Help! Need to buy new knives!

[Debie K]

It's that time of year again and all the college kids are selling Cutco Knives around here, my first salesman will be here today at 5:00. I do plan on purchasing a couple of knives (he's the child of one of my clients) so what should I buy? I really only have a few good paring knives, nothing else of any quality. Any suggestions????? Appreciate your input!
TIA Debie

[Laura B]

I do not know much about the Cutco brand as I have Henckels. As to what to buy, though, I would suggest getting an 8 or 10 inch Chef's knife and a 6 inch utility. Those, along with your paring knives, will do all of your basic jobs. You might also want to get one serrated knife for bread, etc.

I have never heard of door-to-door knife sales! I guess college kids in this area do not do that. We always get magazine sales people.

[Melman]

Oh no....it's Cutco time. Guess what...already been there, done that. My neighbor (just graduated from high school 3 days earlier) called to see if he could come "practice a speech" on me for a new job he was getting. Before he hung up, he said "oh, you don't have to buy anything". It wasn't until he walked in the door that I saw the word Cutco on his bag.

Ok, I have old knives. REALLY old! I've been drooling over Wusthof Grand Prix for probably a year and a half. I'm planning to buy those as soon as I can (hopefully this summer). In other words, I've researched knives!! I know mine are the pits.

First thing he did when he came in was to ask me for 3 knives from my kitchen drawer. I thought that was pretty funny especially since I know how awful they are. Pulled out my $1 Pampered Chef knife, a knife that was bought in the late 70's (NEVER EVER been sharpened), and a knife that was in a set that I've never even used (ex-mother-in-law gave it to me....sort of out-of-sight, out-of-mind.) During the presentation, he had me cut a rope on a cutting board. My little $1 knife held its own!!! The never-been-sharpened knife did as well as his Cutco knife!! (Maybe I should just sharpen it??? :-)) The comparison of his expensive knives and my cheapo knives was pretty funny.

Overall, what did I think?? EXPENSIVE. Yes, I know really good knives are expensive. BUT...since I can almost quote the Wusthof block sets without pulling up a website, I know the cost of most of them. I had him price out a set of exact same knives. For the 7-piece Wusthof ($249 almost everywhere besides Wms-Sonoma where they're $30 more!!!!), 5 of those same 7 pieces were well over $300.

I wasn't horribly impressed. But then again, maybe I should go back to that cooking snob discussion we had a while back...I can't wait to get my German craftsmanship knives and didn't want to waste a penny on something *I* felt was not as good a quality. (I know I know...there are probably tons of folks in here that love their Cutco's. Not trying to get into a comparison...just trying to let Debie K know how my recent experience was.)

PS....when he asked me for a critique of his "speech"...I suggested that he actually use the knives...go to his kitchen, cut stuff, USE his products, and then he'd have real examples to use!! :-)