[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Kitchen knife set advice (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/22/2010 4:00:47 PM EDT
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Looking for a good kitchen knife set. Considering Wusthof and Henckels. Any other suggestions or something I am missing that is just as good? Thanks in advance. of
Edited to add budget of $200 to $250. |
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What's your budget? Check out the $190 "First Japanese Knife Set" on this page: http://japanesechefsknife.com/JCKSpecialKnifeSet.html  |
| Do you really need a set? Personally I advise people to start with a knife magnet (more sanitary than a block from a set) and a victorinox paring knife and chef's knife. Most people will want to add a chef's knife onto that. I've added a boning knife and a large granton edge slicer to mine. No reason to buy knives you don't need. |
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Take a look at Forschner Fibrox as well. I have a mix of Wusthof and Forschner knives, you are usually better off buying just the knives you need rather than purchasing a set. |
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Take a look at Forschner Fibrox as well. I have a mix of Wusthof and Forschner knives, you are usually better off buying just the knives you need rather than purchasing a set. Which specific knives (types and sizes) would you recommend? I am not necessarily needed a set, just a couple of high quality knives for general purpose knives. |
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This is my recommendation as well. Forshner are good knives. A bit "no frills" but they stand up to use. I have used Forshner knives in a restaraunt setting so i can tell you they stand up to use that is far beyond what the home cook will put them through. You can get a 7 piece set for the price of 1 German knife. These threads usually end up pulling out some love for japanese high carbon blades. They are awesome but i think more suited to the enthusiast. (i.e. if you do not care for them properly you can fuck them up) |
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Take a look at Forschner Fibrox as well. I have a mix of Wusthof and Forschner knives, you are usually better off buying just the knives you need rather than purchasing a set. Which specific knives (types and sizes) would you recommend? I am not necessarily needed a set, just a couple of high quality knives for general purpose knives. (kind of) In order of importance for my own cooking Chefs Knife 8+ inch - used for damn near anything Boning knife - 5 to 8 inch thin blade for working with meats mostly. Slicer- Long and sharp, good for slicing or carving cooked meats, or the odd cake pairing knife- small and agile. I have A LOT more, but those 4 will do you for about anything you might want to do. Honorable mention : serrated knife for bread stuffs. You could parse this down even further if you like. Go with a 10 inch chefs knife and it can double as your slicer (though it wont be as agile carving a bird or something like that). Really, i could do everything i do cooking wise (which is alot) with a chefs knife and a paring knife if i had to. It would be dicey, though. |
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Do you really need a set? Personally I advise people to start with a knife magnet (more sanitary than a block from a set) and a victorinox paring knife and chef's knife. Most people will want to add a chef's knife onto that. I've added a boning knife and a large granton edge slicer to mine. No reason to buy knives you don't need. Just make sure that you remove the knife from the magnet correctly. Rotate away from the blade side. |
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Looking for a good kitchen knife set. Considering Wusthof and Henckels. Any other suggestions or something I am missing that is just as good? Thanks in advance. of Edited to add budget of $200 to $250. The only Henckels you can get for that amount are the crappy Chinese sets. |
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Take a look at Forschner Fibrox as well. I have a mix of Wusthof and Forschner knives, you are usually better off buying just the knives you need rather than purchasing a set. Which specific knives (types and sizes) would you recommend? I am not necessarily needed a set, just a couple of high quality knives for general purpose knives. (kind of) In order of importance for my own cooking Chefs Knife 8+ inch - used for damn near anything Boning knife - 5 to 8 inch thin blade for working with meats mostly. Slicer- Long and sharp, good for slicing or carving cooked meats, or the odd cake pairing knife- small and agile. I have A LOT more, but those 4 will do you for about anything you might want to do. Honorable mention : serrated knife for bread stuffs. You could parse this down even further if you like. Go with a 10 inch chefs knife and it can double as your slicer (though it wont be as agile carving a bird or something like that). Really, i could do everything i do cooking wise (which is alot) with a chefs knife and a paring knife if i had to. It would be dicey, though. +1 I would also add a serrated bread knife as well (8 or 10 inch) |
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Take a look at Forschner Fibrox as well. I have a mix of Wusthof and Forschner knives, you are usually better off buying just the knives you need rather than purchasing a set. Which specific knives (types and sizes) would you recommend? I am not necessarily needed a set, just a couple of high quality knives for general purpose knives. (kind of) In order of importance for my own cooking Chefs Knife 8+ inch - used for damn near anything Boning knife - 5 to 8 inch thin blade for working with meats mostly. Slicer- Long and sharp, good for slicing or carving cooked meats, or the odd cake pairing knife- small and agile. I have A LOT more, but those 4 will do you for about anything you might want to do. Honorable mention : serrated knife for bread stuffs. You could parse this down even further if you like. Go with a 10 inch chefs knife and it can double as your slicer (though it wont be as agile carving a bird or something like that). Really, i could do everything i do cooking wise (which is alot) with a chefs knife and a paring knife if i had to. It would be dicey, though. 
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Looking for a good kitchen knife set. Considering Wusthof and Henckels. Any other suggestions or something I am missing that is just as good? Thanks in advance. of Edited to add budget of $200 to $250. The only Henckels you can get for that amount are the crappy Chinese sets. Which Henckels are make in China? I would much made in Germany or Japan. |
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Just for fun, i went though the site linked above and did some shopping. If i did not own a single knife, and wanted total utility to do all manner of from scratch cooking- everything from quail to whole standing rib roast (and everything in between), all while staying on a budget, i present the 120 dollar knife collection
copypasta from my check out cart @cutleryandmore.com Qty.DescriptionPriceTotal removeForschner Fibrox 10-in. Chef's Knife Item #: 40521$27.95$27.95 removeForschner Fibrox 6-in. Flexible Curved Boning Knife Item #: 40517$15.95$15.95 removeForschner Fibrox 10.25-in. Bread Knife Item #: 40547$24.95$24.95 removeForschner Fibrox 5-in. Semi-Stiff Curved Boning Knife Item #: 40514$15.95$15.95 removeKuhn Rikon 4-in. Green Nonstick Paring Knife Item #: 2812$9.95$9.95 removeForschner Fibrox 12-in. Slicing Knife Item #: 40541$26.95$26.95 Subtotal: $121.70 |
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Looking for a good kitchen knife set. Considering Wusthof and Henckels. Any other suggestions or something I am missing that is just as good? Thanks in advance. of Edited to add budget of $200 to $250. The only Henckels you can get for that amount are the crappy Chinese sets. Which Henckels are make in China? I would much made in Germany or Japan. The Soligen, Germany knives are the premium line and include the Four Star, Five Star and Pro "S" lines. The cheaper "International" line are stamped steel blades made in China and Taiwan. |
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I've had the Henckel's Professional S (made in Germany) set for years and keep them sharp. I have enjoyed them and decided to buy my first Santoku knife.
For the Santoku I chose a company called "Shun." I couldn't believe how much sharper and nicer the Shun was. If I had to do it all over again, I would buy a set of Shun's and call it a day! Yes, they can be expensive but it was money well spent. FYI, I just looked at the blade and it is a "Classic HG 7"". |
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Don't overlook Warther knives. Don't let that fact that you've never heard of them put you off. Very nice knives, made in the USA by the Warther family. http://warthercutlery.com/catalog/ |
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Do you really need a set? Personally I advise people to start with a knife magnet (more sanitary than a block from a set) and a victorinox paring knife and chef's knife. Most people will want to add a chef's knife onto that. I've added a boning knife and a large granton edge slicer to mine. No reason to buy knives you don't need. Big +1 on this. You don't need to pay fancy knife prices for a bread knife. Get a very nice 8" chef knife. I like my Shun a lot. Amazon has it for $130. Maybe get a paring knife if you use one frequently. If not, figure out which knife you use the second most frequently, and get that. This way, you will only pay for the knives that you will regularly use to start with. You also have the foundation for building a great set ultimately, instead of getting a decent set now. |
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Take a look at Forschner Fibrox as well. I have a mix of Wusthof and Forschner knives, you are usually better off buying just the knives you need rather than purchasing a set.[/quotdoe] Do you consider the Wusthof steel superior to the Forschner? Which holds an edge better? Are they both easy to sharpen? |
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Do you really need a set? Personally I advise people to start with a knife magnet (more sanitary than a block from a set) and a victorinox paring knife and chef's knife. Most people will want to add a chef's knife onto that. I've added a boning knife and a large granton edge slicer to mine. No reason to buy knives you don't need. Big +1 on this. You don't need to pay fancy knife prices for a bread knife. The steel that comes with knife sets is pretty worthless in my opinion. You are going to need an actual sharpener anyway. Get a very nice 8" chef knife. I like my Shun a lot. Amazon has it for $130. Maybe get a paring knife if you use one frequently. If not, figure out which knife you use the second most frequently, and get that. This way, you will only pay for the knives that you will regularly use to start with. You also have the foundation for building a great set ultimately, instead of getting a decent set now. |
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Quoted:
Just for fun, i went though the site linked above and did some shopping. If i did not own a single knife, and wanted total utility to do all manner of from scratch cooking- everything from quail to whole standing rib roast (and everything in between), all while staying on a budget, i present the 120 dollar knife collection *snip* Subtotal: $121.70 Looks good. I prefer an 8 inch chef's knife but that's just personal preference. cutleryandmore.com usually has an unadvertised discount running if you look around. Last time I ordered coupon code CM20 was good for 20% off your purchase. (I don't know if it still valid) |
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The difference between Forschner and Wusthof in a nutshell:
Forschner are stamped, and mostly use composite handles. Easier to mass produce makes them 1/5 the cost. Wusthof are forged, and are made with a much higher level of craftsmanship. hold 2 side by side and it will be obvious where that extra 50 to 100 dollars per knife went. Forschner like a glock 17, and Wusthof (or the other high end brands) more like a hand tuned 1911. All that craftsmanship and attention to detail makes a product that is much more expensive, much more attractive, and has a much more satisfying "feel" in your hand. As far as the steel used, edge, and ease of sharpening, i would call it a wash. Both will be super sharp, and hold an edge well. I bet the steel quality is higher in a wusthof, but that is all relative to your goals. i have seen many more wusthofs with chipped edged and busted tips. That could just be because they are heavier, though (more mass driving that tip into the floor when you drop it). some guys take issue with stamped knives, but i think Global (high end Japanese brand) has proven that stamped can perform as well as (or out perform) forged models. Somewhere out there a guy did a pretty awesome set of tests on a variety of kitchen knives, and arrived at some interesting conclusions. i will post if i can find it. Edit: I was talking on the phone while typing that and my divided attention resulting in a torrent of typos and semi-retarded grammatical errors. Rather than correct this passage, i let it stand as a monument to my own occasional ineptitude. |
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Take a look at Forschner Fibrox as well. I have a mix of Wusthof and Forschner knives, you are usually better off buying just the knives you need rather than purchasing a set.[/quotdoe] Do you consider the Wusthof steel superior to the Forschner? Which holds an edge better? Are they both easy to sharpen? Wusthof (forged blade) seems to hold an edge longer. Forschner (stamped blade) is a little easier to sharpen. Both are good. |
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The difference between Forschner and Wusthof in a nutshell: Forschner are stamped, and mostly use composite handles. Easier to mass produce makes them 1/5 the cost. Wusthof are forged, and are made with a much higher level of craftsmanship. hold 2 side by side and it will be obvious where that extra 50 to 100 dollars per knife went. Forschner like a glock 17, and Wusthof (or the other high end brands) more like a hand tuned 1911. All that craftsmanship and attention to detail makes a product that is much more expensive, much more attractive, and has a much more satisfying "feel" in your hand. As far as the steel used, edge, and ease of sharpening, i would call it a wash. Both will be super sharp, and hold an edge well. I bet the steel quality is higher in a wusthof, but that is all relative to your goals. i have seen many more wusthofs with chipped edged and busted tips. That could just be because they are heavier, though (more mass driving that tip into the floor when you drop it). some guys take issue with stamped knives, but i think Global (high end Japanese brand) has proven that stamped can perform as well as (or out perform) forged models. Somewhere out there a guy did a pretty awesome set of tests on a variety of kitchen knives, and arrived at some interesting conclusions. i will post if i can find it. Sir, thank you for your excellent information. |
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Somewhere out there a guy did a pretty awesome set of tests on a variety of kitchen knives, and arrived at some interesting conclusions. i will post if i can find it. America's Test Kitchen tests a lot of knives and Forschner always seems to do well. http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/12/this-week-in-americas-test-kitchen-best-slici.html |
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For the money, Forschner Fibrox knives recommended earlier are an absolute steal. Like mattsd said, stamped knives can be just as good as forged, and I wouldn't place too much emphasis on that. I recommend buying two of the 8" chef's knives - there are times when it comes in handy. I also have a 12" Forschner granton edge slicing knife for carving and briskets and such, a 7" Santoku, several good paring knives, and a few others. |
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I've had the Henckel's Professional S (made in Germany) set for years and keep them sharp. I have enjoyed them and decided to buy my first Santoku knife. For the Santoku I chose a company called "Shun." I couldn't believe how much sharper and nicer the Shun was. If I had to do it all over again, I would buy a set of Shun's and call it a day! Yes, they can be expensive but it was money well spent. FYI, I just looked at the blade and it is a "Classic HG 7"". Shun is made by KAI...AKA Kershaw and unless they changed them in the last year or two, are made from VG-10, which is one of my favorite steels. |
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Whatever you do do not buy a set you get a whole lot of what you don't want. Pick out a couple knives that are key to what you do and buy quality. All of this has been said but it bears repeating the only thing every one needs is a good chef's knife and you can build from there. With your budget you are guaranteed to get some crappy set full of junk no matter what brand you buy. I personally favor Shun but I am sure there is a lot of good German steel out there. |
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F. Dick Forged ( the 1905's are 10 kinds of badass) http://www.dick.de/en/index.php end of. |
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Quoted: Good knives.. but you have to admit the 1905's and WACS are ...cutting edge.I am pretty happy with my two man Henkles (removes sunglasses) |
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Good knives.. but you have to admit the 1905's and WACS are ...cutting edge.
I am pretty happy with my two man Henkles (removes sunglasses) LOL didnt mean to quote you! Meant to hit reply |
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Re: Wusthof vs. Henkels..
I've had a set of Wusthof Classic for probably over 10 years, they still look as new today as they did back then. Added my wife's set of Henkels to our kitchen after we married a couple years ago. Only thing that's ever been a problem on the Wusthofs are a broken tip on a boning knife, and broke the hinge on scissors. Considering the way I use them, I'm not surprised either happened, nor was I upset. Scissors are one thing I expect to have to replace. The boning knife tip - well that was just my fault (A knife is the most expensive, least effective pry tool you will ever use). Quality in both is top-notch, however I can say that there is a definite difference in the shape of the handles, the "feel" of them so to speak. I recommend going to a decent kitchen shop (HIGHLY recommend Sur La Table if you have one nearby, otherwise Williams-Sonoma) that will let you handle the different blades and you can see how you like them. There's a SLT near me, I nearly drool when checking out their HUGE selection/variety of kitchen knives. I don't recommend trying to "feel" the handles that are bolted permanently into display blocks such as they do at Bed Bath Beyond, etc... If you're starting out your kitchen set, I'd recommend sticking with basic forged steel blades. I recommend either of these two brands but you will pay a premium for their name. Some lesser-known brands have just as decent a blade. We got a set of Wolfgang Puck knives for my parents a couple years ago at Sam's Club. I'd have to say after using them that I recommend them. They were about $90 for the set of 6 or 7 & wood block, compared to what would cost twice that if it were Wusthof or Henkels. Quick search found this set at Sears. Here's a good read on knifes/sharpeners/myths, etc. http://www.chefschoice.com/tips_myth_all.html What knives do you really need? You can get by with these. You can carve with the chef's knife, assuming you keep the blade in decent enough shape. 8" Chef's knife. 8-9" bread (serrated) knife. Paring knife. Boning knife. Want a few more? 9-10" carving knife is nice to have. 6" Santoku is excellent for slicing cheese or other things that tend to stick to other knives blades... the scallops on the side of the blade help prevent this. Tomato knife. Love it. Love it. Love it. Fillet knife. |
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Sans Club house brand knives...Also lookk into the individual santouki style knives their made by Henkel of Germany..2 for $14
Spending big money on knives is silly in my eyes, so an expensive $75 knife may hold a sharper blade for an extra month over a cheaper one..They all need sharpening or replacement after a few months..As long as they dont get rusty..the above 2 for $14 set is great and sharpens easy, no rusting.They have white handles like a commercial style knife |
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Skip buying a set. You can purchase individually much cheaper, and you don't need all the shit they'll sell you in a set. You don't need a utility knife or a cleaver. You probably don't need a boning knife or a carving knife.
Buy an 8" to 10" chef's knife, depending on your personal preference. At work, I use either Wusthof or Henkels. Both are excellent. At home, though, I usually find myself grabbing my Cutco. The damn thing just feels good in my hand. Buy a paring knife. Get good shears. Go to a restaurant supply store and get a cheap, offset, serrated bread knife. There's no reason to spend good money on one of these. (But make sure it has the offset handle.) Most importantly, buy a steel. If and only if you do a lot of technically advanced meat work, buy a boning knife. If and only if you do a lot of roasts or barbeque, buy a carving knife. |
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Man if I didn't see the BBC letters I might thing that was from The Onion... "Kitchen knives can inflict appalling wounds" SO THEY MUST BE BANNED!!!!! |
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Quoted: Looking for a good kitchen knife set. Considering Wusthof and Henckels. Any other suggestions or something I am missing that is just as good? Thanks in advance. of Edited to add budget of $200 to $250. I've got some cheap Henckels recently to replace some older knives. No matter what, get a decent sharpener so you can keep 'em sharp. I have a pull through sharpener that I run my favorite sentoku through every week or so. Don't put them in the dishwasher. Just wash, rinse and dry. Like many have suggested, I don't have a "set". I have a mix and match of what I need/use. Instead of a knife block that takes up room on the counter, I have a knife rack that fits flat in a drawer. |
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What's a good sharpening tool for someone who is not a "knife person" but appreciates sharp kitchen knives? Ease of use and cost are important.
I've sharpened my wife's Pampered Chef santoku knife with my Norton india stone, but I find the process tedious and I can't say I'm good at it. The knife is sharper than when I started, but I bet it could be sharper and more durable. |
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What's a good sharpening tool for someone who is not a "knife person" but appreciates sharp kitchen knives? Ease of use and cost are important. I've sharpened my wife's Pampered Chef santoku knife with my Norton india stone, but I find the process tedious and I can't say I'm good at it. The knife is sharper than when I started, but I bet it could be sharper and more durable. The biggest step you can take towards keeping sharp kitchen knives is DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE DISHWASHER! Hand wash them after use, dry well, and put them away. |