these are thin blades that vary in length but offer the perfect way to slice thin layers off of anything with precision.  These can be used for fruits, veggies, meats, and more and are extremely versatile.

5. Bread knives – you will always find a use for one of the longer bread knives out there in your kitchen knife sets.  The most popular length is the 8″ bread knife, and you will find that it is way more useful for more than just bread.

6. Chef knives – these are the larger knives that are really a multi-use knife.  They can carve, they can slice, they can cut larger pieces of meats and other foods.  And, they are a must have in anyone’s kitchen knife set.

7. Peeler – now, you can easily find these really cheap at your local discount store, but you need a good quality peeler in your kitchen knife set.  A good quality peeler will stand up over time and to the hardest veggies and fruits.

8. Boning knives – these are basically a steak knife that has a thinner blade.  They are great for deboning fish and for so many other uses when you don’t quite need a heavy steak knife.

9. Melon baller – while maybe not technically a knife, these are a great specialty knife item to have in your arsenal as they are for more than just melons.  You’ll find tons of great recipes that call for meat balls and other items that you can cut your time in half just by using a melon baller.

10. Sharpening steel – you need one of these in your kitchen knife sets so you can easily sharpen any of your knives when they become dull.  Without one of these handy, you might find yourself tearing up that juicy tomato instead of slicing it for your meal.

11. Wood block – these are classic kitchen knife set holders and offer a great way to store your knives safely and still have them in reach when you need them.

Also, you want to make sure that you have a good quality wooden cutting board to use when using any of your knives from your kitchen knives sets.  When you cut foods on your cabinet or plates, you run the risk of damaging your kitchen knives – not to mention, contaminating the food.  By using a good quality wooden cutting board, you won’t have to worry about any damage to your kitchen knives.

The next time that you are out shopping for kitchen knives or for a gift set, make sure that you keep this checklist for the basic kitchen knife set in mind so you are sure to get exactly what is needed – and nothing that isn’t.  Here on www.ebladestore.com you will find a wide variety of beautiful kitchen knives and sets that will help you create the best kitchen knife set for your needs.