I cook quite a bit, so I disagree a little. you don’t need a stupid expensive knife, but buying one or two good quality knives is worth it. They probably last as long as you do so it’s not like you have to keep buying more, just buy quality once. I still have a couple cheap knives too. Also, expensive != quality. Choose wisely.

The cheap knives suck at holding an edge. I spend more time “fucking around” keeping the cheap knife sharp than I do the good ones.

Hand wash the knives. The dishwasher detergent will accelerate the loss of the edge and pitting, especially in cheaper steel. Use plastic or wood cutting surfaces, not hard ceramic like plates, or glass.