WUSTHOF TRIDENT. This German firm, headquartered in the knife capital of Europe, in Solingen, has been in business since the early 1800's. Over time, Wusthof ascended to the pinnacle of knife manufacturing by innovation, the use of the highest possible quality steel alloys, and impeccable craftsmanship. Attention to detail is almost obsessive. Wusthof knives are the benchmark, the reference, in professional culinary knives...the gold standard by which all other kitchen knives are measured.
Wusthof knives are still forged in the traditional manner, gaining the respect of culinary professionals. Cheaper methods can be used, such as the sintered construction of Henckels or the stamping method of Victorinox/Forschner Fibrox. This is the CLASSIC design preferred by so many chefs.
Inroads by Japanese makers of Japanese blade styles are giving Wusthof some tough competition, so Wusthof has responded by making knife lines incorporating Japanese styling with German precision in manufacture...so you might want to shop the Wusthof Ikon line.
I can only review what I actually own and use, this Classic line, regardless of how many are in a set. These Wusthof Trident Classic knives have been in my possession, in a more complete set than that offered here, since 1991. These knives are my old friends, and I am on intimate terms with them. To proceed...
PROS:
*HOT DROP HAMMER FORGED. Stubbornly refusing to change to cheaper, lower-quality methods such as stamping, these knives are still hot drop hammer forged, fully forged blades. The metal used is a fine quality carbon stainless steel alloy common to most top tier German knives such a Henckels, Victorinox/Forschner, and F. Dick.
*FULL TANG, RIVETED HANDLE PREFERRED BY MOST CHEFS. The handle is of commercial quality and strength, full-tanged and securely triple riveted in the traditional style preferred by most chefs because of its strength and universally comfortable grip, with sanitary POM synthetic scales (what the handle itself is made of).
*HAND-FINISHED. Each blade and handle is hand-finished to a high standard, by HAND. New knives arrive razor sharp, so learn to keep them that way.
*HUGE RANGE OF KNIVES, I MEAN HUGE. No other knife manufacturer offers so many different shapes, sizes, lengths, widths, and styles...a mind boggling array of choices. See the online Wusthof catalog: Santokus, both flexible and stiff fillet and boning knives, hollow edged "Granton" or dimpled blades are available in many styles. Wusthof Trident offers various sizes of offset bread knives, salami knives, cleavers, and hard-to-find very long salmon and ham slicers. The selection of blade types is too extensive to list here...go to the Wusthof Trident website.
*NEW, 14 DEGREE ANGLE BLADES: A huge improvement over the old 20 degree angle blades of the past Classic series. More in line with 15 degree angle Japanese knives, the sharper angle slices much easier so instead of an "axe-like" wedge you get a thinner, much sharper, easier slicing blade...more ergonomic and less fatiguing. I am so glad to see this change...it is about time.
*AT HOME, EXPECT A LIFETIME OF USE. A chef goes through knives far faster than any home cook. For the rest of us, expect decades of use. It is a cheap investment, a pittance, spread over the years. Will the set to the kids.
CONS:
*COST IS HIGHER THAN AVERAGE, BUT THE QUALITY IS MUCH HIGHER THAN AVERAGE. These quality blades are actually lower in price than much of the Japanese competition. They are a joy to use, and make cooking preparation enjoyable. You look forward to facing the cutting board, at least I do.
*HARD TO DEMO IN STORES. Most people like to handle a knife, to try it on the store cutting board to test the comfort of the handle, the balance or heft, or the rocking action of a chef's knife. A few kitchenware stores like Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table might let you try out knives on their cutting board. Whatever the case may be, make certain that the return policy allows returns if not happy. The comfort and performance of most knife shapes and sizes are important, but not extremely critical, though the chef's knife IS of critical importance. When you receive your knives test your chef's knife with various cuts, if not happy then return them. Or order the chef's knife first and test it. If you like it then order the other matching knives.
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WHAT KNIVES DO YOU REALLY NEED?
Speaking from experience, from someone that over-bought (I have the Wusthof MegaBlock filled with 17 knives (including a cleaver, steel, shears, and carving fork) plus 8 steak knives, I can recommend buying open stock so that you only buy what you REALLY need, and what you REALLY will use 99% of the time, what most chefs lug to work in their Knife Roll.
The large knife block shown above has too many open slots (and too many knives). This is offered to encourage you to fill them with knives you will rarely need, unless you just like collecting knives, or there is a blade or two you need for your personal preferences. This is why I prefer a large, long Magnetic Knife Bar to a Knife Block...more flexible and versatile. Buy open stock even though each blade will cost more, buying less knives is much cheaper in the end.
This cost-cutting set's knives are also, mostly, too short. The set could be markedly improved with a longer 9"-10" Chefs/Cook's, a longer 9"-10" Slicing Knife, and a longer 9"-10" Bread Knife, while the 5" Boning Knife could be swapped for a longer 6" Flexible Boning Knife (works for filleting too)...the 3.5" Paring Knife is just fine as it is, but you might also look at the new 3.5" Micro-Serrated Paring Knife (micro-serrations on the rear of the blade, non-serrated on the front 2/3rds, for tough-surfaced fruits and veggies...clever and very versatile indeed).
Perhaps now you can see why buying open stock is so much better...YOU decide which blade is best, piece by piece, NOT the manufacturer. As you read the long review below, I hope to convince you to take the minimalist fork in the road, as would most professional Chefs. Many consumers, not knowing any better, not knowing how to select each blade, just buy all of them and be done with it, as I did when I was blade-ignorant years ago. Why waste money and counter space with a huge knife quiver? Save your money and apply that to some exquisite All-Clad cookware.
A MINIMALIST KNIFE SET is just three Essential Knives: When you are certain you have all the knives you want, then buy a knife block. Or, buy an even larger block then slowly fill it over time if you like collecting knives. Some folks like a magnetic knife bar mounted on the wall above the cutting board.
You might begin your knife assortment with just the three most essential blades: a Chef's/Cook's Knife, and a Paring Knife, and a Serrated Bread Knife. A more useful, realistic selection is about double that...consider going with following six blades. Anything more than the six knives listed below will seldom be used, unless you have some very specific needs If so, you can always buy that needed blade at the start, or at a later time as the need keeps arising, rather than buy a large quiver of knives, most of which just sit there year after year, seldom, if ever, being needed or used. Buying only the knives you need, is buying smarter It means you can afford the cost of a few high quality, durable, and super performing knives. Before going into more detail, let us start at the beginning...
THE THREE ESSENTIAL KNIVES
1) 10" CHEF'S KNIFE: An 8" Chef's Knife is a bit short for a pile of veggies; most chefs use a 9"-12" blade. Jacques Pepin urges a 10" blade for home use even if you are short in stature or have a small hand; you soon become accustomed to it...never go smaller than 9" if you only have one chef's knife, in my opinion. Do not buy a Granton blade model...the plain edge lasts longer.
2) 3.5" SPEAR POINT PARING KNIFE: for peeling, slicing, garnishing, eying, and stemming of veggies/fruits. After
your Chef's Knife, the Paring Knife is the next most useful knife in your knife quiver.
3) 5" SERRATED UTILITY KNIFE or 6" "SANDWICH KNIFE: serrated edge with a sheep's foot tip, or perhaps the somewhat specialized fork-tipped, serrated Tomato Knife. This smaller, precise serrated blade is superior to all others for fruit/citrus, tomatoes, sandwiches, rolls, and smaller, precise slicing jobs where a slippery, tough outer surface, or hard crust must be dealt with. Of course, it also cuts softer surfaces too, and can do anything a plain edged Utility Knife can do.
This knife is also popular with bartenders when making drinks needing citrus slices. The Scalloped Utility Knife is an always useful, often overlooked blade. Many chefs or home cooks might prefer a 5-6" "Large Utility" or "Sandwich Knife" instead of the serrated version, using the serrated Bread Knife instead, as clumsy as a long, thicker blade is for slicing small fruit and tomatoes where serration is called for.
THE NEXT THREE MOST IMPORTANT KNIVES
4) 6" FLEXIBLE BONING KNIFE: for separating the bone from the meat, AND for filleting fish; separate boning and fillet knives are then not needed. This model has a dual-purpose flex. If you do a great deal of meat/poultry boning, or filleting of fish, buy separate knives for each function, such as a 5"-6" Stiff Boning Knife, and a 7" Flexible Fillet Knife. Most people can get by with this single somewhat flexible blade unless you often fillet fish which requires a dedicated, very flexible Fillet Knife; or if you frequently bone meats which requires a stiffer, dedicated Boning Knife.
5) 10" ROUND TIP HOLLOW EDGE SLICING KNIFE Granton Edge: dimpled edge; a more stiff blade for slicing larger beef cuts and and hot meats. Some chefs also use it for poultry; to slice chicken or turkey breasts and de-boned thighs instead of using the more flexible Spear Point "Carving" Knife discussed below. The Round-Tip Hollow Edge Slicer is often used in delicatessens and sandwich shops to thinly slice large cuts of meat.
Some home cooks prefer an 8"-10" Spear Point "Carving" Slicing Knife, for versatility, instead of a 10" Round Tip Hollow Edge Slicer. Research this for yourself if you have not yet decided. Longer blades make thin-slicing easier, shorter ones cut more precisely to match small meats, poultry, or medium to large fruits and veggies. The Slicer can also be used for salmon, but salmon lovers will eventually buy a specialized, long and very flexible, much thinner bladed Granton Fillet/Salmon Slicer. Some chefs use this Round-Tip Hollow Edge Slicer lacking a true butcher's knife for fabrication (breaking down a side of beef or very large cut such as entire loin or a full rack of ribs).
6) 5" SERRATED UTILITY KNIFE (or "sausage knife"): serrated edge with a curved-down sheep's foot tip, or perhaps the somewhat serrated Tomato Knife with a forked tip for lifting the tomato slices. Some Chef's would not include this blade, but I do. This smaller, precise serrated blade is superior to all others for fruit/citrus, tomatoes, sandwiches, rolls, and smaller, precise slicing jobs where a slippery, tough outer surface, or hard crust must be dealt with. Of course, it also cuts softer surfaces too, and can do anything a plain edged 6" Utility Knife/Sandwich can do. This serrated knife is also popular with bartenders when making drinks needing citrus slices. The Scalloped Utility Knife is an always useful, often overlooked blade.
(7?) 7" GRANTON EDGE SANTOKU KNIFE: a possible 21ST Century candidate as a seventh essential knife (see below).
SPECIALIZED or OPTIONAL KNIVES (Here is where you get into trouble...over-collecting, cool it)
* 2.75" BIRD'S BEAK PARING, PEELING, OR TOURNE KNIFE: for peeling rounded foods, "turning" or "shaping" veggies and small fruits, stemming or fluting mushrooms, scoring, and several other garnishing tasks. Always included in a culinary student's knife roll, but not often used in home cooking except, on occasion, by advanced home cooks.
* 8"-10" SPEAR POINT "CARVING" SLICING KNIFE: Granton Edge: spear point with dimpled edge; more flexible than the Round Tip Slicer. For deft carving, especially if you cut up poultry very often; for turkey, chicken, duck, large fruits and veggies, and for general slicing buy the 8" size. This Slicing Knife is the ideal poultry slicer, but it can slice beef or ham, but not as well as Round-Tip Hollow Edge Slicing Knife.
Some chefs use an 8" "Carving" Slicing Knife for small-to-medium boning and slicing, as a large Utility Knife/Carving Knife (most Utility/Sandwich Knives are 4"-6"). If you intend to buy no other slicing knives than this Spear Point Carving Knife, opting not to buy the 10"Slicer detailed above, consider buying a longer 10" Spear Point Carving Knife (longer blades make it easier to slice more thinly, but if buying both, buy the 8" Carving Knife and the 10" Round Tip "Beef" Slicer).
* 5"-6" STIFF BONING KNIFE: the stiff blade provides more control and safety when working around ribs and large bones, preventing slipping. The stout blade is also perfect for testing cooking meats. If you rarely fillet fish, then select this blade alone instead of the Flexible Boning Knife discussed above, or the Flexible Fillet Knife discussed below.
* 7" FLEXIBLE FILLET KNIFE: a very flexible blade, specialized for filleting fish, and for slicing poultry very thinly, such as carpaccio. If you very often prepare fish, it is best to buy a whole fish and fillet it yourself, because you can better determine freshness with a whole fish instead of a pre-packaged fillet. If you opt for this blade, then instead of the 6" Flexible Boning Knife listed above (used for both filleting AND boning), use this longer, specialized 7" Flexible Fillet Knife just for your filleting, then go with the more specialized 5"-6" Stiff Boning Knife just for the boning jobs.
* 7" SANTOKU KNIFE: hollow edge (Granton). This versatile blade often is selected in preference to a smaller 8" Chef's Knife. Use it for precision chopping and slicing; for the deft chopping of smaller amounts of veggies, and for exacting general slicing jobs. Perfect for mincing garlic and shallots as well.
* 6"-7" MEAT CLEAVER: this specialized design is needed if you often do small butchering, breaking down a large cut of meat(fabrication). It will chop through thick bone, gristle, and ribs that would chip and damage other knives.
ESSENTIAL KNIFE ACCESSORIES
1) 10" STEEL (honing steel): Absolutely required to keep your knife edge honed as sharp as possible. Always hone with your steel prior to cutting--get in the habit of doing so.
2) KNIFE SHARPENER: Buy the best you can afford. Arkansas stones are good...it pays to research the new sharpeners and knife sharpening websites. If you use hand held sharpeners it is critical that you ensure that the sharpener angle matches that of your knives or you will damage your blades.
3) CARVING FORK: Required to hold meat, poultry, or large fish securely while carving and slicing.
4) KITCHEN SHEARS: As you know, Kitchen Shears are endlessly useful for snipping string, opening packaging, and for cutting some foods. If you cut up whole poultry very often then Poultry Shears should also be bought to make cutting easier and faster than with a knife, in many cases.
The above review is copyrighted, without quotations or paraphrasing, and entirely written by the author, me. I hope this helps you in your knife shopping.
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Wusthof knives are great knives, and this is a very solid set. Unfortunately, this set includes a 6" fork that does not have a place in the block that they provide. For a manufacturer built set, this is pretty poor attention to detail. The Scissors and Honing Steel both have handles made of cheap plastic, which doesn't pair well with the set. The plastic is soft enough that it was dented/scratched in shipping, just from the knives bouncing into it inside the box.
Basically, the knives are great, but the rest of the set leaves something to be desired.
Buy Wusthof Classic 20-Piece Knife Set with Block Now
These knives are well made and very sharp. The balance is noticeable versus my old set and worth the extra money spent. I went with quality with the mindset, these should last me a lifetime.
Read Best Reviews of Wusthof Classic 20-Piece Knife Set with Block Here
Everything I expected highest quality knives you can get. Very happy with the set, though I still have a few knives to try! Highly recommended...you get what you pay for.
Want Wusthof Classic 20-Piece Knife Set with Block Discount?
these arent department store knives. understand the quality of these knives. you get what you pay for. just be very careful with these things because they will take a finger off quickly. oh and dont put them in the dish washer... never.
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I want to start off by saying that any review is relative to the consumers past experience. Before getting this knife I was working from a cheap knife set so I won't profess that my opinion is going to be relevant when compared to other high quality knives. For me the price was great and after using it I really appreciate how crappy the knives in my old set are. It's amazing how much more enjoyable cooking is when you have quality tools. So, if you're upgrading from a crappy set of knives you won't be disappointed. If you already have a good set of knives and you're looking to replace one of them with this please read another review.
