Cutlery Reviews

This is perhaps one of the nicest looking knives after the Wusthof Culinar design. However, the handles of this Grand Prix line do get slippery while cutting meat when my hand got wet or when the juice from the meat gets onto my hand. Plus, the handle is shorter in length than the Henckels 4star line. So if you're looking for the perfect functioning knife (scrificing on the looks a bit), go for the Henckels 4 star line.

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, 8 inch bread, a 5 inch salami, a 2 ¾ inch trimming knife, a sharpening steel, and an oak block

The 8 inch chef's knife is a great knife. 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.

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 or 5 inch salami knives. I prefer the larger size of the chef's knife or the smaller 4 ½ inch utility knife. These knives are just the wrong width and length for most tasks, and falls into the overkill department, except when part of a set.

The 3 ¾ inch trimming knife, however, is a good length for small tasks, like trimming fat from cuts of meat.

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, I prefer the 9 inch knife over the 8 inch included in this set.

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 7 knives. Adding the set of steak knives (which I consider a luxury, and not a necessity), will fill the remainder of the block.

Finally, I would recommend you compare this set with the 10 piece couple's set, listed as ASIN: B00005MGKD. That set replaces provides a second chef's knife, a longer bread knife, and deletes the 2 ¾ inch trimming knife. It is more expensive, so compare your needs, and see my review of the other set.

A handsome looking cleaver and good balance. The only setback is in its handle material, it can get slippery when it gets wet or oily while cutting meat. This is dangerous for a cleaver. I would recommend to get the Henckels cleaver instead, a Four star one has good grip and comfortable to handle too, also a little cheaper than this one with similar blade type. Otherwise, this is a nice looking 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 particular model, the 6 inch cleaver, is a good cleaver. 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. If you really are going to use a cleaver, this one is my favorite. The weight and balance are very good.

The "Perfect Grip" handle is bonded to the knife body using some type of adhesive. My wife was cutting through a large zucchini when the "Perfect Grip" handle pulled off of the knife body. Of course we were both disappointed with our new knife set. We now feel it is worth spending considerably more to ensure we get a high quality knife set that is made to last a lifetime.

These are controversial knives, so I figured I'd add my opinion. I cook regularly and I own many of the best knives (Wusthof, Henckels, Global, etc.) I would never use a knife that isn't properly balanced or doesn't have a sharp edge. The fact is, these knives are perfectly good - even if they are made in China and aren't as good as the French made Sabatiers. If you're sick of having friends come over to cook and not having a good set of knives to let them use, this is a great set. If you're serious about cooking but don't want to invest the [$$$]+ in Henckels but still want a good knife that does what it's supposed to, this is a great set. If someone you know is just getting into cooking, this would make a great gift. The shears, the block, and the steak knives are all decent as well. I don't think the sharpening steel is good for much at all; remember to get a proper knife sharpener, which may cost you more than this set! But for [$$$] bucks, this is definitely the way to go - and by the way, this review refers to the Perfect Grips, I have not tried the others... I've seen many great values on Amazon over the years, but this is really one of the best....

It never ceases to amaze me that people will buy something like a big knife set like this for under fifty dollars and then have the gall to complain that it's quality is not very good. Of course the quality is not going to compare to Wusthof or Henckels, but if that is the quality you feel you need, then you have no business buying the cheap stuff in the first place.

I give this knife set 5 stars because it is a lot better than I thought it was going to be when I ordered it. People see it sitting on my counter, and they think I have a nice expensive knife set. The knives cut well, and in case they get dull, the set comes with a sharpening steel. I have even cut through inch thick wooden dowel rods with the serrated steak knives. And that's another benefits of these knives... when you've just moved, and you don't know where anything is, and you're pretty sure you don't have a small hand saw anyway, you can use these knives to cut pretty much whatever you need to, because they cost so little that you don't really care if you mess them up a little anyway. Sometimes it's great to have tools you just don't have to worry about. The surprising thing was that after cutting the wooden dowel rods, the steak knife hadn't even gotten dull. now that is high quality inexpensive kitchen cutlery for you.

The only material and noteworthy flaw these knives have that you may wish to know about before purchasing is that they rust if left in the sink for a couple days. I'm not talking about big flaky rust here, just brown discoloration that is difficult to clean off. I never expected them to be truly stainless anyway, so this was more a laughing point with my roommates than a disappointment.

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.

After using a friends set of Henckels, I thought I'd grab a set for myself. What I've discovered in my research is Henckels now makes some cheaper quality and cheaper priced knives as well as their high quality stuff. Fortunately, they have an easy way to identify which is which. The higher quality knives have the original "Twins" logo (looks like two little stick figures side by side) where the cheaper sets have just a single little stick figure man. They still make some very nice sets, this particular one isn't one of them. Just look for the twins and you'll get a much nicer set.

We received these knives as a wedding gift when we had them on our registry, and they've been great! Been using them for two years now, and they are still extremely sharp. They are well balanced, a nice weight and easy to use. I always hand wash mine, just to be on the safe side, and they are just like new. I cook often and can't stand a cheap or dull knife, and these have been a great deal for the money. Ours is a 7-knife set with no steak knives. Highly recommend them (and per an above review, these are a 'single man' marked set, not a double or twin marked set, so not Henckels top of the line, even).

I have never been able to use these. On the first try the two halves split apart. Unlike the previous reviewer, mine will not hold tegether long enough for use. I keep trying to fix them but to no avail. Very disappointing as the handles are well made. It's a pity they just don't work.

The most serious problem with these scissors is that the red locking clip won't stay open. If you don't hold the scissors exactly upright, the clip flips to closed position while the scissors are open. This gives your hand a good jar when you expect to close the scissors all the way but hit the clip half-way through your cut.

I could have solved this problem by breaking the clip off and living with the fact that the scissors couldn't be locked shut if it weren't for the second problem -- the scissors just don't cut that well.

Most of what I cut is packaging -- plastic wrap, cellophane, cardboard. The OXO scissors will cut through single sheets of paper, but when it comes to getting into a package of plastic-wrapped meat these scissors literally can't hack it.

Do yourself a favor. Kitchen scissors are important, so splurge on a decent pair. I replaced the OXO scissors with a pair from Wusthof. The Wusthof scissors aren't spring-loaded and they cost more, but they're a dream to use.

I bought these scissors for myself and liked them so much that I bought more for bridal showers. They make a nice gift when paired with the OXO soft handled vegetable peeler.They are easy to use, comfortable to hold and nice and sharp. The locking mechanism is handy as well. The price is very reasonable. However after a year, I am having a problem with the spring that is key to the scissors periodically falling out. I have to put the scissors down and replace it. So I have lowered my rating to 2 stars. The vegetable peeler still rates 5 stars.

We received these as a gift, but were very disappointed with them. Not only did these knives arrived slightly corroded, but they also chipped far too easily. They rusted further upon using them despite careful hand-washing and towel drying. They are most definitely NOT a bargain at any price!

I've been using my set for several days now and they do a decent job of basic cutting. While one of the knives arrived with a chip out of the blade it will be replaced, I hope. The wooden holder is designed poorly in that the slots for the knives are vertical instead of horizontal -- this can lead to rapid dulling of the blade if someone puts it in blade-down. All in all, a decent basic set but certainly not "chef's" quality.

This set is very well balanced with enough weight in the knife to offer a positive feeling when cutting awkward items. Good range of knives to suit most needs. Excellent item when you need a solid set of quality knives for a working kitchen, without the need to spend a fortune. Could be rated higher with the quality to price ratio in mind. Great brand, well known in Europe.

Ok, I purchased this set in 2002 for the supposed "bargain" price of .... I see now they are 1/2 that price. I'd say that now, the knives are definitely worth the price. But please please please do not think that for ..., you're going to be getting a ... knife set as Amazon indicates! I wonder sometimes, just who sets the "retail" price for an item - Sabatier or Amazon; but whoever it is has some sort of distorted view of the world.

I have been using the knives for a little over a year now, and haven't really had any problem with rusting. On some of the knives, there are tiny rust spots, but I attribute most of that to my "letting them sit" in the sink for a few days :)
They function pretty well - the serrated bread knife gets the most use from me, and so far, it has survived to tell the tale. Steak knives are still in good condition, and the scissors come in handy and work fine.

All in all, for fifteen bucks, I don't see how you can go wrong here - heck, even if you use them for a year then toss them, you've still gotten your money's worth. My reccommendation - buy 'em, use 'em, and continue to save your money for that truly "great" knife set that will be the answer to all your culinary prayers.

These are good quality knives, a bargain at the price Amazon is selling them for. Don't expect these to be as nice as high end knives that can cost almost a hundred per blade. I have had mine for about four months now and they look as good as new. I am surprised by claims of other people that their knives are rusting. My only guess is that they are seeing food particles that hasn't been cleaned off the knives really well. A good soak and scrub with dish soap make them shiny like new. While the included sharpener isn't great it functions well. Oh and if your biggest complaint about an inexpensive knife set is that the block has an empty slot, you are way ahead of those people that waste their money on something as gauche as Farberware.

I consider myself a chef and when I was in school learning, carving and cutting, slicing and dicing, well all I can say is these knifes fit all my at home needs from cutting steak to slicing bread and even to cutting chicken into the parts I want it to be in... They seem to be VERY strong, and they STAY sharp. Not needing to use the steel to much for sharpening. I give this set a 5+ star rating. These were a GIFT but I am looking at the price someone paid for them and for this price you are getting a really nice sturdy durable set of knifes that also look very good. Have a GREAT day.

I was so thrilled to receive this large food processor for Christmas after having to use a 2 (or 3?)-cup Proctor Silex for 3 years. I almost gave that little chopper away.... Thank goodness I didn't!

My first day with the food processor started out wonderfully. I chopped tomatoes, apples, pears, lettuce - whatever I could find in the fridge that warranted a good chopping :). Then I made hummus. As soon as all the ingredients turned into a lovely paste, I heard a horrible grinding sound. The machine stopped. A suspicious smell of burning plastic wafted through the air. It would only work in spots after that - and then it just wouldn't work at all.

We exchanged the machine for a new one exactly like the first, hoping that the first one we got stopped working because of a manufacturing fluke. After washing all of the pieces (except the base, of course)and putting them all together, the second food processor made a short grinding noise and then wouldn't start at all. What a joke.

If you want to save time and spare yourself some aggravation, don't buy this product. I'm back to using the little chopper until we can find an affordable and functioning larger food processor. It may be less convenient, but at least it works. :)

I've been wanting a food processor for a long time, but they are usually so expensive that I gave on getting one. It wasn't until I went to Kohls to look for a blender that I spotted the Black & decker food Processor which I read the reviews about it at Amazon.com. The things that was said about it are so true. It's reasonable priced, holds the same amount of food as the more expensive ones do and it does the same about of work: slices, chops, makes dough,etc... I would highly reconmend anyone who loves to cook to buy it.

This Black & Decker food processor is a truly great kitchen device. It's as good as a Cuisinart model, for a fraction of the cost. I've used it to make pesto, puree soups, blend herbed butters and many other tasks. It does these jobs with gusto and ease, and offers a pulse speed- a slower mode that is good for gentler mixing/chopping, and a high speed that will really chop things up. There is a food chute which allows you to add ingredients or liquids while processing without splattering stuff all over the place. Have you ever cut your fingers accidentally on a razor-sharp processor blade? That will never happen with this model because in a very intelligent design decision, the cutting blade is serrated! It is more than sharp enough to cut/blend when turned on, but you cannot cut yourself on it when you handle the blade. Very smart move and much appreciated by this chef. With a ten-cup capacity, the processor is large enough to hold plenty of liquid/food. Clean-up is a breeze- just twist the bowl off, remove the top and soak in hot water and soap. The machine comes with a dough-mixing attachment, which I haven't used yet. Highly recommended.

These are cheap knock-offs, feather light and a sad misrepresentation of the fine Lagioule name. Buy anything else, because you won't like these ratty little cheapos.

these knives are meant ot capitalize on the languiole name, a famous design of knife with pistol grips and a fold-in blade. .... the knives are ...imitations of the original thing. The blades are stamped stainless steel, and feature a serrated edge--heresy to a steak lover who cut meat, not tear it. the handles are small, and lightweight, there is almost no heft to it, and it feels like you are holding a ... plastic knife in your hands. it comes with a ... wooden tray.

This set of knives is beautifull. They are sturdy and very well made. The price is well worth the product and I think it's a great value for the money. Let's face it most of the time you get what you pay for, These on the other hand defy that logic not by alot but defy it none the less. I would encourage anyone looking for a decent set of steak knives and arent willing to pay the big $$$, to pick these up. You won't be dissappointed.

If you're reading reviews, you are just as unsure about this set as I was. That is, until I got it! What I received was not the top of the line Wusthof or Henckle. (But, then again I didn't order them.) And, I'm not going to tell you what makes a knife a good one. I am going to tell you that I was pleasantly surprised with the overall quality of what I received. I prepare some type of meal daily and have a very good chef and utility knife, among others. Recently, I upgraded my cookware to All-Clad and wanted a matching set cutlery for my counter. After reading all of the reviews, I was still unsure of what to expect. I must reiterate that I was surprised with the steel, balance and durability of the set. I received the black handled set and used the empty slot for a fillet knife. All of the knives work well!
If you put knives in a dish washer - you should be using plastic utensils. If you don't use a cutting board - you don't value sharpness. And, if you can appreciate and afford a great set - buy it! But, if you want something that is worth a lot more than the price it sells for, buy this set. And yes, I still use my speciality knives and will continue to for a long time - because I know how to take care of them!

I am very pleased with both the quality of the steel and the construction of the knives! I have worked as an Executive Chef in Clubs and Resorts for over 25 years and while I thought this deal was too good to be true for the price, I still purchased it for my home. I actually found them to be of exceptional quality for an exceptional value! I have a good set of the , so the other reviewer says, "Store Quality" knives and find THIS set to be superior! Don't get me wrong. They don't compare to my set at my establishemnt but, I have close to... invested it those tools! You do get EXACTLY what you pay for here! An excellent set of knives for your home!

After receiving this item in my Amazon Gold Box and needing a new set of steak knives, I ran through the reviews and was truly torn. The set was cheap enough, but the reviews were a mixed bag. I just received the set and after a deep breath openned the box. I was ecstatic to find that the set was much better than I anticipated. The knives were sharp out of the wrappings, are made from a good piece of heavy stainless steel, and have a good feel to them. They seem to be very sturdy. The block, although not awesome, is at least presentable. All the pieces were included and there were no blemishes or defects on the handles or blades. As these are made in China it could very well be hit or miss as to whether you get a good or bad set. But I, for one, am glad I spent about half as much for this set through Amazon as I saw it selling in a local deep discount store. Unless you are a professional chef and image is important, I think this set is definitely worth the money!