Originally designed for filleting fish, this slender knife from French company Opinel makes quick work of any general task. The 10-centimeter blade—just shy of 4 inches—is large enough to cut loaves of bread, slice fruit and do anything else a picnic, beach trip or BBQ can throw at it. It’s as good for trimming twine or opening packages as it is as carving paper-thin slices of sausage or sawing through a tough baguette. We especially love Opinel's ingenious “virobloc” collar-style lock, which firmly holds the blade in place by twisting sideways—it's far easier to use than most any other locking-blade knife and basically removes any risk of the blade folding onto exposed fingers. The Swedish Sandvik steel used for the blade is durable, impervious to corrosion and holds an edge for eternity, while the ergonomic olive wood handle feels great in the hand and develops a beautiful patina over time.

Family-owned company Opinel in the French Alps is famous for its iconic folding knives, which are so popular that the producer released a set of dedicated kitchen knives—the Intempora line—based on its original designs. One of our favorites is the No. 216 Bread Knife. Its serrated 7.75-inch blade, made of the same Sandvik steel as Opinel's pocket knives, is deeply scalloped with a sweeping shape that is highly effective for slicing through the toughest loaves of bread, tomato skins or peppers, with little risk of banging your knuckles on the cutting board. The blade steel runs through to the end of the handle (known as full-tang construction), making the knife particularly sturdy—it won’t twist or turn during use. Our favorite part of the knife might be the robust polymer handle, which echoes the classic ergonomic shape of Opinel’s folders, designed to fit comfortably in most any hand. An effective bread knife is an essential tool in any kitchen, so you might as well have the best we’ve tried.

For the ultimate picnic-and-travel knife, French company Opinel offers its No. 10 folding knife with a built-in corkscrew, which conveniently folds flat into the handle for a compact package. The comfortably profiled handle is ideal as a corkscrew handle, leaving plenty of leverage to wiggle out the most stubborn cork. (Unlike other folding knives with built-in corkscrews, this is a real breeze.) Opinel uses high-grade Swedish Sandvik steel for the blade, which holds an edge well, tunes up easily on any sharpening device and is thin enough to slice beautifully through delicate foods. The knife's patented “virobloc” lock collar, made out of stainless steel, twists securely into place, preventing an open blade from closing and a closed blade from opening when you're using the corkscrew. This amazing do-it-all knife is the only one you'll ever need for traveling.