Any good commercial or home kitchen needs the right tools for every job. This is never truer than when buying knives, as choosing the right blade for a specific purpose can make individual tasks far easier.

The devil can often be in the detail, and at times like that, a good paring knife can be your best friend in the kitchen.

What is a paring knife?

A good paring knife should be part of every cook's armoury. Also known as peeling knives, paring knives have a blade around 8-10cm long. Short and slim, they'll normally have a pointed tip and a short handle and are generally lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.

What is a paring knife used for in cooking?

As their alternative name suggests, paring knives are often used for peeling fruits and vegetables. However, their size and their manoeuvrability mean they're perfect for a whole host of tasks where you need to be detailed or precise.

They're a vital piece of kit for slicing, chopping and coring fruits and vegetables, as well as for tasks like crushing garlic, removing eyes from potatoes, deseeding vegetables, hulling strawberries and mincing fresh herbs. They're also very versatile when it comes to cooking, preparing and serving meat and fish. Use a paring knife to score or trim fat from meat or to test its tenderness when cooking. You can also use a paring knife for carving carcasses of smaller birds, like quail or guinea fowl, if a carving knife would be too large.

In meat and fish prep, a paring knife can also be invaluable for anything from shucking oysters or deveining prawns to filleting smaller fish. They're a truly versatile tool, but when you're buying paring knives, there are a few decisions you'll need to make.

What to look out for when buying a paring knife

Not all paring knives are created equal, and your buying decision will depend on factors like your budget, your style preferences, comfort and ease of use, and how you plan to use them.

If you're planning on using a paring knife for multiple food types (meat, fish and vegetables, for example) or if you're cooking in a house or professional kitchen where allergies are an issue, you may want to use separate knives for different purposes (as with chopping boards), to avoid cross-contamination. Our colour coded 3" paring knives are perfect for this task.

With blue knives for raw fish, green knives for salad and fruits, yellow knives for cooked meat, and more, it's easy to both avoid cross-contamination between cooked and uncooked food, and give those with allergies peace of mind.

While some people prefer to go for standard smooth blades, others favour a paring knife with a serrated blade for certain tasks. No matter how sharp a knife is, it can sometimes be a challenge to complete tasks like slicing tomatoes or removing pith from citrus fruit without squashing the fruit, but a serrated knife can achieve results with ease. Try a Victorinox paring knife with a serrated edge to get the job done, as with the brand's non-serrated paring knives, they're also available in different colours for different food types.

The handle design of your knife is also important. With the level of precision your kitchen work will most likely need, you'll want to find a paring knife that sits perfectly in your hand without slipping, and which is comfortable for tasks like preparing enough vegetables for a large crowd. Some prefer a handle with a traditional ridged end which helps to avoid slipping, as demonstrated by the I.O. SHEN Pointed Paring Knife. Alternatively, choose a paring knife with a handle that is ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in your hand, like the Wusthof Classic Ikon Paring Knife.

You'll find handles made from different materials, from plastic to rosewood. In terms of the blade, stainless steel is generally the preferred option. Not only is it strong enough to cope with most tasks, but it's also a material that won't rust and should stand the test of time. And remember, you'll want to find a paring knife whose handle and blade are in proportion, a weight that's right for you, and that's well-balanced; all factors that will make cutting, chopping, peeling and slicing less of a chore.

Investing in the right paring knives can make all manner of tasks (from dicing an onion to testing whether the vegetables you're cooking are soft and tender) a whole lot easier. With their great versatility and heavy use, it's well worth investing in one - or more - that will serve you well in the years to come. Shop our range today to find the right kitchen tools for you.

Professional kitchenware experts at your service

Whether you’re in charge of buying supplies for a busy restaurant kitchen or want to cook the way the pros do, we can help. At Cooksmill, we offer an extensive range of chefs knives of all shapes and sizes to suit every application. To track down the perfect equipment for your business or home kitchen, browse our products online or stop by our Manchester superstore in Salford.

We currently offer our customers a free delivery service when orders exceed £50 (Excluding VAT) and thousands of our products also qualify for a fast courier option when purchased online.

Check out our full range of chefs knives today and put your order in now.