Oneida 13-Pc Side Tang Cutlery Set w/ Block

I've examined more than 15 knife sets at this price range, both in stores and at home. I like this set the most in the under $100 price range. I'm not a five-star kind of reviewer, but all-in-all, this set deserves it.

Firstly I want to say to the zillions of rust-complainers on the internet, that ALL KNIVES RUST IF YOU TREAT THEM IMPROPERLY. Have some knife-respect and wash & dry knives promptly.

PROS:

1. Quality:

Unlike most sets at this price range, these knives are NOT hollow, light, slippery or flimsy. There is nothing worse than so-called "nice" knives from "good" companies or "respected" celebrity chefs, that STILL feel cheapy.

I previously had the Henckel's International Synergy set ($60), and the feel of this set is much better. For only $12 dollars more this set is on another level. These knives have a HAND-FEEL better than many...and I mean many, high priced sets.

These knives are solid; even heavy, and the blades are nice and long. I'm telling you, if you're someone who respects feel and integrity in his tools, you'll be down with these knives. Way down. Like, lowdown.

2. Handle Length:

For some reason most steak knives have inexplicably short handles. These handles are longer and extend properly into the palm. If you're a steak guy, you know what I mean. Don't ask me to cut my steak with a Kewpie doll knife. The other knives in this set have longer handles as well. I'm sick of dainty handles. Even Chicago Cutlery, with its big macho sounding name, give you the typical stubby handles.

Another advantage of these longer handles, is that when cutting, your index finger rests more on the comfortable bolster, than the sharp back of the blade. These are well thought-out knives.

3. Handle Texture:

Some knives are too slick, some too grippy. I don't know what kind of material the handles are (Onieda calls it POM), but the grip is just right. PERFECT in fact. You don't want rubbery, which feels a bit cheepy-cheesy, and lacks class, and you don't want too slick a steel.

Many knife handles, even expensive ones, are often some kind of hard plastic or graphite. Even top quality plastic feels...well, like plastic. These Oneida's feel nothing like that.

Also some sets have handles that are flat and some that are round; without going into it, I don't care for either. This set strikes the right shape; sort of a curved square.

4. Sharp Enough:

I'm not going to tell you that these blades are the best. This is not an expensive set. They're plenty sharp.

Web reviewers that get all frazzled because their new knives are "DULL!", are most likely starting their cut like a clutz. Yes, I've experienced un-sharp knives right out of the box too...these ain't them.

These blades are straight-edged (smooth), not serrated (jagged). Personally I like smooth edged like these. If you keep it sharp, it slices like silk, and your guests will exclaim, "wow, THAT'S a steak knife". Serrated edges are OK, but when they get dull they start to tear at meat, rather than slice it smooth and sexy like.

Serrated are also harder to sharpen.

5. Blade Strength:

The blades are a bit stronger than most. They are not flimsy, which is a common problem at this range.

Mind you, they are not super rigid like some $200+ set, but they will NOT embarrass you. These are high carbon stainless steel after all.

I test blades for strength and rigidity by gripping the handle with one hand, and pinching the blade tip with the other hand, then flexing the blade from side to side, observing the amount of wiggle. Again, these pass the wiggle test just fine.

6. Blade Length:

All but one of the knives complies with recommended lengths. Often you will get a short santoku knife. Not here, it is the full 7 inches. The chef's knife is a big mother. Put the chef's knife in one hand and the santoku in the other and go to war.

7. Value:

For quality, weighty knives like this, it's a good deal indeed.

9. Appearances:

It looks like a proper knife block set. Others may like something prettier. The trim on the block is a bit course maybe. As for the knives, I like that they are rivetless, with the steel traveling seamlessly from the blade to the bolster and on through the handle. Sleek and solid looking. And no place for gunk to hide.

Also the block has a small footprint, so if you have a small counter it works out.

Knife block slots are labelled. Kinda neat. One tends to get sloppy with slots. This keeps you honest.

10. No Rust:

So far no rust, and I've no reason to think it will. If they do start to rust, even though I care for them properly, I will be certain to update this review in BIG FAT LETTERS.

CONS:

1. By tradition and expert recommendation, pairing knives should be 3.5 to 4 inches. This one is only 3 inches. Bummer. That half-inch makes a difference. A good pairing knife may be the most important knife in a kitchen, so this was a real shortcoming on Oneida's part. I have a favorite paring knife, so I just substituted mine for theirs in the pairing slot. But still, one shouldn't have too. It's a waste of a tool and some bucks. I guess it's OK for grapes, whatever.

2. No sharpening steel. Truly, any self-respecting block set (like this one certainly is) SHOULD have a sharpening steel. It's just what's done. It's kinda like selling a pair of shoes without the laces.

3. Block: The steak knife slots are narrowly aligned, so the steak knives are bunched together rather untidily. Knives should line up military straight. Well, as mentioned before, the block itself lacks a bit of fit & finish.

The block is at a medium to slight angle. To access the longer knives you may have to pull it out from under a cabinet. But it will STORE under all but the most low slung cabinetry. It could have been a bit more angled.

4. Kitchen shears (scissors): Personally I don't like the look of scissors in my knife block. Scissor's should be kept in your wife's knitting drawer. I'd rather Oneida have supplied another type of knife instead of these shears. No big deal. I just stuck another pairing knife in the shears slot, and put the shears in a drawer. Now I'm all cool again.

SUMMARY:

This is simply the best knife block set at this price range, period.

I bought this and not only was the black box cracked and broken, I had to go through several ways for them to replace it for me. Today while trying to cut some tillamook cheese the blad broke in half, i have never experience something this poorly made for how expensive it is.

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Kyocera Revolution Series 5 1/4-Inch Slicing Knife

Kyocera ceramics are the sharpest knives I've ever seen or used in a career marked by years of professional cooking. But that is well known; an argument that need not be advanced by me. I want to respond to the reviewer who complained that his knife lost its keen edge after two months use. I've been slicing tomatoes and other soft fruits and vegetables with this knife for more than five years, not just on weekends but day in and day out in a commercial kitchen. It remains as sharp today as when I took it out of the box. I suspect that the unhappy reviewer was misusing the knife by cutting on the wrong type of surface, dragging the blade against bone or otherwise asking the knife to do things that it was not designed to do, and which the manufacturer clearly says not to do.

Use it properly and you may never find out how well and quickly Kyocera can resharpen it for you.

Best knives ever just be careful not to drop them, as they are more brittle than steel, and will break under certain conditions. I'd recommend getting a knife sharpener that is meant for ceramic blades as a steel sharpener will ruin a ceramic blade. Finally, don't use on stone, glass or stainless steel cutting surfaces, as the super-fine edge will wear much more quickly.

One feature (some like it/some hate it) is they are very light in weight, and if you are used to a nice set of steel knives, it might take a while to get used to the feel.

Great knives.

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I had never used a ceramic knife before, but I must say that it cuts tomatoes and meat like butter! I am very happy I invested money in this knife. The company sends along a free knife sharpening coupon redemable at their company because you can't use the traditional knife sharpener on the ceramic blade. This adds a level of comfort since the blades can chip if you drop the knife on a hard surface or use pressure with it on bone.

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I bought this knife to supplement my Henkel, Wusthof, and Messermeister knives. I've never owned a ceramic knife, and having read the reviews here, thought this might be a nice addition to my burgeoning collection (I love sharp knives). I especially wanted it for my fruit/veggie art carvings, where a really sharp knife is necessary.

The knife is certainly very well made, and feels fairly well balanced. The absence of rivets makes the blade end a bit heavier than the handle, however. As the handle totally encases the tang, I cannot tell if it is full tang or not. But the handle is a little light to my feel but that may be just me. It still feels pretty good despite this shortcoming.

The first time I used it, it was amazingly sharp. I had no problem slicing the thinnest radish, cucumber, carrot, or any hard veggie slices I could get my hands on. Being a honing (sharpening) steel freakazoid addict, I was disappointed that I could not use that prior to returning the ceramic knife to my wooden butcher block, but I knew that going in.

Now, after a month, it's not so sharp at all. Note: I cut ONLY on cork or end grain wood boards, so that is not the issue. I can't see any burrs, but I know they must be there because it does at times snag on foods, and doesn't give thin slices as it did just one month ago. I know I can return it to Kyocera for sharpening, but at this price point, I'm not going to invest more money.

For those with limited funds (read as: me), I believe it is better to get a high quality carbon steel knife from the three mfgrs I mentioned above, use the honing steel before and after every use, and the Chef's Choice sharpener (or its equivalent, although there really IS no equivalent in my experience) to reset the edge once/year (that's my average) and you'll do fine. (I also own the simpler Accusharp device, but it is not all that great.)

Bottom line? Ceramic may be great for some things, but in my limited experience (and perhaps this only holds true for the Kyocera brand) this was not worth the money invested.

Whatever knife you choose, best of luck in your cutting. Be sure to invest in the best cutting board you can find (end grain maple is consistently rated the softest). It does not matter WHICH knife you buy if you use a cheap board (glass is the WORST by far). Been there, done that. I've seen good knives dulled by just one use of low quality cutting boards. It amazes me when people spend $150 or more on a high quality knife, and I see them using a glass cutting board. Just stupefying to me.

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This knife has to be the sharpest knife I have ever used. Effortlessly cuts. Really nice. The only issue is that it does not come with a sheath as many I have seen do. It is too sharp to leave in the drawer, and I would be wary of damaging the blade as well. I don't use a block due to limited counter space. A protective sheath would be perfect.

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Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Signature 7-Inch Flexible Blade Fillet Knife

If you're looking for a great fillet knife in the sub $80 price range, this is it. I consider this to be every-day kitchen quality but not quite restaurant quality. If you fillet chicken more than 3 hours a day, then I doubt you're considering this knife anyway.

It is very sharp and has a good flex for de-boning small game.

The only possible negative I want to draw attention to is this: the cutting edge continues to the point where the blade meats the handle. So, if you have a high grip you may lose some skin on your fore-fingers. In other words, get used to gripping this knife directly on the handle instead of choking up on it.

I love this knife!!! I have searched so long for a knife that would allow me to clean my chicken the way i want. I hate thick chicken and when i clean it its important that i can cut it as thin as possible. It cut my cleaning time by at least 20 minutes(i clean a big family pack at a time). I knew a filleting knife would be the best bet but everywhere i looked they were over $100. You cannot go wrong with this price and this model.

I bought this from a third party (not amazon) and i do have to complain about the packaging, the plastic was all cut but i wasnt going to complain because there was no way you could get the knife out so i know it wasnt used. Other than that i HIGHLY recommend getting.

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Perfect knife for filleting salmon. I keep it razor sharp with a little help of my dimond honing steel.

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Works really well, flexes like it needs too and seem to stay real sharp.I have not had to sharpen it yet.

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I am an avid trout fisherman and I would recommend this knife as the best bang for your buck. I have used this knife for over a year now to fillet everything from crappie, which are easy, to pike, which are a little more complex, and it has not disappointed. Only bummer is that I had to contact Henckels so they could hook me up with a sheath, but I knew that when I bought it so I won't criticize for that.

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Chicago Cutlery 4-Piece Scissor Block Knife Set

when I bought this set I thought I was getting 3 different kinds of scissors, what it was was a very nice wood block to hold basicly 3 pairs of the same kind of scissors....and I did not see anything "cutlery" about them.

I love this product. The scissors are all very sharp and I like having all the different sizes depending on what you need them for. I would highly recommend this product.

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Norton Waterstone Starter Kit: 220/1000 grit stone, 4000/8000 grit stone, SiC flattening stone

• 220/1000-grit combination waterstone for repairing, then establishing, steel cutting edges
• 4000/8000-grit combination waterstone for maintaining, refining, and polishing steel cutting edges
• 1/2 x 8 x 3 inch (H x W x D) size makes each waterstone suitable for use as a bench stone for knives and tools
• Blue plastic hinged boxes with no-slip rubber feet can be used as holders for the waterstones during sharpening
• 3/4 x 9 x 3 inch coarse-grit silicon carbide flattening stone for maintenance of waterstones, and an instructional DVD to demonstrate basic waterstone sharpening

I finally spent the money on some quality stones after years of sandpaper sharpening. I'm glad I did. The DVD is very helpful, especially if you don't have a mentor to show you the ropes and is a good value because it teaches how to sharpen without a honing guide. The flattening stone works well and is necessary. If you're on a budget, I'd recommend a 1000/8000 stone,the DVD, and sandpaper for flattening, but if you can spring for it, the kit is a good value and I expect mine will last decades.

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Anyone who is into sharpening by hand, especially straight razors, will appreciate this set of stones. The set comes highly recommeneded by every forum on straight razor shaving, and should also put a razor edge on any knives and tools you have lying around the house. It even comes with a decent DVD on sharpening. If you are only going to sharpen knives you can easily get by with the 1000/4000 stone and save a few bucks. And, if your graduating from oilstones this set is a real treat.

Freehand sharpening is not easy, but with a little education and some tips from YouTube you can do a great job.

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This was my first entry into sharpening with water stones, and I decided to get this set after trying to piece together a similar set with individual stones. Not sure why, but the name "Starter Kit" had me concerned because it implied that it was going to be somehow smaller or less capable. Rest assured, the kit is simply their standard stones packaged in a single rather utilitarian box. Each stone is of high quality, and purchasing together this way provided significant savings over buying each piece individually.

Before I talk about the stones themselves, I should add to my comments that, like others, my kit first arrived with two 220/1000 stones and no 4000/8000. This definitely seems to be a genuine quality control issue. However, in typical Amazon fashion I completed a return authorization online and had a new set in two days, and the inconvenience was minimal, but not non-existent.

I was surprised how short the learning curve was with this. I started with a very inexpensive and dull stainless steel Chinese cleaver that I purchased years ago in New York's Chinatown. This thing was really little more than a novelty piece, as I'd never been able to get it more than moderately sharp using our Chef's Choice sharpener. In one attempt the stones had the knife extremely sharp, and in fact I now reach for it for a huge number of chopping tasks that I'd usually tackle with my Henckels chef's knife. Feeling confident, I worked my way through the Henckels set, and each is now shaving sharp as well. From there I proceeded to sharpen a 20-year old, original Japanese-made Kershaw Black Horse folding knife. This was a little more challenging, but after getting better at finding and holding a proper angle the blade was reprofiled and again absolutely razor sharp. Feeling confident, I then tackled the reprofiling of a KA-BAR USMC. This one was much more difficult for me as a novice, but again, after some patient practice, the blade is now a perfect, hair-popping mirror finish.

After literally hours of sharpening, the stones really don't seem to be any worse for the wear, and I suspect I may never actually consume a stone. The Silicon Carbide flattening stone is very useful, and mine was perfectly flat and very quickly and easily restores the stones to a completely flat surface. I did go out and purchase a Nagura stone for the 8000 grit stone, and have found it to be indispensable as well, as the 8K does very quickly accumulate metal, slowing its effectiveness. I've read from many much more experience sharpeners than I that the 8000k stone is really overkill, but I've definitely found that it takes the blades to another level of sharpness in my amateur hands, while bringing out that jewel-like mirror finish. Using the stones becomes a bit addictive, and I actually went ahead and also picked up a strop that I loaded with green .5 micron compound, at it definitely takes the blade to a final level of perfection. The edge on that KA-BAR, for example, is truly scary after adding a stropping step!

All in all, this is more than a "starter kit," it's just a very capable and easy to learn full size set that should last for a very long time, even if not forever for the typical home user.

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This kit includes everything you need to sharpen your chisels and plane blades. It even has a step by step video of how to use the stones. No stone is left unturned in putting together this set. For those who don't have a steady hand a honing guide is recommended, though by no means necessary.

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I've been using sandpaper for the last 3 years, I really like the water stones. The only problem I have is that I'm not sure the flattening stone is flat, I can take to a waterstone til its flat then put 2 waterstones together and it appears that it is not flat. So I guess I need to put the flattening stone to sandpaper. It's a good starter set to make sure it works for you, but I can tell that my next purchase will be the full stones, not the combination stones.

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Amefa Monogram Carlton 58 Piece Boxed Flatware Set for 8 people

Had these for a year now and was impressed by the design and the quality of the steel. They have not rusted or had any imperfections despite many dishwashes. so very happy overall

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Yamazaki Byzantine 5-piece Place Setting

I bought 4 of these sets as a wedding present. The design was selected by the bride from another store's catalog, where, by the way, they had ran out of stock. Looked it up in Amazon ( always my "to go" merchandiser ) and was very glad to find it and ( as always ) at a much lower price. The quality is superb, as expected from Yamazaki, and the detail in the handles absolutely beautiful. Very happy with the purchase. Considering to buy some for myself.

Although these items are retired you can still find them online. They have a nice heavy feel and look very nice. There are also matching serving pieces available. We have had several sets of these over the last two years and have not had any problems with them stainless steel is dishwasher safe and works well for everyday or special occasions.

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2 In 1 Handheld Knife Scissors Blade Sharpener Sharpening

Works great and was here on time. It sharpens knives and scissors and both work great and had no problems

Great price for this sharpener. Works good too, seems to sharpen my knives right up. Would buy again if it ever broke

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As a Theatrical Technician a sharp knife is SOOOO essential to my job.

I had a number of knives I have been meaning to sharpen for a while.

At the super cheap price of this product I had my hesitations, but decided to give it a go.

With just a few quick swipes, this sharpener made all of my knives sharp enough to slice paper.

It has a nice guard so it is impossible to slice your hand or fingers.

I will probably be purchasing a 2nd one to keep in my tool box.

I have not tried the scissor sharpener but I imagine it works just as well as the knife.

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There used to be a service to sharpen scissors and knives; this has gone the way of the Princess telephone, so this tool was invented. It works very well and is a great substitute for the old fashioned knife sharpener.

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This sharpens my knives and scissors so easily! I only have to run my knives threw it once or twice and done. Best $2.50 spent!

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Kyocera Steel Knife Sharpener, Red

I've been using the AccuSharp Knife Sharpener With Replacement Blades for about a year or maybe a little more. I'd been happy with it but recently have been having more and more trouble getting a good edge with it.

Turns out that little sharpener requires a fair amount of dexterity to use properly, which I didn't realize until I started to lose strength and dexterity in my hands. It did an OK job while I was able to use it properly, but that time has passed, so I went looking for a new knife sharpener.

This is what I settled on and I only wish I had had the opportunity to try it sooner. The Kyocera is MUCH easier to use and gives much better results than the AccuSharp ever did. Not that the AccuSharp is necessarily bad, but this is just a LOT better. The AccuSharp is more versatile I can easily use it to sharpen pocket knives, tools that are beveled on both sides, and even our pizza cutter but there is no question that the Kyocera is a lot easier to use and gives a much better, sharper edge on our kitchen knives with less time and effort.

I could not believe how quickly and easily this little sharpener brought my knives back to sharpness. Just a few swipes back and forth and everybody's happy.

The knife geeks will tell you the ONLY way to sharpen a knife "properly" is to get a couple hundred dollars worth of expensive whetstones, clamps, and guides and then spend hours sharpening your kitchen knives or you will "ruin" the blades. Well, I can't speak to somebody's $1000 Japanese blade made by some company I've never heard of, but for my plebian everyday kitchen knives, the Kyocera does an excellent job.

Seriously, the food doesn't care if it gets cut with a $500 Wusthoff that was sharpened with a precision diamond whetstone at an exact 18.5 degree angle, wiped clean with a lambskin hankie, then blessed by 9 priests and sprinkled with holy water before being wrapped in lambswool and put away in a Lebanon Cedar box, or the Chef's knife that came with your block set, which you cleaned off with the same scrubby you use for all your dishes before drying it on a paper towel and sticking it back in it's block.

My knives are tools, not fetishes, and this Kyocera knife sharpener is a good, affordable, effective tool that will keep my knives sharp so they can keep doing their jobs. It's affordable, sure, but it's also easy to use AND it's effective; can't ask for more than that.

I purchased this mainly because of Kyocera's good reputation for producing innovative products with ceramics. Their ceramic knives are an outstanding innovation, even if somewhat expensive. They also make well manufactured grinders, including a manual coffee grinder that is superb and only available in Japan and from one vendor in the United States. Google Kyocera coffee grinder if you're interested in that.

This product is also ceramic based, with an inclined pair of dual ceramic wheels doing the sharpening. It's similar to other sharpeners of the same general design, but using ceramic sharpeners rather than steel. I received it today and this evening I took all the kitchen knives and my pocket knife to a table and worked on them with this sharpener, and for some knives I was having difficulty with, a Chicago Cutlery set of crock sticks.

The key to sharpening is precision. You want to have an accurate flat bevel on both sides, intersecting at a 25 35 degree angle (depends on what kind of use the blade will get, rougher uses need bigger angles). The more perfect the bevel at the edge (and I mean high powered microscope level), the 'sharper' the knife is. The whole thing depends on the 1/1000 of an inch at the very edge of the blade. Back from the edge, it doesn't matter.

I would say that this sharpener works pretty well on high carbon steel (the kind that rusts), and not quite as well on stainless steel, depending on what kind it is. For some stainless blades, I resorted to the crock stick for most of the work, then the Kyocera sharpener. Very high quality stainless blades may be too tough for this sharpener, cheap stainless won't really hold an edge for long, no matter what you do to it. Reasonably good stainless steel can be sharpened by this thing, but it takes some time. A damaged or very badly worn blade will have to be reprofiled with something more aggressive like a diamond hone or wheel. This sharpener works best on blades that are properly ground but dull at the edge. It also will not work on ceramic blades, which must be sent back to the factory to be sharpened with a diamond wheel, but only every 5 years or so.

I was unable to create a "razor edge" with any of the knives I sharpened. "Razor edge" means able to shave arm hair without trouble or any significant pulling. The edges I did achieve were just this side of razor sharp, but sharp enough for many uses. Given the price, this would not be a bad item to take on a camping trip or put in a kitchen drawer for touch ups -it's certainly better that a sharpening steel. However if you are looking for something to sharpen very dull or damaged blades, or to sharpen at a razor sharp level, I don't think this is your item.

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For five or more years, I've had the Chef's Choice Sharpeners 460 Diamond Hone Two Stage Manual Sharpener with Chrome Overlay. It works fine, and I though it was a good hone until I tried the Kyocera.

This one has a single slot and a rotating blade. You can search youtube for a video about how it works, but short story is that it does coarse and fine honing simultaneously. All the knives I ran through this hone were as sharp or sharper than the Chef's Choice could do, and the Kyocera did the job it faster.

If your blade is curved, as most are, then you have to rotate your wrist to sharpen the curved portion in the Chef's Choice. This is unnecessary with the Kyocera, or at least less necessary, because the rotating blade arrangement handles the curve for you. For an extremely curved blade (scimitar?), you might still have to rotate a bit.

Great product for a low price. Five stars!

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I really like this knife sharpener. It's easy to use and has produced a very sharp edge on the knives I've sharpened with it.

I would highly recommend this knife sharpener

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I've had the same knives for almost 20 years and they were just awful and absolutely terrible at cutting. In fact, my knives were so bad I almost became averse to cooking because the prep was so horrible and time-consuming without properly sharpened knives. There I'd be, sawing away at a chicken breast or hacking up cilantro with a knife that might as well have been made from cardboard. I've owned three different electric, mechanical knife sharpeners, each one more expensive than the previous. I was incredibly skeptical about trying this inexpensive hand-held knife sharpener, but I enjoyed one of the previous reviews on the Kyocera and decided why not? After the Kyocera arrived, I sharpened all the knives I could within 20 minutes and -surprise, surprise! -they were actually sharp and using them was like cutting soft butter. So easy! So precise! Now the Kyocera is not for ceramic, serrated, or non double-sided steel blades, so I wasn't able to get all my knives sharpened (at this point I'm considering investing in a really good, solid knife set in general) but the Kyocera really did do a very impressive, efficient job on my double-sided blades, including my ancient pocket knife. My $60.00 Chef's Choice 310 (diamond hone electric sharpener) is going to the Goodwill at the end of the month. I like the Kyocera's red color as well, and it's small size which makes for easy storage. I recommend this great little knife sharpener. It's easy to use (it leads the blade of the knife instead of leaving you to figure out the angle the blade needs to be in to be sharpened), easy to wash, easy to store, and quite a nifty little gadget.

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Wusthof Classic 2-3/4-Inch Parmesan Cheese Knife

I bought this knife for my husband for Christmas because he loves parmesan cheese. He says it's weighted nicely so the cheese cuts more easily than with a regular knife. He thinks it's wonderful!

I have the whole set of Wusthof Classic knives and thought this knife would be good for cutting very hard cheeses like parmesan, as it said it would do. Wrong ! Unlike the other knives, this one does not seem "sharp" and when I use it I am afraid it is going to slip. Would not recommend this one.

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MAC brand 3 piece Knife Set #GSP31

Love these knives, very precise. Cutting veggies and meat are very easy with these. I got rid of my old set after trying these.

The absolute best deal on knives anywhere! Exceptional blade angle for cutting and slicing. A high quality set of knives.

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Oneida Satin Dover 20-Piece Stainless Flatware Set , Service for 4

I bought my original Oneida Dover satin flatware a few years ago. I wanted something pretty but not as demanding as sterling silver. I only use it a few times a year. I needed some additional place settings for Thanksgiving, so I ordered them online. After receiving them, I noticed that the raised floral design on some pieces was inconsistent. For instance, what was supposed to be a flower was just a flattened disk. And in fact, when comparing the old flatware with the new set, which was made in Viet Nam, it is obvious the patterns are not exactly the same. The "Easy Care Tips" that came in the box said to avoid detergents containing lemon, avoid prolonged contact with acidic foods, wash the flatware separately from aluminum, sterling or silverplate, never let your flatware soak, even in plain water, do not store in plastic, wash and dry immediately after use, etc. All and all, it seems to be every bit as demanding as sterling silver, if not more so. Every time I use this flatware, I will have to jump up from dinner to wash and dry it to avoid pitting, corroding, or discoloration. I would rather be able to spend a little time socializing with my company, and wash dishes after they leave. I purchased Oneida because I still have a set that my mother gave us around 30 years ago, and you don't have to baby it like this.

I registered for Oneida Dover 7 years ago when I became engaged. I bought it because it looked similar to the pattern my mother had.

When I got my first place setting in person, I was a tiny bit disappointed that it wasn't exactly the same as the ones my mother had. I put it back in the box, planning to think over whether to exchange them for a different pattern. They ended up sitting in a cabinet... for 7 years.

Just a few weeks ago, I pulled them out again... and was absolutely delighted with them. They are the perfect weight and feel in your hands. They are delicate and beautiful, but not *too* frilly/girly/ornate (or my husband might protest!). Just pulling a spoon or fork out of the drawer is a thrill... they are little works of art. They really are the perfect flatware that will become a family heirloom... how many family heirlooms do you have the joy of using several times a day? I've now purchased more place settings to complete the set. My only regret is that these sat unused and hidden away for 7 years... I could have been enjoying these every day all that time!

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The reason I bought Oneida was the quality. I bought the set for my daughter.

She loves them and the quality is excellent.

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I was trying to match my kids silverware pattern and spent sometime

looking for just the right match since we didn't know the name.

We were pleasantly surprised when it was an exact match!

The enlarged picture helped considerably in picking the right pattern.

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I registered for this flatwear when I got married 24 years ago and have been using it ever since. It still looks as nice as it did when I got married. I use it on special occasions, holidays and such, and when we have company. I wash it in the dishwasher and it comes out looking great. Over the years, I have added many pieces and purchased several extra place settings. They all match and look wonderful. I would highly recommend this for many years.

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Mundial 5100 Series 6" Chef's Knife, Red

Nice Knife! I bought this as an addition as well as a back up knife. I own Messermeister knives but have to say it handles quite well. Its balanced nicely and has a great edge. Its fast becomming one of my most used knives!

I love this knife, bought one as a gift and ended up buying one for myself after seeing it/using it. Stays sharp, comfortable handle, completely balanced. The 6" blade is a nice change for anyone used to using an 8" chef's knife. It will instantly become your go-to knife.

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The handle is sealed so you dont have to worry about it so much. It is nice and heavy, has a good overall balance and keeps a decent edge.

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Fifth Avenue Crystal Estate Knife and Cake Server Set

I purchased this set as a gift for my sister who was having an upscale wedding. I wanted something that looked expensive but was not too weddingish so it could be used again for home entertaining. Seeing the photo online I was concerned that it may end up looking like a cheap acrylic handle but this set turned out to be perfect. The crystal was heavy and beautifully designed, just what I had in mind...and my sister loved it too!

Simple can't be beat in my book. It does its job without taking anything away from YOUR day. You won't be disappointed with the crystal handles, they're very solid and heavy.

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This set is very pretty. It looks elegant and the crystal is really nice. I love that these are very light. the set was also reasonably priced. I love that the knife and server would go well with any wedding color. This set can be used not only for weddings, but for any event.

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I purchased this set for my wedding. When it arrived, it looked quite nice and the 2 pieces felt decently solid. We used it to cut the cake and fortunately it did not break then. Once we went home and used it for the FIRST time after the wedding, the handles from both the server and the knife came off and I could tell from the construction that it is of very poor quality. The "crystal" is cheap glass, so don't expect much. Bottom line, if you want something that looks decent from far away and don't care about tossing it in the trash right after the wedding, then the $15 is not a bad investment. Otherwise, do yourself a favor, spend $20 or so dollars more for a set that you can actually continue using down the road.

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I have searched for the perfect knife and cake server set for my wedding. I wanted crystal and could not find one that was not overpriced. This is just a beautiful set. The weight is good and is is stunning. It will be the perfect set for my wedding to cut the cake with! Love Amazon and the great deals.

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OXO SoftWorks Can Opener

After going through a bunch of not-much-cheaper can openers we gave in and bought this one. My mom has had hers for years and it still works perfectly.

An electric can opener is great ... when you have electricity, if the blade is not dull, if it does not chew the label, if it handles tall and fat cans without splatter. This opener handles everything and turns with ease. I have been ignoring the electric monster in favor of this smooth operator.

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This manual can opener works wonderfully on small and gallon sized cans. I ruined my electirc can opener using it on gallon sized cans. This doesn't slip out of your hand or off the can. After ordering and trying it out, I ordered two more for my twins.

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I got this can opener hoping to save money and space over an electric. For the first year or two this one worked perfectly, and I didn't at all miss having an electric opener. It did the job well and was comfortable on my hands. But I started having trouble after a couple of years, and at the 3 1/2 year mark, it needs to be replaced. It's getting a little rusty and hard to use; now I can open a can with some effort but have a lot of trouble prying it open again to take it off the can. I risk spilling the contents of the can. Also, the handles are coming a bit loose so that water seeps down into them, gets gross, and occasionally squishes out when I try to push them back in place.

Granted, these issues may have been avoided if I didn't wash the can opener, or washed it much less often. But it seems to me a can opener needs to be washed when the juice from the can gets on the blade. (On the other hand, you can't throw an electric one in the dishwasher at all, which presents another issue.) So take your chances. If you're willing to handwash and meticulously dry, go without washing much, or know you just need an opener occasionally or for a couple years, this may be great for you.

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Well, maybe it is because I have used so many crappy openers in the past (my fault for being a cheap-o), but I am just overwhelmed at how effortlessly this gadget works. I could not believe how easy and cleanly it opened the first can I used it on.

A real WINNER!.....just hope it holds up.

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Totally Bamboo Expandable Utility Drawer Organizer

I purchased this drawer organizer to help organize the mess that lives inside of my kitchen junk drawer. This organizer has good qualities (it's solid and looks nice), but unfortunately, there are bad aspects that prevented it from being a five-star product.

The main problem is that the long piece of wood that extends across the length of a sliding section is bowed. The curve is convex and, while it's not a *huge* curve, it's enough so that the edge will not fit flush inside of the drawer. I see that no one else has described this problem in their reviews so it looks like I might just have bad luck. But still, a quick glance from someone in quality control would have been enough to see something was wrong.

Another problem is that it is not possible to "lock" the sliding sections in place. In my drawer, I have the organizer rotated 90 degrees from what you see in the main product photo (allowing me to adjust the width, rather than the length). Even in this orientation, the sliding sections move a little as I open/close the drawer. I would imagine this problem would be exasperated if you have it oriented as you see in the photo because of the inertia when opening/closing the drawer. Some sort of notches and springy clips to hold the sliding sections in place would really have served this product well.

Finally, I had a problem with the thickness of the bottom panel. This may be a benefit to some people however, so I didn't let this affect my star rating. The bottom panel is quite thick/sturdy. This would certainly be a benefit if you want to take the organizer out of the drawer and carry it around while filled. I can't see myself ever doing this though, so I would have preferred for the bottom panel to be thinner. The reason for this is I'm using this organizer in a very shallow drawer. Indeed, one of the main features that drew me to this organizer is the fact that it's only 2" deep (most other options are deeper and, thus, would have been too deep for my drawer). While the outer depth is 2", the inner (usable) depth is only about 1 1/8". What this means is, before I put the organizer in the drawer, I could fit things up to 2" thick and now, with the organizer, I can only fit things 1 1/8" thick. So I find myself having several doo-dads (chip clips, etc.) that will no longer fit.

Despite these problems, I do intend on keeping it. The difficulty in finding an organizer no more than 2" thick is part of the reason. Also, the quality of the materials is quite high and it does look nice. Clearly (based on the other reviews), not everyone receives one with a warped side panel so if you don't mind the inability to lock the sliding sections and don't have a problem with the bottom panel being so thick, I would actually recommend it. Having said that, I *do* have a problem with the non-locking sliders though and that, coupled with the bowed side panel, caused me to give this three stars, rather than five.

There are 5 to 7 compartments, depending on whether you pull the sides out, and they are a good size. Some drawer organizers have just as many compartments, but the sections can be too small for flatware. Not so for this organizer: even the shortest compartment is big enough for a stack of large spoons or forks.

It's also attractive and sturdy. You can carry the organizer filled with silverware around without the bottom feeling like it's about to fall out unlike some other wood organizers that have a very thin bottom panel, this one is solid-seeming.

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Great product. The only problem i have with it is that there is no 'lock' to keep the expandable sections open. so I am constantly pulled them back out to their full width. Its fine though and it looks really nice. Very good quality. Would buy again.

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I hate this thing, it is the epitome of a let-down. I wanted one so badly and went with the best reviews and interior layout but no, it sucks.

Firstly it's not bamboo. At least part of it isn't. I own a number of bamboo items and I can tell the difference between actual bamboo and composite with a high resolution texture printed on it. It's as obvious as the difference between lenolium and real tile flooring. When you compare the composite (on the bottom of the tray) to the actual bamboo (such as the spacers on the tray) you can immediately see the real bamboo has sharp highlights and lowlights with a faint iridescence, the composite is flat and grainy looking.

Secondly it is awful construction for thirty freakin' dollars. There are gaps. There are rough seams, There are dots of rogue glue in places. The top bar of mine is visibly bowed, making a frowny face to mirror my own.

Finally it smells disgusting. Some bamboo items do and I have no idea why, but this is one of them and it's not like I needed another reason to hate it. It's terribad.

Update: While browsing the products at Past Bathrooms and Bedrooms I discovered they listed a warning for every one of Totally Bamboo's products. They contain lead. There is LEAD in the things you put your food and utensils on. This thing needs negative stars.

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I love the idea and beauty of this product but was really disappointed when it arrived and I found the main tray is only 1 1/8 deep. This main portion/section "floats" on the adjustable section of the tray which is 1 1/2 inches deep. These depths would probably be fine for an average flatware collection but my flatware is rather large and I have 20 pcs of each item. I love the look of the utility organizer and it fits nicely in my flatware drawer and because of these reasons I have arranged my flatware in it in the best way I could and will try it out. If you are particular about the way your flatware is stacked, this is probably not the item for flatware organization. Using for organization of other items may work out fine, but I suspect that the depth will be an issue for most items.

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Nu-Wave Oven

I thought I was purchasing the model with the digital timer, but this one only had what looked like an "egg timer" device. There is no way to put it on pause. If I had known this, I wouldn't have purchased it, but I was unable to differentiate between the various different models for this product since they all simply say, "Nu-Wave Oven." But beware that they are certainly not all the same product. It is very disappointing that this is never made clear by the seller and was difficult to determine by the illustrating photo which made every vendor seem to be selling the exact same product. I would have gladly paid a bit more to get the latest version of this product and even thought about returning it, but it was too much of a hassle. I hope this helps someone so they won't find themselves in the same situation as we are. Buyer Beware!

Got my oven a few days ago. Comes with a cookbook with some really good recipes. Looking forward to trying them. Have cooked chicken, pork chops and hamburgers in it so far and all have been very good. Am still learning to adjust my timing on cooking lengths. It comes with a guide, but this is just an approximation. Don't take it to heart, you will have to babysit the thing the first few times you use it to get the hang of it. I would definitly recomend this for a people who don't want to mess up the kitchen just to cook for one or two. BEWARE! If you cook anything that is moist, it does produce steam and will BURN the bejeebers out of you when you take the lid off. Wear gloves.

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I normally use the Nu-Wave Oven every day, and it does an excellent job.

There is no preheating of the oven, and you can cook from frozen without any need for defrosting.

You need a deep sink to wash the dome, as it will not fit under normal taps.

I am on my 2nd Nu-Wave Oven.

After I had the first oven about 2 years, the dome cracked, so I bought a replacement Nu-Wave Oven, and recently the dome has cracked on my second Nu-Wave Oven, after about 2 years.

It's a real struggle trying to find a replacement dome, and reading the reviews, I have no doubt that it would be better to invest in a halogen oven which cleans itself.

Peter D'Silva.

Exmouth.

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We have been using the NuWave on and off for about a year. The only things that I love to cook in this oven is hamburgers and chicken. The Chciken I generally brown in fry pan first otherwise the finished chicken in the NuWave look horrid because it doesn't brown the meat. The hamburgers are good looking and juicy as can be. I have tried other meats and have been disappointed. Currently our household is dieting and watching fat in take so this Nu Wave is perfect for us.

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This appliance does work, BUT not as they want you to believe. First and worst it does NOT ever reach 350 degrees. I turned mine on for 5 minutes with NOTHING in it. 325 is the top temperature. Yes, I used a good oven thermometer. So it is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. NOT easy to clean either. The lower pan coating chips almost immediately.

label me disappointed!!!!!

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Mac Knife Superior Santoku/Paring Knife, 4-Inch

I got this knife for my girlfriend, who is only 5'2", with small hands. I do most of the cooking and have several high quality knives including a Japanese carbon santoku and keep all of them very sharp. On occassion, my sweetie does some cooking and to my surprise was using my paring knife for prep. Apparently, she finds my regular-sized santokus as too big for her and even somewhat intimidating. Well this is a problem that I can certainly remedy. So, I did some research and found this knife, and lots of reviews by women that seem to really love it, so I pulled the trigger and got one.

It finally arrived, after a minor mix-up. The vendor initially sent the wrong model but immediately made it right, along with an email return shipping label and no excuses at all awesome. Way to go, vendor!

So today, I finally got to put it through its paces. MAC has a good reputation so I was prepared for the blade to be sharp "out of the box" and it was. It readily sliced thin paper and make quick work of an onion, with both push cuts and quick chops.

But ... it wasn't "razor sharp". So I then honed it up with my DMT Aligner, starting with my x-fine 1200 grit and finishing on the xx-fine 8000 grit. I gave it a quick double-bevel. Since it was brand new, it took this new edge very quickly. Wow now this knife is super sharp and positively shreds paper with very little lateral movement. That's a proper edge.

I then handed it to my petite sweetie for her take on it and she took care of another onion. And gave me a big smile. Finally, she has a proper sharp knife for her petite hands. Verdict: guys get one for your ladies. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Just give it a quick sharpening every now and then.

Has polished laminated wood handle and is single bevel 15 degree right hand sharpened on a semi-thin blade. Came nicely packaged in a cardboard sheath inside a nice box. Took about a dozen strokes on an ultra fine ceramic stone to polish edge to semi razor sharpness. Due to wideness of blade, storage in a poly knife-safe case, requires a 4-6" size case/sheath. Handle offset could be a tad greater to provide better knuckle clearance.

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I now have two now. They are sharp, maintain an edge, and work great for chopping smaller guantities of material.

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Gorham Lady Anne 2 Piece Crystal and Stainless Dessert Set * Cake Knife & Pie Server *

It was beautiful for a bride who really loves china and crystal and entertaining. It will be a reminder of this happy time for years to come. She loved it and I was impressed with the quality.

I would totally recommend this product! It was very reasonably price and very beautiful! I loved it! It was a great decision to purchase!

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Use & Care info for this item:

HANDWASH only!

Use for cutting soft cakes and breads only

Do not use for cutting ice-cream cakes, meats, chipping ice or other uses that create measurable stress on the crystal handles.

Although the care info says soft cakes only... "medium" cakes should be fine... as this product seems quite sturdy. I would even say cutting ice cream cakes would be fine.. but obviously not the second you take it out of the freezer! Use your own judgment, and never force it!

Anyway, I can't wait to use these for my wedding! They are great for any time of year, but personally I think they are best for Winter. Also, I did not order through Amazon, but through Dillard's.

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Wusthof Classic Ikon 8-Inch Bread Knife, Black

This line of Wusthof knives is very well made, easy to handle and nice looking. I can't afford the entire line at once and have been adding knives as finances allow. Amazon has fantastic prices on these knives.

I purchased this during one of Amazon's lightning deals for a Christmas gift, and we've been pleasantly surprised with how well it actually works. A definite word of caution: the knife is really sharp! Just a slight accidental touch of the sharp blade caused a razor thin "paper-cut" that was just deep enough to bleed. However, when we use it on freshly baked bread with a crispy crust on the outside and soft & light on the inside -it sliced it up wonderfully!

Our old knives would compress freshly baked bread down to less than 1/4th of the original height before finally cutting through. Thankfully, this knife allowed the bread to keep its original size and cut through the crispy crust without squishing all of the soft delicate bread inside. On the loaves that were "extra crispy" on the outside, I just needed to be patient and let the serrated blade do its job cutting back & forth a little extra until it made it through the crust.

I hope that it lasts as well as other reviewers have claimed, but so far it's been working great!

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Use caution, this is not your mothers bread knife. Excellent balance and craftsmanship. Now let's see more special deals on the Ikon knives. I'm spoiled.

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This is a great produst and highly recommend it Seriously thinking about getting more and start a new collection of knives/

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This knife is so sharp you don't "saw" through bread... you just drag it across and in one smooth swipe the bread is sliced.

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