When you have the right tools, cooking is quicker, faster, and safer, but with so many different types of knives on the market, selecting one that meets your needs can be difficult. It's all too easy to buy a bunch of specialized knives you'll never use if you don't have the appropriate information, which means you'll end up with a bunch of useless knives kept at the back of your kitchen drawer. To make matters even more complicated, knife naming rules can be perplexing, with several different names for the same type of cutting tool. To help you make sense of it all, we've put together a guide to each type of knife and its applications, as well as recommendations for which one is ideal for particular culinary chores. So, whether you're a novice chef or a professional, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about knives. Chef’s KnifeThe name says it all, chef's knife is one of the most versatile and frequently used kitchen utensils. This is something that any skilled chef will tell you is a must-have. It's perfect for chopping and dicing fruits, veggies, and herbs. As well as meat, poultry, and fish, you can cut a range of other ingredients. The blade is normally 8 to 10 inches long and has a circular point. The more at ease you are with the weight and balance, the faster you can slice, dice, and julienne vegetables for your meals. Avoid using it to peel small items, it's too big to be handled. Be careful while working with it. Image credit: PexelsParing KnifeA paring knife is a smaller version of a chef's knife that should be used for activities that require more precision. Apply caution when cutting hard vegetables with this knife because its small weight may cause you to use excessive force. Peeling, mincing, and precise cutting are all made easier using paring knives. It's great for small or tender vegetables and fruits like strawberries, garlic, ginger, and shallots, but not for tougher veggies like squash, carrots or beets. Utility KnifeUtility knives can be used for a variety of tasks. The blade is narrower than a chef's knife and longer than a paring knife. They're ideal for cutting and slicing small to medium-sized veggies and meat parts. A sharpened utility knife is also useful for slicing sandwiches. When peeling fruit and vegetables, a straight-blade utility knife is useful, however paring knives are occasionally preferable. It's a convenient go-to for the everyday chef. Image credit: Pexels Boning KnifeA boning knife features a blade that is very narrow and flexible, narrowing to a pointed tip. It's used to pull meat from the bone more efficiently and with less waste. It can break stubborn connective tissues and joints that other knives can't. Just remember to cut around the bones rather than through them. I also use it to effortlessly separate the flesh from the skin of fish. Image credit: Pexels Bread Knife Again, the name of this knife says you all, bread knife cuts the bread. It has a serrated edge that allows it to cut bread without breaking it apart. When you want to cut anything without applying pressure, the saw-like blade of a bread knife – or serrated knife – is ideal. It works well with soft fruits and vegetables, as well as those with a waxy exterior. When slicing tomatoes, apples, citrus fruits, or bell peppers, a serrated knife comes in handy. Although the cut will not be as clean as one made with a carving knife, the slicing motion gently cuts through the surface without crushing the insides. Maintaining the sharpness of a bread knife can be difficult because it requires a particular tool to polish every edge of the uneven blade. However, the effort is well worth it.