The dishwasher is one of the greatest inventions in kitchen history. It handles the dinner plates, glasses, silverware and bowls. Unfortunately, it is also where good knives, wooden cutting boards and perfectly innocent cooking utensils can go to age well beyond their years. Some kitchen tools are clearly labeled hand wash only. Others may technically survive the dishwasher but will stay in better condition and last much longer if you wash them by hand. There is a difference between something...

Hint: Your cutting board may be doing more damage than your cooking. A kitchen knife is meant for use, not display. Cutting tomatoes, onions, meat, and herbs will gradually wear down any edge. But normal use is not always what makes a knife go dull quickly. Several everyday kitchen habits can roll, dull, or chip an edge long before it should need sharpening. The good news is that these habits aren’t hard to fix. Here are five of the most common mistakes we see. 1. Cutting on Glass, Stone, or...

Can serrated knives be sharpened? Yes, but they require a different approach. Learn how to spot a dull edge and when it’s time for sharpening.