We've reviewed some pretty impressive paring knives recently. Check out the Shun Paring knife for a gorgeous, if somewhat expensive, top-of-the-line model. Or read up on the Forschner Black Fibrox Paring Knife for a decent budget model.

But, if you want a great balance between performance and price, the MAC is tough to beat.

The Superior series features extremely hard, extremely sharp high-end Japanese stainless steel. The steel is a blend of carbon, molybdenum and vanadium which allows it to hold that very sharp edge over time. That hole near the tip is for hanging.

The blade is available in a traditional paring knife shape, or in a Japanese Santoku style

The handles are triple-riveted resin-infused hardwood that will hold up well over the long haul. They're comfortable in the hand, though they're not contoured much. If you're looking for a more ergonomic model, you might want to consider the Shun.

Overall, the knives are very lightweight, which will help ease fatigue during those long peeling and paring sessions.

The paring knife, of course, is a kitchen essential, so do be sure to get a good one. The MAC makes an excellent choice.

More Info on this Mac Superior Paring Knife:

Click here to find this knife on Amazon.com

The Chef's Choice lineup of electric sharpeners can be a bit tricky to navigate. We've written about the Chef's Choice M120 and the M130 previously, so now we'll tackle the 110.

First, let's get something out of the way... Chef's Choice stands out among electric sharpener manufacturers by making high-quality sharpeners that won't dull your knives and won't remove too much metal from the edge. Electric sharpeners have gotten a bad rap because there are many inferior models out there that you should avoid.

The Chef's Choice 110, though, is an excellent choice if you want to keep your knives sharp without taking on the uncertainty of manual sharpening.

The 110 has a slightly less powerful motor than the M120 or M130, and the warranty is one year shorter. As a result, you may want to pay the extra forty bucks or so to upgrade to the 120.

The 110 has the same pre-sharpening stage that the M120 has. This is an aggressive stage meant only for knives that need an overhaul, so use it sparingly. You'll find yourself using the second two stages much more frequently.

More Info on this Chef's Choice M110 Electric Sharpener:

• Click here to find this sharpener at Amazon.com

Find this Chef's Choice Sharpener on eBay:

CHEF’S CHOICE DIAMOND HONE KNIFE SHARPENER 110 IN BOX US $27.99   0 Bid Auction Ends: 21h 51m Make it yours...

CHEFS CHOICE NEW PRO DIAMOND HONE SHARPENER BLACK 110 US $59.99   Auction Ends: 16d 14h 44m Make it yours...

CHEFS CHOICE NEW PRO DIAMOND HONE SHARPENER WHITE 110 US $59.99   Auction Ends: 16d 14h 41m Make it yours...

While most other knife makers are watching and mimicking each other, Global stands by its unique design.

They were the first to introduce razor-sharp, lightweight Chef's knives to Western kitchens nearly twenty years ago. In doing so, they've gained something of a cult following.

Couple that with design features you won't find on many other knives and you've got a love-it-or-hate-it affair.

At CooksDen, we love it -- we named Global's 5-piece knife set one of favorite knife sets recently. If you've been using traditional Henckels or Wusthof knives, you're in for a real treat with these Globals.

The Santoku has got all the features that define a Global knife. It is very lightweight and the handle features no bolster for "balance". Instead, the handle is filled with sand that moves around as you cut, giving you a balance that adjusts itself on the fly.

The handle is dimpled stainless steel, somewhat of a rarity in mainstream kitchen knives.

The blade is made of a high-carbon, molybdenum/vanadium alloy that allows it to be thin and razor sharp out of the box. It features a granton-edge -- those little dimples in the blade help keep food from sticking to it.

The blade profile is a slim taper -- often incorrectly referred to as a "hollow ground". This also is a contrast to a traditional "double bevel" or "V-edge".

The Santoku, of course, is a great all-purpose knife that meets many home chefs' needs. It should not be a replacement for a Chef's knife, but does a great job complementing that type of knife.

More Info on this Global Santoku Knife:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com

Find This Knife on eBay:

Global G 48338 3 Piece Asian Santoku Knife Set NewInBox US $139.95   Auction Ends: 5d 2h 34m Make it yours...

Global 5 1 4Inch Hollow Ground Santoku NEW US $96.94   Auction Ends: 22d 22h 45m Make it yours...

Global 7in Hollow Ground Santoku NEW US $126.54   Auction Ends: 21d 14h 20m Make it yours...

If you're going to spend decent money on a knife, make sure it's one that you'll use frequently, feels comfortable in your hand and is made of premium materials.

This Shun Classic Paring knife has got all that and more.

For starters, it's a paring knife -- one of just a handful of "essential" knives for any kitchen.

The blade's core is made of premium Japanese VG-10 steel. This allows it to be made sharper than just about any other kitchen knife you'll encounter. Around the VG-10 are layers of stainless steel to protect the edge.

The blade also features a gorgeous damascus-style pattern on it. That'll make you want to display it in your kitchen.

The handle is made of pakkawood, a resin-infused hardwood that will resist wear and tear. Its profile is a teardrop-shape, meaning it will settle comfortably in your hand.

While technically it's "stainless", you won't want to soak this knife or put it in the dishwasher. If that extra care is too much of a bother for you, you may want to look elsewhere.

This knife is pricey, no doubt, but for all that it offers, it's certainly one of the best paring knives out there.

More Info on this Shun Knife:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com

Find This Knife on eBay:

Kai Shun Steel Classic 35 inch Paring Knife MH0700 US $56.95   Auction Ends: 1d 15h 48m Make it yours...

Shun Classic Paring Knife 4 New With Box US $49.98   Auction Ends: 16d 17h 14m Make it yours...

Shun Classic Paring Knife 3 1 2 New With Box US $45.98   Auction Ends: 14d 18h 17m Make it yours...

There are many different ways to store your knives, but none top this one for conversation value.

They call this one "The Ex" for obvious reasons. Though you're free to rename it "The Boss", "The Mother-In-Law" or anyone else you want to take a stab at.

The Ex is a five piece knife set with unique holder. It's meant to evoke a "voodoo" doll, though in my tests it had no such effect!

The knives themselves are almost an afterthought. And, of course, you may elect to buy this piece for the holder only and end up storing your own knives in it.

The set includes an eight-inch Chef's knife, a three-inch parer, a five-inch utility, an eight-inch bread knife and an eight-inch carving knife.

The blades are stainless steel and most customers are pleasantly surprised that they're pretty sharp out of the box.

You're not paying for top-quality knives here, as you might expect, but the shock value of the holder alone is probably worth the price.

Available in black, red, white, pink and chrome.

More Info on this Ex Voodoo Knife Set Holder:

• Click here to find this knife set and holder on Amazon.com

Forschner makes the best value knives you can find. And this paring knife is no exception.

For five bucks, you get a screaming sharp blade, a comfortable non-slip fibrox grip and an edge that can easily be resharpened.

So, if you're looking for value, don't hesitate -- you won't find any paring knife better than this.

On the other hand, if you're looking for the best paring knife around, this is probably not it. For that, look to the mighty Shun Classic paring knife. It's made from a high-end steel, has a tear-shaped pakkwood handle and looks gorgeous. But it's also $50 -- not unreasonable at all, but a small fortune compared to the Forschner.

Forschners, you may know, were named Cook's Illustrated's best value a few years in a row. It's not surprising. These knives could be three times the price and they'd still sell like hotcakes.

More Info on this R.H. Forschner Paring Knife:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com

Find This Knife on eBay:

Forschner 40600 by Victorinox 3 1 4 inch Paring Knife US $4.50   Auction Ends: 23d 16h 53m Make it yours...

Victronox Forschner Paring Knife Black Handle New Hang US $4.99   Auction Ends: 1d 23h 57m Make it yours...

Forschner 40501 4 Inch Paring Knife by Victorinox US $5.50   Auction Ends: 3d 13h 42m Make it yours...

It slices, it dices, it can cut a rusty nail and then a tomato. You've heard that one before, but what's the real story?

First off, let's get this one out of the way: you can't get fourteen great knives for thirty-five bucks. Sure, they might be sharp out of the box, but how will they last?

Ginsu knives have such a great marketing history and there are plenty people out there that are impressed by their initial sharpness. So it's easy to get caught up in the hype and think that these are an amazing deal.

But the truth is that these are cheap knives. The blades are made of 420 steel, typically used only in low-quality knives. 420 is a step below 440A steel, a material we typically do not recommend.

Of course, a high-quality heat-treatment can make up for inferior materials. But that costs money and you'd see it reflected in the price. And it's unlikely that anyone who is going to do a decent heat treatment is going to waste it on 420.

One other thing about this knife set... it includes knives you don't need. You're better off getting a smaller set of high-quality knives than this large set of inferior knives.

If you're looking for budget knives, we highly recommend the Forschner 3 piece set. That's a set of three essential knives that are an amazing value. You'll be very pleased with these, and they will last a long time. You can always add to that set over time if you must have a larger set.

Of, f you want a larger set to start out, save up and get the Forschner 8 piece set. But don't waste your money on the Ginsus.

More Info on this Ginsu Cutlery Knife Set:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com

Find Ginsu Knife Sets on eBay:

NIB 2 Sets of Ginsu 2000 Knives 20 Knives Total US $6.50   2 Bids Auction Ends: 14h 4m Make it yours...

Ginsu 16 piece Knife set US $5.50   2 Bids Auction Ends: 19h 43m Make it yours...

Ginsu 12 Piece Akita Stamped Block Knife and Block Set US $62.99   Auction Ends: 3d 20h 23m Make it yours...

They call this thing a barbecue set, but shouldn't a barbecue set have a spatula, wire brush, and tongs?

Whatever they call it, it's pretty darn nice. That gorgeous storage box is made of walnut, with walnut inserts for storing your knives.

These high-carbon stainless steel knives are from Wusthof's Gourmet series, which is very highly regarded among professional Chef's.

Wusthof bills them as "full-tang" and "laser cut" from a "single piece of steel", but that's mostly just marketing hype so don't get too caught up in it.

The real story is that these knives are well-made, are sharp out of the box, and should hold their edge well over time.

Eight 4.5 inch steak knives are included, along with an eight inch carving knife and fork set.

These blades are made in Solingen, Germany -- aka "knife city". Wusthof has been making knives there for nearly two hundred years.

Spatulas and tongs they're still working on, I guess.

More Info on this Wusthof Gourmet Steak Knife Set:

• Click here to find this knife set at Amazon.com

Take Global's unique styling and engineering and apply it to the old standby -- the steak knife -- and you get this powerhouse.

Not many makers apply their high-end features to the lowly steak knife, but Global has given it a go and it makes a world of difference.

These knives feature stainless steel made of Global's CROMOVA steel. CROMOVA is a blend of chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium for edge retention, sharpness, and stainlessness.

The blades are thin, allowing for their sharpness. They're also light, as are all of Global's knives.

The handle is a dimpled stainless steel for a unique look and steady grip. It creates a stylish take on a traditional tool, so you may find yourself wanting to display these knives in your kitchen.

The one downside is price. At $150, they don't come cheap. Read some of the owner's comments on Amazon, though, and you may be convinced.

More Info on this Global Steak Knife Set:

• Click here to find this knife set at Amazon.com

Find This Knife Set on eBay:

GLOBAL 4 PC Steak Knives SET GSF 4023 New In Box US $123.95   Auction Ends: 6d 13h 7m Make it yours...

Global Cutlery GSF 4023 4 Piece Steak Knife Set NEW US $67.00   11 Bids Auction Ends: 16h 27m Make it yours...

The Deba knife is a Japanese-style Chef's knife, ideally suited for butchering fish or slicing through hard vegetables. It's hefty enough to cut through fine bones, but is certainly not the heavyweight that a cleaver is.

This Deba sports all the features you've come to love from Global -- light weight, sand-filled stainless steel handle and a razor-sharp thin blade.

The blade is somewhat thin and light for a Deba. It's made of a molybdenum and vanadium steel alloy that allows for edge-retention and sharpness.

The handle features a finger notch for safety and control. It is also dimpled for a non-slip grip and unique look.

Note that this blade is single-beveled. That allows it to be even thinner than a traditional Western double-beveled blade, but also means it may be more appropriate for righties than for lefties.

More Info on this Global Deba Knife:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com

Find Global Knives on eBay:

Global Yoshikin 8 Cook Knife G 2 US $85.00   Auction Ends: 17h 31m Make it yours...

NEW GLOBAL G 25 24cm CERAMIC STEEL FOR ALL KNIVES NEW US $40.92   0 Bid Auction Ends: 12h 35m Make it yours...

NEW Global G 12 Meat Chopper Cleaver Kitchen Knife 16cm US $55.00   0 Bid Auction Ends: 12h 38m Make it yours...