What do you want to do with the knife? (ex: some knives are heavier/tougher and can cut tougher materials but lack in the finer cutting versus some knives that favor a thinner blade that is much more comfortable for general usage but are not advised for things like bone.) I personally prefer having a few thick cheapies to do that occasional harsh cutting and a nicer thinner gyuto for the large majority of what I do that isn't on foods that tend to damage blades.
Does reactivity matter?
I like most Kershaw products but am not a fan of their kitchen knives and I think some less expensive makers do a better job with their VG-10. Also at the upper-end of their price range, there are a lot of other options using really attractive steels like Super Blue, for example. Overall, I just haven't felt the models I have owned/used were very good values because of other offerings that were equal or less costly and what I feel are knives of equal or superior quality.
I am a really big fan of
Tojiro knives and think that relative to their pricing that they have an excellent fit and finish, great VG-10 heat treatment, and very good edge retention. While a little over $50, I think one would be hard-pressed to find many other knives of that quality for that price. And I think compared to Wustof, Global, or Shun it is a pretty noticeable improvement. So if it were me personally, that in an 8 inch is what I would probably buy.
I have also used some of the less expensive products from Kikuichi, SETO, Fujiwara, and Richmond, and I think all of these brands have some really nice knives relative to the cost and deliver a great product. Most of the entry models these makers offer are still a little higher than budget, but you can sometimes find them for reasonable discounts and huge discounts if buying used.
I also like most of the kitchen products coming from Spyderco and Victorinox. Neither currently offers a chef's knife that fits me personally, but many of their other knives I find to be value priced and of great quality for that price.
