Cutlery Reviews

After having to return a 12-piece Chicago Cutlery Centurion set because the Amazon picture was not accurate (not the same storage block), I ordered this 7-piece set. The description for the 7-piece set on this site, as of today, specifically says that it includes a bread knife. There is NO BREAD KNIFE. Instead, there is an 8" slicer. This is not a packaging mix-up; the knives listed on the box are all included. Amazon simply has an outdated product description.

I think that the construction of a top of the line Henkels or Wustof is superior to these, they are certainly a contender with the mid- or lower-range offerings from those companies.

For example, I received the Wustof Cordon Bleu knife kit when I enrolled at culinary school, and while they're far more expensive, those knives are far inferior to these. Those knives are stamped, these are forged. There's a good weight in the handle, it can stand up to significant abuse and they keep the edge well. As someone said, they are sharp out of the box, but a quick run against a stone will hone the edges further.

It's true that this product is inaccurately described. It comes with a slicer, not a bread knife. However, I really like the slicer knife - it's a good utility knife for things like slicing tomatoes or soft fruit. Since I knew the description was wrong and that there are a couple of additional slots in the block, I just ordered a bread knife. It's $12 on Amazon. I ordered the scissors, too, for $6 as there's also a slot for them.

I thought this set was a great value. For under $55 plus another $18 for the bread knife and scissors, I got an excellent, versatile and durable set of knives plus a quality block and free shipping -- for a price equal to one knife from some of the big German brand names. No home cook really needs more knives than these unless they do specialized cooking. I bought these for our second home. After using them for a month, I'm totally sold on them.

If you're really upset about the product not including the bread knife, try writing to Amazon and complain after you receive it and they might give you some kind of compensation for the inaccurate description. I did write them to alert them that the product description should be changed.

Oh, and a last point. If you treat knives with a bit of care, they will last a long time. These should never go into the dishwasher. It dulls the blade and damages the handles. Even though they're stainless steel, that doesn't mean they won't rust if they're abused. If you're worried about sanitation, scrub them down and then soak them briefly in warm, soapy water with a tiny splash of bleach. Always dry them promptly before putting them away. Use surfaces such as hardwood like a bamboo or thick plastic s cutting boards, rather than very hard surfaces such as glass. Do yourself a favor and get them sharpened once a year; many hardware stores and cookware stores can do this for a nominal charge or about $1 or $2 a knife. It's worth it.

As the other reviewer indicated, the Amazon description is incorrect, an 8" slicer is included rather than an 8" bread knife but I'm not going to ding the product based on an Amazon error. Other than that, very pleased with the overall quality of the knives and the block. Weight and balance are good, handles are sturdy and comfortable. They are attractive knifes, especially with the forged bolsters. They sharpen easily. Overall, a very good value, much better I think than many of the so-called higher end brands.

After much thought and debating spending top $$$ for German knives I opted to buy the Chicago Cutlery. For the price these are great! I always swipe them past the sharpening steel before I use them and I've never had a problem cutting anything.
I find them comfortable to hold and quite easy to use. My *only* complaint-which is the reason for only 4 stars-is that one knife has become very slightly stained and I don't know why. I always wash and dry them by hand, promptly.
I would definately buy from Chicago Cutlery again.

The santuko knife is the best knife I've ever owned. Of course this is because I cannot afford to spend $90 on a knife that I say this. If you want a good semi-precise knife set on a low budget this is pretty good. I do have to sharpen the santuko knife a lot but that is because I use it several times a day and sometimes on a glass cutting board. From what I understand that will dull a knife pretty quickly. Be careful,it's sharp, I've cut my fingers twice with this knife. The smaller knife is great for cutting open a bell pepper. Over all, I like this set. It's getting me though all the healthy home cooking I do. But I'll probably buy something a little higher quality in a couple of years.

This two piece set is a real bargain. The handle design is good and the price is right.

I'll admit it - I've fallen in love. I first used this knife at a friend's house, and was blown away by the ease of use - the ginger and garlic practically minced themselves. I immediately ordered it, and have been delighted ever since. The handle fits my (small) hand perfectly and is comfortable to use, it cleans in a snap, and it can cut through anything - no more slamming the spaghetti squash down on the table with a hatchet. One of the best purchases I've made - well-worth the money.

Well, I must tell you, I totally adore this knife! It is my best friend in the kitchen and I use it pretty much for every kind of food except bread cutting. I could not afford to buy the whole set and decided that if I could have one knife that cuts just about everything I would be a happy gal. I am totally satisfied with this knife and recommend it highly.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels "Pro S" cutlery is by far the most advanced on the planet. Hand-crafted in Solingen, Germany since the early 1700's. The blade is high-carbon steel, ice-hardended by Henckel's proprietary FrioDur process. The blade is then laser-honed to tolerances of less than one-thousandth of an inch. The black acrylic (?) molded handle is permanently bonded to the full tang (which is fully visible all the way around) then riveted. Not only does this create a virtually indestructible knife, it is also quite attractive. The handle is perfectly suited to how the knife should be held...even a novice can effectively use them as if by second nature. The weight is just right - not so light you can't control it, but also not so heavy that you can't work quickly. All in all, the tool feels like an extension of your own hand. The blade has a nice curve, suited to many cutting applications like dicing, slicing, chopping, etc. Cleanup is a breeze, thanks to the highly-polished blade.

Henckels may seem a bit pricy to someone who has never experienced the pleasure of their use; however, you will soon see that they quality of the craftsmanship is well worth it to pay a little extra. To sweeten the pot, they are unconditionally guaranteed for life; if you can manage to break one (and congrats if you succeed...quite impossible) they replace it. If you keep the blade properly sharpened (Sharpening Steel . . .))they last. You'll want to keep them in a block or get one of those nifty magnetic strips - throwing them in a drawer exposes their precision edge to damage.

Compared to Wusthoff, I'd say these rank a little higher. Design is more attractive, more solid feel, better reputation.

All I can say, in summation, is watch your fingers...these knives bite!

Very functional but not the best of quality. But then again, a definite value for the purchase price.

The one and only knife block to really appreciate the Ronco 5 star knife set. A little large, but a place for everything plus extras

I purchased the Ronco knife set for my fiance for Christmas (we both love to cook) and he has been wanting them for a long time. I got them at a discount store but the knife block was not included. It's a huge knife set so what to do??? I looked on Amazon.com of course and as usual they did NOT let me down. They had the knife block at the lowest price I could find. It is a large block that has slots for all the Ronco knives plus several extra slots for other of your "favorites". It came in a ridiculously short period of time (I think like 2 days after I placed the order). Amazon.com is great. I can't say enough nice things about the company!!!

If one purchases two piece kitchen shears it's so you can clean them thoroughly, truely two piece.....these shears are constructed from several pieces, e.g. grips are separate pieces bonded to blades leaving cracks at juncture for collection of food debris and moisture