Wusthof Gourmet 3-Inch Paring Knife

***** Original review *****

We have owned several of the Wusthof Classic series knives for about 8 years and absolutely love them. Occasionally we have the need for an extra paring knife so I picked up the less expensive Wusthof Gourmet paring knife about a month ago. While the Classic series construction is very solid, heavy and therefore durable, the Gourmet series seems much less so simply because it is so light; only time will tell if the Gourmet series will hold up but the difference in weight seems significant enough to warrant serious doubts.

As others have mentioned, the Gourmet series paring knife has a thinner flexible blade compared to the stiff blade of the Classic series. The lightweight thin blade seems helpful when peeling however it does not lend itself well to easily slicing, dicing and cutting harder items like raw potatoes or carrots.

The one enormous nit I have was that the knife arrived with a less than stellar edge on it! We have our own sharpening stones so we are somewhat spoiled to having pristine edges on a regular basis; however, upon arrival, our Gourmet knife had absolutely no business in any kitchen without receiving a little attention on the stones before hand.

All things considered, I would have to say the knife may be worth the $10 if it holds up for 2 or 3 years but I honestly wouldn't purchase another one if this one was lost or damaged. From now on we're going to save our pennies and stick with the Wusthof Classic series.

***** Update *****

So after 3 years of almost daily use I decided it was time to revise original review and 2 star rating. This knife has held up just as well as our other Wusthof knives. We had them all professionally sharpened over a year ago and they all hold a nice sharp edge. Though the price appears to increased somewhat since my purchase, I would have to say this was indeed a very good purchase. I'm not still not giving it 5 stars though because it arrived with a dull blade which I think is inexcusable for a new knife. As for our other Wusthof knives, 11+ years and counting of regular use and washing in the dishwasher, these knives don't show a bit of their age and were well worth their cost.

I love Wusthof knives and have been using them for years, but these knives do not measure up. The handles cracked and came loose after just 6 weeks of occasional use. Wusthof also was quite unprofessional when I approached them for an exchange. Nope, don't buy them, you'll be sorry.

Buy Wusthof Gourmet 3-Inch Paring Knife Now

Great little paring knife for those with smaller hands. Tang extends 3/4 of the way into the handle and it maintains its edge well.

I purchased this on sale (but not @ as low a price as being currently offered @ Amazon) through back in May 2009. It accidentally went through the dishwasher once -hubby did the dishes-and was knocked off the kitchen counter onto a wood floor early in the summer with no apparent damage.

Was using it this week to peel and dice a raw potato when the handle broke clean through at the last "rivet". Although it was sold with a limited lifetime warranty, I haven't been able to find the paperwork in order to return it.

I realize it is not a high end knife, but I'm still disappointed that it broke in a little over 5 months of gentle use.

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Great little knife at a great price. Stays sharp and I use it for everything.

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Great paring knife. Made in Germany. Nice, balanced feel and just the right sized and shaped handle for easy gripping. Appears to be very solidly built and durable. Information on printed paper blade sheath: high carbon, no-stain steel blade, ergonomic handle construction, hygienic and dishwasher safe. I like it.