With food becoming more and more significant in people’s lives, kitchen gadgets are falling out of the sky. From garlic presses to silicone tea bags, kitchen gadgets are now a dime a dozen. Even the most basic of gadgets, the kitchen knives, are getting glam makeovers as well, but how many kitchen knives do you really need? “Only four,” is the answer and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Knife # 1 Chef’s Knife

Wide near the handle and tapering off towards the point, a good chef’s knife can range from 6 to 14 inches. The recommended length is 10 inches. The chef’s knife is your all-purpose knife, so it should be heavy enough to smash things like garlic or lemongrass, long enough to cut through the largest of meat parts, and strong enough to break small bones and cut through tough vegetables like squash. It is the first knife you buy if you want to cook. Good choices would be Japanese ones like MAC and European ones like Henkel.

Knife # 2 Paring Knife

A small knife, about 3 to 4 inches long, is the second most useful knife in the kitchen. It will deal with cutting small vegetables like shallots or radishes and cutting through meat bones, and it is very helpful getting cakes and flans out of their pans. Since this would be the second knife to buy, it’s helpful (and more aesthetically pleasing) to get one of the same brand as your Chef’s Knife.

Knife # 3 Serrated Knife

Some call it a bread knife but it’s a disservice to the knife. The serrated knife not only cuts bread — it’s the best choice for slicing through smooth-skinned vegetables like eggplant, or fruits like tomatoes and grapes. Ordinary knives will dull quickly against these but serrated knives will give you better slices without dulling immediately. The third knife to buy, but it definitely is a must for those who want to do more than just heat cup noodles in the kitchen.

Knife # 4 Ceramic Knife

For the more advanced cooking aficionados, the ceramic knife, which has a razor-sharpness that lasts up to 10 times longer than any metallic knife, is a must-have too. It is great to use to make paper-thin slices, and for roasts as well. It also solves your crying-while-slicing-onions problem, and your my-potatoes/apples/pears-brown-after-I-cut-them problem. It’s also important for amateur sushi chefs to ensure the raw fish don’t acquire a metallic taste. While many brands are beginning to surface, the best one would still be Kyocera. Multi-colored handles will help keep your kitchen colourful too.

Sharwin Tee is chef and host of Lifestyle Network's Curiosity Got the Chef, which airs every Wednesday at 930 pm with replays on Saturdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 1030 am. He is also a personal chef and culinary instructor. Find him on Twitter (@chefsharwin) and Facebook (Chef Sharwin Tee).