It's impossible to cook well without good knives. For cutting of course, but also slicing, chopping, etc.
If you intend to buy:
You need quality knives. Typically 3, let's say "small", "medium" and "large" (in French they have names according to their size : "couteau d'office" for the small one, etc.), stainless blade, plastic handle, not serrated, plus the steel (sharpening tool) to go with them.