Finding quality kitchen knives can sometimes be a bit of a chore. Unfortunately, one of the best ways to decide if its the one for you is to actually use it, which is rather hard in a shop. If you take care to buy good cutlery it should last you for a long time so it is sometimes worth spending a little extra. 

This is of course, assuming that you look after them properly. They will usually need resharpening, which is also called steeling, and every now and again will need to be re-edged. Avoid using the dishwasher though as this will mean you need to sharpen them a lot more often.

It can be beneficial to look at premade sets of quality kitchen knives. Not only can these work out cheaper but you will also usually get a good selection as well as a knife block which will store and protect them. You can always add to the set later if you find you are lacking a certain type. 

With that said, if you have an idea about what type of knives you want, then buying individual knives might be the better option. Buying them on their own means you can mix and match as you need, and therefore you aren’t limited to one single manufacturer. It can also be a good choice to do this if you need to get a second knife of the same kind, or perhaps one with a larger blade.

This might also be useful for people with smaller hands. You shouldnt have to struggle using one that is too big to hold and it is worth remembering that chef knives, for example, come in a variety of sizes so theres no reason not to get one that you can hold properly.