Cutlery Reviews

This is my first set of really fine German made knives. I've heard for years that the best knives come from Henckel in Germany. I thought the price was right and was looking for a "fatter" handle on a knife. This knife set is beautifully designed and well made. I have a touch of arthritis in both thumbs and the skinny handle on most kitchen utencils is difficult for me to hold. This knife set fits my hand nicely and glides through everything like it's warm butter. Great knife - great value. This set will last a life time!

I got a big set of 5 star knives for Christmas, and think they are great! They cut beautifully, are very well made, and easy to clean. I think the handles are really just a personal preference. I understand the blades are the same in the Pro S and 5 Star line. My dad (who also swears by Henckels)has the Pro S series, and finds the larger more ergonomic handles in the 5 Star line uncomfortable. But I find them easier to work with. I have noticed a few spot/stains on the blade of the large chefs knife in the past few months, but I assume that this is probably due to my own maintenance practices.

I spent the money and I love them. I read reviews about the handles being too bulky for those with small hands but I have had no problem with them and I do have small hands!

I upgraded to this knife from a chef's knife included in a $25 knife set, and I've been very happy with it. It's very sharp, and nicely balanced / weighted. When I opened it, it was so sharp that it sliced my dish-sponge to ribbons as I was washing it for the first time. Definately a good sign in my book. I don't do a ton of heavy chopping, but for moderate, ordinary kitchen tasks - chopping potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, the accassional carrot, celery, raw or cooked meat - it gets the job done easily. In my opinon, if you don't have a ton of money to spend on a knife, this is a great all purpose tool. I reach for it anytime I need to cut anything. Not the absolute best out there, but for the budding gourmet on a budget, I highly recommend it.

What makes the Wide Chef's Knife different is the sharp slope from the tip to the bolster -- and that's also what makes it work so well for chopping or mincing veggies.

Hold the tip down on the chopping block with one finger, and quickly rock the handle up and down. Before you know it, your onions, garlic, parsely, whatever, are as finely chopped as you could want them.

Even better, the weight is balanced slightly forward of your grip, so the knife naturally moves right into the job. Less effort, less time, less hassle.

Great knife.

I am a chef and I own 11 Henckels Pro S knives and this knife is one of the most utilized knives in my bag. It is great for all uses. I can walk all over the kitchen and just use this one knife. I used to use as many as four different knives for one task, now all I need is my 6" chefs knife
I love it.

I bought these knives on a special. I got what I paid for. I would have given 2 1/2 stars if that was an option. If you have more than one person cooking at the same time, it is nice to be able to grab a knife for some quick work rather than doing time share. However, these don't hold a candle to the real deal. Oh, they are colorful :)

I got these knives 2 years ago and still have yet to sharpen them. They work great for every little thing I have to cut. The red knife is great for slicing through muffins or small loaves of bread, my husband likes it for cutting sandwiches. The little blue knife is great for peeling potatoes or apples and the other two do all kinds of various cuttings. I would definitely buy them again or give them as gifts. I also like the colored handles not only for the colors sake but they are easy to remember which knife is which when the handle is the only thing poking out of the cup I have them standing in.

I bought my married-with-kids sister a set of these colorful knives, and she absolutely loves them. She even bought sets for their vacation homes on the coast! They're inexpensive and are great for gift giving.

I love this set of knives. Prep work with dull knives used to make cooking even a simple dish take forever, frustrate me to no end (driving me to ramen noodles and frozen dinners), and pose hazards to my fingers. Those days of near misses, squashed tomatoes, and "sliced" green onions that don't totally get separated and end up like batons are over. I agree with most of the positive comments written here so far. Other qualities to love:
1. the handles are the perfect size for my small hands
2. perfectly balanced -- important for my not-so-strong hands
3. sausage knife great not only for sausages, but also for slicing tomatoes and cutting sandwiches made with crusty or toasted bread.
4. lifetime warranty means I'll never have to buy another set

I do wish I had the shears, but I figured when I bought the set that, if I was going to have to fill in anything later, it may as well be something relatively cheap to buy separately like shears ($20 or $30) rather than an actual knife. Also, I bought this set on sale from Amazon for $275.99, a huge $184 discount off the current listed price, and got a bonus straight fork for free. Can't beat that!

I purchased a Wusthof Classic 8 piece set with a deluxe oak block,plus a santoku knife and a serrated tomato knife. Inside in the set were three 8" knifes, a Chefs, a bread,& a carving. Also a 4 1/2" utility, a 3 1/2" parer, shears, and a sharpening
steel. All fit nicely in the block plus room for 6 steak knifes.
I chose the classic style over the Grand Prix due to I felt the balance was better, the full tang is stronger, and alot better looking knife.(my personal preference).
I was looking for a high quality knife set and when Consumer Reports rated it #1, plus seeing alot of cooks on the food channel using Wusthof, my mind was made up. These knives are very well made, cut like a dream,& extremely well balanced.
There are cheaper knifes, but this is a life time investment.
You get what you pay for! I recommend trying both styles before buying if you can. The Grand Prix , in my opinion, had a bigger
handle and felt different than the Classic style.

that these knives are wonderful. Tell him too, that if he guts the buck, we'll cut it up with our new Wusthof set. Truly remarkable tools. I have a Buster too, but he is 12, not much easier, eh? and does not belive a thing I say! But now, maybe he will see the light.

After entirely TOO much time spent researching which knives to go with (Wustof or Henckels), I went with Wustof on recommendation from a Williams-Sonoma staff person. While the blade cuts nicely and does its job, the construction left a lot to be desired. I had the knife thru two washings and saw rust building up between the handle and full tang of the blade. Now, it's possible I have a lemon, but when I'm spending $50 per knife, I don't want to see anything really wrong with it. I don't want to be responsible for poisoning any dinner guests with rust! I bought the single knife to test whether I'd want the whole set, and well, it doesn't look like I'll be splurging.

Although a little pricey for a utility knife, this knife is a perfect addition to a starter set (I have the set #8832, includes chefs, bread, sandwich, parer, stick and shears). It cuts tomatoes and bagels like butter. It is one that you will reach for for those jobs that require delicate cutting (such as sausage without tearing the skin) without having to go for the more substantial knives.

Strongly recommend as addition to a set which doesn't have this knife.

This is the absolute best knife for a variety of tasks including cutting vegetables, especially tomatoes and onions, bread and just about everything!! I've had this knife for almost 3 years now and reach for it everytime! a must have for all cooks!

I just received these knives today.

I have a set of Henckels "International" Pro knives which I bought at Costco for about $150. The Henckels went dull very quickly. I looked at the blade, "Made in Spain". OK, now I know better -- only buy steel made in Japan or Germany.

So, I bought these Calphalon's based on the great reviews and the German steel in the advertisement here on Amazon.

Here's the revelation -- upon examining these knives, they are clearly stamped, "Made in CHINA. German Steel"

I'm not sure if I should feel good about these or not. Time will tell, but I wanted to stay away from products made in China and thought that I was getting a German product.

Having used them today, I can say that despite being made in China, they are very balanced and have an excellent weight to them. I found my hand subconciously and very naturally gripping around the neck of the handle, bolster, and blade and using the weight of the blade to chop down, something like how I'd use a cleaver.

I'm waiting to see how the German steel holds up on these Chinese knives, but so far so good. Minus 1 star for the misleading origin of these.

I've had this set for 6 months now, and am extremely happy with it. They are far superior to the less expensive Henckels and Wüsthof sets. I wouldn't go as far a saying they are the same quality as the top of the line Henckels and Wüsthof sets, but they are very close and cost a LOT less. No problems with rust or discoloration (the maids even ran the chef's and paring knives through the dishwasher by mistake). The stamped steak knives are not the best,(I have the forged steak knives as well)but they work good for everyday tasks. All in all, you can't go wrong with this set.

Friedrich Dick knives are a staple in culinary schools. Their blades have a higher carbon content than most, which makes them a bit harder and capable of holding an edge longer. (Friedrich Dick knives are also sold under the name Calphalon Professional Cutlery). Perhaps this is why the gentleman had a problem with rust. These knives are slighly more prone to rust than some others. All the good qualities described in the other reviews here are true, and with a little more care you get a superior set of knives at an excellent price/performance ratio bettered only by the Farberware Pro Forged set which are 85-90% of the quality for half, or less, the price.

I've had my set for almost ten years; they're nice (better than Farberware "never-sharpen" serrated) but not the best. They're working fine for me now, but when it comes time to replace them, I'll go with a Global.
I also prefer the wood to the plastic handles-- the plastic doesn't feel as good.
FWIW, I use the steel every time, and have had them professionally sharpened once, after about 6 years. And of course, they don't go in the dishwasher.

These knives are made the way I wish all of my knives had always been made. They require the use of steel and occassional sharpening and oiling. Relatively speaking, they're high maintenance knives ... yet I have tried many knives that are far more expensive and haven't found one that matches the cutting ease nor good balance. The maintenance is the price you pay to have knives that are of such high quality, and I wouldn't take them any other way. While the blade will not hold an edge as long as some others, when well taken care of it will outlast the others and the edge will be sharper than all others out there, a result of their using high carbon non-stainless steel, a metal not used in virtually any other knives, and certainly none of this quality.

I give these knives 5 stars not because they are the best knives on the market, but rather that they are probably the best knives in their price range. I have had my set for about 4 years and, while someday I will probably upgrade, they have never let me down. I use a steel every time and wash by hand. As the handles are wood, I oil them occasionally as well.

These knives are not the best that money can buy, if you are looking for that prestige, there are better choices. However, they are solid knives, even for someone like myself who uses them constantly, that will hold up and perform very well for a very reasonable price.

If you are purchasing these knives with this understanding, you will not be disappointed.

The short story:
Pay a little more money and buy Wusthof cutlery,
and get a lot more bang for the buck.

The long story:
J. A. Henckles make different lines of cutlery. Their
"International" line is lower quality and less expensive
than their top lines "Pro S" and "Five Star."

(The only difference between the "Pro S" and "Five Star"
is the handle. The "Pro S" has a full-tang riveted handle,
and the "Five Star" has a bigger, synthetic handle. Some
people claim the full-tang riveted handles have better
balance.)

Though, Henckels name is more well known than Wusthof
and they sell more knives to the general public, people
who have used the two brands, for the most part, agree
that Wusthof is the better knife. Also, Wusthof seems
to employ much better quality control than Henckels.

Henckels cuts corners when it comes to their sets.

Henckels supplies a relatively small, low grade
sharpening steel with their top line "Pro S" and
"Five Star" sets.

In their top line 18 piece sets, their steak
knives come from a lower line.

Henckels has a recommended retail price and a sale
price on their cutlery. Just about all vendors,
sell Henckels knives at the "sale" price. Henckels'
warranty department will only give you credit for
the sale price of their product, even if you pay
more, and have a receipt to prove it.

On the other, hand, Henckels warranty department is

generous when it comes to replacing old Henckels knives
damaged due to consumer misuse. I thought knives
completely submerged in salt-free water would
not corrode. I thought corrosion needed salt or
air. Wrong. My Henckels knives corroded even
though I just left them submerged in soapy water.

The most popular knife today is the Wusthof
Grand Prix, Santaku knife with a granton
edge. This is the knife used by Rachel Ray
and other chefs on the Food Network. "Granton"

means the knife has semi hollowed-out ovals on
its sides. Granton edges may provide a smoother
cut, with less drag. Vegetables may stick to
their sides less. But knives with granton
edges are not supposed to be sharpened at home.
Moreover, they have very little edge to sharpen
and so have much less life expectancy than an
Identical knife without a granton edge.

The short story:
Pay a little more money, and buy Wusthof cutlery,
and get a lot more bang for the buck.

The long story:
J. A. Henckles make different lines of cutlery. Their
"International" and "Four Star" lines are lower quality
and less expensive than their top lines, the "Pro S"
and "Five Star."

(The only difference between the "Pro S" and "Five Star"
is the handle. The "Pro S" has a full-tang riveted handle,
and the "Five Star" has a bigger, synthetic handle. Some
people claim the full-tang riveted handles have better
balance.)

Though, Henckels name is more well known than Wusthof
and they sell more knives to the general public, people
who have used the two brands, for the most part, agree
that Wusthof is the better knife. Also, Wusthof seems
to employ much better quality control than Henckels.

Henckels cuts corners when it comes to their sets.

Henckels supplies a relatively small, low grade

sharpening steel with their top line "Pro S" and
"Five Star" sets.

In their top line 18 piece sets, their steak
knives come from a lower line.

Henckels has a recommended retail price and a sale
price on their cutlery. Just about all vendors,
sell Henckels knives at the "sale" price. Henckels'
warranty department will only give you credit for
the sale price of their product, even if you pay
more, and have a receipt to prove it.

On the other, hand, Henckels warranty department is
generous when it comes to replacing old Henckels knives
damaged due to consumer misuse. I thought knives
completely submerged in salt-free water would
not corrode. I thought corrosion needed salt or
air. Wrong. My Henckels knives corroded even
though I just left them submerged in soapy water.

The most popular knife today is the Wusthof
Grand Prix, Santaku knife with a granton
edge. This is the knife used by Rachel Ray
and other chefs on the Food Network. "Granton"
means the knife has semi hollowed-out ovals on
its sides. Granton edges may provide a smoother
cut, with less drag. Vegetables may stick to
their sides less. But knives with granton
edges are not supposed to be sharpened at home.
Moreover, they have very little edge to sharpen
and so have much less life expectancy than an
Identical knife without a granton edge.

these are excellent knives and ARE one of the top brands that henckels sells (unclear what the 10/03 review was referring to as it didn't even mentiont these particular knives)>
these are forged blades, cut beautifully and are top notch and worth the extra money

The knives are attractive, well balanced, and easy to use. They seem to keep their edges while cutting through even the toughest of materials. However, they do stain easily. They should be cleaned by hand and dried immediately. NEVER wash them in the dishwasher!

great set. very sharp just love them. so did my son so he had me order set for him. i can't beleive how much they have come down in price these are great knives.

Best I ever had very sharp love them great price

This light uses LED technology, there are no batteries- last up to 100,000 hours of use!

This "reviewer" would like to learn BEFORE ordering this penlight
WHAT kind of battery/batteries it takes. Someone please answer w/
a review to SPECIFY WHAT SIZE AND QUANTITY BATTERY is required to
operate this (apparently very nifty) flashlight. For example, the
battery SIZE is "button" (state which model number); the COUNT to
run the light would be ?? # of cells (for example two AAA's, or 2
button cells, whatever...). The reason I'd like to know (before I
buy) is that I'll be "stuck" with a high-maintenance flashlight @
so much money per set of hard-to-get batteries. It's one thing if
the penlight takes AA or even AAA, but when/if it requires a AAAA
or a set of button cells, then the cost and availability of those
specialty batteries becomes a reason to abandon the thought of an
online order for the flashlight itself. Am a virgo... 'Nuff said?

The Coast LL7526 V16 White Pen Light has been one of my favorite new purchases. It does have two batteries that are Li/3V that can apparently be purchased through jewelry stores and even Walmart. The light is LED which is supposed to last 100,000 hours. I am a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and use this light to clip onto a wooden tongue blade to inspect mouths and throats of little ones. It frees up my second hand to be able to hold the child's head more easily if needed, and because it's so small, its seems to be less threatening to the children. I plan to purchase a couple more, so that I always have one in my pocket!