Customer Reviews

Calphalon Contemporary 15-Piece Knife Block Set

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

These knives live up to their description. They are first rate, high quality knives with a substantial casting and good sharpness out of box. I really like the contemporary handles with the knife description on the end of the handle. They are quite comfortable and have an excellent balance. They seem like they'll last a lifetime despite the lack of rivets on this style handle.
Only the steak knives are a bit of a disappointment- thus the four stars. Although they are also full tang construction they lack the bolster and just feel a bit lighter duty than the rest of the set. Nevertheless, even your toughest steaks will still cut like butter with these knives. I guess this is what really counts anyway.

I've noted many reviews for $99-$200 knife-sets for most manufacturers (KitchenAid, Cuisinart, and Calphalon) complaining about "staining" or "rusting" of knives. I contacted Calphalon customer service department with the question if it was true for this set, and if it is true, what solution is there to prevent/clean staining. Here is their email response:

"Due to the high carbon content, if the knives are not cared for
correctly, they can rust. If the knives are exposed to moisture for a very long time, they can begin to rust. Also, washing in the dishwasher can cause rusting due to the harsh detergents. If the knives are cared for correctly and are hand washed and dried completely after use, you will not have any rusting.

If the knives were to rust, you can restore the stainless steel by washing them with the cleaner Bar Keepers Friend, hot water and a nylon sponge. This is true for all of the knives.

Thank you,
Consumer Relations"

Hope this helps in your decisions.

When choosing any cutting tool, whether you're slicing food or shaping wood or anything else, three things are desirable:

1. Your tool should hold an edge for a long time (although nothing holds an edge forever)
2. It should be easy to sharpen
3. It should resist corrosion and/or staining

Unfortunately, there's a law of metallurgy that you can't ignore -- PICK ANY TWO of the three. Sorry about that, we just have to deal with it. And as pretty as stainless steel knives are, the problem with stainless is that once the edge is dull it's nearly impossible to get it back. Choose SS kitchen knives and within a year they'll be useless for cutting anything. The sad thing is that consumer preferences ave driven practically everything *except* SS knives off the market.

I was incredibly happy when I found these, and when I got them they didn't disappoint. I'll confirm all the positive things others have said about these knives -- beautiful fit-and-finish, handy to use, everything else. Best of all, they are SHARP and unlike a SS chef's knife you're able to KEEP them sharp. It's a superior product. Toweling them off after washing them by hand is a very small price to pay for having a knife that actually WORKS.

I have been cooking for many years and find these knives to be better then the high-end cutlery names lower end sets. The balance is great. They are forged, not stamped, look great, and are very sharp. The steel that comes with the set is full size. The steak knives are nice too. If you want to get a $$$$ set for $$$$ buy these knives. They are worth it.

After a year of researching knives and about 10 years struggling with a bad-quality set, I settled on the Calphalon 15-piece for a few reasons...

*The collection included in this set is comprehensive and sufficient, especially the fact that it includes the steak knives and a scissors.
*You get the "full tang" construction of expensive brands like Henckels and Wusthoff but without the price
*The handle construction is more sealed off and sturdy than the one Wusthoff knife I own, which has rivets in the handle that rust!
*The blades are strong and sharp, and cleanup is easy.
*The labels on the ends of each knife are so helpful--what a great idea!

I am very happy with this set, although I do wish the block had a few more slots. It only fits the knives in the main collection plus three steak knives. They are quite heavy, so do take care when wielding one. Nonetheless, good price, good quality, and great looks!

The etched name on each knife is as helpful as I thought it would be.
I have never had knives that require me to sharpen them so it took some getting use to. But the "new" edge is always nice and makes cooking easier.
I like the handles and balance as well. The steak knives are the only negative. They are not very "weighty" or sturdy. It would also be nice if they came with their own small block. The other knives and the shears are all good quality.
Also, you will have 3 empty slots in the block. I bought more knives to match (3.5-inch a paring knife, 5.5-inch bagel knife, and a 5-inch boning knife). They cost me another $60 but, since I cook a lot, they are very useful in the kitchen.
MAY 2007 UPDATE: The Steak knives are spot rusting, but the large knives are as good as new. Would buy again.
DEC 2008 UPDATE: All of the large knives have held up. The spot rusting is minimal and has not gotten any worse than a year ago; their serated edges aer still good.

I've had this set of knives for quite some time now (more than a year). They're heavy, they're sharp, and they definitely get the job done.

On the edge of the handle on each piece (except for the 6 steak knives) is etched a description of what each piece is. This makes for easy selection when taking one out of the storage block for use.

Everyone that has used them in my kitchen has told me how much they really like them.

I noticed someone here online saying that their set was staining from washing them in the dishwasher. I've ONLY washed mine in the dishwasher and haven't noticed any staining whatsoever.

Are there any negatives to this set? Just one. The block needs 3 more slits in it! It holds all pieces except for 3 of the steak knives. This was also pointed out by at least a couple of other reviewers on this item. In my case, since I don't have any children in my home I can place the remaining 3 in a kitchen drawer. Still, it would have been nice to have a block that could hold ALL of the cutlery.

To recap, a great set of knives that you will be happy to own and use. Get ready for positive feedback from visitors to your kitchen as well!

I finally grew out of my cheap kitchen knife set as my cooking frequency and skills have increased. I looked around at Henckel's and others, and even bought some single pieces. Everyone advises to get German steel, full tang, and a riveted handle. Well, unless you are hung up on the rivets, this is the set. The price is excellent. The heft is great, and the knives fit my large (male) hands very well. After dealing with a "starter" set it's like I've moved on to a whole new level of enjoyment in cooking. As far as the rivets, I noticed that one of the high-end Henckel's (I think 4) doesn't have rivets either. Since purchasing this set, I have also bought the boning knife separately and have found this to be a nice addition.

Five year follow up: I have been using these knives relentlessly for 5 years. I sharpen them occasionally. They are excellent. You should be able to find these for closer to one hundred dollars however.

As my cooking skills increased beyond the capability of an old set of Farberware knives (which could not be sharpened), I found myself in search of a new set. I didn't want to spend a king's ransom, but was really looking for quality.

I looked at every knife set in the $200 price range at BB&B. I found myself greatly disappointed with the low-end Henckels set - cheap construction and a flimsy blade. I finally settled on the Calphalon set because the knives have fantastic balance, sturdy, heavy-duty blades, and a comfortable grip. And they're not too heavy, either. When I brought the set home and tried it out, I was even more impressed with the quality of the set. These knives cut through everything like "a hot knife through butter," substantially reducing hand fatigue/strain when you cut a lot of stuff. In addition, I have tiny hands. My husband has huge hands. The grips on these knives are comfortable for both of us. (high end Henckels knives felt a little too big to be comfortable in my hand)

You'll want to pick up a 3 1/2" paring knife, a boning knife and a cleaver, but other than that, this is a fantastic set for the $$. Certainly better than low-end Henckels or Wustof, and IMHO is quite competitive with the mid-to-high range Henckels.

One last thought: HAND WASH ONLY. These knives are stainless steel, but diswasher detergent can stain the blades.

I have this set for about a month now and I am very happy with it. The set contains a good variety of knives that are well made and seem to hold their edge. I understand that they need a bit more care because of the type of steel used, but I prefer the extra care over using a poor quality knife. I wash and dry them individually and I haven't noticed any staining.

I think for the money the block could be made bigger to hold all the knives. I also think the steak knives are not quite as sturdy as the other knives in the set. However, these are the only shortcomings I've noticed. I also like that the set includes a bread knife. I find this very useful and a lot of inexpensive sets leave one out.

This is a good value for the price. I also like the labelled handles, it's a very nice touch.