Here's another set of products that are known for their "as-seen-on-TV" claim to fame. Ever since 1989, the Miracle Blade knives have been showcased on shopping channels and demonstration fairs to try and prove just how sharp the blades really are. But as always, the truth is a little more complex than that.

Miracle Blade's secret is actually not that unique. It's simply another one of those serrated-edge sets that seem to impress at first blush. But serrations are not an effective way to make a quality kitchen knife. While an uninformed buyer might be duped into scooping up a set or two, at CooksDen we aim to educate. See our reviews of Ginsu knives or Cutco knives for more on the serrated-edge slight-of-hand that manufacturers will try to pull but, in short, the trick is that the serrations tear at your food, like a chainsaw. A higher quality knife will gently slice through it like a scalpel.

This particular Miracle Blade III set is certainly one of the most affordable you'll find. It comes with 15 different cutlery tools, including four extra steak knives that are the highlight of the set.

Along with eight steak knives, the set features a filet knife, Perfection paring knife, Perfection kitchen shears, Chop 'n Scoop cleaver, Rock 'n Chop cleaver, and 2 Miracle Blade slicers.

All knives are made from stainless steel and, the manufacturer claims, they never need to be sharpened. That's more of that "serrated edges passing for quality edges" baloney. Serrated edges don't need to be sharpened because, as they wear, the serrations remain mostly intact. When they eventually do wear down, you might as well throw them away since it's not worth the time and effort to resharpen these serrated edges.

The Miracles are dishwasher safe -- another bad sign. High-end knives have carbon in them, which can rust. Any decent knife manufacturer will tell you to hand wash knives.

All in all, don't be fooled. You'll be better off getting a smaller set of inexpensive blades from Forschner or KAI than buying these Miracles.

More Info on this Miracle Blade Knife Set:

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

Find this knife set on eBay:

MIRACLE BLADE KNIFE SET COMPLETE SET 18 PIECES US $53.95   Auction Ends: 29d 14h 38m Make it yours...

MIRACLE BLADE KNIFE SET COMPLETE SET 18 PIECES US $53.95   Auction Ends: 29d 3h 19m Make it yours...

MIRACLE BLADE III KNIFE SET HOLDER CUTTING BOARD US $39.95   Auction Ends: 6d 23h 12m Make it yours...

Is it just me, or have the cooking shows gotten a bit sexier lately? Maybe I've been living under a rock, but when I start to see celebrity chefs posing half-naked on the cover of Men's magazines, I know something must be up.

With that in mind, I've compiled a list of the hottest women celebrity chefs. The women are ranked based on two factors: looks and their cooking skills. But mostly just on looks.

Enjoy the list! And if you don't like my rankings? Leave a comment below. Or make your own list and be sure to let me know.

Like the other knives in the Komachi line from KAI, the Japanese company best known for making the well regarded Shun knives, this knife is intended to be used to cut only one type of product or ingredient.

The pink color and animal shaped cutouts in the handle are the signal to the user that this knife is meant for raw meats. While this may seem an unusual approach, in larger commercial kitchens which follow HAACP sanitary programs, there are specific color coded knives and cutting boards intended for use with different ingredients and products so as to minimize the possibility of cross contamination. The seemingly odd appearance and cutesy colors of these knives shouldn't be taken as a sign that these are anything other than serious tools which provide performance beyond what their low price point would imply.

This knife offers the kind of blade geometry that makes Japanese blades so popular amongst professionals. The steel used on a knife at this price point isn't comparable to Japanese blades which can cost into the thousands of dollars. However, it's up to the task for which it is intended and if maintained properly should provide the budget conscious cook with performance similar to or perhaps even a bit better than a comparable Forschner.

More Info on this Pure Komachi Chef's Knife:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com

There's no denying the fact that the Komachi knives offered by KAI, the makers of the well regarded Shun knives look a bit whimsical, if not a little silly. There are few knives on the market which bear significant resemblance to these knives.

Although a pro cook might well be laughed off the line if he or she were to pull out a knife looking anything like this, the colored resin coating the blades reports to have some hygienic benefits, and the colors used on the different types of knives do have at least a passing similarity to the colors used in HAACP programs designed to reduce likelihood of cross contamination of food and preparation surfaces.

Once you get past the pretty colors and cute cutouts in the handles (a tiny bread loaf in this case), the knives are all business and bear the hallmarks of a respected Japanese knife maker like KAI.

The construction is quite good and I would expect it to hold up well if used in its intended purpose. While this bread knife is a bit on the short side for my taste, I'm sure it would be good for home use or as a utility slicer in a pro setting. Were KAI to offer this knife in a longer model, I'd consider it to be on par with a comparable Forschner bread knife and predict it would perform as well, if not a bit better.

More Info on this Komachi Bread Knife:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com

One might take a look at these knives with their buoyant colors and whimsical flourishes and assume these knives are children's toys. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

KAI, makers of the well regarded Shun knives, have produced a knife which performs quite well, despite the unusual appearance. The Komachi line is aimed at home users and/or large commercial users who require large numbers of knives that offer good performance at a low price point.

Even though it may not appear to be a significant benefit to the casual user, the colorful coating used on the blades is reported to have some hygienic benefits, and the cutouts in the handles and the colors used on the different types of knives, are intended as a signal to cooks as to their intended use.

Although color coded knives and cutting boards aren't common in homes or small commercial kitchens, in large commercial settings, HAACP sanitation programs use color coded knives and boards extensively to minimize the possibility of cross contamination.

Aside from the appearances, this is a well made, inexpensive knife, made from good quality Japanese steel. Like most santoku knives from Japanese makers, it features good blade geometry and it also offers a good cost to performance ratio comparable to similar Forshner knives, making it a good choice for budget conscious cooks.

More Info on this Pure Komachi Santoku Knife:

• Click here to find this Santoku Knife at Amazon.com

Find this santoku knife on eBay:

NEW KAI Pure Komachi II Pink Chefs Knife QVC Santoku US $13.99   Auction Ends: 5d 21h 17m Make it yours...

NEW Kershaw Pure Komachi 2 65 Santoku Knife AB5038 US $16.95   Auction Ends: 17h 41m Make it yours...

KERSHAW Pure Komachi 2 SANTOKU Hollow ground knife US $17.99   0 Bid Auction Ends: 2d 3h 34m Make it yours...

Despite my predisposition to frown on ceramic knives due to their brittleness and the need to be sent back to the factory for sharpening, I really wanted to like this little knife. Unfortunately, it just didn't bring me around.

By virtue of their hardness and structure, ceramic materials can make for a very sharp knife which holds an edge for a long time. This hardness comes at a typically high cost in terms of the inherent fragility of the material, as it is very brittle, making for a very delicate knife. Normally, I wouldn't touch a ceramic knife meant for use on a board, but the idea of using one in hand is far more appealing, as there should be very little impact to the blade, assuming you're using a paring knife in a "normal" manner.

Even though I allowed the door on ceramics to creep open a bit, the basic construction and geometry of the blade just didn't work well for me, as the blade is a bit too deep and significantly thicker than I would like to see in a paring knife. Despite these drawbacks and my strong inclination to stick with materials I can sharpen and maintain, I think using ceramics for paring knives has some merit, assuming you can afford to have a second knife which can be used in rotation when the other is sent into the factory for resharpening.

If not, then I'd stick with some of the better made parers on the market, like the Mac or the Shun.

More Info on this Kyocera Ceramic Paring Knife:

• Click here to find this Knife at Amazon.com