If you want your food to look more appealing, and you hate to haul out the food processor every time a recipe calls for "minced" or "chopped," get a knife. Actually, get three. With just a chef's knife, a paring knife, and a long serrated knife, you can cover an array of tasks. Each has functions unique to its shape and design. Learn to use them efficiently and safely to improve your speed and finesse in the kitchen.

How to Choose the Right Knife Is there really a difference between a $100 knife and one that costs $20? Absolutely. Inexpensive knives wear out more quickly and don't hold their edge as well. If you're a casual cook, these knives are probably fine for you. But if you're a more serious cook, opt for a higher-quality knife. How do you find the right one? "First, you want it to be a comfortable weight for your hand," says master chef Ron DeSantis, associate dean at The Culinary Institute of America. And there's no hard and fast measure for that. Look for the following features:

A grip with smooth—not sharp—edges so nothing scratches or rubs your hand as you hold the knife.

Rounded edges near the bolster (where the blade meets the handle).

A balanced feel: When gripping the handle of the knife to cut, it should feel balanced without tilting on its own toward or away from the tip.

When shopping for knives, take them for a test drive (so to speak). For a chef's knife, hold its blade on a flat surface as though you are chopping, and rock it back and forth, keeping the tip on the board. Look for the length that feels most comfortable in that motion. Think of the paring knife as an extension of your hand, and hold it as if to peel an apple. Then imagine you are using the tip to slice a garlic clove or "write" a design on dough. Go for the blade that makes you feel in control with the easiest grip in those positions. Pantomime the way you would use a serrated knife, too, and choose the most comfortable length and style.