Armed with his Wusthof, Rich Balogh slices and dices with speed, precision and ease.

“It quicker, comfortable and cuts everything beautifully,” said Balogh, executive chef at the Blue Buffalo, opening in September in the Theater District. “They are the best for me; life in the kitchen is a breeze with these knives.”

The German-made cutlery, world-renowned for its sharpness and durability, is one of the high-end brands used by chefs in kitchens around the globe. The convenience of flying through dinner-prep could also be enjoyed by average cooks, but Balogh’s eight-piece collection would easily run you more $800.

While a whole set of knives at a chain retail store can cost $50, one knife from a professional line can start at $50 and cost as much as $200 at gourmet cookware shops.

In the world of knives, harder steel makes for stronger knives that require less sharpening. Cheaper knives are made of thinner, weaker metal, so they dull quickly. They then require more effort to use, and can cause injuries, said Kathy Krisnosky, houseware buyer for Premier Gourmet in Kenmore, which carries a variety of high-end lines.

“If I’m buying a cheap knife, the chance of it breaking is very high,” she said. The blades on cheaper cutlery may be stamped from one sheet of metal and then attached to a handle, she said.

Top-of-the-line knives are made of high-carbon, stainless steel and are forged with full tangs—the metal travels from the tip of the blade to the end of the handle. The blades stay sharp much longer, said Mike Battaglia, owner of the Savvy Gourmet in Amherst. Furthermore, the brands have lifetime warranties.

A quality knife is also ergonomically designed with a bolster— a ridge between the blade and the handle—for comfort, safety and balance.

Reputable German companies Wusthof and J. A. Henckels have long led the market with their products, made from the sturdy Solingen steel, but Japanese companies, such as Kershaw and Global, are gaining on them, producing the sharpest of knives with the heaviest steel.

Balogh recommends buying one at time because of their high cost. Start out with multipurpose knives, like a chef or santuko. At the Savvy Gourmet a Henckels chef starts at $69.99.A Wusthof is $95 at Premier; Williams-Sonama in Walden Galleria sells a Global chef for $100.