Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program First off, I REALLY like this knife. It is very comfortable to use, and cuts better than any other knife in my collection. As I used it for cutting apples, I kept switching back and forth between this knife and another, and this knife clearly cuts better than the other. It has served me well now for cutting fruits, vegetables, and for trimming excess fat from steaks. However, there are some things you should know:
1) When you buy a knife, remember that it eventually will need to be sharpened. When it is time to sharpen THIS knife, I won't be able to use my standard knife sharpener because the angle of the blade on this knife (and Santoku knives in general) is narrower than on German/Western style knives. Yaxell sells their own sharpener, but there are other inexpensive, well rated sharpeners available on Amazon that are designed for this knife. If you don't have ANY sharpener yet, you might consider one that can handle both Westernand Santoku-style blades.
2) The small size of this blade means it is definitely NOT a chef's knife. This has a 5-inch blade, whereas a chef's knife will generally be in the 8to 10-inch range. I was trying to use this knife for chopping Romaine lettuce for a salad, and had to switch to my longer chef's knife instead. I use this smaller knife a lot when I am doing smaller more precise cutting, but this is not a substitute for a chef's knife.
3) The manufacturer recommends that you NOT use this knife for cutting through/around bones. So, use something else if you are doing something along the lines of carving a chicken.
4) This is a great knife, but there are some great alternatives that are much less expensive (some below $30). Do your research, read reviews (I'm a fan of Cook's Illustrated's equipment reviews), and decide for yourself whether the extra cost is worth it.
I am a chef and in my job I normally get through a lot of items... knives, but
this one is one of the best I ever tried... nothing to do with average but better
known brand like Global... This really makes your work easier!
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I got the Zen knife it's 37 layers; also a Yaxell knife (you can't find this model in the US only in Europe). I am writing a review as a higher model it can only be better (as I have an 8 inch Gou Yaxell chef's knife and it's amazing). It's the same size as this knife. I got it as a present. I was looking to buy the Shun knife and this one in every aspect, beat the hell out of it. It's more balanced and sharper I got it as a shushi knife, I cut raw fish as if it is butter. I'm writing a review as no one else wrote any reviews on these knives. This is the best knife for the money. It might be a bit expensive, but spend a bit more and it is worth every penny. In my line of work, as a chef, I used to work with a lot of knives from Victorinox, Global and even the Shun, this is the BEST knife that you could buy for yourself and it will last forever (with a bit of sharpening). If you buy this knife, please write a review so that others can learn about it and buy it as well. Enjoy your cutting!
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program If you are not good with sharp objects, then stay away from this knife.
However, if you are a foodie/chef who really appreciates great tools, this is a wonderful knife. It has a great feel and balance and the knife Tang (the metal) extends all the way through the handle for extra strength. It makes top-of-the-line Henckels look like bargain basement dime-store knives.
The edge cuts smoothly through anything that you throw at it (though I have to admit that I didn't test it with the cliche "cutting through metal" stress tests. It is my favorite knife for cutting vegetables, de-boning a chicken or cutting beef into strips for stir-fry.
The price of the knife is incredible so it is not for the faint of heart or the budget minded cook. I don't know that I would spend the money for it myself... however, it is a pleasure to own and use so from that respect, if you are looking for a thoughtful and significant gift for the chef in your family, this knife makes a great addition to the collection.
[NCJVR]
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this knife is just as advertised its amazing its razor sharp and cuts like nothing is even under it. I only had it for a day so far and i mean thats a restaurant day and it was still sharp as could be...the only thing that scares me about this knife is how light it is, like super super light, if your not careful i feel like breaking the blade could easily happen, just have to know your going to have to baby it and if your only using it at home you really have no worries then...(Ps avoid anything with bones or relatively hard just IMO)
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I use this R100 at work and it is underpowered and lacks options. The work bowl is too small for bigger jobs. The grey bowls are inferior to clear bowls. I purchased a 14 cup (3.5 quart) Cuisinart at home and it works much better, stronger motor, includes more options, and has a much better bowl capcity by a full quart. The price difference is very substantial; even without consideration of price, the Cuisinart is far superior.
