Wusthof 8pcsteak 8-Piece Stainless-Steel Steak Knife Set with Wooden Gift Box

First off, let me say that we don't eat much steak any more (cholesterol problems). We're not steak knife experts who insist on some particular type of blade edge. We do NOT like big ugly steak-house-restaurant type knives on our table. And finally, we don't care a fig about how good or bad a storage box looks. Our knives are rarely stored for long because whenever we serve any meat or fowl, we've always put steak knives out with the flatware. And OH MY, this Wusthof set is *phenomenally* nicer than the equally simple but hysterically expensive black-handled ones from Germany that we've been using for decades. This is solid, sleek, hefty-feeling stuff. The design goes wonderfully with our other flatware ranging from fancy to plain (in fact, the steak knife is actually heavier than some of the flatware pieces sitting next to it on the table). And YES it DOES cut very well indeed -which is all hub & I ask from any knife!

I have been looking for quality steak knives for a while now and when I saw these I thought they were not only beautiful to look at, but well made. We have been grilling a lot more now that we have them! They feel great in your hand and you can't beat the price. They wash well in the dishwasher too.

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Since I've gotten married recently, I've been introduced to "nicer" things that one normally wouldn't buy on their own. For example, silverware/flatware... who figured that once you get married it's awesome you get to have silverware/flatware that's priced at $150? For pretty much my entire life, I've always used hand me downs or that cheap stuff you get at Walmart ($20-range) and even my parents didn't have a nice set of silverware/flatware.

But the sad thing is that aside from my own collection of Wusthof kitchen knives and the nice Mikasa set I got for the wedding, I was still using my college days steak knives. The kind that really didn't cut well and was rusting in some places. After realizing how embarrassing it was, I decided to go on a quest to find new steak knives... Specifically with the following criteria:

1. The knives had to match the finish/color of my new Mikasa silverware/flatware.

2. The knives had to be less than $100 on Amazon.

3. Serration didn't matter.

With those 3 criteria, Amazon gave me a nice list and I narrowed it down based on appearance. In the end, it came down to the Wusthof I'm reviewing and the J.A. Henckels S.O.S. 8-Piece Stainless-Steel Steak Knife Set in Wood Gift Box. Both J.A. Henckels and Wusthof are considered top of the line European knives and in comparison, they perform nearly identical. I double-checked my research and made sure the J.A. Henckles were of the Zwilling variety and NOT the J.A. Henckles International variety. For those of you that didn't know, the "International" is the lower grade category of knives made by J.A. Henckles. The differentiation of the two can easily be identified by their logo, as International has "1 man" and the Zwilling has "2 men".

But in the end, I chose the Wusthof because I already own: Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu 6 inch Cooks Chef Knife, Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu 8 inch Carving Knife, Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu 6 inch Utility Knife, and the 8" Le Cordon Bleu Chef's Knife. Consider it partial brand loyalty.

Upon receiving the knives I noticed that they were genuine Wusthof knives and came in a nicely sized box. I noticed that the box itself looked nothing like the Amazon photo. It appears Wusthof has updated the "package" for the steak knives because the box is very similar to the one you would get at Williams-Sonoma (). The box is has a nice cherry finish and the emblem in the bottom right is that of the Wusthof logo. The one Amazon pictures is some kind of circular logo. Another difference is that instead of a latch for closing, the one I received had no latch and was closed via magnets inside the lid of the box.

On the inside, gone was the black felt that covered the top with the colored Wusthof logo. Instead, it was bare wood with the Wusthof name & logo stamped in black ink. The individual slots where the knives were held seemed much different than the original picture. There isn't as much wood and the black felt isn't laid out on the bottom either. Overall, the external aspect of the box seems to have improved but the inside of the box lacked the quality of the original picture.

As for the knives, they all came individually wrapped in plastic and have slight differences than the original pictured ones on Amazon. First and foremost, these knives are gorgeous and the nicest knives I've seen/used so far. They have a very nice polished appearance and yes, fingerprints will be left on them. I don't mind that because my Mikasa flatware have the same kind of finish and I got these primarily to match them. Trust me if you have these, people will likely compliment you.

The tip of the knife is slightly rounded rather than a sharp point. I'm not sure why they made the change, but you can still stab meat & other food items with it. I suppose they did it so it wouldn't break skin if it accidentally fell on your foot or something.

The opposite end of the knife (the handle) is a squared off edge vs the rounded one of the Amazon original picture. Again, not sure why the change but if you have the older set, just know these aren't going to match.

The serration is slightly different than that of the picture. Amazon's picture clearly shows the serration on each side, but these knives only have the serration on 1 side. The other side has no evidence of serration. However, don't let the 1-sided serration fool you. These knives definitely do cut through cooked meats like steak & chicken much better than my $20 Walmart knives. Even compared to steakhouse knives, these perform the job and that's all we really want when cutting into our meat, right?

Last but not least, the stamp on the knives clearly say Wusthof on it in capital letters with the Wusthof logo on one side of the knife. The original Amazon picture had "Wusthof Trident" in generic font with an older version of the Wusthof logo.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with these knives. They look and perform great and that's mainly the goal. The carrying case is improved on the exterior but slightly downgraded in the interior. I personally like the case and use it to store my knives, but others may just through it in the garbage. Highly recommended.

Oh and don't forget I posted pictures of the new knives so you could see the difference between Amazon's and mine.

Read Best Reviews of Wusthof 8pcsteak 8-Piece Stainless-Steel Steak Knife Set with Wooden Gift Box Here

We got these knives as a bridal shower gift in 2002 for our wedding from my great-aunt. We got the 8 piece set in the brown wooden box. True the box is not the greatest, but it doesn't really matter because the knives are what matter. The only reason tbe box matters is if you are giving the item as a gift, then of course you would want it to look ok (which ours did) but it doesn't have to hold up to much wear and tear. The box does what it is supposed to do. The knives seem to have a timeless classic and simple style that goes well with "fancy" or casual meals equally. We've used them at Christmas for prime-rib, mixed with our heirloom silver plated utensils, as well as with our everyday stainless. Not only are the knives good for steak, but also for chicken breasts. We are health-minded as well and yet it is nice to have these knives out when we have chicken, turkey, ham, etc. The kives are well balanced, attractive, sharp, and do a wonderful job at what they're supposed to, plus they look and feel good doing it! Yea!

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These are very good knives. Well balanced and easy to use. I would highly recommend them.