Nakiri Knife

The Shun Pro Nakiri knife has a beveled blade, like a cleaver's only narrower, and is lightweight but strong. It's also very sharp. In Japan, chefs use the Nakiri for cutting vegetables into uniform slices, but you can also use it for all kinds of jobs, like mincing herbs and garlic. It can handle anything a mandoline can and is easier to clean. And who needs a food processor when this knife makes such short work of julienning? —Yvonne Khoo, Summit, New Jersey