F. Dick Premier Plus 4.5-inch Paring Knife

An extra inch over the standard paring knife lets this 4.5-inch Premier Plus model do the same peeling and trimming jobs plus some utility work, such as mincing a shallot or cutting fully through a grapefruit.

The longer blade reaches across a lemon or a small onion in one stroke, which a 3.5-inch knife cannot. It is still small enough to use in the hand. A full bolster gives the knife good balance, and the edge hones easily on an F. Dick steel and sharpens well on stones.

It is also a comfortable size for cooks who find a standard paring knife too small for their hands. The longer handle-to-tip reach gives more leverage when cutting through a firm apple or quince.

For close in-hand work, the Premier Plus 3.5-inch paring knife is quicker. Larger fruit and small cuts of meat suit the Premier Plus 6-inch utility knife, and tomatoes are easiest with the 5-inch tomato knife.