Cleaver

A complete collection of Chinese cooking tools requires a cleaver. They come small or large, heavy or light, with a stainless-steel blade or a carbon-steel blade, a wooden or a metal handle, imported from China or manufactured domestically. I recommend one in particular, which should be sufficient for all of your needs: a wood-handled cleaver with a balanced steel blade that is perfect for cutting, slicing, chopping, and mincing. It is made by Dexter and it weighs 11 ounces with a stainless-steel blade or 12 ounces with a carbon-steel blade. I cannot recommend too highly the stainless-steel Dexter cleaver, a truly professional knife suitable for nearly every cutting task.