When a more common 6- or 8-in. Chef's knife seems a little too large or unwieldy for your prep needs, reach for this Wusthof 4.5-in. Cook's knife. Fits perfectly in a smaller palm and packs all the cutting power and precision you need for dicing and slicing smaller vegetables and seafood. Part of the Classic series, this knife, made in Solingen, Germany, is hand-forged in 38 manufacturing steps by skilled craftsmen. The high-carbon stainless steel blades are hardened to maintain a sharp edge and full tangs provide perfect balance with riveted, high-impact composition handles.

The Wusthof Classic 4-1/2-inch Multiprep knife combines the strengths of two different knives without compromising its own usefulness. It has the leverage of a cook's knife but is light and agile enough to be used for paring and peeling jobs, too. The wide blade and long curve of a bigger cook's knife allows for slicing, mincing, chopping, and dicing, and it's shorter and lighter to give the maneuverability of a parer. Of course there may still be times when a knife more specifically suited to a certain task might be preferable. But the 4-1/2-inch Multiprep is a wonderful all-purpose kitchen knife for a novice cook, and its lightness translates into portability for catering, camping, or cookouts.

Wusthof-Trident employs almost 200 years of experience in designing their knives. On each of Wusthof's Classic knives, the blade, bolster, and tang are forged (as opposed to stamped) from a single piece of steel. Wusthof uses a high-carbon stainless steel that retains the edge and resists wear; each knife has the alloy's formula printed on the blade. The blade is polished to a super-sharp edge and then hand-buffed. Its slightly curved edge--for a smooth rocking motion on the cutting board--is laser tested to ensure a uniform surface.

As with all Wusthof Classic knives, the black synthetic handle is built for strength and durability; it's triple-riveted to the steel tang, which shows through on the edges. Though technically dishwasher-safe, Wusthof recommends that their knives be hand washed to preserve their fine cutting edges. The Wusthof Classic Multiprep knife has a 4-1/2-inch blade and is 9 inches long including the handle. Wusthof offers a limited lifetime guarantee that its knives will be free of defects in materials or craftsmanship. --Garland Withers