Question about using a regular chef's knife vs. a cleaver for cutting squash

I tried my roommate's cleaver to chop a butternut squash last night and it went through like butter compared to my cheap chef's knife that always gets stuck halfway. Took me 2 minutes instead of the usual 10. Has anyone else found a random tool that just works way better for one specific thing?

2 comments

2 Comments

emmasmith5d ago

Right? A good cleaver is a game changer for squash. I had the same moment the first time I used one and felt like an idiot for struggling so long with my old knife.

harperp315d ago

Hear me out on this one. Cleavers are great for breaking down big stuff like squash, but I feel like people sleep on how versatile a good chef's knife actually is. You can rock chop through a squash with a sharp eight-inch chef's knife just as fast once you get the technique down, and then you don't have to switch tools for everything else. Plus, a big cleaver can feel clunky and heavy if you're doing finer work like dicing garlic or mincing herbs afterwards. Might just be my preference, but I'd rather have one do-it-all knife than a specialty blade sitting in the drawer most of the time.