Cutlery Reviews

I've been using utility knives all my life, but wanted to purchase a chef's knife since I'm doing a lot more cooking these days. This OXO knife looked like a good yet inexpensive way to start. The knife is well balanced with a comfortable grip and the length is just right for my smaller than average hands. I'm pleasantly surprised by how easy all my slicing and chopping jobs have become, now that I don't have to apply extra pressure like I had to with my utility knife!

I chose his knife for several reasons. Economy, size, surehandedness and space limitations, and the knife validates my expectations. I selected the 6" OXO MV55-Pro hoping it would serve as a compromise tool on my boat. Inexpensive, if it doesn't prove to be durable, stowable & weildable aboard, no slip ups underway with the grip, Not overly big, responds to elements well and performs admirably when one steps down (read: up) from an 8" or 10" Chef knife in this environment. No brainer, I would market it to Marine interests. Buy it with confidence!
P.S. Fillet duty is a breeze!

The block looks great on my counter. I really like the red silicone handles. The knives are sharp and they work great.

I bought some of the Furi Knives and was immediatly hooked!

Not Stainless Steel, but a advanced material that all cutlery makers should use. Knives are super thin, super stong, super sharp and hold and edge better then my other high-cost knives.

For all those who, like me, are having a difficult time deciding whether to buy this set based upon the sparse descriptive information provided by Amazon, here is a quick run down of what it actually includes:

7" RR Coppertail Knife
8" Classic Cook's Knife
8" Bread Knife
6" Serrated Utility Knife
3.5" Paring Knife

Please note that Amazon has the Coppertail knife included in this set incorrectly listed as the 5" Coppertail; the set actually contains the 7" Coppertail. I think the confusion comes from the fact that the new Gusto Grip set includes the 5" Coppertail instead.

Considering that the 7" Coppertail normally sells for about half of what this whole set costs, I feel like it's a great value.

My wife and I have been using this set for about 2 weeks now and we love it. Maybe we just haven't had enough experience with professional knife sets, but these knives are very sharp, nicely balanced and fit really well in your hand. I used to struggle with cutting leafy stuff like parsley or cilantro, but the coppertail goes through them like butter. And while they may not be getting the attention the coppertail is, the other knives in this set are just as good.

The Henckels is so sharp and the cut it makes so clean, the surgeons had the minimum difficulty in reattaching my fingers.

Two thumbs up!

I am a beginning cook. I have always marveled at the guys in the local shops whacking at the chicken, etc with a meat cleaver. I think I bought the thing for reasons of machismo alone. But, how easy it makes preparing meat and foul. It feels like an appropriate weight to my male hands. A couple of cuts and my chicken is dispatched. The knife looks well-made but it lacks the bolster of high-end Henckels. Unless you are cleaving whale or walrus, I doubt it matters.

Most cleavers I've owned tend to be top-heavy and unbalanced, but this one has a wonderful, natural heft to it which allows you to precisely butterfly a whole chicken in less than four strokes (not counting the removal of the chest bone). Fantastic!

If you like high-end products crafted from the cutting-edge (literally) technology, then be sure to check out these knives. I've checked them out in person but will wait to buy them since I've recently received as gifts a Henckels set (which I like but not love). They're beautiful - and functional - work of art, but like any high-performance machine, it requires a sophisticated user who gives it proper maintenance. I just love the way its sharp blade just glides insouciantly thru tough fibers. Highly recommended for pros and enthusiasts.

EXCERPT from "Consumer Search website":
Two Japanese companies are making a big splash. Global and Kyocera make very different knives, but both are liked for their sophisticated design. Global knives (*est. $170 for three) are made entirely from the same piece of metal. The blade seamlessly tapers into a textured stainless-steel handle. Reviewers say Global knives look gorgeous and work well. Made in the Japanese style, Global knives have a thinner blade and more angled knife-edge than German or American knives. Some reviewers say this makes them sharper out of the box than other knives...
(For the full article, SEE http://stage-consumersearch.brainlink.com/www/kitchen/kitchen_knives/fullstory.html)

I bought this knife almost three months ago, and have been nothing but impressed. I am a professional chef and have used this blade almost non-stop since its arrival. Despite daily use and infrequent passes on a global ceramic steel, it still remains near razor sharp. The feel, the balance, the way the blade will hold an edge, everything about this knife is amazing. It has quickly grown to be my favorite knife, surpassing even my ceramic knife which cost me three times as much and hasn't held up nearly as well. Only complaint I have is because of its heavy weight, delicate cutting such as basil julienne (which I do frequently) are exceptionally difficult without bruising the herbs. Its possible to do the job with the knife, but not really what it was designed for either in my opinion. Every knife has its purpose, this is the best general purpose knife ive ever used.

If God's mighty Hands are big enough, He definitely uses the 8 1/4" heavyweight Global. If not He wields a mighty regular 8".

These knives appear at first like Pacific Palisades yuppie display pieces, purchased to never be used, highly crafted but without mind towards function. Nothing could be further from the truth, however; these knives mean business. Built with Japan's modern chefs in mind, they have the balance of a Katana, highest quality steel and a wicked edge. They're suitable in construction and balance for everything from sashimi to butchery.

This heavy knife (Global actually refers to the heavier knives as "forged", probably because their lighter knives have ground hollow handles) can deftly mince shallots or rip apart a chicken in the same breath. The balance is so perfect that it really feels like nothing at all in your hand.

Care and feeding are trickier than a Henckels or a carbon-steel knife; the molybenum/vandium alloy is extremely hard and hard to influence outside of a full grind. I'm using a ceramic finishing stone to hone the edge (which does slip around; a downside of the extremely acute angle of grind), and I expect that I'll have a professional grind it when needed, something I don't do with my Henckels knives.

I'm buying the lighter 8" knife as well, now that I've had my hands on it. I really think that between the two of them there's nothing you can't take down.

I love the shape and handling of this knife and in my workplace we have many people who love the shun line but we all agree that the single beveled edge leads to limited cutting on large veg such as butternut sqaush and leaves ou with an angular cut. Perfect for chiffonades and shalots, bit limited to mainly these small tasks.

I have several Shun Pro knives, and they are probably my favorites out of my (ridiculously large) collection of kitchen cutlery. This particular knife is one of the most useful of all. However, knives of this design are probably not the best choice for the "average" cook.

First, recognize that this is a single-bevel knife of Japanese design. Moreover, the "flat" side is actually slightly concave. This design has advantages and disadvantages. First the advantages. It takes a very sharp edge, and the excellent, relatively hard steel holds this edge very well. The concave "back" allows the knife to pass through foods much more easily than a conventional knife.

Now the disadvantages. the single bevel causes the knife to "move" toward the flat side when you are making a cut. With a little practice, you can compensate for this and produce perfect, paper-thin slices -- but it does take a bit of practice. A second disadvantage is that you should not sharpen knives of this type with typical sharpeners. The beveled side should be sharpened to 17-20 degrees, and the flat side should be finished at near 0 degrees. Unless you are experienced and equipped properly, you should have this type of knife professionally sharpened. It should not be run through an electric sharpener -- even the Chef's Choice, which works OK for conventional knives.

The blade has fairly little "rocker." It is best used for slicing and chopping (as opposed to the type of rocking action you can use with a typical chef's knife).

This is an absolutely wonderful piece of cutlery if you are prepared to (1) learn the characteristics of a single-bevel knife; (2) sharpen it properly.

The KAI Shun Pro Nakiri knife is really an excellent kitchen product for traditionally styled Japanese chefs and average cooks alike. This knife, like all of the Shun knives, is extremely sharp; Shun knives are at least as sharp as Global knives, albeit with much more comfortable handles. This is as good as it gets when it comes to chopping up large vegetables, but will also work for mincing onions or dicing garlic cloves. Although it looks somewhat like a meat cleaver, it really is not intended to be used as such; if you are looking for a knife that will cut both meat and vegetables, the Shun Classic santoku knife may be more your thing. Also, please note that the blade on a nakiri knife is one-sided, and may be awkward for some tasks. If you want a great knife for splitting large vegetables such as pumpkins or squash, however, than this is your knife.

I am no professional chef, but I do enjoy cooking. This knife does indeed work wonders (as far as cutting through things effortlessly goes).

I received mine in a nice black/clear case, and the knife was very well protected. Upon removing it from the packaging, I was immediately amazed at how sturdy but maneuverable this knife felt. For lack of a better description - it is perfectly balanced, allowing for precise control.

I can't attest to the usefulness of this knife, as I am still building my set, but I have a feeling it will be one of my top three used knives once the rest arrive.

I've been in the market for a mid-sized knife for a while now. My 10-inch chef's knife is too clumsy for some tasks, and my paring knives are too small. Enter the Henckels 6-inch utility blade.

The first thing I noticed was the wood handle -- I much prefer wood to the newer rubbery handles. Also, the heavy back-weighting made it feel quite steady in my hand: I liked the balance. The blade itself is sturdy, shaped like a small version of a chef's knife. And -boy!- is it sharp! This makes trimming small cuts of meat and vegetables very easy. I highly recommend this knife.

This knife is very versitle and extremely well made. It has perfect balance and is razor sharp. Prep work is a joyous experience with it. It stays sharp under heavy use for quite sometime. To maintain its edge, I only have to pass it a few times on each side against a sharpening rod. Its high carbon quality steel blade lends itself perfectly to honing a razor sharp edge that lasts for a long time compared to a stainless steel blade. If you purchase this high quality knife, it's imperative that you have a means to sharpen it to maintain its perfection.

These are decent knives. They get the job done and are much more affordable than other "discount" knives with german steel blades; and much more affordable than ceramic.

I have not had an issue with sharpness, because I take care of my knives.

You would be surprised how many people that complain of "dullness" use a glass cutting board or cut directly on the countertop.

I have had this knife (in addition to the 15 piece set) for almost a year. The blade is still very sharp and cuts tomatoes, chicken, pineapples, etc. all with ease. This is a great multipurpose knife and I use it all the time. Well weighted and a nice grip. I have found that a Santuko and a paring knife are sufficient for most of my cutting needs.

I bought this knife two months ago, we use it everyday and it is still as sharp as the day we bought it. My husband and I love it. We do use a wooden cutting board. I bought it at a store and was able to compare it to other Santoku knives. I actually handled them. The handle on this seemed a little longer (for my husbands big hands) and it just had a good feel to it, good balance and good weight. It is made in China from German steel and the handle feels to be some sort of metal also. We are very pleased, no regrets about not buying the one that cost $$ more.