Chef Knives Reviews

I gotta tell ya...this has been the best "out of the box" knife that I have used in a long time and I have purchased and used every FORGED 8 inch chef's knife from every line of every manufacturer listed here on Amazon. The factory edge was perfectly honed and sharp as a razor right from the get go. Usually I have to use a sharpening steel for a few strokes to reclaim the edge but not this one. Maybe I got lucky but I do love it dearly.
The 4 Star line has been around since 1976 and Henckels knows that we "Pros" love it for it's low maintenance, ease in sharpening, comfortable grip, sanitary design AND price. The blade is classic German in shape, a long, round curve for perfect rockin' and a good weight for heavier work (although in the mid to late '90s they went to a French shape and weight for some reason). This 4 Star can't be beat for dollar value.
This is my 5th one purchased in the last 23 years...the previous ones were all "stolen" by line cooks on the job...'nuf said.

I've been using my Henckel's chef's knife for many years now, and I continue to be impressed with it at every use. The size, weight and balance make it comfortable to use, even for larger "projects" that might cause your hand or arm to get tired with a lesser product. Even after countless uses, the edge remains super sharp, requiring only rare application of the sharpening steel. I found this out the hard way a few days ago with a careless slip of the hand... The heavy duty stainless steel has stood up perfectly to umpteen-bazillion trips through the dishwasher, without the tiniest hint of rust or discoloration.

In short, this is truly a professional quality knife, as is every item in the Four Star, Five Star and Pro-S lines. Yeah, this puppy costs $80 or more, but it's definitely a worthy investment. You really do get what you pay for! Just a word of caution -- stay away from the lower-end Henckel's International line, which is much cheaper but not of comparable quality.

I love to cook, and I've spent a lot of money on cookware. For some reason, however, I continued to buy cheap knives. I guess I always felt that the actualy cookware I was using was so important, that I didn't really understand how having such a good knife would improve things.

Then I got this knife as a gift from a friend who comes over for my cooking a lot. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing! The weight of the knife, combined with such an incredible blade makes 'slicing and dicing' one of the best parts of cooking! This blade has taken everything I've thrown at it effortlessy. I bought a Henkle sharpener to go with it, but it holds its edge so well I don't sharpen it too often.

This kinfe also looks great. Plus, with Henckel quality, you know this will last almost forever.

Pros:
-Holds an edge very, very well
-Solid and heavy - makes chopping so easy
-Well balanced - feels great in your had
-Henkel quality

Cons:
-I only have one! (seriously, I don't have a real con).

This would be the one. THe 8" chef's knife was my first Wusthof; and using it for the first time instantly erased any remorse I had about the price. It is an incredibly fine precision tool for chopping, dicing, etc. I cook a lot for fun; and since buying this knife, I have pretty much upgraded every piece of cutlery I use to Wusthof (and I use them all). Still, if I were only permitted to own one kitchen knife, this would be the one.

If, like some pros, you like to grip the top of the blade between your thumb and index finger, forward of the bolster, and wrap the rest of your fingers around the handle, this knife is hard to beat. Such a grip is said to give better control, straighter cuts, and narrower slices than wrapping all fingers around the handle allows.

Yesterday I took a knife-handling techniques course offered by a Wusthof rep at a local shop and was amazed by how quickly this knife turned carrots, celery, and nearly anything else into neat slices and chunks. Using the grip described above, one merely rolls the knife back onto the item being cut, lifts the back only, and repeats, sliding the food into the knife. The front of the blade merely rolls and slides on the cutting board, and is never lifted. (Compared to this, the instructor said my lift-and-chop technique was fairly effective, but abusive! *L*) With this knife, you could cut a carrot or celery into neat, thin little slices in less time than it takes to lift the lid off your food processor and get ready to clean it.

I've got other good knives - prior to this knife, I already owned Henckels 4-star 6" chef's and fillet knives, a Henckels Pro-S 3" paring knife, and a Wusthof hollow-edge santoku (another awesome tool). The Henckels knives are excellent quality, but do not lend themselves to the forward grip; I tried it with my Henckels chef's knife and found that the forged bolster felt sharp-edged when I gripped the blade this way. Make no mistake - the Henckels is an excellent knife and works well, albeit with slightly less control, when all fingers are wrapped around the handle. The Wusthoff knife has a shallower transition fillet from blade to bolster and lends itself to either grip. I'd chosen the 6" Henckels because it felt well-balanced gripping the handle alone, while the 8" seemed heavier and less agile, but with the proper grip the 8" Wusthof Classic is balanced just right. The Wusthof Grand Prix, like the Henckels, tends to encourage an all-fingers-on-handle grip, though the bolster region may be more finger-friendly. I used to look longingly at Grand Prix knives, but last night's class sold me on the benefits of the Classic handle.

Needless to say, after giving it such a thorough tryout I took this knife home with me!

I've had one of these knives since 1968! I've used it several times every week since buying it, have sharpened it many, many times on both a whetstone (with oil) and with a ChefsChoice. The tip is a little bent and worn, and there's a nick in the handle, but it still cuts like new. I would give up my three Cuisinart Food Processors before parting with this knife. It's an essential tool in my kitchen, and I expect to get another 30 years' use out of it.

Global knives are the only knives I would have in my kitchen. In terms of comfort, durability, and performance, Global makes the best knives I have ever used.

The light weight of the knife allows for easy chopping without the wrist strain that heavier chef's knives tend to give. The grip is comfortable, making the knife easy to grasp without slipping, and the blade only needs the occasional sharpening. I use mine for all sorts of duties, like chopping veggies, crushing garlic, and even slicing through tough meats. This particular knife has never let me down, and it could cut through a shoe and still slice a tomato paper thin. And with the aformentioned qualities, it makes any novice slice like a pro.

The price might seem a bit high, but when you think about the durability of this particular knife when compared to less expensive, lesser quality knives, you can see why it is worth the extra money. A cheaper quality knife will dull, ship, or even break over time, meaning that it will need to be replaced more often. You might as well get a better knife. This is the one I would recommend, and myself and my friends use it, and we have no complaints.

As a professional cook, I don't like to waste time with gadgets or gimmicks at work. I was tired of the the dull, poor quality knives that my company supplies. I had the opportunity to try a Wusthoff knife during a busy shift. While it was better than the company knives,the weight made delicate tasks difficult. I held the Global at a cutlery shop and immediately noticed the balance and light weight it possesed. I purchased it on the spot. The knife is the best I have ever used. Global was able to produce a superior knife and it has proven itself day in and day out by handling everything from cutting frozen beef to slicing through tomatoes with ease. I will never go back to another brand, the knife is THAT good.

A knife is a knife is knife right? No not really. I had a friend who was a sushi chef, who the majority of his coworkers had these crazy custom made knives from japan that were imported (i dont even think they had a brand to them) but he was too cheap to pay and got a set of these. i tried his out right before i was ready to purchase some expensive henckles and found the balance and shape of the knife to be much more... well how can you describe a cutting expierience? i guess it was more cutt-arific...like i said i was ready to buy some henckles (spelling?) and he suggested to spend a few extra bucks and grab these... After forking over the dough, I have to say that I am huge huge fan of the global brand in general now and i bought one more knife and when i get the chance I am going to get more. i am excited to have some steak knives soon.

like others mentioned, these are lightweight, which some chef's and wannabe chefs probably would discredit or not like. Also the handles are smaller than other knives... but it doesn't seem to matter... i have big hands and i still love em'. they just feel good and they make me want to cut things for the sake of cutting... i guess i'm insane. call the mental institution

I have had mine for about 2 years now and still haven't sharpenend it yet (i use it a lot, i have yet to cut a tin can with it like Popeil would, but maybe some rainy day i'll try it)... anyway i'm not saying you don't need to sharpen them because it is probably a good idea... but i have yet to after two years of abuse and they seem to be about as sharp as when i first got them.

i would recommend this brand over others such as henckles or weisterholdodsodaidfpdslfj (or however you spell it). in fact i was so picky about making sure i found the knife that defined me as a person, that i forced the kids at the store up the street (williams sonoma) to let me play with a few different brands one evening after a cooking class and i have to say hands down this is my choice for knivery.

i'm sure there are others out there that might argue not having the weight on the knife is bad, but this damn thing is so sharp you don't need the weight. the only thing missing is a dragon in the blade (that was a joke referring to the QVC channel)

what else to say? the design is pretty damn contemporary and i have had several girls compliment me on them saying they look hip. in fact they did go well with the chicken, and i think they may have even raised brownie points!

maybe cooking utensils can define you as a person?

GO GLOBAL and HAPPY CUTTING!

In June of 2003, I wrote a blurb praising this starter set. My opinion from then hasn't changed, except the last part where I wrote that I couldn't justify Wusthof's price for those knive you don't use every day. Well, I lied. Since then I have replaced virtually every knife I had then with a Wusthof. Whether I was dicing veggies, carving a roast, or simply cutting up a chicken, I just got to the point where I could no longer tolerate using an inferior knife for the job; so I upgraded as I went along. All my old knives went into my camping box (you're supposed to be "roughing it" when camping, right?).

The knives in this set are superb. The problem is that after using them, you are liable to do as I did and spend lots of money later. Be warned.

I highly recommend this as a good starter set for Wusthof knifes are a high quality made knife, well balanced, hold a good edge,a lifetime guarantee,& #1 rated by Consumer Reports. I feel the 4 1/2" utility knife is a very good companion to these 2 also.Just make sure to feel the difference of each style for yourself; for some like the Grand Prix but I prefer the Classic. They cut through stuff like butter & make cutting alot less of a chore!

A great pair of knives. I use them daily and wouldn't trade them for any other knife I have ever touched. The balance and weight are perfect. Take care of them, and they will last forever.

I love these knives. They are extremely sharp, cut well, and have a very comfortable grip. This particular style is more of a pistol grip handle. These are extremely comparable to the Henkle set, both are high quality knives, the deciding factor for me was the grip of the knife. These keep an edge quite well, and do hold a blade that is most excellent. In a years time of extremely heavy use the blade still holds very well. These knives actually making cutting very easy. I honestly grab a knife now when I used to grab the food processor. These by far are the indespensible kitchen appliance in my kitchen.

I own and have tried a number of knives from the standard cheapo's to designer hand-made French knives, and these fill a large general purpose niche. These knives are very sharp (especially after using the sharpening tool) and approach the sharpness of my Kyocera Ceramic knives. Ceramic knives are extremely sharp and hard, but suffer from brittleness and need custom resharpening efforts. The Wusthof knives are well made German "tools" that will hold-up to a certain amount of abuse. For more abuse, I resort to my cheapo knives to cut open packages of food, wine bottle foil, etc.. They are handsome and do have a high-tech appeal but do not approach the beauty of some French knives. The French knives have inlaid wood handles and have a "mirror" finish (which will scratch even with a plastic scrubber), but are limited to tableware use only.
You must be extremely careful not to get ripped-off with a "imitation" German knife. Most knives use a brand-name, but are really made in China. The descriptions and inflated prices can be very misleading. Even with all my research, I was not sure that I had made a wise choice until I looked at these knives and started to use them. Please do the same, since things change all the time and "outsourcing" is all the rage!
Anyway, in summary, these knives are great...so get them before they don't exist!

I have had a set of Wusthof Grand Prix knives for about four years now and I could not be more pleased with their performance, durability, and quality. From the professional chef to the home cook looking for quality to last a lifetime; these knives accentuate the way in which you will prepare meals for a lifetime. The folded stainless steel is of the highest quality available in the industry, and it shows in how long they keep their edge. As with all straight edge knives; never put in a dishwasher, cut on stone or metal surfaces and they will stay in top form.

The look is stunning, the blade quality is very high and the weight is much lighter than other knives. But the handle is not so ergonomic as some other knives (I like the twin select from Henckels) and gets quickly uncomfortably warm when I use it. I would recommend this knife to women due to its lightness and, of course, to design-lovers.

The only thing better than the way the Global knives cut is the way they look. I have been a diehard user of Wusthof Trident Gran Prix knives, but since I bought this set, I have stuck my Wusthofs in the drawer.

The edge on the blades is phenomonal, and I have yet to use the ceramic stone I got with this set. I have decided to replace all of my old knives over the next few months.

We already had a Global Chef Knife when we got this 3 piece set last Christmas. We tried Global after buying a dissappointing Henkel. We are now diehard Global fans. When I visit people's homes and they have dull knives, I am further in love with my Global. It makes such a difference to have a good knife when cooking! Pay bon marche bon!

I got this knife because chef's knives are too wide at the back and wedge the cuts and santoku knives with their ultra thin edges should be saved for softer foods. For cutting squash,carrots and other hard foods this knife is perfect. Great balance, amazingly sharp, cleans easily, and worth every penny.

I loved my 8 inch Global chef knife so much I ordered this veggie knife. Oh wow, this thing is perfectly balanced and because of it's smaller size it is just about perfect for most veggies. It also fits in your hand extremely well. If you are going to cut up a potato, it is hard to beat the chef's knife. However, for cutting up a tomato, carrot, etc. this thing is the best tool I have ever used. Just wonderful!

Until 2 years ago, I used German knives, but even though I steeled with every use, they seemed to dull too quickly. When introduced to the Global line, the first thing that struck me was how well they held a razor sharp edge. Add to that excellent balance and outstanding design and you have top stock!

I've 8 in my collection now and my previous work horse 10" chefs knife has been relegated to cutting pizza!

The only other piece that rates a bit higher is my KASUMI DAMASCUS Japanese SANTOKU Chefs Knife... that is my all time favorite piece.

In summary, this global vegetable knife serves us well everyday. It is simply a pleasure to use, doing its job well while never stressing your grip.

There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Classic line is the more conservative counterpart to the Grand Prix line. The only difference, however, is the handle style. I personally prefer the Grand Prix, but this is an issue of personal preference. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.

This set includes an 8 inch chef's knife, a 3 ½ inch paring knife, a 6 inch sandwich knife, 7 inch bread, a sharpening steel, and an oak block

The 8 inch chef's knife is a great knife. Wusthof offers four sizes of chef's knives in the Classic line, 5, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. The 5 and 6 inch are a bit small for bigger jobs, but the 10 inch is too big for most jobs. While the 8 inch isn't perfect for all uses, if you are only buying one size chef's knife (and most people only buy one), this is the one I would recommend.

As for the 3 ½ inch paring knife, this knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 ½ inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 ½ inch paring knife and the 4 ½ inch utility knife. I prefer the 4 ½ inch utility knife, but the 3 ½ inch paring knife will do the trick.

I have found very few uses for the 6 inch sandwich knife. I prefer the larger size of the chef's knife or the smaller 4 ½ inch utility knife. This knife is just the wrong width and length for most tasks, and falls into the overkill department, except when part of a set.

The bread knife, is a great knife. Many people think tomatoes are the hardest food items to clearly cut. I think bread is much more difficult; but this knife makes the task seem easy. However, this particular bread knife, at 7 inches, is probably too short. I prefer the 9 inch knife.

When it comes to sharpening steels, I have found very little difference between Henckels and Wusthof. As long as you buy a high end steel, you really won't go wrong. Therefore, I shop for this item on price, and Henckels has a price advantage. However as the steel comes with the set, you won't go wrong with this steel.

This set is a good deal as far as price. However, keep in mind you really only get 4 knives, two of which I think are the wrong selections, and one of which I think is too short.

I actually purchased the 6 knife starter set... The only difference is it did not come with the bread knife (good to have), although I will probably purchase one in the future. I use the 6 inch serated knife for bread, bagels and tomatoes. I think this is a good bargain because I don't feel you need all the knives in the 10 piece set. The block is good to have in order to keep your knives protected and handy. I tried both the Henckels and the Wustoffs and I prefer the fit and feel of the Wusthoffs. I highly recomend these knives.

Finally we purchased a set of fine knives. What a difference! I can't really compare these to other fine knives, but I can't imagine better quality.

The 6 inch sandwich knife and the 8 inch chef's knife are great. The handles are smooth and the cutting is effortless. My favorite, however, is the 3 1/2 inch paring knife. It is balanced and cuts so smoothly.

I love this set of knives.

Just to clarify on those who commented that the "bread knife" in the set is too short. Technically, it's a serrated utility knife, not a bread knife and is fabulous for cutting tomatoes. The bread knife is also serrated, but is much larger...I have one myself and it's great for cutting big loaves of bread.

This is a great knife set. The knives are high quality and well balanced. The utility knife is great. After using this set for almost two years, I only have two complaints. The paring knife is a little small to cover all potential uses. Another 1/2 inch and it would be perfect. Also, the bread knife is almost useless. In addition to the fact it is the least used knife in the set, it is too short to be effective on all types of breads (varying loaf sizes, etc.). Add a longer paring knife and a carving or boning knife instead of the bread knife and this set would get five stars.

The Henckels 4 star knives are wonderful. I am able to get such a good grip on these. Very happy with the set. The only difference between this 4 star set and the 5 star set is the handles. I personally liked how my hand contoured to these handles. Previously owned the famous and expensive cutco knives. These are just as well balanced. Highly recommend.

Henkles is the second best knife out there. Unfortunately, the best one is cheaper. In a straight up comparison with Henkles-five-star to Cutco, Cutco destroyed the henkles knife. I won't mention prices, but Cutco is less expensive. Also the guarentee on Henkles is only "life-time," which by law only means "7 years".
Cutco guarentees forever replacement and forever resharpening for all of it products.
The straight edges on the henkles wore out much quicker than those of cutco. Regardless, the Cutco knives are always guarenteed to always be sharp. So you can always send them back to be resharpened.
Imagine only buying one knife and passing it on for your grandchildren's grandchildren...etc...
You make the choice

Just to let you guys know, Cutco hires what they call "web solicitors" to hype up their products on sites like this. Also, Cutco is sold by Cutco salespeople only and these salespeople have an interest in bashing other knives on the net. Truth is Cutco can't really compare to Henckels in anything but a guarantee, and how often have you known a Henckels knife to fall apart on you (and besides Henckels carrys a lifetime warranty too). A good article on kitchen knives and reviews can be found here[website][website]

My wife did not want new knives. She get attached to things and misses them when they are replaced. She replaced old knives however with this 5 star set, once she had a chance to try them in the kitchen. Great ballance. Very convinient handle. Extrimally well thought through craftsmanship