Kitchen Essentials

[NiX]

In a week I'm moving out into my own place and have decided I'd actually really like to start learning how to cook. I'm 22 and unfit as all hell. The amount of shit I eat is unbearable and starting to take its toll. I'd rather stop it now before it becomes something of a serious health risk to myself. That and good food tastes.. good. I'm looking for all the food aficionados and cooks advice on what tools are necessary to setup the perfect kitchen. I'm mostly looking to start cooking whatever is in The Joy of Cooking and some Vietnamese/Chinese/Japanese food. Hopefully that helps give you a good idea what kind of stuff I might need. I have no idea if the Joy of Cooking actually gives you a list of stuff you might need as I don't have it yet. I'm not looking for the top of the line cookware cause as Voodoolily pointed out when I get married the family will just dump a crap ton of fancy cookware at my feet and that'll be that.

Recipes are good too. I'll try just about anything.

Edit: Maybe a bit late since a lot of you have pointed some suggestions. I'm in Canadia so Bed, Bath and Beyond and Target don't exist up here.

[Arrrgh]

Videos...

http://www.imcooked.com/view_video.php?viewkey=5ff68e3e25b9114205d4

[Abagadro]

Hit a Bed Bath & Beyond or similar as you can find pretty good deals there. Or keep your eyes open on Amazon. Target is also surprisingly good for kitchen stuff.

You can find 8 or 10 piece sets that are pretty decent. I picked up an Emeril set of cookware that is pretty nice if you overlook the goofy labeling of every piece with his damn name. Stainless with copper cores.  For beginner, look for nonstick or anodized as they are easier to maintain and clean.

Anyway for cookware, I would suggest a 12" saute pan with cover, an 8 or 10" frying pan, two suacepans (a combo of 2, 4 or 6 quart) with cover. If you are going to make roasts, a decent roast pan with rack is essential. Also want a couple of decent cookie sheet pans for other baking needs.

You'll want a good knife set. You don't need to go nuts, so a decent Henckles set with a block will work. Get a decent cutting board.
 
Hmm, other stuff: couple of spatulas, slotted spoon, ladle spoon, cheese grater, measureing cups, measuring spoons. Also want a good colander for draining pastas.

I'll add if I think of more, but I would think these are the very minimal basics for cooking.

EDIT: Oh, and a cheapo wok can be very useful.  A rice maker/vegetable steamer is handy as well.

[hal]

A Panasonic rice cooker, the little bitty one. Buy rice in 5 lb plastic bags and never look back. (and this is from a dago). Add anything to it and it will work great. Rice goes with anything and is really cheep. I like slow cookers but that could be an enquired taste. I like things that cook for me while I play games , well badly but play.

[Margalis]

The main essential is a wife, girlfriend, gay buddy, maid or something of that sort.

Seriously though folks - I would probably just get a couple of things to start with and buy things as you need them rather than trying to put together the "perfect kitchen" from the start. If you make a huge production out of it you are likely to lose interest after overwhelming yourself and hyping it up too much.

[Trippy]

If you are just starting out it's better to start simple and expand as you go. Until you actually start cooking you won't know want you really need and if you buy a lot of stuff up front you might find that much of it you'll never use.

But before I talk about equipment I suggest you go out and rent Once Upon a Time in Mexico and watch the "Ten Minute Cooking School" by Robert Rodriguez. What he makes in the video is not as interesting (though it does look tasty) as his cooking philosophy which can be simplified as "you only need learn how to make a few things but keep practicing until you can make them well."

Other people have covered the basic equipment but don't forget the spatula, wooden spoon and can opener.

For a chef's knife you should go to a good store and try out as many as you can. They can differ quite a bit in how they feel in the hand and how they are balanced. Back when I went shopping for a knife in my youth I tried out a bunch of the standard German knifes (i.e. Henckels and Wusthof) before picking one made by Sabatier, a French company, cause that one fits my hand the best. Of course you won't really know what to check for in the "feel" of the knife until you start using it but you can certainly tell if it's uncomfortable in your hand or not.

If you are going for a set you don't need lots of different shapes and sizes. Beyond the Chef's knife the other ones you'll typically need are a bread knife (assuming you like to eat non-precut fresh baked bread), a small serrated blade for cutting tomatoes (and bagels, though you can use the bread knife for that) and some steak knives.  The small serrated blade can be used for peeling fruits and vegetables though you might want to get a dedicated blade for that. If you do end up needing to peel lots of vegetables (maybe you like carrots or something) you'll want a vegetable peeler.

For the pots and pans make sure the fry/saute pan has a lid (saute pans typically do but frying pans typically don't). You'll want a big pot (at least 6 QT) if you plan on cooking pasta which you might have to get it separately since most of the "sets" don't include pots that large.

If you are going to be cooking Asian food you'll probably want to get some specialized equipment eventually. E.g. if you do get a wok you'll want a spatula that has a curved edge on it so it'll fit against the curved side of the wok.

For healthy, easy to make recipes I suggest you look into Italian/Mediterranean olive oil/tomato-based pasta dishes. Pasta, of course, is trivial to make as long as you can boil water and operate a timer or can keep track of time with a clock and the sauce is typically a one sauce pan affair which makes cleanup a lot simpler since you only have to wash one pan and one pot (and you can skip the pasta pot if you are really lazy) afterwards.

[Nebu]

Here's a list that isn't too bad.

Of course, your equipment list will vary with food tastes and will grow over time. 

[schild]

It's not top of the line, but it's the only way to go if you really want good rice. Since you're looking at Asian Cuisine, you will.

Zojirushi 5.5 Cup Rice Cooker.

It's expensive, but you'll thank me later. Everything that isn't Zojirushi is total total shit. Shitty like Two Worlds. Zojirushi is awesome like God of War and Resident Evil 4.

[Trippy]

Everything that isn't Zojirushi is total total shit. Shitty like Two Worlds.

No.

Zojirushi is awesome like God of War and Resident Evil 4.

Yes.

[schild]

Everything that isn't Zojirushi is total total shit. Shitty like Two Worlds.

No.

What do you recommend? I have a keen interest in believing that Zojirushi has worthwhile competition in the same price range.

I also have an interest in who knows rice as well as they do.

[cmlancas]

Almost my entire kitchen is stocked with Cuisinart stuff because I am impressed with how well their products work for the price. I picked up a pots/pans set at a discount retailer for somewhere around $45 USD and they work amazingly.

No one has mentioned knives yet, and since I work around them most of my day, I'll weigh in. If you know of a knife supply store, try getting the Victorinox series knives. You can find them for close to $10 USD apiece. They are pretty inexpensive and they last for a long, long time. If you have to shop retail outlets, Henckels knives are about as nice, but you won't find the curved blades that are good for DIY meat cutting and they are also close to triple the price. Finally, don't get caught up in the "You will never need to sharpen these for life!" garbage. That is a load of shit. Serrated utility knives are only good for cutting cooked food -- nothing else.

Oh, and don't forget to pick up a sharpening steel. If you need a description of how to use one (steels don't actually sharpen knives, they straighten blades), message me off forums and I can explain it to you.

[Trippy]

Everything that isn't Zojirushi is total total shit. Shitty like Two Worlds.

No.

What do you recommend? I have a keen interest in believing that Zojirushi has worthwhile competition in the same price range.

I also have an interest in who knows rice as well as they do.

If you are just cooking standard Chinese-style long grained rice pretty much anything will work though a non-stick insert is highly recommended. I've used quite a few rice cookers in my time and as long as you practice a few times by trying out a few water levels for a given amount of rice (and writing things down so you don't forget) and measuring carefully each time you'll get the rice you want every time.

If you are trying to cook short grained sushi rice for sushi, however, you might find it easier to get consistent results if you have a fuzzy logic rice cooker like the Zojirushi since sushi rice is much more sensitive to the various inputs. I tried and failed to get consistently good results with the standard "one button" rice cooker so I went out and got a fuzzy logic Zojirushi like the one you linked above (though mine is a lot older now) and that worked much better.

[eldaec]

A rice maker. A cheap one will be fine. Non-stick inner bowl is a help. If you have trouble it's probably because you have crappy rice.

One big sharp knife. Buy one knife, make it a good one, don't buy a set, because you don't need two knives. Forged > Stamped. High carbon > Stainless.
http://www.sabatier-k.com/uk/au-carbone-vintage_15__carbcui25pol.html

Knife sharpener.

Someone above mentioned a bread knife, yes, you need one of those, but it can be cheap as you like.

Cheap plastic chopping boards from Walmart work fine - don't waste money.

You mentioned oriental food - you don't need to spend a lot on a wok, it just needs to be non-stick and quite thin (and you'll probably need two, one for nice/noodles, one for main). For recipes, this book has never let me down yet: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Hom-Cooks-Thai/dp/0747276099/ref=sr_1_26/002-3844175-3104024?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188130305&sr=8-26 and has a section on what shit you need to buy.

For pans, fewer & better pans is the way to go, but make sure you have one fucking big overn-safe pot. Consider how you feel about pans needing to be dishwasher safe. If you don't mind washing the big pans, Anodised pans are teh awesome.

Non-metallic implements for using in non-stick pans, this are basically going to be used as sticks, so cheap as you can find, wooden spatulas/spoons are fine.

Oh, and an electric kettle. Seriously, how the fuck people in US make food without being able to boil water efficiently beats the hell out of me. Not to mention the inability to make tea that comes along with this lack of basic equipment.


But in general, make the effort to find good places to buy good food and look for good recipes. That will make a lot more difference than kitchen toys.

[Trippy]

You mentioned oriental food - you don't need to spend a lot on a wok, it just needs to be non-stick and quite thin (and you'll probably need two, one for nice/noodles, one for main). For recipes, this book has never let me down yet: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Hom-Cooks-Thai/dp/0747276099/ref=sr_1_26/002-3844175-3104024?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188130305&sr=8-26 and has a section on what shit you need to buy.

Non-stick woks are teh suck. First it's almost impossible to brown food properly in them. Second real wok cooking requires very high temperatures which will burn off the non-stick coating turning it into a highly toxic substance. If you have an electric range you probably don't have to worry about that but if you have a gas range you might.

Real woks are "seasoned" to give them a stick resistant coating the same way you would season a cast iron skillet.

[Murgos]

Oh, and an electric kettle. Seriously, how the fuck people in US make food without being able to boil water efficiently beats the hell out of me.

Water.  Pot.  Heat.  It just works.

[Signe]

Trippy is right about the wok.  Cast iron skillets are nice, too.  They retain heat well and you keep them oiled so you don't have to worry about food sticking.  If you leave them wet, however, they'll rust.  I bought a lovely old rusty one at a flea market once, and fixed it up by rubbing the rust away with salt.  Eldaec is right about a nice sharp knife and sharpener.  God, the worst thing in the world is having to chop and hack at food!  I also understand about the electric kettle.  They are more popular in Britain than in the US but I couldn't live without mine. 

The internet is FULL of recipes.  Also, you can find guides for cooking meats.  If you're going to roasts, I'd invest a fiver in a meat thermometer, too.  At least until you get used to it all.  Half cooked roast pork is icky.

[sigil]

@ NiX

What are you doing for breakfast?
you making your own lunch?

what you're looking for, as others have mentioned, is to get good tools for items that need to be quality and go cheap on items that you can.

If you have a resturaunt supply store near you, look there for your inexpensive items. You'll normally find it for a good deal less.

The cast iron skillet is the Western version of the wok.

The Chef's knife is the most essential, you'll do 60-80 percent of your prep work with this. Find the one that works the best for you.

The serrated bread knife just needs to work. it's going to be too thin to get real quality, and you're going to be using it  in ways that aren't going to be wearing it down. You'll use this for more than bread, as mentioned.

A utility knife for smaller jobs.  if you're working with a lot of vegetables, I'd suggest a good peeler. A good peeler can  also be user for different things. Alton Brown would call this a multitasker. Multitaskers are good.

You need to cut that food somewhere, so cutting boards. Yes, boards. You want to keep your food separate until cooking. Cross contamination is NOT your friend.

I use a bamboo cutting board for my veggies and bread, as it's easier on the knives. I have three  cutting mats that I use for everything else. I've labeled them  for meat, fish, and everything else (fruits, berries, etc.) I use mats because they're cheap, and you can throw them in the dishwasher.

The pots and pans everyone else has covered.

Avoid gadgets. Exept the rice cooker. Schild speaks the truth. And there's nothing worse than bad rice or cleaning up burnt rice from a cheap cooker.


If you want to learn to cook well, you need to get into the habit of having everything prepared to cook before you start.  Get a sturdy set of measuring spoons. It doesn't have to cost a lot. I'd avoid anything that could rust or won't clean easily. Measuring cups as well. There's a type of measuring cup that  is adjustable and can push up which works great for more viscous liquids like honey or sour cream. A reccommended option.

Something a lot of new cooks overlook is a set of prep bowls. for larger quantities of ingredients, you can use a storage container, but for smaller things like salt, pepper, spices and whatnot a set of prep bowls (small sturdy bowls designed for holding ingredients) I got a set of six for a buck fifty at the local supply store. I use them every day. If you're going asian based, it would make cooking much easier.

I"m an American and I use an electric kettle. Eldaec is right.  It's quick and much more efficient than the pot and water method. Safer too.

[Evildrider]

It's not top of the line, but it's the only way to go if you really want good rice. Since you're looking at Asian Cuisine, you will.

Zojirushi 5.5 Cup Rice Cooker.

It's expensive, but you'll thank me later. Everything that isn't Zojirushi is total total shit. Shitty like Two Worlds. Zojirushi is awesome like God of War and Resident Evil 4.

Eek.. my mom would freak if I bought a rice cooker that expensive.  lol.  Speaking as a Filipino that eats rice at every meal pretty much.  Just go to an Asian market and you can find a decent rice cooker for less then 100 bucks for sure, this is very similar to what my family has http://veryasia.com/jaz-a10u.html (we have the 10 cup model tho).  You don't need anything that has more then one button... that when you press it, it cooks the rice.  The real trick to rice is basically washing it thoroughly and making sure you have enough water.  This can also change on how "new/fresh the rice you get is" that usually requires a tad bit less water... but usually it's a 1:1 ratio rice to water.  Mind you my family generally only eats long grain jasmine rice. 

As for pans, I love cast iron skillets, but if you buy a new one you'll have to season it, same with a real wok (don't get a non-stick).  Wok's and cast iron only gets better the longer you have it and if it's taken care of properly.  Generally though you'll only need like a saute pan, a sauce pot, a stock pot.. and a couple other basic ones.  Some kitchen equipment can be pretty expensive... actually most of it is.

[cmlancas]

I would say that bamboo cutting boards are bad because they retain more bacteria than just plastic. The foodservice industry can't even use wood blocks, bamboo or otherwise.

Also, no board should be tough on your knives. You'd literally have to run it in some floor grout or something like that from normal kitchen use. Learn to use a sharpening steel if you have 'dull' knives. Your edge is probably rolled to one side.

[sigil]

I would say that bamboo cutting boards are bad because they retain more bacteria than just plastic. The foodservice industry can't even use wood blocks, bamboo or otherwise.

Also, no board should be tough on your knives. You'd literally have to run it in some floor grout or something like that from normal kitchen use. Learn to use a sharpening steel if you have 'dull' knives. Your edge is probably rolled to one side.

Wood is safer than Plastic, but both need to be cleaned well

Rule number one in the kitchen: Keep your kitchen clean!


Also, there's sharp, and then there's "sharp".  if there's an opportunity to keep the knives in better condition, especially one where  you're not putting anyone at risk of getting sick from a bug, use it. Do you send your knives off to be sharpened? A sharpening stone wont fix an edge that's  gone. If you spend good money on your knives, this will become an issue. One of the things that comes with owning a premium set on knives is the annual  trip to get them reworked. It's cheaper than a trip to the ER. IF you're just using the one, it won't cost too much and you only need to do it once a year or so.

[Yegolev]

I need lots of measuring things.  Cups, spoons.  Otherwise you have to wash your one tablespoon a lot.  Rest of this info is pretty solid.  I have two knife sets from the wedding, both are serrated, and after nine years I could really go for a normal, sharp knife.

I got rid of most of the non-stick stuff I used, other than some muffin pans.  I use stainless steel now, and it is just peachy except for how I had to relearn how to cook in them.  Cleanup is easy, just dump some water in there while it's hot and do some scraping, even the hardest shit will come off like that.  However, if you are boiling water you should not put salt in until it is rolling, otherwise you will etch pits in the steel.

I have two hard plastic spatulas that I love.  I don't care for the floppy ones.

You might think "I don't need an electric mixer, I will just use a whisk", but after once or twice you will want the electric mixer.

Lots of bowls.  I have glass, but I think I'd like stainless steel if I wanted to bother replacing them.

Tongs.  I have a nice (wait for it) stainless steel pair that I'd fight zombies to keep.

You probably want some sort of steamer contraption for steaming vegetables.

[cmlancas]

Learning to use an oil stone is an amazing help. You will never have to send out for them to be sharpened again, but this is pretty advanced stuff. For most people not looking to use knives a ton, it might be a waste. But, if you fancy having a "favorite knife" or keeping your knives able to shave hair, it is definitely for you.


There are more inexpensive ones, but this is the one I use all the time. It is amazing. I'm not even close to as good as some people I know on an oil stone, but I can get my knives to where they shave hair easily on it.

[Yegolev]

That is way too much for me, can't I just get a "regular" sharpener?  I don't really need to shave with my kitchen knives, just cut flesh and vegetable matter.

[cmlancas]

I've never used a pocket stone but apparently they work pretty much on the same principle.

You have and know how to use a sharpening steel, right?

[sigil]

Schild likes his Japanese rice cookers, I like my Japanese knives. If anyone knows how to make good steel, it's them.

Shun makes a nice knife

The Japanese don't mess around with food, but I can't go as far as they can.

[bhodi]

Wow. Y'all are suckers. I'm shocked how so many smart and thrifty people have completely missed the obvious. Every single person here (Edit: Except Sigil) is caught in the retail trap. Forget the expensive retail knives, pots, pans, and all that crap. You can get virtually everything to stock a kitchen for $200-$300 with the exception of a few optionals like a rice cooker.

Find your nearest restaurant supply store and pick up everything you need there. Chef's knife? Walk into any restaurant kitchen and you'll find exactly what you should get -- an eight inch, high carbon, stainless steel alloy knife with a plastic handle. Incredibly sharp and completely disposable -- they cost $10 each and you replace them once a year.

You can find absolutely everything you need -- High quality plates, glasses, silverware, cookware -- on a budget and PERFECT for someone learning to cook.

Read this article. Watch the video. Live the life.

[sigil]

I mentioned that earlier.

You sound like me, except for the knives.

I've used those. I've used the good stuff,

The good stuff wins.

Actually, you are right, he should be going there. But I use my knife a lot, pretty much every day since I prefer my cooking to my wifes. I use the knife I use because it's sharp, comfortable, and works for me. Good steel isn't cheap though.

[Signe]

I don't spend a lot on kitchen stuff.  I have a set of really nice knives I got for peanuts from a supply store that over stocked (can't remember the name).  I don't use a lot of plastic and I bought several glass refrigerator dishes in different sizes for leftovers, which I can use in microwave, too.  I use cast iron cookware which is inexpensive and heats evenly.   A seasoned Wok will cost you a bit more but you'll probably use it a lot.  A stir fry is always easy, quick and you can put just about any thing you like in it.  Use nice oils and fresh meats and veg.

[Abagadro]

I frankly disagree with going to a restaurant supply store for a beginner. They tend to be disorganized and the staff isn't very helpful. You are likely to get stuff that is good for pros, but not for beginners (like stainless stuff). Most of the deals in such stores is for buying in bulk anyways so you won't get it that much cheaper than hitting a good sale at Target or BB&B.

[sigil]

If you know what to look for and have a list ready,most supply stores are great. All the ones I've been too have been good experiences. Also, cheap pots and pans like you'll get from target or walmart will cause as many food accidents as the novice cook. Thin, cheap shit shouldn't used by beginners, but that's what you get from a place like that.

[NiX]

Wow, I probably should of kept up with this thread earlier. Here goes...

As I pointed out in my edit there isn't a BB&B or Target up here. Wal-Mart and... Zellers? That's the only alternative I can think of. We have tons of places like Home Sense and Home Outfitters that specializes in homely things and I'm sure has a vast kitchen area, but whether or not it would be at a good price is beyond me or good quality.

@Sigil - I never really thought about doing stuff for breakfast or lunch. As I mentioned I'm probably not eating the best. I barely make it to two meals a day right now, so I'm sure I'll be doing something for both, but haven't really put any thought into what I'd be making though.

To those saying I should wait and see what I need - I have nothing right now. I've been using my roomies cookware and now I need to get my own and I know there are essentials that every kitchen should have. Obviously a pattern is showing up with everyones advice and that's really what I was looking for was a general idea of what I'll need that'll get tons of use no matter what type of food I look to make.

Couple questions that have come up from reading all this:

What kind of material is best that I won't put to waste with my beginner skills? I see stainless and all these other materials about, but would it really be wise for me to go out and get everything in one material over another?

Cutting/dicing with a knife (veggies mainly): Uh, how? I'm seriously new to this. I'd rather not suffer the loss of part of my finger or a huge hunk of skin in favor of trial and error.

Also, what are proper cleaning techniques? I know you're not supposed to use wire brush on certain types of pans, or is that all types? Either way I'm sure someone here has some advice on how to clean everything properly using the proper method that'll get me the most life out of my cookware.

All in all I didn't expect so many people to be all about cooking, but that's F13 for ya. As a side note I'm a clean freak, so keeping my kitchen clean is and has always been number 1 for me even when it was my mom cooking. The thought of crap getting on my food turns my stomach in horrible ways.

[cmlancas]

As far as chopping vegetables go, get a big chef's knife with a flat blade and keep it nice and sharp. The curvy ones and short ones are mostly for boning stuff out like chicken and beef. However, know that if you do the work yourself (i.e. bone out your own rib roasts/chuck roasts), you can save a TON of money. PM me if you're interested in becoming a cheap but savvy meat consumer -- I cut the stuff pretty much every day :)

[Abagadro]

I wouldn't recommend stainless. They are somewhat tough to use and are a pain in the ass to clean and maintain. Find a good deal on cheap anodized or non-stick. These aren't your "lifetime" tins.  Experiment with stuff and don't feel bad about it because it didn't cost you that much.

I again disagree that buying relatively cheap stuff will cause you problems. I used a 10" saute pan I bought at basically a grocery store for over 10 years. One of the best pans I've ever owned and it just wore out. Buy some cheapo stuff until you figure out what you like and will use, then upgrade by priority of use. My stuff is all over the map because I still have uber-cheap stuff that works fine and then some really nice copper stuff for specialized applications. It's more about functionality in my mind.

As for technique, there are really only two ways to get it: 1) take classes or 2) just cook. I recommend number two. Just start mucking around and you will pick it up. You will mess up lots of things in the process, but it's the best way to learn. The only thing you can mess up that is at all dangerous is not being careful with cross-contamination and chicken is really the only thing that it a serious problem. So pay attention to that (I treat raw chicken like it is nuclear waste) and the worst thing that will happen is that you will make something that taste like shit and you can always just go get a sandwich somewhere.

[Signe]

Adding a bit of bleach to the water when your cleaning your kitchen and bathroom is not a bad thing.     Well, the smell isn't great but I'm a bit freaky about germs.  Sometimes I wash my hands after washing my hands.

[Arnold]

No one has mentioned knives yet, and since I work around them most of my day, I'll weigh in. If you know of a knife supply store, try getting the Victorinox series knives. You can find them for close to $10 USD apiece. They are pretty inexpensive and they last for a long, long time. If you have to shop retail outlets, Henckels knives are about as nice, but you won't find the curved blades that are good for DIY meat cutting and they are also close to triple the price. Finally, don't get caught up in the "You will never need to sharpen these for life!" garbage. That is a load of shit. Serrated utility knives are only good for cutting cooked food -- nothing else.

Oh, and don't forget to pick up a sharpening steel. If you need a description of how to use one (steels don't actually sharpen knives, they straighten blades), message me off forums and I can explain it to you.

Yeah, my last knife was some cheapass, made in China, Henckles santoku that cost me $12 at Target.  I bought it because I lost my MAC and needed something for work, but didn't want to spend $100 on an impulse buy.  That thing was great, and held an edge for a long time.  I used it for 6 months before it disappeared from the kitchen.  One of my co-workers was actually sad it disappeared, because he used it when I wasn't around.

Just get a decent chefs knife that is comfortable in your hand.  I would suggest a 10".  I got a good deal on a minimally used 10" Global, and it works fine for slicing fish and sushi rolls, but I hate it for general kitchen work (though the 8" Globals feel fine for that).  Skip the superlight ginsu block set and get one good knife - something with some heft to it.  Chopping is much easier when gravity can do the work for you.

ALSO, get a stone and learn how to sharpen a knife on it.  A good knife is worth shit if it is not sharp.  I bought my parents an electric knife sharpening machine that cost like $100 and it doesn't do shit.  Just get a stone.

I used to think good knives were these holy things to be revered, but after working where I am now and seeing a good knife get burned in in about a year, I'd rather go for a cheaper knife and a good stone/steel.  Now I see knives as a disposable commodity, instead of something that's supposed to last a lifetime.