So we're still using some old Chicago Cutlery knives we were given as wedding gifts, along with a few Cutco knives we've added throughout the years. I'm looking for a good set of kitchen knives as a Christmas gift and am looking for recommendations and brands to avoid. Thanks.

Wustof

I still like our Chicago cutlery, and have sets at the house and cabin.
I’ve bought and use a pile of dexter russel commercial kitchen knives lately. Cheap and do the job perfectly, but I’m very utilitarian by nature.

Nope.

cheaper knives have softer steel and are easier to sharpen but they need sharpening more often. Expensive knives hold an edge a long time. The fact is, 95% of kitchen knives never get sharpened. I've used many that are as sharp as butter knives.

I suggest a cheaper set and a Worksharp to with them.

We are very happy with our set of Cutco knives.

I love my Heinkel 4 Star. My wife really abuses them and they have held up well.

Got the Chicago set as a wedding present. Lasted about 30 years. Still would be OK if sharpened. Have a set of Wustof's now.

I like good old 1095 high carbon steel for a knife. It'll rust and it won't hold an edge as long as higher grades of steel. But you can really light up an edge on it with a basic Arkansas stone.

My favorite kitchen knife came out of the scrap box,.....an old file, some aluminum,..couple of flat head screws. Just add tomatoes.

Why?
I’ve had a set of wusthof classics for over 10 years and have been more than pleased. Not inexpensive, but worth it IMO.

I can’t speak to any of the other lines made by wusthof, but the classics are solid.

Ginsu.

Buy American. Cutco knives are made in America and guaranteed forever.
Chicago Cutlery knives are made in China.

No need to complicate the matter.

https://www.amazon.com/Ontario-Knife-Hickory-Carbon-Steel/dp/B00T80C74A

I got these for $99 a few years ago on black friday and they are surprisingly good.

We are still fine with our 33 year old Chicago Cutlery set. That said, I bought my sons Buck sets on sale last Christmas and they are pleased.

I started a thread a here number of years ago - it has many pages of replies - I am sure you can still search for it.

The common consensus was Victoronox Fibrox

We cherry picked what we wanted from Amazon and put together a 14 piece set that has been AMAZING.

Takes an edge, holds an edge, great price point, GREAT knife.

I have a fancy Henkel set that sits on the counter mostly unused. My favorite kitchen knives are Victorinox. Not too expensive and perfect hardness to keep shaving sharp with a couple of strokes on the steel. Dexter is about the same.

Cutco.

Got a set of Cutco last year and they are sharp.

Like the steak knifes too.

Here's an article about the quality ones.

https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-chefs-knife-article

I really like my French genuine J.A. Henkles chef grade set.
They are high carbon steel. The cheaper stainless brands can be saved for acid fruit like lemons, limes, ginger. These are high carbon, so superior to stainless other than will rust without care. Where did I buy them?


You won't believe this, but its true.
I broke an old pairing knife at the thin part of the tang and talked to my Father about it. I wanted something of better quality that sharpens and keeps an edge better. I couldn't find any quality kitchen knives in town and just wanted a pairing knife.

Later that day, I walked to the grocery store.
On the way there, what did I see on the side of the road by itself?
It was something I never would have noticed other than some litter someone threw out their window.
It was a black fabric roll. I opened it and what did my Father give me in a most unusual surprise......FREE but not cheap???

A full set of Hinkle French Chef knives and a steel !!!!!!!
When I got, home, I cleaned them and noticed that they were brand new! God is good!

This wasn't a wedding gift, but if they look up the quality, they will appreciate them and use them for the rest of their lives.

PS :. Henkel knives are some of the biggest copied by cheap Chinese knock offs that are hard to distinguish from the real thing. Be cautious where you buy them. My pairing knife has seen lots of use this year and performs like a Microtech but easier to sharpen.

Check out Rada , America made, reasonably priced, Good quality stainless steel, available online

Don’t get a premade set like this. The full sets with that many pieces will mostly collect dust while using 3 or 4 knives.



You pay for stuff you will almost never use. Put that money toward a selection of knives that will actually be used.

The knives posted above but 16bore is a good example. We have a Global parer and like it quite well. Also have a Shun chef knife that is very good.

https://www.knifemerchant.com/product.asp?productID=1689

100% agreed (see my post earlier) Best bang for the buck!

But piece it together your self for what you need/want. There are other pieces not in this set you may want.

For example, the 7" meat clever is a must have in my home....

And on Amazon, piecing it together with the exact knives you want will be the cheaper route!

Are those sheet steel blades?

yep and add a few jap shuns

The Victorinox knives are all made in Switzerland. They do sell some Chinese made accessories, but not knives.

CutCo, we have a bunch of Hinckel & Wostoff knives in a drawer, along with some old 1095 antiques. Only the antiques hold an edge anywhere near as well. We even have a Buck pairing knife.

Bought a set of Henckel knives over 25 years ago.

Earlier this year broke the scissors spatchcocking a chicken. They have a lifetime warranty. Sent them back and got a new pair in a few weeks.

If I had to do it again I would’ve just taken a photo and emailed it to them.

Good knives.

Strangly enough, this thread is very useful. I don't know squat about kitchen knives, and I hate very single one of'em we have in our kitchen.

i like Rada. not fancy or expensive but easy to sharpen and do the job.

Hard to beat Victorinox knives. As said, sharp is the thing.

+1.

Kids will sell them around here for fundraisers.

Thanks for the info guys. Adding to the Black Friday list.

Don't forget keeping them sharp.

I think you would be very happy with a set of Dalstrong knives.

On several internet cooking sites, the last couple years, they have been pushing Japanese "Mac" chef knives. In a moment of weakness, I took the plunge, paid the 150 bucks for just one knife. Well, it's a good knife...but it ain't 150 bucks good. I'm damn sure no gourmet chef at home in the kitchen, but honestly, I like the old Dexter-Russel Sani Safe 10 inch chef's knife just as well, which I believe was delivered to my door from Restaurant Supply for 26 bucks. A fool and his money are soon parted, especially when you believe internet 'reviews'.

I have a set of Case kitchen knifes from the early 70's They still get regular compliments.

I’ve had that Global set for 3-4 years and the 6” chef’s knife gets the biggest workout.

Learn to properly sharpen your knives and whatever knife you own it will be sharp. Work sharp is easy to use and keeps knives sharp. I have worked in restaurants for 30+ years and all knives become dull eventually. Thick blades usually hold an edge better / longer than the thin blades.
I agree with flintlock, expensive knives don’t necessarily mean a better knife. JMO.

K Sabatier carbon steel. You cannot find better factory knives. Best source is the factory outlet in Yemassee South Carolina. Absolute top quality and performance, and a very nice price.

I haven’t read any of this but I’m sure someone has recommended you spend a $1000+ on a set of steak knives.


Man, I sure wish I had a $1000 pair of 6 lb binoculars to clunk around on my neck for 5 miles to use on a deer I might shoot at 150yards.

^^^Slum classic^^^

Range finder too?


Knife money is better spent in the kitchen than in the pack, IMHO

Now and again old made-in-USA Gerber kitchen knives show up on eBay. Awesome steel.

Dexter knives also good.

I might suggest that you don’t need a matched set. You can hit eBay and pick off some good knives of the types you use. Go for those in pristine shape so you don’t worry that someone honed the bevel off

OP,

Lotsa good suggestions here. Piecing together your own set is a great idea. Once you've decided on which/how many knives you're getting, pick a block that will accommodate them, and that has horizontal slots: no need to run the edge into wood every time you insert or withdraw the blade from the block.

Be aware that some high-end brands have introduced "value" lines over the years. If you see a Henckel's branded chef knife for $30, something ain't right.

Like optics, rifles, & boots, you'll do well to physically handle as many different offerings as possible, & see what works best for you. The best blade in the world can be a damned chore to use if the shape/handle/balance/ergonomics don't work for you.

Be honest about the usage environment. A professional chef might not blink at a $500 chef knife, but such a tool would probably be wasted in the kitchen of a guy who eats out 5 nights a week. Put another way, an Alaskan guide carries Swaro binoculars, whereas a guy hunting Indiana cornfields once a year will be perfectly happy with $100 Leupold Yosemites.

FWIW, I keep returning to Victorinox for comfort & bang-for-the-buck.


FC

There’s a 9 piece set of Kitchen Aid knives on eBay now for $39. I have some I found in a thrift store that I use at my camp and like using them as much as my stuff at the house.

We have 3-4 Dalstrong blades and have very good results w them. No doubt there a better ones out there but for the money they yield good results for us. YMMV.

I picked up a Little Snick for my Thanksgiving country ham. I’ll have to eat it by myself since the .gov says Thanksgiving and orange man bad.

This made me laugh and almost spew coffee. thanks.

First off "Worksharp"!

A wonder of marketing, but worthless as teats on a boar for sharpening fine knives.

I have Lansky diamond stones, Arkansas stones, synthetic stones, a smith's belt steel, kitchen steels, and Momma bought me a Worksharp for Chrismas one year.

All but the Chicago Cutlery steel are boxed up and in storage.

All of my sharpening is done on a Dexter Russel 07080 three way ceramic sharpener. It will obsolete every other sharpener in the house.

Yesterday I took a Buck hunter from butter knife dull to shaving sharp in less than five minutes. My friend was mouth agape as he watched me shave my forearm.

If you want to simplify your kitchen knife collection, consider a Chinese cleaver. Despite a sizeable kitchen knife collection including some high grade cutters, 95% of food prep in our kitchen has been done with one for decades, . Lots of YouTube vids on how a Chinese cleaver can be used for everything that needs cutting in the kitchen. Ours is a Dexter Russell originally purchased in the last century (1960s). Below is a description from a knife seller's webpage. If you take pride in supporting American made goods, the Dexter Russell Chinese cleaver is made in the USA. Cost is modest. Can be purchased for less than $30.00.

Dexter Russell S5197W

The Dexter S5197W 08140 Chinese chef knife has a DEXSTEEL™ high-carbon steel blade that resists staining and corrosion. With a 7-inch length and 23⁄4-inch width, the flat part of the blade is ideal for smashing garlic and picking up cut product to transfer into a pan. Its edge has been ground and honed for precise flexibility and sharpness. Chopping fruits, meats, and vegetables is simple with this knife, while the spine easily tenderizes meat.

Walnut wood is used to create the handle on this Dexter S5197W 08140 Chinese chef knife, providing a classy, upscale appearance. It is formed to make extended periods of use comfortable for chefs' hands. A brass ferrule attaches the handle to the blade for security and strength. The handle is 31⁄4 inches long, making the entire length of the knife 101⁄4 inches.

Dexter Russell?

Idaho Shooter, that’s a rather interesting sharpener, might have to give it a try.




So Part II of the OP’s question he didn’t ask:

What’s the consensus on cutting boards?

I’ve got a pile of the “plastic” ones, including a monster one for processing game meat, but certainly like hardwood in the kitchen.

Had to go to work for a minute. Back now.

Sharpening? A ceramic stick, with a kitchen steel to periodically dress the edge is all you need. Professional meat cutters keep a good steel hanging from their belt at all times. There is a reason.

Heck, most knife sharpening jobs can be easily done on a ceramic coffee cup.

Knife set for a newly wed couple?

Chicago Cutlery is VERY hard to beat for a compromise between easy to sharpen and a lasting edge. Consumer Reports agrees with me.

Young wives like to put everything into the dishwasher. Chicago Cutlery makes knives with synthetic handles just for her. Avoid wood, it does not stand up well to the dishwasher.

Cutco? Yes I have a couple. They would be a decent knife for 1/4 the cost. The Victorinox paring, filet, and boning knives I buy at the local butcher are every bit as nice.

Cutco again? Absolutely avoid Cutco's version of a serated knife. You have a choice with it. Either grind off the serrations, or send the knife in to the manufacturer for sharpening.

I have a Cutco hunting knife. It is actually a decent knife, once I took the serrations off of it with the Dexter Russel ceramic sharpener. It took a bit over a half hour to do that job.

I avoid hardwood as it is more difficult to sanitize.

Actually, for cutting boards, the vast majority of the time you will find us using the little roll up poly units from the Dollar Store.

You can chop up all your goodies and fold up the edges for transfer to the cooking pot.

I am remembering a young lady who came to my house to sell us a set of Cutco knives.

She was trying to impress me by cutting through a piece of 1/2 inch Manila rope with her $200 knife.

The girl was not happy when I picked up her rope and cut through it again with my $10 2 inch Gerber pocket knife.

The girl was in tears as she packed up her schitt. Momma is kinder hearted than I. Momma bought one of her Cutco paring knives. For nearly sixty bucks.

Didn't they reverse their idea on that?

Everyone had to go plastic....cause it was easier to sanitize? But it wasn't?

Jim, I have never heard that. Our plastic cutting boards all go through the dishwasher.

You can not do that with wood.

Wood cutting surfaces are not impossible to sanitize. It just takes lots of stinky Chlorine bleach.

Yeah, but it sounds cool when you rapid fire an onion!

Yep...wood doesn't go in the dishwasher.....but its not inherently more dangerous than poly.

They forced a lot of butchers to switch to poly....and found as much or more bacteria in places.

I ended up buying the Amazon Basics Premium knife set.

Meets my needs very well. Wooden handles, full tang, so we hand wash

Bought a Smith's Adjustable Knife sharpener to go with it.

So you bought a set of Chink knives from a chrony capitalist-commie bent on your disarmament?

Nice work....

Yep, and it cuts steak just fine

but I understand recommending Swiss, German and Japanese knives.

With all respect. I did not say wood was more dangerous.

Just more difficult to sanitize. Can not get any easier than a trip through the dishwasher, for a kitchen cutting board.

Obviously a 4 ft x 10 foot cutting table is a different situation.

Read one study where the bacteria and what not were surviving dishwashers in the cuts and scratches on a poly board.

So does a Buck 110.

What were you using prior to selling your soul to Jeff Bezos?

Pampered Chef I think

I’d believe that, they are certianly deeper on my poly boards. They’ve gotta be cleaned with a bristle brush.

Plenty of Bucks made in China, as is the computer/phone you’re typing on.

I hate my dishwasher.

I can wipe down and clean my wood cutting boards and they are ready to go.

It takes my stupid dishwasher 3 to 4 hours to clean my "easy clean" poly boards!

I have some white handle knives from Sams Club!

A Chinese cleaver from DR co and a bunch of DR carbon knives.

I sorta think the "sets" are a bit of a con job.

Build a fire, heat some steel up and pound one out. Way more satisfying and your wife/daughter/sister/in-laws will love you even more.

edit to add:

Was meant to be halfway humorous. Nothing more.

You need to make the steel yourself first.

Surprised no one has mentioned the Zwilling Pro set. My kids gave us a set a couple years ago and they are the nicest knives I've ever owned and incredibly sharp. Usually, a set consists of knives you seldom use and a couple you might use occasionally. I find with the set they bought us I use all the knives roughly equally and they all work very, very well for me. My wife is a bit intimidated by them because they are so sharp she has cut herself several times with them... the Zwilling are the high end product line of Henckels...

Costco often has the sets and individual knives on sale this time of year for huge markdowns.... If it were me, I would buy them individually or in the two knife sets they offer so you get the blades you want and don't waste money on the ones you don't use or need. Then buy the block once you determine what you need....



Bob

Kinda snarky for a guy that's so prissy about his libations.

Several years ago, Buck brought all of their production back to the US- they are now located in Idaho.... and their prices reflect the change....

Cutco

+1 Cutco

Yes.

Clean with hot water and soap.

My most used kitchen knife is a Victorinox 8" carver (6.8003.19).

It gets used as a chef's knife, too.

Comes wicked sharp out of the wrapping, keeps that edge a good long while, and sharpens back up easy on a whetstone.

Got a bunch of other knives that never come out of the block now.

Any body that knows me, knows I spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

German, full tang, riveted is not over rated.

I've got, & still use everyday, Wustof, Henkels & Trident knives, I bought when I worked in the industry 35 years ago.

I'm the guy who drinks cask strength Laphroaig neat. Particular maybe, but prissy ain't it.

You know it's better, with the addition of a couple of drops of water, right ?

Not necessarily. That varies malt to malt.

Another vote for Cutco.

Guarantee you swirl it around a special glass and throw a pinky out whilst sipping. After commenting on the bouquet.

No pinky involved. Now, the right glass actually does enhance the experience when consuming fine spirits. There is a world beyond slamming a shot of Old Crow out of a miniature jelly jar.

lol So says you. I don't like to sail out farther than I can swim back.

Now a fine knife, that's a thing of beauty. Fine spirits are too, but far more fleeting.

Cutco makes a nice pizza cutter with a removable blade.

Until someone leaves it in the pizza box.

Fleeting indeed. Some of my finest irreplaceable whiskies are nearly gone.

I still have a nearly forty year old Sabatier knife that's great.

All you folks who keep recommending those (overpriced) Cutco knives:

Just how in the hell do you sharpen the damned things? Box 'em up, ship them back to the factory, wait a month or six weeks, and hope USPS did not lose the package? Or just toss 'em in a Goodwill box and order a new one?

And yes, I know that some Cutco knives are not serated and can be sharpened by the average handyman.

I've handled and used other people's Cutco knives. Way overpriced.

Why would anybody use, let alone recommend, a hollow ground blade edge ?

Speaking of overpriced: Wow, for only $1600 you get ten Cutco kitchen knives. Plus eight, count them eight table knives and a sharpener. But hey, they will ship for free.

I could buy two sets of equally nice knives, plus a darned nice rifle and scope for $1600.

I think a couple mentioned the Henckels so far ( Zwilling J. A. Henckels) ... those are very nice and almost identical to the Wusthof classics I mentioned. I looked at them both very closely before deciding on the wusthofs - but they are essentially one in the same. Lifetime knives.

Yup, can't beat Soligen steel !

Most cutco is serrated?

Not sure, but they sure are ugly looking cutlery !

Did you guys agree on a knife set?

I dont know if we have ever agreed on anything.

Many are. But it (at least a few years ago when I was looking) is not a standard serated edge which can be sharpend with small diameter rods. The Cutco serated blade is a flat cutting surface with a point projecting from it about every 1/4 Inch. Similar to an interrupted pattern saw blade.

There's something I can agree with!

I looked them up on the internet.

From a distance they looked non serrated....




Yowsa! Whatta gimmick!


I guess some housewife who cant sharpen something would like that....they no doubt cut sorta adequately for a bit longer than a non serrated edge.

No.
This needs to be posted in the optics forum in order for us to come to an agreement.

You should give an idea on price point.

Often times it’s not so much brands as much as which line of specific brands to avoid or pursue.

And while I love carbon, a lot of people do not like the patina they develop. Especially women.

The best knives mentioned so far on this thread. You'll almost never not see Global's in a pro kitchen, and there's a reason. They're not for me, but they're VERY good knives. Give me Japanese steel every time...

Those little points prevent the actual cutting surface contacting any cutting surface.

If I wanted to carve a ham or turkey with a crosscut saw, I have a battery operated Milwaukee Sawzall.