Showing posts with label good chef knives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good chef knives. Show all posts

FlavorStone 11" Blue Sapphire Gourmet Cookware Set

FlavorStone 11' Blue Sapphire Gourmet Cookware SetI purchased this cookware in Australia a few months ago. Verdict! Love it!

I followed the instructions to season the set before using as this I believe is important. I love the idea of cooking without any butter or oil, pancakes and omelettes are a breeze. I'm considering getting the larger casserole dish now.

The washing up is fantabulous! Just a wipe or a bit of water and that's it. Love it, love it love it! Inexpensive too!

Well worth the money!

I bought this item for my mom. She gave me the money to buy it because in my country the version with only 3 items cost almost twice the price So I bougth it and sent to her. she wanted this cookware set because the book of receipts and the ceramic cover. The shipping was very fast. the item arrived on time. The parts arrived in mint condition. actually I cannot say nothing about how the pan and casseroles work but I will ask to my mom about and I will make an upgrade to this comment.

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Bakertowne Thick & Thin Cheese Slicer

Bakertowne Thick & Thin Cheese SlicerI LOVE this item. It makes perfect, uniform cheese slices something I have never been able to accomplish with a knife, cheese plane, or wire cutter attached to a board. I bought one at my local Kitchen Outlet over a decade ago and fell in love. The only downside is that it's a little flimsy with a life expectancy of about one year. It's so inexpensive that I didn't mind buying a new one once a year. But then my local kitchen outlet stopped carrying it.

I bought a similar item from a different manufacturer that cost about twice as much and it broke while I was cutting my first slice of cheese! Don't settle for anything less than the original Thick & Thin Cheese Slicer! It's the best :)

This will be my annual birthday present to myself. I am so happy to find this product again.

Small, lightweight and inexpensive. Works perfectly. If a string should break at some point in the future I'll just buy another one. Has been used on soft, medium and hard cheeses with no problems so far. Does not suffer from "adjustment slip" (becaue it is not adjustable) but you are given the choice between thick and thin. Would highly reccommend. I bought a very nice professional slicer but this is the one I use most often!

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This product delivers exactly what it says. Thick and thin slices of your cheese. And if someday it breaks, who cares? At this cheap price you can afford to buy replacements!

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This was a great little cheese slicer until it snapped in two during normal use. Spend a little more and get something that's better quality-the plastic is pretty thin.

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We're on our third slicer, as the wire stretches. Each one lasts about 6 months, but I love them and am back for more. Stand a 2lb loaf of Oregon cheese on end and slice horizontally, supporting the wire as you bring it from the far side of the cheese toward you. It makes quick work of a tricky job, allowing you to buy better quality cheese at a lower price than pre-sliced cheeses.

Cuisinart Triple-Riveted Santoku Knife, Red Handle

Cuisinart Triple-Riveted Santoku Knife, Red HandleI received this knife as a Christmas present, and it instantly became my "go-to knife." I frequently choose it over my Wusthof set due to it's versatility and when I cut fish, it does not stick to the sides. Wonderful knife.

I love this knife. It's perfectly weighted and sized. I hate using large knives that are longer than my cutting board as I can't seem to keep control over them. This one is perfect. I can chop small things like celery and large things like a spaghetti squash. It's the only knife I need. I used it for two years now exclusively and it's still sharp. Love it!

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I love this little knife. Be aware that the blade is only about 5 inches long, but that is what I wanted. I will buy it in the larger size when it becomes available.

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Very sharp, thin and light. I used to cut hard veges like celery, carrots and to slice very thin chicken breast. It is very easy to handle. Great knife in the kitchen!!!

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i didn't want to spend money on china made steel knives but i bought the 4" at a department store to try. i was really suprised how good the handling of the knife is so i bought 2 of this 5" ones. 1 for me and 1 for mom. the knife is sharp and easy to handle for smaller cutting and slicing. almost slice off my finger nails a couple of the times because it was so sharp.

as every knives, they should be dried after washing to prevent rusting or water residue on the blade. and i would recommend washing this knife by hand, dry and put away for lasting use.

Global G-9 - 8-3/4 inch, 22cm Bread Knife

Global G-9 - 8-3/4 inch, 22cm Bread KnifeMy Global has been slicing bread for three years now and guests still comment that it's "a really sharp knife". A low-carb disbeliever, and living near Seattle bakeries that are serious about their product, I eat lots of bread. Much mileage on the knife and it still melts through hard-crust Toscano Loaves like they were Wonderbread. Two more of these knives have been purchased for wedding gifts. Followup shows that the newlywed recipients didn't know that there were special knives just for cutting bread and are using this wonderful knife for cutting up everything. And love it.

Global knives are really awesome. This knife is amazingly sharp. Due to my own carelessness, I have actually cut my finger twice with this knife. I can assure you it goes through bread and finger with ease.

More seriously, because it is one peice, it is easy to clean and looks awesome. The feel is great in my hand and the knife is balanced.

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Buy this knife if for no other reason than it makes minimal crumbs when slicing baked products, less mess to clean. Also does an excellent job chopping chocolate.

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This was the second Global knife I ever bought. I've had it for many years, and the serrated blade keeps it cutting like the day I first took it out of the package.

Besides cutting bread, which it handles in a Godly fashion, this has always been my knife of choice when cutting large roasts, turkeys, meatloaf, and even cakes. The serrated blade helps grip the meat as it slices, allowing for a perfectly thin piece every time. And with the meatloaf (as well as pates and terrines if you're savvy with the culinary lingo), it's the best tool to use without worry of the meat crumbling as you make each slice. I love using it for cake and even cheese cake because the long thin blade allows you to cut from end to end in one long slice rather than hacking at it with smaller knives that just weren't meant for the job.

So whether you're looking for a specific knife for your bread or roast cutting needs, or just another pretty knife to add to your collection, this is the knife for you.

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I own several bread/serrated knives: a Henckels 8'' bread knife, a Wusthof 10.25'' slicer, 3 versions of Victorinox wavy edge knives, and a Global bread knife. All are excellent knives and one cannot complain about owning either of them. I use the 20-years old Henckels mostly for cheese, the rest for bread. For tomatoes I definitely reach for a Victorinox knife. As a bread knife, Global wins easily, by a very wide margin. It also looks fabulous. Its teeth are somewhat too brutal for tomatoes and hard cheese. If you are willing to spend $100+, go with Global, and consider getting a Victorinox knife for tomatoes, maybe a 7'' chef's knife with a wavy edge. If you want to save $$$, you'll be plenty happy with the Victorinox only, but then you may want to get the 10 inch slicer or the offset bread knife. Think what other silly things you spend $$$ on, a great knife or two is probably a better use of your hard earned cash, and it will have you beaming from happiness, almost forever.

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Chicago Cutlery 4-Piece Scissor Block Knife Set

Chicago Cutlery 4-Piece Scissor Block Knife Setwhen 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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Paderno World Cuisine Yanagi Sashimi Japanese Sushi Knife, 13-Inch

Paderno World Cuisine Yanagi Sashimi Japanese Sushi Knife, 13-InchPeople gasp when I take my Paderno 13 inch knife out to carve sashimi or any other meat for that matter. The blade is huge but that is what produces the thinnest of slices of whatever protein you are working on. The secret of the cut is in the blade, it's length and it's design. In one long draw you can carve this or thick slices with ease and without graceless sawing. I'm saving up for another one of these. the wedge grind on one side makes it a bit unusual to sharpen and you don't use any "V" type sharpeners....this is only by stone and from the beveled side only. it can be steeled as usual but carefully, you do not want the put a dimple on the exquisitely keen edge. the blade is dexterous enough to carve a turkey but I do not advise disjointing with this blade.....that's like making a grocery run in a Ferrari.

Wusthof Classic 10-Piece Cooking Couple's Knife Set with Block

Wusthof Classic 10-Piece Cooking Couple's Knife Set with BlockI love these knives. They are truly amazing. My wife and I did a fair amount of research before we bought our set (consumer reports, etc..)and we concluded that Wusthof knives were the best. You might think that they are a bit pricey, but the are worth it. If you have never prepared a meal with a truly fine knife such as a Wusthof, then you are in for a treat. Use these knives once, and you will never want another.

When buying these knives, our biggest problem was deciding between the Classic and the Grand Prix. Although the Grand Prix is slightly more comfortable, I prefer the construction of the Classic. If you inspect the knives, you will see that the Wusthof Classic has a full metal tang with 3 rivets. The Grand Prix, although having the same blade, has a smaller, cylindrical tang that runs the entire handle of the knife. This tang is secured by a single large rivet at the end of the handle. Although I'm sure the Grand Prix is well built, I bought these knives for a lifetime of use and heartier construction of the Classics just appealed to me more.

So, In a nutshell, if you buy Wusthof, you will not be disappointed.

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 Classic line is the more conservative counterpart to the Grand Prix line. The only difference, however, is the handle style. I personally prefer the Grand Prix, but this is an issue of personal preference. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.

This set includes an 8 inch chef's knife, a 3 ½ inch paring knife, a 6 inch sandwich knife, a 6 inch chef's knife, a 9 inch bread, a 4 ½ inch utility knife, a 5 inch salami knife, a sharpening steel, and an oak block

The 8 inch chef's knife and the 6 inch chef's knife are great knives. Wusthof offers three sizes of chef's knives, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. The 6 inch is 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. Adding the 6 inch makes the set almost complete.

The Wusthof 4 ½ inch utility knife is a great all-around knife. This is the knife I use for the majority of my small chopping work (when I don't use a Chef's knife).

As for the 3 ½ inch paring knife, this knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 ½ inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 ½ inch paring knife and the 4 ½ inch utility knife. I prefer the 4 ½ inch utility knife, but the 3 ½ inch paring knife will do the trick.

I have found very few uses for the 6 inch sandwich and the 5 inch salami knives. I prefer the larger size of the chef's knife or the smaller 4 ½ inch utility knife. The knives are just the wrong width and length for most tasks, and fall into the overkill department, except when part of a set.

When it comes to sharpening steels, I have found very little difference between Henckels and Wusthof. As long as you buy a high end steel, you really won't go wrong. Therefore, I shop for this item on price, and Henckels has a price advantage. However as the steel comes with the set, you won't go wrong with this steel.

This set is a great deal, and includes just about the right assortment of knives. Adding the steak knives fills the block perfectly.

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At first it was hard to convince my husband, Buster, that we should invest almost all of his weekly take-home pay in a knife set. The price IS a little steep, but these are Quality knives with a Capital Q. I expect to be using them until I am 95 years old, they are that durable and well-made. The knives came safely packaged and each one is a work of art, worthy of being displayed on your kitchen wall rather than stuck into a wood block. But the wood block that came with the knives is also beautiful on the countertop. I have protected mine with a crocheted �knife-holder kozy�. So far I have used all the knives personally except for the sausage knife. You do have to be careful as these knives truly are �razor honed�, but if you do cut yourself it heals without much of a scar, as they are SO sharp and make such a clean slice. When deer season rolls around and Buster bags a deer, I will be able to try the sausage knife, as we always have some venison sausage made up. If you want a beautiful work-of-art type of kitchen utensil in your house, then save up and purchase this terrific item.

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After much thought about which "great knives" I was finally going to purchase I bought a set of the wusthof classic. I also purchased the ceramic knife sharpener to ensure my sharpening technique. The only knife that cut to any extent was the serrated one. I thought surely there must be something wrong so I sent the knives back to be professionally sharpened, but did not see any improvement. Having cooked for years using all types of knives I am thoroughly disappointed.

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Rada Cutlery Grapefruit Knife, Made in USA

Rada Cutlery Grapefruit Knife, Made in USA, Aluminum HandleGood, basic grapefruit knife, does the job. Also good for removing the skin from slices of melon or pineapple (just slide along the inside of the slice near the skin).

It's probably my fault for not really knowing how to handle this thing, but it's so sharp it whacks right through the membrane between the sections. If you're not careful it will poke through the whole skin and into YOUR skin. I've never complained about a knife being too sharp, but I'm really awkward with the shape and sharpness of this. If you're accustomed to this type of grapefruit knife, you'll love this one. I think I just need more practice.

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How refreshing to find something that is well made in the USA, well priced, and does the job. I can't imagine how one would make a better grapefruit knife. Those ones with blades on both ends are silly and possibly dangerous. I often use it to cut sections of large oranges as well as grapefruits. And it has a lifetime warranty. Very nice.

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I love red grapefruit and big, sweet oranges, but really hate to peel them, especially if I have to fight to separate the peel from the pulp -which is the only part I want to eat. I can see why they give it a lifetime guarantee: The blade is thick and sturdy-looking and cuts like a dream. I expect to get many years of good use from this knife and consider it a great bargain!

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It does the job and is well made. I eat a lot of grapefruit and finally decided I deserve a special knife. This one is just the right size.

Victorinox Cutlery 10-Inch Wavy/Straight Edge Sandwich Knife, Black Fibrox Handle

Victorinox Cutlery 10-Inch Wavy/Straight Edge Sandwich Knife, Black Fibrox HandleThis knife is worth every cent that it cost. I have used this in my restaurant and it has been put through the paces. This knife is a great everyday use tool. It slices, dices, chops and does pretty much anything you need it to do. The one that I have used I have had for nearly a year. It has earned the nickname "The Beast" because it does everything. The serrated edge has lost its edge a bit in the past year but this knife again is being used much more than anything that you may do in your home.

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Oliver Bread Slicer Replacement Blades - Set of 32

Oliver Bread Slicer Replacement Blades - Set of 32Great price and works well. Blades are very sharp. Packaging was perfect. I've made several bread knives for my family

great product for the price and we could not be more happy than that you know what I mean bro

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The new blades were shipped promptly and packed well. We'll do it again. Hard to find item at a fair price. I am pleased.

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Wusthof Classic 10-Inch Cook's Knife

Wusthof Classic 10-Inch Cook's KnifeBest 10" chef on the market: the Classic line has good handle weight and nice heft, and the scales are medium enough for small/med sized man hands to use with confidence. I find the Grand Prix to be a bit on the big side in the handle dept. Where this knife is a winner is: blade profile, steel characteristics, and edge grind.

If you compare this to, say, a Henckles 10" Chef, you'll notice that the Wusthof has a deeper, rounder 'belly.'This roundness enables the knife to rock back and forth (is that 'roll' back and forth?) for dicing with *much* greater ease than the Henckles, which tends to fall to the board and need to be picked up again, again, again.

The Wusthof steel, I think, has a touch more carbon than the Henckles, and a little less Chromium. It takes a second to touch up effort that is rewarded by superior cutting performance, with a higher edge grind. That said it is not fragile.

The Wosthof blade is slightly hollow ground, whereas the Henckles is slightly convex, which causes the Henckles to 'split' more than 'slice' hard vegetables like carrots and radishes. I've been using a 10" on and off since 1989. . . and I love it.

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 Classic line is the more conservative counterpart to the Grand Prix line. The only difference, however, is the handle style. I personally prefer the Grand Prix, but this is an issue of personal preference. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.

This particular model, the 10 inch cook's (or chef's) knife, is a good knife. Wusthof offers four sizes of chef's knives in the Classic line, 5, 6, 8 and 10 inch. For most home cooks, I think the 8 inch knife is the best choice. This knife, the 10 inch, is a bit big for most jobs. The 5 and 6 inch are a bit small for bigger 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), the 8 inch is the knife I would recommend.

Therefore, if you are buying your first cook's knife, I would recommend the 8 inch size. This is a great knife, but I don't think the size is right for mainstream users.

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Yes, the price of a Wusthof Classic is intimidating, and yes, you will feel buyer's remorse...until you use it for the first time. Even for the casual cook, the difference between a Wusthof and even a middlin' fair brand must be experienced to be appreciated. I bought one for my father (who never gets excited about ANY present, ever) for Christmas; and he hasn't stopped thanking me yet. That in itself made it well worth the price.

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Review: Wusthof Classic 10" Chef Knife {4 ½ out of 5 stars}

I think I've had my knife for about 12 years now, and I use it almost every day. In my case, the 10-inch size was the optimal fit for me, and it's easily the best chef knife I've ever owned. It's sturdy, ergonomic, well balanced, takes a good edge, and is very attractive ... but it does have a few minor quirks.

The Good:

* CURVE: The gentle progressive curvature of the forward half of this blade works better for me than certain other knives I've used (some of them not curved enough, and others too curved). For the uninitiated, the curve is there so that people who've learned the proper cutting stroke can use the knife in a nice smooth fluid action ... similar to the horizontal elliptical motion your foot follows on an elliptical trainer (hence its name).

* STRENGTH: This is a sturdy blade, with a full length tang, medium spine, and a full bolster that gives the blade ample strength, and it's high-carbon surgical steel gives it a good balance of hardness, stain resistance, and sharpenability. Jam it into a large butternut squash or a wax-hardened bowling-ball-sized turnip, and throw your weight on it, or bang away on the spine with a rubber mallet, and it'll get the job done ... it'll flex and vibrate, but it won't shatter. Sharpen it, and it'll take a fine edge, and sustain it for a decent length of time, even with heavy use.

* SHARPENING: I've used some blades that are so thick that they split harder vegetables rather than slicing them, and leave wedge-crumpled top edges on delicate items. Picture using an axe blade to dice potatoes and slice fish fillets and you'll get an idea what I mean about thinness/taper. This blade offers a decent cross-sectional diameter and taper that allows it to take a good edge and cut a good spectrum of items with ease, without sacrificing too much strength by being overly thin, or too much precision by being overly thick ... it's not perfect, but it's definitely very good. {Incidentally, I use a pair of large sharpening ceramic stones made by "Global", in both medium and fine grain}.

* HANDLE: People are funny about handles, and opinions vary wildly, depending on people's hand size, hand strength, cutting motion, aesthetic sense, etc. I happen to like the classic handle ... it's not so round that it impairs your sense (and control) of the blade's vertical direction, and it's not so flat that it's uncomfortable to grip. It's strong, stainproof, oil-proof, impact-resistant, not-too-slippery, and doesn't harbor bacteria-friendly gouges. For me, it works.

Minor Nits:

THICKNESS/RIGIDITY: Knife makers strive to achieve a good balance between strength & control (read: rigidity) and flexibility & finesse (read: thinness), and different people's preferences tend to fall slightly to one side or the other on that balance point. In my case (and this may seem a tad picayune to some), this blade leans very slightly too far towards the former. IMHO, I think that if this blade were, say, a quarter or a half millimeter thinner, it would be that much closer to perfection ... as is, it's ever so slightly too rigid, and it sometimes tends to split/crumple the top edges when julienning largeish and optimally fresh (read: crisp) carrots and zucchini. It's close ... definitely well above average, but not quite perfect (for me anyway).

FULL BOLSTER: Love 'em or hate 'em, but bolsters do have a valid purpose ... they (as the term suggests) bolster the blade's vertical strength. Gothic cathedrals used flying buttresses to similar effect (albeit in the opposite direction), so they could build taller. However, bolsters also have their drawbacks heavy regular users and professional chefs will usually bring their blades to a professional knife sharpener and have them grind down the edge-ward end of the bolster in order to permit the blade to be sharpened evenly, along it's full length. Why ? Over time, and with heavy regular use and repeated sharpening (especially if you prefer a really wicked-sharp extra-steep edge), a blade slowly gets narrower and narrower with wear ... the edge slowly creeping closer and closer towards the spine, like an incoming tide. If you're a really heavy user, you can expect to lose up to several millimeters per year. The next time you're in a well-established sushi bar, take a close look at the most frequently used knives by the hardest working chefs, and you'll occasionally see blades that have lost half or more of their original width (heck, I've seen henckel 10" slicers worn down so far they look like deboning knives, with the logo spilling off the edge). Anyway, if the bolster extends all the way to the edge, it eventually begins to get in the way of regular wear, tear & regular re-sharpening, so that unless you grind it back (to stay ahead of the recession of the edge), it'll begin to jut out, and the cutting edge will no longer sit flush against your cutting surface or sharpening stone ... kind of like trying to ice skate with a lump on the heel of your blade, or riding a motorcycle with the kickstand down. In any case, that's one of the easiest ways to tell an amateur from a pro is whether or not they've ever had to grind down their bolster.

Despite these 2 minor nits, I can highly recommend this knife ... 4 ½ (our of 5) stars.

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You really need no other knife than this. Everything from cleaving a melon to brunoising a shallot is easy with this one. Take a steel to it every few days and have it professionally sharpened every six months, and you'll get a lifetime of use out of it.

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Cuisinart 3-Piece Ceramic 4-Inch Parer with Sheath and Board

Cuisinart 3-Piece Ceramic 4-Inch Parer with Sheath and BoardI bought this knife and cutting board set because I needed something small to keep at work when I'm prepping lunches on site. I'm not a fan of ceramic blades because they are prone to chipping and honestly; a high quality knife with a high carbon blade is sharper. The problem there is you have to sharpen it and I'm not going to keep honing stones at work where they're likely to get lost or damaged.

The knife is very sharp and you should use the cutting board to protect the blade as well as your work surface. It's very light overall so it's not well balanced. But, it's a task knife. Ergonomics are not crucial for this kind of cutting. The handle feels like a rubber / silicone composite. It remains fairly tacky when dry but if juice or wetness hit the handle, it gets slick.

The sheath is cheap but it does the job protecting the user from accidentally slicing the Hell out of himself if it's stored haphazardly in a drawer. My one significant complaint is the blade color. It's matte white and unlike steel or anodized blades, you can not distinguish the slicing side since it doesn't shine. If you left this knife lying out an adult will think it's plastic and probably lacerate themselves if they mishandle it.

I'm happy with the quality, especially given the price. There's room for improvements but they are based on my personal preferences more then any detraction of the product.

respectfully submitted, KRK

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Furi Rachael Ray Gusto-Grip Basics 4-Inch Paring Knife

Furi Rachael Ray Gusto-Grip Basics 4-Inch Paring Knife, YellowIt is an excellent knife, but I find it too long to be a good paring knife. I definitely like the anti-bacterial handle! It was delivered exactly as advertised and arrived before the estimated arrival date. Pretty good buying experience.

Dennis

This knife is great! It does not slip when using with wet hands! I recommend this to any cook that likes new gadgets. It is a great deal for the price.

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I had some friends over to carve pumpkins for Halloween, and of course someone broke a knife. Not any knife, not one of my knives, but one of my roommate's pretty, matchy Rachel Ray knife-set knives. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to find a replacement, or at least not without a big hassle, but this was the exact knife at a very reasonable price.

The set in question was this:

Furi Rachael Ray Gusto-Grip Basics 10-Piece Block Set

and I got the green-handled 4" knife to match. I tend to use my own set of knives so I don't have much to say about the knife itself, except... thanks, Amazon, for bailing me out of a pinch! And if you ever need to replace one of the 4" knives from a Rachel Ray Furi set, this is the one you are looking for.

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The color was the main reason I purchased this knife, since I have Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set, Yellow, which I ADORE. As far as the function of the knife, I enjoy cutting with it however, as BeachBum59 mentioned in his review, it is a little too long to work as an effective paring knife. I wouldn't want to hull strawberries with this knife, for instance. It's great for chopping them up though! So I've found myself simply cutting off the ends rather than hulling.

Other than that, I enjoy this knife just wish it was a bit smaller.

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I have several of these knives and use them everyday. Also bought them for my daughter and she loves them.

Miyabi Fusion 600D 3.5-inch Paring Knife

Miyabi Fusion 600D 3.5-inch Paring KnifeI was worried about this knife, but it seems to be doing fine. Just to let you know why I was worried about it, I wanted Japanese style knives. I was doing some research and came across a great deal on some Miyabi Fusions. I wanted to buy all 4 Knives that I was looking at, but the Paring knife had a crack in the handle. This was on clearance at Sur la Table. So I was informed that another Sur la Table had one was well. When I went to grab it, it had the same crack. This made me worry about the quality of these Knives. So far they have held up, but one of them seems to already be losing it's edge after a week of use, but I guess that's what I get for buying clearance floor models. My Parer was bought from Amazon and is super sharp.

Le Creuset Stoneware 4-Piece Dinnerware Set, Flame

Le Creuset Stoneware 4-Piece Dinnerware Set, FlameI must first warn you about the size, the weight, and structure of this dinnerware, especially the plates. The sizes are much larger then normal dinner plates and if you are on a diet. I would recommend using the salad plate instead. However, we loved the plates, we have a complete set and we don't expect to purchase anymore dinner ware in the near future. If you are having company, planning a party, or just entertaining, then these are the dinner plates you need to have. One more comment, if you have an older model dishwasher, the dinner plates maybe not fit. So, be careful. Otherwise, great dishes.

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Wusthof Classic Wave, Black

Wusthof Classic Wave, BlackI have a pretty good selection of Wusthof Classic knives in my collection. What makes this different is that it is a little heavier in weight and duty. It can take on tasks that my other knives would stuggle with. It's relatively expensive but worth the money in my opinion. Great addition.

I bought this knife for my husband who was tired of our useless knives. It works wonderfully. He found it very easy to cut carrots up in very very fine pieces. The handle is very easy to grip and control.

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Great knife for vegetables, sandwiches, cutting sausage or anything which a wave edge is preferred. No bending, good weight and balance. A delight to use in the kitchen. High recommend the Wusthof Classic line of knives

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The Wave knife is the best chef's knife for all around food prep. Vegatables don't stand a chance and the size and weight are great.

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Super product; great service. The Wusthof Classic Wave is all it's cracked up to be. Cuts meat like going through warm butter.

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Rada Cutlery S4S 4-piece Serrated Steak Knives Gift Set

Rada Cutlery S4S 4-piece Serrated Steak Knives Gift Setthis is beautiful set, enhances any table, worth the price, but didn't know it was hand washable and not dishwasher safe.

These knives are great. The weight is excellent and the shape and sharpness is just what I was looking for.

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This set of knives is a great value! They're so sharp that I have been using them on everything until I can get the paring set to prep food. They're very attractive and easy to maintain. I've been using them daily for almost two months. The handles are a little on the small side, but that is easy to adapt to with use. They are grippy due to the finish on the handle. The box it comes in is great for a gift. I only put these through the dish washer once. They came out looking new, but my apartment dish washer makes pre-washed dishes even more dirty so I haven't used it since. I also have the pizza cutter, cook knife, spatula, and the Kwik Kut chopper from Rada. They are all great quality and stylish.

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Zwilling J.A. Henckels Zwilling One 6-Inch All Purpose Prep Knife

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Zwilling One 6-Inch All Purpose Prep KnifeFor many years, I have been using an 8" Wusthof Grand Prix as my main prep knife. I wanted something a little smaller and looked long and hard before deciding on this one. It's a great knife: very good ergonomically, stout enough to whack a clove of garlic without fear, VERY sharp, holds an edge very well, and has an almost ideal rocker to the blade for chopping. This has now become my prep knife of choice unless I need the extra size and weight of the Wusthof for specific tasks like cutting a squash I've been using it nightly for about a month and will update this review as time goes on if I discover any issues with it. So far, there are none. It's a joy to use and seems to be quite rugged.

One caution--when mine arrived it had come loose in its OEM packaging (it was still inside another box, thankfully) and the tip was protruding out of the cardboard at one end. Be careful to check yours when it arrives so you don't get cut accidentally. Also make sure if it's loose that the tip is not broken. I was lucky and mine wasn't. I can't hold that little problem against Amazon (who double-boxed as they should) or the knife, though. It must have taken a heck of a whack during shipping.

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DMT DS2E 12-Inch Diamond Steel Sharpening Rod, Extra Fine Grit

DMT DS2E 12-Inch Diamond Steel Sharpening Rod, Extra Fine GritI purchased this DMT item due to my satisfaction with previously purchased DMT diamond sharpening stones. Initially I tested this steel on a fairly dull knife and was surprised to see that the DMT steel had achieved very little after six passes on each side. I checked the surface of the DMT steel with a white kleenex and found very little metal removal. I then tried twelve passes on the same knife and the edge was now mostly restored. After playing around with several knives I discovered that this DMT steel removes very little metal with each pass and is excellent at restoring an acute edge to well maintained sharp knives. For dull blades or for knives in need of initial sharpening, this DMT steel is too slow and probably an inefficient tool for the job.

This honing rod was perfect for me. I got the green 12 inch (extra fine diamond).

I've been a chef and cooked all my life and I am extremely OCD about knife sharpness. Ive used every type of sharpener imaginable. The easy automatic ones where you just pull the blade through (bad for blade), ceramic rod, diamond rod, carbon stone. All of it.

I've realized the best way to stay sharp is old school. I use a carbon block (my grandfathers from the 1950s), and this extra fine honing rod.

This is the sharpest you can possibly get. I'm saying razor sharp. I use the block to edge the blade (probably once every six months), and I use the honing rod each time I cook.

I dont recommend the extra fine rod if you dont have a carbon block or something to make an edge. The extra fine maintains an edge but it doesnt make an edge.

Using the fine by itself would maintain a sharp, but not as sharp edge, the ceramic would basically constantly be making a new edge that is reasonably sharp.

Use this pup if you wanna be old school and maintain as sharp a blade as possible.

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This is a well made pro quality tool. It will hone a chef knife back to a sharp edge in just 2 or 3 passes. It is not made to sharpen a knife. It is made to keep and edge on an already sharpened knife. It dose this well. If you know how to use a honing rod, I suggest this one.

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I bought this with the Fine grit steel for my kitchen knives, as much because I didn't know for sure what the actual grit was. As it turns out, they go really well together; the Fine is good for a knife that has started to feel a little dull or catch, and the extra fine is perfect for when you're getting ready to start cooking and the knife is sharp, but needs that extra polish before you get busy. In use, say, I'd pick the fine for when I'd been chopping a lot of vegetables and gotten a couple of places where the edge was getting flat; the extra fine would be for when I had cut a lot of meat and the edge was just off a bit.

The tools themselves are hefty and large enough that you can easily maintain a consistent edge angle if you hold it freehand. On the other hand, they come with safety caps on the ends, but under the cap is a point for those who ground the steel vertically on the block and stroke down. I don't know yet about how well they'll wear, but since they're diamond steel I hope they won't have the wear that people have reported with ceramics. At this point I'd buy again.

The only caveat I'd place is the obvious one-these don't replace stones. If you have lower quality or heavily worn knives, you still need stones to put an edge on. You probably could do it with these if you had lots of time on your hands, but this isn't the right tool for that. It also may be worth noting I'm using these with Henckels knives-they might give different results with different alloys from another maker.

[One month later] With some time passed, I am satisfied still with these steels. My habit is to give ten or twenty strokes to each side with the extra fine when I'm getting ready to use a knife. This steel brings the edge up perfectly, including the tip that drags on the block when slicing, and the knives stay sharp enough that I can slice a six inch thick roast in one or two strokes or cut a sandwich by just pressing down the blade without crushing the food. Very pleased with my knives as they are maintained by this tool.

[Still using them] These have turned out a good purchase. I give a knife I'm going to use a good stroking each side with the ultra fine each time I use it, and my knives stay perfectly sharp. I haven't had to use the other one since the original conditioning of the blades as a result.

If anyone's interested, SharpeningSupplies.com has a good, easy to understand explanation of how to use a steel. They make the comment that steels don't actually sharpen the knife, though; while that's true of a traditional steel, it's not true of the diamond coated ones we're looking at here.

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This sharpening instrument should be used alongside its brothers, the fine grit and the ceramic. Together they represent the best possible tools if the objective is to provide the sharpest possible edge on knives such as kitchen knives or large pocket knives. If properly taken care of, they should last a lifetime to boot. Use is not as easy as drag through carbide sharpeners, but it's not excessively difficult either. Very good instructional videos are provided by the manufacturer.

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Mikasa Gourmet Basics Chloe 20-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 4

Mikasa Gourmet Basics Chloe 20-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 4We are very picky about flatware, and this set passed our criteria. The pieces are long and elegant. A little larger than average, each peice is well ballanced and has a nice weight. Looks and feels like an expensive set. The high polish and timeless style makes this set nice enough for the good china, but affordable enough to enjoy it for everyday use.

I bought 2 of these sets and have had them for about 2 years. I use them every day and abuse them a lot. They hold up great and are still very nice and shiny looking. The design is fabulous and classy. Every piece is the perfect size for the job it's meant for. If a robber broke in overnight and stole my flatware I would go back to Amazon and buy the same set again.

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