ISO A Lovely Set of Spanking-New Kitchen Knives

[Natasha]

I ve been thinking for quite some time now that it is time to buy a new set of kitchen knives - the kind that I will be able to (and want to) keep for a long, long time. So quality is more important than price, though value is always a good thing. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I m happy enough with what I have but I ve chosen many of my knives here and there kind of piecemeal, and now I would like a good (and new!) set.
What do you all recommend? And where is the best place to buy them (store or online)? Thanks for your input.
P.S. Sorry if this topic was already posted by someone on the old board.

[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-22-2000).]

[Gail]

I've only got a moment here, but I've got Henckels-- never remember which style, it's the one with wooden handles-- and I love them. I remember also liking Sabatier. I think where you ultimately buy your knives is up to you-- if you find good prices on-line, go for it. I would insist that you shop around beforehand and actually hold the knives. Heft is important-- how they feel and balance in your hand. What feels "right" to me is not necessary what will feel right to you. Be prepared to spend money, but it'll be an excellent investment. Some of my knives are older than Laura B. and like the Energizer Bunny, they're still plugging along! Gotta go. I'm sure some other knife expert can fill you in on specifics of what makes a good, solid,well-crafted knife.
Good luck!

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-22-2000).]

[melisa]

Another vote for Henkles. I have a set of the ever sharp. They are great. I've seem them on sale for as low as 100.00 but they also can run up even higher.

Melissa

[Laura B]

I have a set of Henckels Professional-S knives (the ones with the wooden handles with visible rivets) and I LOVE them. I got them at Williams-Sonoma and they were about 400 dollars (ouch) but worth every penny. I agree with Gail that you should go into a store and hold the knives even if you end up buying online. I had my heart set on Wusthof Trident but liked the feel of the Henckels in my hand better.

[LSB]

I use Wustoff knives. I was given one as a gift a few years ago and have continued to increase my collection. They seem like they'll last forever. I agree with Gail - test them out and see what feels good to you.

[Laura B]

Oh, I just remembered that OXO has a knife set now. I saw it in the Crate and Barrel catalog and it is about 150 dollars including the block. I know that many people rave about OXO gadgets. I imagine that their knives feel pretty good in your hand and are probably good quality.

Whatever you get, be sure to get a set with a "full tang" which means the metal is all one piece running from the blade down through the handle. This is much stronger and you won't run into a problem down the road with the blade breaking away from the handle.

[Natasha]

Thank you for your ideas! I was leaning towards Henckels, but will look into Wusthof and OXO too. I will definitely try before I buy! Hmmmmm....I m getting so excited over a set of new knives. That must mean that I m a big girl now!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[KateH]

I've been very satisfied with my wusthof chef's and paring knives. I tried out two different types of wusthof handles in the store, and found to my surprise that I had a definite preference.

Cook's Illustrated has done comparisons on chefs, paring, and bread knives. I've only got the info from the chefs and paring articles at the moment, but both Henckel's and Wusthof were top rated in both. For chef's knives the Forschner was a less expensive top choice. Chicago cutlery did not fare well. (I think in both tests, the knives were used over the course of a month by a number of users.)

One common complaint they found that I have to agree with about the Oxo paring knife which I also use, is that it's hard to tell at a glance which side is the cutting side. Can be dangerous! Also, I found that the Oxo blade dulls relatively quickly. But I love the handle, so I still use it on some tasks.

[This message has been edited by KateH (edited 07-22-2000).]

[Deanna]

Mine are Sabatier, which many people seem to not have heard of (except for my evil twin, Gail!), and I love them dearly. They will have to pry the chef's knife out of my hand when they want to bury me...I've had them for about 15 years and can't imagine how many hours of cutting time they've got on them!

Henckel's are equally as good and more widely available.

For information on what you should know about purchasing knives, take a look at this: http://www.learn2.com/05/0505/05055.asp

And have fun shopping for your new knives! Make the commitment to spend whatever it takes to get the best knife for YOU. They will last you forever!

[Ohioan]

I have mostly Wusthoff knives, and I love them dearly, but my all-time favorite is my Forschner 6" chef's knife (the 8" version was a Cook's Illustrated pick). It holds an edge beautifully, feels like an extension of my hand, and, best of all, was about a third of the price of the equivalent Wusthoff or Henckels. I've done everything with this knife except open beer cans! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

A good source for knives is Professional Cutlery Direct. http://www.cutlery.com

[Beth]

I have a pretty good set of Henkels, most of which are the Professional S series and a few miscellaneous knives, including Sabatier and another I can't remember. They are all good. Before the Henkels, I had Chicago Cutlery, but I wouldn't buy them again, especially after having Henkels. I agree that you should look at several brands and styles to see what fits your hand best.



[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 07-22-2000).]

[Angela]

Another vote for the Henckel Pro S. I've pretty much have the full set and have both knife sharpeners. They are great in every aspect!! When department stores have sales Heckels seem to be at the best prices then. Though I got a really great bargin, I got the butcher, carving, and paring knives for $100 when I was in Germany 2 years ago. So if you want the best deal go to the country where they are made...hey, it's a great excuse of a wonderful vacation.

[TamiK]

I bought a set of Henckel's 4-Star knives about 10 years ago. I love them. They're still like new, and I suspect they will be like that for a very long time.

[Natasha]

Thanks again, all. As soon as I stop working all these nights and weekends (soon!!) I can get started on this major purchase! I still can t believe I can get so excited about something like this. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-23-2000).]

[Vanessa]

Another vote for Henckels! Got 4 star and I am very happy with them. I keep my knifes in two butcher blocks and they are like new.
Look @ for deals at your stores and places like CHef's catalog. I love my santuco knife

[Ralph]

Based on recommendations from a few cooking publications & Consumer Reports(!), we bought a set of Wustof a few years ago. It's a 6-piece set (including knife block), and we couldn't be happier. I remember we were able to find it at a GREAT price at Chef's Store.com (www.chefs-store.com), and while juggling a few windows here, found that it is on sale there again. You certainly can't beat the prices they give for sets, but just make sure it's got the knives you'll need.

[mikecox]

Check out www.chefscatalog.com (http://www.chefscatalog.com)

[TamiK]

I just spent a delightful hour browsing the Williams-Sonoma Summer catalog. They have both Wusthoff and Henckels knives on sale. For example, a 9-piece Wusthof set is regularly $620, but on sale for $380. A Henckel's Five-Star 7-piece set which is regularly $444 is on sale for $290.

I would definitely go somewhere and hold the knives and see what feels good, but this might be a good resource for the purchase. The Williams-Sonoma telephone number is 1-800-541-2233.

[lorilei]

At this moment, my kitchen harbors a set of Chicago cutlery which I received as a wedding gift. I wish I had been able to research knives a bit more before registering for them -- While they work, I wouldn't buy them a second time.

I've since been able to try Henckels knives, and I would definitely prefer them over mine. As Gail suggested, the feel of the knife is very important.

I, however, cannot afford to replace my "Illinois" knives (which are only 2 years old). So, for now, I shall sit brooding in my kitchen, coveting a better set of those "German" knives (or K-neefs, as my husband would say)

[Danielle]

For those of you who said you would not buy Chicago Cutlery again...may I ask what it is you don't like about CC? I'm asking because we received a set as a wedding gift (married end of May this year), and since they are My First Set of Decent Kitchen Knives, I have nothing to compare them to. Did they dull very fast? Not cut like you had expected? Just curious....Thanks!

I've heard great things about both Henkels and Wustoff. It's too bad I didn't hear about it before we registered!!

[Katrina]

Another vote for Henckels! I received a full set of their 4 Stars as a wedding gift (5 yrs ago) and they still perform just as wonderfully today. The handles on the 4 Stars are particularly comfortable. I could not run an effective kitchen without them!

Angela, you gave me a great idea! My husband and I may be travelling to Germany soon. Maybe I can make a few new Henckel purchases on our trip. Prost!

[This message has been edited by Katrina (edited 07-25-2000).]

[JeanneL]

I love my Henckels knives! Costco (or maybe Sam's Club) has a terrific set for less $$ than main stream stores. Also, I just got a message from tavolo.com that their Henckels knives are 40% off! Try them.

[lorilei]

We received Chicago cutlery for our wedding as well -- and I'm just not impressed.

It does dull rather quickly, although I'm a fiend with knives -- so I anticipated dull cutlery and promptly bought a sharpener http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I think I just prefer the look and feel of the other brands. The shape of the blades also seems more conducive to precision cutting...

I by no means want to give you the impression that my Chicago cutlery is junk -- but I don't think it will last "forever".

[Beth]

My recollection is that the Chicago Cutlery blades didn't hold up well, dulled easily, and didn't sharpen as easily as better blades. Their wooden handles didn't look that great after a while (even hand washing wears the finish and dries them out) and had to be oiled. They also don't have the heft (weight that will help make chopping easier), and I find the Henckels fit my hand better.

By the way, the Henckels Four Star and Pro S are basically the same knives with different handles, so you can see which feels better.

Lorilei, keep looking for a good sale on a set. It's a great way to get the basic knives at the best value. I got mine at Macy's on a super sale years ago, but also check out Tavalo, Chef's. The Chicago Cutlery are still better than the knives most of us start out with and will carry you until a bonus, tax return, garage sale or special gift occassion comes along.

[Laura B]

Originally posted by Beth:
The Chicago Cutlery are still better than the knives most of us start out with and will carry you until a bonus, tax return, garage sale or special gift occassion comes along.

I'm LOL, Beth. A fat tax return check was exactly the reason we got our Henckels Pro-S set. No way would my husband agree to buy anything for the kitchen that cost 400 dollars unless there was something like a tax return to soothe the pain. I think it also helped that I asked for knives, sort of manly as kitchen things go. If I had asked for a food processor or stand mixer I could have forgotten about it!

[lorilei]

hee, hee... definitely Laura -- and Beth.

I don't think we'll be spending any money on knives anytime soon. I'll have to convince my darling husband (and myself) that there's nothing else we need more http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

But I will wish for them, as I stand sharpening my CC's...

[Beth]

Originally posted by Laura B:
I'm LOL, Beth. A fat tax return check was exactly the reason we got our Henckels Pro-S set. No way would my husband agree to buy anything for the kitchen that cost 400 dollars unless there was something like a tax return to soothe the pain.


I didn't want to admit it before, but I think I got the first of my Henkels when my house was broken into while I was out of town about 10 yrs. ago. The insurance paid retail, and I got a super buy and came up with the Henkels. I laughed that they stole the Chicago Cutlery, probably thinking that knives in a block were better than they were.

They also cleaned out my wine rack, at least half of which was left from a case I brought back from my trip to Australia's wine country. That was sad, but I married a guy, moved to wine country and got over it.

[Natasha]

Okay, you guys. I am REALLY looking forward to this exciting experience. First I'll browse the catalogues and surf the net, then try and buy! I'm already thinking of the best place in the kitchen to "display" this block of handsome knives - the sign of a true cook. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Thanks for your good advice.

P.S. I'm also toying with the idea of eventually buying a bread maker and an indoor grill ... but that's another post, another paycheck!

[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-26-2000).]

[Ohioan]

Natasha, check out Professional Cutlery Direct - http://www.cutlery.com - for some gorgeous knife blocks! They have a clear acrylic one with black trim, and a cylindrical metal mesh one. Bee-yoo-tiful. But, alas, ex-pen-sive. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[BarbaraL]

Great thread -- getting a new set of knives is on my to-do list (just not at the top)! It's great to have recommendations, especially when spending so much $$$. Loved your story, Beth! I didn't know Australia had a wine country; I'd love to visit someday!

[Beth]

Australia actually has two wine growing regions, the Hunter and the Barossa Valleys. The Hunter is between Sydney and the Barrier Reef, and the Barossa is down south near Adelaide. I went to the Hunter, and at the time (about 10 yrs ago), it was so beautiful and relatively undeveloped. I would liken it to the Sonoma Valley in California on a smaller scale and greener. With the popularity of wines from the Southern Hemisphere growing and more being exported, I suspect it has changed a lot, but the people were very friendly and I had one of the best meals I've ever eaten there (lamb chops). I recommend it if you ever get down that way.

This makes me miss Sonoma County where we used to live. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[Natasha]

Originally posted by Ohioan:
Natasha, check out Professional Cutlery Direct - http://www.cutlery.com - for some gorgeous knife blocks! They have a clear acrylic one with black trim, and a cylindrical metal mesh one. Bee-yoo-tiful. But, alas, ex-pen-sive. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

Wow! Ohioan - you weren't kidding! LOTS of beautiful kitchen objects there. I love those classic wooden blocks too. Thanks for the info. I will have to look into the other sites mentioned too.

P.S. Congratulations on becoming a "member"! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[LIsaP]

One note on knives-
You probably do not need to purchase a whole set to have what you need. A good chef knife-about 7 or 8 inches, a small paring knife and a bread knife will do pretty much all you need-I myself have a 7 inch Henkles that I love and rarely do I wish I had other sizes-it does pretty much everything.
Just something to think about!

[karen]

I have a set of Wustoff knives,and they are great. They do seem to get dull often. I try to sharpen them about ever third time I use
them. Is this not enough.
Karen