Cutlery Reviews

Well, I must tell you, I totally adore this knife! It is my best friend in the kitchen and I use it pretty much for every kind of food except bread cutting. I could not afford to buy the whole set and decided that if I could have one knife that cuts just about everything I would be a happy gal. I am totally satisfied with this knife and recommend it highly.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels "Pro S" cutlery is by far the most advanced on the planet. Hand-crafted in Solingen, Germany since the early 1700's. The blade is high-carbon steel, ice-hardended by Henckel's proprietary FrioDur process. The blade is then laser-honed to tolerances of less than one-thousandth of an inch. The black acrylic (?) molded handle is permanently bonded to the full tang (which is fully visible all the way around) then riveted. Not only does this create a virtually indestructible knife, it is also quite attractive. The handle is perfectly suited to how the knife should be held...even a novice can effectively use them as if by second nature. The weight is just right - not so light you can't control it, but also not so heavy that you can't work quickly. All in all, the tool feels like an extension of your own hand. The blade has a nice curve, suited to many cutting applications like dicing, slicing, chopping, etc. Cleanup is a breeze, thanks to the highly-polished blade.

Henckels may seem a bit pricy to someone who has never experienced the pleasure of their use; however, you will soon see that they quality of the craftsmanship is well worth it to pay a little extra. To sweeten the pot, they are unconditionally guaranteed for life; if you can manage to break one (and congrats if you succeed...quite impossible) they replace it. If you keep the blade properly sharpened (Sharpening Steel . . .))they last. You'll want to keep them in a block or get one of those nifty magnetic strips - throwing them in a drawer exposes their precision edge to damage.

Compared to Wusthoff, I'd say these rank a little higher. Design is more attractive, more solid feel, better reputation.

All I can say, in summation, is watch your fingers...these knives bite!

This is the perfect knife to use for just about anything. It has perfect weight and balance, and makes life in the kitchen a whole lot easier (and more fun.) Even for a casual cook, it is worth the cost.

You can spend a lot more on a knife, but you won't buy any better performance where it counts, in the kitchen. Made of sharpenable stainless with a synthetic handle that will never loosen or break apart, this knife has a nice heft and a good edge and should last most home chefs a lifetime. Give it a few strokes with the steel every time you use it and the edge will last for years without needing to see a sharpening stone.

If your cutlery drawer is full of various inexpensive supermarket blades, "miracle" knives and the like, throw them all out and buy one decent blade like this, and you may be amazed how versatile a simple, quality knife can be.

I recently purchased this knife and am overjoyed with the performance. If you don't have a well balanced professional knife you can't imagine how nice it is to work with one. I went to the local restaurant supply stores and handled several brands and sizes to see what felt best. The Henckels Pro S 8" was the best. The 10" seemed top heavy but I'm sure someone else may feel different. The blade holds an incredible edge as well. I steel the blade before each use to keep the edge in the best cutting condition.

We live on our boat and don't leave the Cuisinart on the galley counter. I found that there is little reason to break out the Cuisinart unless I have a large amount of food to process. The 8 inch Pro S has stayed sharp and in the year I have owned it have only used the honing steel to keep the knife in perfect condition. Use a plastic or wood cutting board and use the steel and enjoy this fine knife. I plan to buy the six inch model soon.
Al

Very good for cutting thin or thick slices of any cheese, including softer cheese. Easier to cut thin slices with this knife than using a wire slicer, and it can go in the dishwasher. It is hard to believe the higher priced brands can do the job better.

Hi, I'm Frank, and I'll be doin' this here product review while my good buddy Zaggy hits the tank for this week's big arenaball contest. Today I'm gonna talk about this really cool-looking cheese knife that I got as a gag gift. What's the gag, you ask? Well, you see, I have trouble digesting dairy products, especially cheese, which means I can't have any. Um, cheese that is. Not an ounce of brie, a smidgeon of edam, nor a gram of gouda can pass my lips without me havin' to pay the consequences the followin' day. It can be a nightmarish existence at times, y'know?

You might think that my inability to ingest that forbidden fromage would discourage me from using this cool piece of dairy cutlery. Well, that would be the farthest thing from the truth, 'cuz even though I can't eat the cheese, I sure as heck can cut it pretty good! Yep, this little guy goes right through the Philly and American singles slices like nobody else's business! Okay, so it takes a bit more work to saw through the harder cheeses (such as cheddar and swiss)-- but the results are more than worth the effort! And the two spikes at the end are really good for stabbin' a cube of camembert, and then flingin' it across the room with a good flick of the wrist! Ah, the fun I have with cheese, even though I can't eat it...

Another cool thing I like about this knife are those big ol' holes in the middle of the blade. Not only do these voids minimize wind drag and help lighten things up, they're also good to have if you want to hang the implement up on your wall! Gee, what won't they think up next...

G'Bye

Great for small cheese blocks, for large blocks of cheese you will need a longer blade. This blade is too short for a 4-5 lb. loaf of cheese, there is not enough blade for leverage.

Excellant, very pleased. I can not understand why one would pay 100's for forged knives when this set fills the kitchen bill to a fine edge. More then acceptsble for an ordinary cook.

...when saw this one could not resist, so cheap and it is forged steel. To my dissapointment it is made in China, but what do you expect. The quality is good, the steel is nice and thick, they are balanced well, sharp, and seem good quality. I am not sure how they are in the long run, but are fine for now. The only drawback.....no steak knifes to go with the set.

I got my set of knives about 2 weeks ago and I am VERY pleased with them. They are heavy, feel comfortable to use, and are sharp. The block that they fit into is attractive also.

I love these knives. If you want a good set of knives, buy these. You can put them in the washer and not worry about rust spots. Happy cutting!

One of the best knive I have ever owned. I spent about 100 dollars for a set of Knives that were not balanced with plastic handles. Now these not only had the Steel of the blade run through the length of the handle but also had wood handles. The shrap cutting edge is a cooks dream.

This 3-Piece knife set is designed for ideal cutting performance. I love it. I have been using it for long time. They still keep sharp. These 3 knives have different funtions. In addition, they are dishwasher safe. It is convenient.

I have a good collection of high-end knives dating from 10-15 years ago, and in my opinion, this is one of the best 8" cook's knives on the market. I prefer the extra width and heft of the 4584/20's wider blade over the narrower and lighter 4582/20 model. This knife has good heft and the handle is very comfortable and I prefer this handle over the Grand Prix's Also, because of the extra width of this knife, the edge is very thin, and that makes the blade feel very sharp when cutting vegetables.

There are knives on the market today with fancier steels, such as VG-10 on the Kershaws and "Trizor 10X" on the Chef's Choice. I have not tried these other fancy knives, and I am even comfortable in believing their claims that these new steel formulations will hold an edge much better. The fancy steels have a Rockwell-C hardness of 59-60, compared to the Wusthof's 56, but when it comes to balance, feel, and just plain old cutting performance, I doubt the Kershaws and the Chef's Choice knives can beat this Wusthof wide blade 4584/20.

As for this knife's edge-holding ability, I do pamper my knives and I don't dump them in the sink or dishwasher. I am careful with using knives on only wooden cutting boards. As such, my knives stay very sharp for a long time. A few seconds of touching up on the steel once every couple of weeks is all that's required to keep it ultra razor sharp.

Maybe the VG-10 and Trizor 10x steel knives don't need to be touched up once every couple of weeks to stay sharp? Somehow, I doubt that.

I purchased the Wusthof Classic 8 Inch cooks knife based on the manufactuers reputation for the highest quality products. This knife did not disappoint! First of all the balance is perfect,and the grip is very comfortable. After using it for 7 months now, the blade remains razor sharp. I have used it for a number of cooking related chores and it has become the one knife that I use for almost every job, from chopping, to slicing, to carving meats. The only care that is required is to use a steel to maintain the edge. I highly recommend this knife!

I prefer the eight-inch knife over a ten for weight reasons and the wide series gives lots of knuckle-slide area for repeated chopping tasks. I've owned Wusthof-Trident knives since before graduating from culinary school over ten years ago. In fact, I still own all but one that I still use daily (One was stolen). The knives hold an edge better than any other I've used (and I've tried 98% of what's out there), stand up to continuous use and are comfortable enough to use all day long. You'll never be sorry owning Wusthof-Trident knives.

One of my young ones received this as a gift and when it arrived at work we all just HAD to give it a try. We bake all of our breads from scratch and our crusty loaves surrendered meekly to this blade in two strokes no matter which recipe we attacked...it even sliced our house "Wonder Bread" sandwich loaves cleanly! This 9 inch is sooo much more versatile and heftier than the 8 inch ...size really does matter.
I'm biased against all Wusthof "Classic" knives...I think that they're too light weight and small scaled (the grip is too narrow for me) but...
I bought TWO of these for myself 'cause this is the BEST bread knife that I've EVER used although I highly recommend the "Grand Prix" line for it's better "grip".
Biased or not I'm still loadin' dis bad boy up wit tha MAX ...5 mojo*z! HAZAAH!!!

This knife makes me wish bread did not come sliced. It feels great and performs great. It works on watermelon too, though I'm not sure if I should be using it that way, so don't take my advice there.
If you need a bread knife, buy this one.

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 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.

I highly recommend the Wusthof 9" bread knife.

I've had this knife for several years, and it's very good. Only problem is that the wood handle has split a bit, there's a crack going between the rivets. (No, I never put in in the dishwasher.) Otherwise I like it a lot.

I bought this knife a few days ago, and it's great. It's so sharp, that I didn't have to use any strength to cut a potatoe. And it has that guard at the bottom end of the knife which I like because it's much safer and reduces the risk of cutting yourself. Also, because it's a Henckel, it has to be good. I also love the price. Buy this knife, it's great.

OUTSTANDING knife!

I have been using this knife for over a month now and it has been a joy in the kitchen. It arrived sharp enough to shave with, and with application of the steel any time it has been used, has maintained that fine edge.

It is well balanced and fits my hand well. Truly an excellent product at a reasonable price for what you get. I prefer the wood handles over the more common plastic and will continue buying piece-meal until I have filled out the set.

Well, these knives start discoloring pretty much right away, as they are supposed to.

Who cares??? Unless you're a TV chef, pick up a couple of these babies. They hold an excellent edge and feel pretty good in the hand (but not great).

My Henckels are more comfortable, but I have been using the carbons almost exclusively since they landed on the step six weeks ago. (I also bought a boning knife.) They feel like serious knives, more professional than most of the upscale blades I've tried. They're certainly easier to control, more finesse. Sharp is better.

I have had this knife for twenty-one years and it is a faithful kitchen companion. Watch out with its care however, they do stain and must be washed and dried immediately. You may see some dicoloration when cutting fruit or onions with this knife but it is a true chef's knife.

I have a collection of Sabatier Au Carbone knives, all at least 30 years old; few days go by when I don't use the at least the paring knife. They do rust, they do stain, they can leave dark residue on very acid foods, and they can't go in the dishwasher. But in my humble opinion, there is no knife which will cut like a carbon steel knife. A stainless steel knife will solve all the above problems, but will never have the sharp edge of the properly sharpened carbon steel knife. A couple of passes over a sharpening steel will restore that edge on a carbon steel knife, but, again, in my opinion, a stainless steel knife, takes a lot of work to sharpen and will never be as sharp as a carbon steel blade. So if you want a pretty, easy to care for knife, buy a stainless steel. If cutting with ease with a razor sharp blade is more important, get carbon steel. The Sabatiers will last a lifetime if cared for properly.

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, 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 four sizes of chef's knives in the Classic version, 5, 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.

These knives are excellent in their construction, balance and appearance. This comprehensive set includes 7 knives and I cannot imagine a cooking task that it could not handle...even experienced chefs are likely to use only 3 or 4 of the knives on a regular basis and amateurs could probably fufill 80% of their cooking needs with just the chef's knife. These knives are extremely steady and easy to use even for delicate tasks and they are quite comfortable even when cooking for an extended period of time. After using Wusthof and Henckels knives I think Wusthof knives are slightly better constructed and have a better edge but both manufacturers offer a quality product and Henckels are a bit cheaper. Since however, you won't buy knives like these too many times in your life, I think it is worth it to spend a bit more and go for the Wusthof knives.

The only drawback to the set is that an accompanying set of 6 Wusthof Classic Steak Knives are very expensive...but like the knives in this set, the steak knives are top quality and so I guess you get what you pay for.

I could not be more happy with this set.

The Wuthof Classic is probobly the last set of knives you ever have to buy. I used to own many different types of knives and knives sets, but unfortunatly they were made of poor quality steel. I had to sharpen them all the time. With my new knives it is a totally new experience. Don't worry about the price. These knives cost much more than a chip set of knives, but they will last forever.