Wusthof Culinar 8-Inch Cook's Knife

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 Culinar line is an all stainless steel look, rather than a black handle. Although the picture and some descriptions want you to think this is a single piece knife, be advised that the hand is a separate piece of stainless steel molded onto the tang. I personally prefer the handle of the Grand Prix and Classic, because the grip is surer for me, but this is, to some extent, a matter of personal preference. This series "looks" more professional to some (like a Viking stove).

This particular model, the 8 inch chef's knife, is a great knife. Wusthof offers four sizes of chef's knives in the Culinar line, 5, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. The 5 and 6 inch are 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.

I highly recommend the Wusthof 8" chef's knife.

This is, by far, the best kitchen knife I have ever used. The quality is exceptional. This is definately a knife that I will use for the rest of my life and probably pass on to my children, it is that good. I had a hard time with the purchase because of the cost, but I am very glad that I finally purchased it. I since have purchased the paring knife and plan to own the whole collection one day. You will not be disappointed with this product.

Update: 6 years later and this knife cuts like the day I purchased it. I have purchased several more Wusthof products over the years, probably the best brand of knife I have ever used. Worth the money.

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I have a preference for the Wustof 8" chef knife. As a chef, the sharper your knife, the safer.(these knives hold up well to daily steeling) I've had my knife profesionally sharpened only twice.(buy a steel, they are worth the money alone in sharpening.) And have cut my fingers a couple of times (never needed stiches though). If you are a petite woman,as I am, please only consider the 8". You can use it from cleaning meat to slicing and serving cake.(please sanitize..) I've had my knife now for 7 years,and used it in a commercial resturant setting every day without a problem, except the servers keep taking it to cut bread:)

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Wusthof's 8-inch chef's knife (or "cook's knife") is a perfect size for smaller people whose arm may tire from prolonged chopping sessions with a 10-inch knife. The blade is 20 centimeters long, approximately 8 inches, and 1 7/8 inch (4.7 cm) wide at the widest point. The knife, including the handle, is 13 1/2 inches (34 cm) long. Like Wusthof's Classic line, Culinar knives have a full tang and are perfectly balanced, while the Grand Prix line has a 3/4 tang. The blade and tang are a single solid piece, running from the tip of the knife to the end of the handle, with the handle fitted over it. The blade, itself, is made of carbon steel, whose formula, X 50 Cr Mo WV15, is displayed on the knife handle. That means: surgical steel, 0.5% carbon, 15% chromium, and molybdenum, in case you're wondering. The length of the blade in centimeters is also etched onto it, so there's no guessing what size knife you're holding. This knife is a pleasure to use. It chops easily and rolls smoothly. Just watch your fingers -very sharp!

The ergonomic, brushed 18/10 stainless handles of Wusthof's Culinar knives are certainly beautiful. But until I used one, I wondered if they were more pretty than practical. I find that the shape of the Classic handles, as well as many other brands, make my hands sore after a while. The handle hits my middle finger in the wrong place and pokes the ball of my palm, underneath my thumb. The shape of the Culinar handle curves in instead of out beneath my middle finger and dips down at the back to avoid the ball of my hand. This is a handle made for holding. It fits my grip perfectly. I thought the metal might be harder on my hands than the polymer of the Classic line, but it's not, because the shape is so comfortable. And the brushed surface wards off fingerprints, so it always looks great.

I was warned by a salesperson that the metal handle can get quite cold when left in an unheated room. I mail-ordered this knife in the middle of winter, so when it arrived, the handle was, indeed, like an ice block. It warmed up quickly in my hand, though, and it has never gotten cold since, even though I turn my heat back at night. So temperature has not been an issue. The Culinar costs more than many other brands and more than Wusthof's other lines, but these are the most comfortable knives I`ve ever used. And I'm thrilled to have such stunning design in kitchen utensils that I use every day. Wusthof recommends periodic sharpening on a knife steel and occasional sharpening with a knife sharpener. Wusthof knives are dishwasher-safe, but the blades can be easily banged up in the dishwasher, so hand washing is recommended.

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With marriage pending, I've had a lot of decisions to make regarding kitchen items. I recently purchased this knife, and could not be happier with its performance. My mother has always had cutco knives, which I considered to be of excellent quality, until this knife arrived. It is razor sharp, and cuts through vegetables as a hot knife through butter. I was surprised by the weight of the knife itself. It is heavier than most, largely due to the stainless steel handle, though comfortably so.

The stainless steel appeals to me as an aesthetic property. One small caution to those of you who are neat freaks... If you plan on displaying your knives in a block on the counter, it will take a small amount of work to keep the handles fingerprint free, as with most stainless steel, they show every smudge.

Barring that, consumer reports rated these knives excellent, as they did with the grand prix and classic lines from Wusthof (all of these lines have the exact same blade, merely a different handle). Henckels also did well, and Twin Select, their stainless line, scored higher than Wusthof, though I feel it is merely a matter of preference. Make sure that you try it out before you buy it. It should feel comfortable. Wusthof.com lists stores at which you can "test-drive" their knives before purchase. I would highly recommend doing so.