Cutlery Reviews

Same sizes, but different brands and prices.. which one to select.. ?

I too was not sure of the quality of this knife while I bought this.. but now, I think I made a wise decision. This set of 8 knives is great. These knives are light-weight and sharp. The blade is ridged so well that it cuts hard material without any jerks.. Not to mention every one has been using knives, but this knife-set is an experience......

smart price, very good in comparison to more expensive products.

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 particular model, the 10 inch slicer, is too long and thin. The balance is not right, and it is difficult to control. This knife is high quality, but too long.

Finally, there are really few uses for this knife where either a chef's knife or a shorter knife would not be a better choice. Great knife, bad size and balance.

Let me tell you folks, when my late husband received this fork as a gift from one of his clients, my first thought was, "Return it and let's get the cash!". Luckily we kept it around long enugh to realize what an asset it is to our kitchen. This fork has two prongs which is perfect for any job you would want it for. Our cook, Frances, just loves it, and refuses to carve with anything else. In fact, I just bought him one for his own family for Christmas! What can I say, I know how to treat my staff!

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 Culinar line is an all stainless steel look, rather than a black handle. Although the picture and some descriptions want you to think this is a single piece knife, be advised that the hand is a separate piece of stainless steel molded onto the tang. I personally prefer the handle of the Grand Prix and Classic, because the grip is surer for me, but this is, to some extent, a matter of personal preference. This series "looks" more professional to some (like a Viking stove).

This particular model, the 8 inch 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. My only quibble is the length. I find the 9 inch bread knife to be a better length for most loaves of bread.

I recommend the Wusthof 8" bread knife, but I would try out the 8 inch and the 9 inch to see which you prefer.

All three knives are the Wusthof quality I expected. Three different shapes seemed over-kill at first - but I found them extremely useful. A well thought out product.

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 Grand Prix line is a more modern design than the Classic series, with a simple black handle. 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 particular model, the 5 inch boning knife is a good knife. In my review of the 6 inch cleaver I noted that most people really don't use a cleaver anymore, as they buy either pre-cut/pre-packaged meats, or they have the butcher cut the meat into loins or steaks for them. However, I think this knife is slightly more useful for the everyday cook than the cleaver. I find this knife useful for both boning and fat trimming. Although this knife is probably not essential for a starter collection, I would add this knife before a cleaver.

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 Grand Prix line is a more modern design than the Classic series, with a simple black handle. 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, a 6 inch chef's knife, a 9 inch bread, a 4 ½ inch utility knife, a 5 inch salami knife, a sharpening steel, and an oak block

The 8 inch chef's knife and the 6 inch chef's knife are great knives. Wusthof offers three sizes of chef's knives, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. The 6 inch is 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. Adding the 6 inch makes the set almost complete.

The Wusthof 4 ½ inch utility knife is a great all-around knife. This is the knife I use for the majority of my small chopping work (when I don't use a Chef's knife).

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 and the 5 inch salami knives. I prefer the larger size of the chef's knife or the smaller 4 ½ inch utility knife. The knives are just the wrong width and length for most tasks, and fall 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.

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 great deal, and includes just about the right assortment of knives. Adding the steak knives fills the block perfectly.

This set is an average lifespan set, I have had it for two years now and it has started to show quite a bit of wear and beginning to show signs of rusting in small spots.

This set is a great deal -- especially since I purchased them for (...)! I made sure to read the customer reviews before purchasing and found that helped make my decision -- no surprises (eg. made in China, dull, flawed, soft metal, etc.).

I am happy to say that I lucked out -- the knives came very sharp, w/ no aesthetic flaws. However, I am aware that rusting could occur, based on a older review, so I make sure to hand wash them w/ care (no soaking) and hand dry immediately.

I am a novice when it comes to understanding quality of knives, but if you can purchase knives that are supposed to be $200-plus for (less than that amount), you better understand the maintenance that goes into caring for them and prolonging their quality.

I purchased this set because of the Sabatier name, and once again I was over-impressed by the quality it delivered. This set does it all from the hard jobs of carving a 25lb top sirloin roast into perfect steaks to cutting the delicate tomato without crushing it. The bread knife is stellar for those of us who like to make our own bread at home and the steak knives are great for large dinner groups, (six knives instead of the usual four with most sets in this price range). All the knives have an excellent ergonomic friendly design for people like me who put in long hours in our kitchen for the relaxing stress relief of creating fine cullinary works of art. I encourage all chefs, (especially novice chefs), to buy this set. I am positive you will be happily surprized at the quality you get for the price.

I have cut myself 3 or 4 times since buying these knives less than a month ago. I haven't had this problem with other knives. They are sharp enough that it bleeds despite pressure. Part of the problem is actually that a couple of the knives aren't sharp enough so they don't glide right through the food. Most of the knives arrived sharp, but a couple need sharpening. I don't have any experience using the sharpening tool so I'm waiting to have someone show me. I don't think this problem will go away after sharpening them though. I suspect the knives are poorly balanced, as another reviewer said. The blade of the knife bends a bit when going through denser foods like carrots or onions and can consequently slip. I don't think I will ever feel compfortable chopping quickly with these knives.

That said, I am not unhappy with my purchase. They were cheap. They are decent knives for the price. The are not comparable to more expensive knives though, except that they are sharp and will stay sharp if you use the sharpener.

It's a very nice looking set, looks like its worth a hundred or so and for only $15 (the price I paid when it was on sale) it's a definite good buy. However, the quality itself isn't that great, yes the blades are stainless steel and they cut very well but the handle is made out of plastic and I wonder when they will break or chip and become discolored therefore rendering the rest of the set useless. Anyway, its just there for 'show' and not used as my main knife set and for its price its worth it.

If you have roommates, but also cook, you know the stress of having "nice" equipment. These knives are perfect for such a situation! While very inexpensive, they are are of good quality, and it is a complete set. I'm very impressed with their weight and strength. They are also pretty stylish - impress your friends!
Some complained that they are not sharp out of the box.. but that's why they come with a sharpener!