Instructions: Q. Does putting expensive professional-quality knives in the dishwasher ruin the edge on the blade? I just bought a couple very expensive, professional-quality knives with supposedly dishwasher-safe handles, but I worry about affecting their cutting ability.

A. Right you are. The handles of virtually all top-quality knives these days are dishwasher safe. Thats where the good news ends. Actually, the blades of most good knives are also impervious to water damage, but the manufacturers are concerned about the edge of the blade rattling around in the dishwasher, being whooshed into the other dishes or even just bumping against the rack, any of which can dull the blade. So they universally recommend hand washing and babying your knives.

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