It can be quite a job to find your first set of quality kitchen knives. In fact, one of the best ways to do so is to actually use the knife, but this isnt overly practical when you are already in the shops. If you make sure you purchase decent cutlery though, it will last you a lifetime so for this reason it is usually worth paying 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. These are more often than not cheaper than buying the knives individually and you can also get them with knife blocks which you can store them in. They also help to protect the knives.. You can always add to the set later if you find you are lacking a certain type.
Of course, if you have an idea about the type of knives you need then getting them seperately will give you more options. Buying a single knife from one of the premiere knife companies means that you can buy the exact type you need, wether its to start your collection or as a replacement for one. 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.