A great source for kitchen knife info is KnifeForums.com   In The Kitchen Forum.  Based on quick scan there, it looks like this is a great knife at a great price right now:

Tojiro DP Chef Knife 210mm

This is a 8-inch Chef's knife, which is about the optimum for all around use in the kitchen.  A must have type of knife.  
And this knife appears to be a Japanese steel sandwich knife, having a real hard thin middle layer fused between two softer steel outer layers.  These are good.  And it gets good reviews.  I've considered these Tojiros myself.  I love quality but am a bargain hunter.  
A little longer Chef's knife like a 9 or 10-inch is also a must have, but won't be used as often.  
You'll want a couple paring knives, and a boner is good for boning.  

You might look at this sight recommended by some at Knifeforums:  ChefKnivesTo Go
They list Top Sellers, and sale items, along with reviews, some of which look pretty good. I think it's best to buy a mixed set.  That way you get to try different brands.  I think it can takes years to really figure what performs better, but I don't cook every day.  

Look they've got the MAC Santoku for $53.  The Santoku pattern is a real sweet all-around knife, and that length looks right for doing everything.  Some Globals too.  

What I've been wanting for some years is a Nakiri vegatable knife.  Kinda like a cleaver.  Maybe the next step from the Santoku.  Good for scrapin' up the chopped stuff.  I've got some soft steel cleavers, but they're too thick, heavy and don't hold a good edge.  
Here's the Tojiro 9.5-in Chef, which would be must have length (for chopping lots of stuff in more of a hurry) for only $99, which is good for a 60-61 Rockwell Hardness, stainless knife especially with the sandwich construction.  A Global, Shun, MAC, or similar in this size and style would be great too.  For the bargain hunter, here's a line of Carbon steel Japanese knives at Rockwell C 60 hardness for a good price.     That 270mm knife looks good.  Long (10-11-in) Chef's knives are invaluable at times, but for me don't get much use, so a carbon steel blade works fine, because when I use it I use it for one thing, then can clean it, and put it away to avoid rust.  Carbon steel is significantly cheaper than stainless, for the same edge holding performance, and is much easier to sharpen.  Get a Spyderco SharpMaker and  few easy strokes will do you.

Yes, they are.  I have no issues using my Globals.  They're the nicest knives I've ever used, recreationally and professionally.



I've used/owned Wusthof, Henkels, Forschner, Boker, etc.  And Globals are IMHO the best, but like carry guns, what works for you is subjective.
 

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=956131


Ooops  

Totally disagree with this statement.

That's cool.  I've had to sharpen Forschners, and many other knives.  In my experience, the Forschners are harder to put a good edge on, as opposed to my Globals, Wusthofs, etc...



That being said, I have a 14" Forschner butcher's knife that I wouldn't trade for anything.