Customer Reviews

Chicago Cutlery Insignia Steel 12-Piece Knife Block Set

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've used this set for several years now (mine is the Insignia Matte Series) and have been very pleased with the overall cutting ability of these knives. Even though I also own Global and Shun kitchen knives, I find myself being drawn to the Insignia knives when I am in a hurry or in the middle of a large project. Although both the Global and the Shun have sharper edges, their price difference doesn't equate directly to the increased level of sharpness that you get. That is to say, yes Global and Shun knives are sharper, but they are not three to four hundred percent sharper all though their price difference certainly would suggest that.

Using my Insignia knives, I am able to quickly dice, cut, and slice through onions, carrots, chicken, roasts, etc. That said, there are several cavets that need to be stated. First, don't wash these knives in a dishwasher. It has nothing to do with the quality of the steel. I wouldn't wash my Ken Onion Shun Chef's knife in the dishwasher and that one knife costs as much as two whole sets of the Insignia. Second, these knives need to be honed regularly. A few strokes after every use makes a real difference. Third, after owning the knives for almost two years, I sharpened each of the knives on oil stones. These knives, like all knives will need to be resharpened from time to time. The good news is that they resharpened quite nicely, a tribute to their quality. Since resharpening, they have continued to hold their edges.

Last, the balance of these knives is more than adequate. I also own the matching sanduko and have found it to be the best of the series. All though I am a bit of a knife snob, and although I would love to purchase a block set of either the Shun or the Globals, I can't justify it given that the Insignia's cut so well. My wife would really give me no end of grief if I threw out a perfectly good set of knives. And a good set of knives these are.

bought mine from a Kohl's store for $99- these are great knives; I am a chef, so I wanted something nice for myself, and these are comparable to knives over twice the price. I highly advise buying them.

Some have said these rust. I run mine through the dishwasher (have for almost a year) and have never had a single spot of rust on them. Maybe they reformulated their metal sometime, don't know.

The larger knives are balanced with the center of gravity at the place where the blade ends and the handle begins. The steak knives and the pearing knife are not balanced. However, because these knives are smaller and are very light (hollow handle, short blades) I really think balancing them would be overkill.

I do not know how they make seamless stainless steel and have a hollow handle (reducing the weight). However they do it sure makes cleanup very easy. Running under a faucet for a couple seconds gets almost anything off.

If you use them heavily I do suggest honing them on the included sharpening steel from time to time. They always seem to stay sharp, but to keep the "that's the sharpest knife I've ever used" level of sharpness a few strokes across the sharpening steel restores it immediatly.

Oh, I do have one gripe. Where is the filet knife? I guess I do more seafood than most people, but I had to go buy a seperate filet knife. I guess you can only fit so many knives in a 12 piece set.

Overall the best knives I have used.

We bought these knives with a gift certificate we received for our wedding. They're terrific! The blades stay nice and sharp, and they're easy to keep clean since the blades and handles are one continuous piece of metal. They fit nicely in both my and my husband's hands, and the weight is just right.

I highly recommend these knives for anyone looking for a good set at a medium price.

Better than most expensive knives for a fraction of the price.

Bio-factor: I bought these because they do not have any seams. Most other knife sets have a seam where the blade and handle meet, thus allowing grime to build up and bacteria etc to live between the handle and blade. (I'm sure you've seen knives before with that little bit of mystery crud in the crevices) Of course, if you are a meticulous perfectionsit like me, you make sure that you scrub that area very well with soap hot water and the scrub brush (and dont forget to dry them!), but many people are not that way. Since this is a one-piece design, and is quite fluid, it is VERY easy to clean, and there is ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE for dirt or bacteria to hide and grow. *****

When I first saw these knives, they caught my eye and stopped me in my tracks. The design is absolutely beautiful. Additionally, the balance is pretty good on the larger blades. The smaller ones are not as balanced, but because of their light weight and small size, it really does not matter to me. We have had this set for over 2 years now, and the blades are stil nice and sharp. Either way, they are very aesthetically pleasing, very comfortable to use, and still dangerously sharp. *****

Another thing... many types of metal DO rust. However, if you take care of your kitchen tools, this should not be a problem for you. Generally, you are supposed to hand wash you knives and dry them after use. (no dishwasher!... There are certain things that should not go in the dishwasher: your good knives, children, car parts, etc..) Some people even recommend oiling the blades. These knives are great tools, and a great investment. Take care of them and they will take care of you for a very long time. BUT... If you just want a set of knives that you can throw in the dishwasher, or leave sitting in the sink full of water, then look elsewhere. *****

cutting 4.5/5
appearance 5/5
blanace 4.5/5
ease of cleaning (bio factor) 5/5

I have recived serveral comments on how good these knifes look. I am in fact very pleased with the way they look, but even more important is how well they perform. They cut wonderfully (for me at least, but I'm used to cheapy knifes). Yes they will in fact rust, although I haven't had this problem with my set (had them for about four months now) because I only handwash them and dry them immediately. One steak knife found it's way into the dishwasher and sure enough it came out with a little rust spot, this was easily removed with a little steel wool. You just have to weight the benefits of the all metal knifes to those that are wood handled or plastic.

I am not a chef, but I love to cook. I had a very inexpensive set of knives that gave out very quickly. I couldn't really afford the high end cutlery, and I found this suited my needs exactly. The edges are sharp and the handles fit well in my hand and they clean up nicely. I would higly recommend this set for the weekend kitchen warrior or everyday cook. I don't regret in a minute the purchase.

The knifes are great there is nothing not to like about them. I would buy this set again is I ever had to. I can cut right through anything without any trouble. I'm no longer fighting with my knifes to cut frozen meat's I love it. I do a lot of cooking and these knifes made cooking go so much easier and faster.

Taken directly from chicagocutlery.com-- &quot;Chicago Cutlery knives are warranted to be free of defects in material & workmanship under normal household use for the LIFETIME of the product. ANY piece found to be detective will be repaired or replaced at no charge with the same item or an item of equal or greater value. This warranty is not valid for products damaged by misuse, for purposes other than normal household use, or failure to follow the manufacturer’s use & care instructions.&quot; As for failure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, one of those little rules happens to be not putting your knives in the dishwasher-- something you should have learned from your parents a long time ago, anyway. They weren't &quot;just&quot; trying to save water! <br> If you must wash them in the dishwasher, dry them by hand-- it'll save you the hassle of mailing in perfectly good knives later. As for myself, I'm a third generation Chicago Cutlery devotee-- the same Performa wood set has served my mother for the last 30 years and my grandmother for 50. I'm the first to take on the stainless set and with rigorous use and standard care, they have served myself and my family extremely well.

My mom loves these. It was a gift for her last christmas and she doesn't know what she would do w/out them. Great buy for the price.