Paring Knives Reviews

There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Grand Prix line is a more modern design than the Classic series, with a simple black handle. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.

This set includes an 8 inch chef's knife, and a 3 � inch paring knife.

The 8 inch chef's knife, is a great knife. Wusthof offers three sizes of chef's knives, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. The 6 inch is a bit small for bigger jobs, but the 10 inch is too big for most jobs. While the 8 inch isn't perfect for all uses, if you are only buying one size chef's knife (and most people only buy one), this is the one I would recommend.

As for the 3 � inch paring knife, this knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 � inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 � inch paring knife and the 4 � inch utility knife. I prefer the 4 � inch utility knife, but the 3 � inch paring knife will do the trick for most tasks.

This set is a good deal; however, if compiling a set myself, I would include the chef's knife and the 4 � inch utility knife. Judge for yourself.

In 1998, Consumer Reports tested the Wusthof Trident Grand Prix knives & rated them "excellent in every way," describing them as being "the best set the testers had ever used" and stating that they're "the smoothest, most balanced knives we've ever used. Molded plastic handles are textured for better wet grip. Great for chef's blade grip. Heavier than most. Many different types available." Based on their high recommendation of these knives, I purchased a 7-pc. block set. I'm very happy with them.

I grab these to knives first. This is the perfect starter set, as you can do most anything with these two knives. The larger chef knife is perfect for when cutting meat, vegetables, dicing herbs, and so much more. The smaller knife is perfect for when going after the smaller vegetables, or fine cuts. These knives are high quality, that can't be beat. They hold a blade very well, and have a good weight in your hand. If you like a pistol style grip these are the perfect knives for you. I honestly can't say enough about these high quality knives.

I purchased this block after debating between Wusthof and Henckels which in my mind were both synonymous with fine cutlery. The Grand Prix line shares the same blade as the Classic and Culinar, the only difference is the molded plastic handles which are comfortable, hygenic and have a more modern look compared to the Classic. The first thing I noticed upon receiving the set was that the knives varied in sharpness significantly - the Chefs knife and paring knife were duller than the utility knife. Overall they didnt wow me, this is the first set of good knives i have owned and perhaps I expected too much - I've always seen those TV commercials where they were cutting paper thin slices off a tomato and these knives seemed to mash them rather than slice them if you cut too thin. I have used the sharpening steel and that improves the performance but it gets old constantly running the knives along the steel everytime you want to use them ....So when it came to purchasing a boning knife i went with Global and wow...that thing is scary sharp. I'm actually using it for many different slicing tasks besides cutting meat and it performs great. I'm trying to justify purchasing a block of Globals after only having my Wusthof's for 3 months. Now the Wusthof's are without a doubt a quality product but I think Wusthof and Henckels really have some competition - but like trying to decide between a "Chevy" or a "Ford" i only wish that I knew that there were other choices out there beyond the Big Two.

These are fantastic knives - if you've been cooking using cheap knives, these will be a revelation. Sharpness is important, but so is balance and weight. If you don't think weight is important, you've never tried to split a whole head of cabbage. Or winter squash. These knives will last for a lifetime - literally. If you're on a budget, far better to buy just a few good knives than a 10 piece set of inferior knives. But if you can afford this excellent 10 piece set, don't wait! I've been cooking for 20 years and I only wish I'd discovered the importance of good knives much sooner. I've had my Grand Prix set for 6 years now and with care (no dishwasher, ever!), regular honing and sharpening, my knives are good as new.

This is a fabulous set of knives! They are well-balanced and the ergonomic handles are very comfortable for both my husband and me to use. We considered the Classic set, but in a hands-on comparison, we favored the feel of this handle. The blades are exactly the same between the Classic and the Grand Prix, so get your hands on some and let personal preference decide which line is right for you.

There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Grand Prix line is a more modern design than the Classic series, with a simple black handle. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.

This particular model is the 3 � inch paring knife. This knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 � inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 � inch paring knife and the 4 � inch utility knife.

Don't get me wrong; this is a very good knife. However, for the mainstream chef, I think its usage will be minimal, and thus it is overkill. Look for the 4 � inch utility knife first. If you own that knife, and you need this size for a specific application, this knife is great.

First and foremost...Don't be misled...there are well over two dozen high quality knife mass manufacturers all over the world, in all levels of price range...you just haven't found them all yet! I have 9 different brands in my work bag and they all perform flawlessly.
That said...This is a top o' the line midrange priced paring knife and although I don't favor Wusthof I did buy a set of these for the grrlfren and we both love this line.
(Nobody uses a 4.5 inch "paring" knife because it's a utility knife for small slicing jobs...a little too big for "paring"). Pros use 3.5/4 inch parers to do the job and this one is excellent for the job!!!
This "Grand Prix" line is much better than the "Classic" because of the comfy grip. Buy it now with no regrets!

We be givin' dis lil babe...5 mojo*z!!!

I own and have tried a number of knives from the standard cheapo's to designer hand-made French knives, and these fill a large general purpose niche. These knives are very sharp (especially after using the sharpening tool) and approach the sharpness of my Kyocera Ceramic knives. Ceramic knives are extremely sharp and hard, but suffer from brittleness and need custom resharpening efforts. The Wusthof knives are well made German "tools" that will hold-up to a certain amount of abuse. For more abuse, I resort to my cheapo knives to cut open packages of food, wine bottle foil, etc.. They are handsome and do have a high-tech appeal but do not approach the beauty of some French knives. The French knives have inlaid wood handles and have a "mirror" finish (which will scratch even with a plastic scrubber), but are limited to tableware use only.
You must be extremely careful not to get ripped-off with a "imitation" German knife. Most knives use a brand-name, but are really made in China. The descriptions and inflated prices can be very misleading. Even with all my research, I was not sure that I had made a wise choice until I looked at these knives and started to use them. Please do the same, since things change all the time and "outsourcing" is all the rage!
Anyway, in summary, these knives are great...so get them before they don't exist!

I have had a set of Wusthof Grand Prix knives for about four years now and I could not be more pleased with their performance, durability, and quality. From the professional chef to the home cook looking for quality to last a lifetime; these knives accentuate the way in which you will prepare meals for a lifetime. The folded stainless steel is of the highest quality available in the industry, and it shows in how long they keep their edge. As with all straight edge knives; never put in a dishwasher, cut on stone or metal surfaces and they will stay in top form.

Absolutely wonderful! Your kitchen will never be the same! I love how these knives are so beautifully balanced and flawlessly made. they slice through slippery veggies and tough items as easily as a warm knife through butter. This is the first time I am getting a kick out of cooking just because the knives are so much fun to use. I feel like they can really handle anything. I can chop things up as tiny as you could want (easy to go overboard the first few days). Warning: these are awfully sharp (as any good knife should be) so be careful not to nick yourself!! If you are clumsy, these are not for you!
In retrospect though, I would probably have gone for a bigger set that came with a bread knife. The block has the room for it so unless you are going to stick an old knife in there you get a sad empty looking block.

you should always go for the best. They are things that can last you a life time with the right care and if you get the best, then you've got yourself the finest cuts, the best weighting, a sharp blade... for life.

I received my knives in this 6 piece block set with the kitchen shears last year. Each knife is amazing in it's solid weighting (you should never even try to cut with a poorly weighted knife -- you're working against it) and ability to hold an edge. Even so, it comes with a knife sharperner.

If you can't afford the 6-piece block set, the three most essential knives are the Chef's knife (for dicing, mincing, etc.), the paring knife, and the kitchen shears. The paring knife is the best, when i first received my knife set I spent a few days just seeing what the knives could do. I had *no* problem making small rose-florettes out of grape tomatoes. The tomato test is important because tomatoes are tough-skinned but tender fleshed. A sharp knife should cut through the tomato without flattening the tomato. The paring knife not only treated the tomato like hot butter, I also had absolute control over it (and thus was able to make patterns in it -- like a rose florette). The other knives are equally remarkable. Look at some of the other Wusthof reviews to see specifics.

My only complaint is that the wood block has 3 other holes for additional knives which make the set appear glaringly incomplete. Of course, I plan to fill those holes with additional wusthof knives. A filet knife would be a fantastic addition to my collection.

They truly are the pride of my kitchen.

I have not bought this set, but I have bought most of the individual knives in it one by one and spent considerably more money. I have tried most of the high-end brands and have a strong preference for Wusthof - I have a 20 year old Wusthof chef's knife that is still going strong. None of my Wusthof knives have ever bent or cracked, they all still take an edge very easily, and have tolerated my habit of putting them in the dishwasher with no problems at all.

One comment on the prior review... I agree that a couple of the knives in the set seem unnecessary. For example, I almost always use my 6" chefs knives, because they fit my hand best, and use my 8" occasionally for larger items. But that doesn't mean a set with 6", 8" and 10" knives is wasteful. My husband, who has larger hands, hates my 6" knives, and always reaches for the 8" or 10". If you have 2 cooks in the kitchen (or more!) this variety may be very useful.

This is the mother of all knife sets.

There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Grand Prix line is a more modern design than the Classic series, with a simple black handle. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.
This set includes a 6, 8, and 10 inch chef's knives; 2 � inch peeling knife; 3 � inch paring; 4 � inch utility; 5 inch tomato; 9 inch bread; 5 inch boning; 8 inch carving knife and fork; 6 inch sandwich; 6 inch flexible fillet; 7 inch santoku; 6 inch cleaver, eight steak knives, sharpening steel, kitchen shears, and an oak block
The chef's knives are great knives. This set includes all three sizes of chef's knives offered in the Grand Prix line, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. The 6 inch is a bit small for bigger jobs, but the 10 inch is too big for most jobs.

The Wusthof 4 � inch utility knife is a great all-around knife. This is the knife I use for the majority of my small chopping work (when I don't use a Chef's knife).

As for the 3 � inch paring knife, this knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 � inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 � inch paring knife and the 4 � inch utility knife. I prefer the 4 � inch utility knife, but the 3 � inch paring knife is a good addition to the set.

I have found very few uses for the 6 inch sandwich and the 5 inch salami knives. I prefer the larger size of the chef's knife or the smaller 4 � inch utility knife. The knives are just the wrong width and length for most tasks, and fall into the overkill department, except when part of a set.

The 2 � inch trimming knife, however, is a good length for small tasks, like trimming fat from cuts of meat.

The 6 inch cleaver, is a good cleaver. Most people really don't use a cleaver anymore, as they buy either pre-cut/pre-packaged meats, or they have the butcher cut the meat into loins or steaks for them. If you really are going to use a cleaver, this one is my favorite. The weight and balance are very good.

The 5 inch boning knife is a good knife. I think this knife is slightly more useful for the everyday cook than the cleaver. I find this knife useful for both boning and fat trimming.

The bread knife, is a great knife. Many people think tomatoes are the hardest food items to clearly cut. I think bread is much more difficult; but this knife makes the task seem easy. This set includes the 9 inch knife that I prefer over the 8 inch.

When it comes to sharpening steels, I have found very little difference between Henckels and Wusthof. As long as you buy a high end steel, you really won't go wrong. Therefore, I shop for this item on price, and Henckels has a price advantage. However as the steel comes with the set, you won't go wrong with this steel.

This set is as complete as they come. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it.