Customer Reviews

Wusthof Classic 3-1/2-Inch Paring Knife

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This knife is good for everything from mincing herbs to slicing fruit to filleting small fish - it even makes a pretty good steak knife. I finally broke down and bought a second one, so my mate and I can cook together without fighting over it.

Like all the knives in the Wusthof Classic line, this knife is fully tanged and bolstered. The tang extends into the handle and offsets the weight of the blade, and the bolster sits on your index finger to provide the fulcrum point. The result is a knife that is remarkably responsive and balanced. Some reviewers prefer the larger utility knife to this 3.5 inch parer. This knife is lighter and shorter, and therefore provides a balance point that is more comfortable for a smaller hand.

If you want the full arsenal of Wusthof prep knives, get the bird's-beak parer for digging the eyes out of potatoes and the stems out of peppers, get the serrated utility knife for slicing citrus and tomatoes, get the trimming knife for cutting off stems and boo-boos, and get the utility or boning knife for for slicing and meat prep. But if you just want to buy one, get this one.

I strongly advise people to get GOOD knives. You don't end up with a drawer of junk, and you will grab for this one probably more than any other in the kitchen. This is my workhorse, and I love Wusthof knives. I've had a set for 20 years, and only replaced my paring knife because it was missing from my set after a move. I do everything with this, peel vegetables, cut dice, slice or dice onions.

I received this paring knife (included in the course fee) when I took a Wusthof knife skills course at a local shop. It's everything a knife should be - sharp, solid, well-balanced, and a comfortable fit in the hand. Wusthof got the proportions of the classic-style handle about right; not too fine, not too chunky... just right for comfort and control. After the course I gave it to my mother, who was surprised at its sharpness. (I already owned a Henckels Pro-S 3" paring knife, which has a slightly longer handle... IMO the two knives are similar in quality.)

This is also the knife that inspired a friend who finally bought one to exclaim, "I'm surprised you didn't say, 'You call that a knife????? THIS is a knife!' when you were using my (old, stamped, serrated) knives!" She now understands my addiction to forged German steel.

As always, it's best to try several knives in person and see how they fit your hand before buying, but it would be hard to go wrong with this one.

Undoubtedly the most often used knife in my kitchen, and the one I absolutely cannot do without. The Wusthof Classic paring knife has a 3-1/2-inch blade that's perfect for small cutting jobs and peeling. (It's pointed tip pops eyes out of potatoes!)

Whether slicing lemons, quartering an apple, or taking a nibble from our favorite cheese block, this is always the knife I reach for. It's quality is unsurpassable--it's forged to precision and perfectly balanced.

Wusthof has been producing quality cutlery for almost 200 years--it's a product you can rely on!

Having already owned two of the larger Wustof Classic knives it wasn't a difficult decision to buy this one when the price came down to $29.

After buying some hard beets at the farmers market I grabbed a knife from a good enough set, took one slice then remembered this new knife was in the drawer. The difference in slicing between a good enough knife and this one was the difference between good enough and outstanding.

I've got a cheap-o chef's knife and I've got this little 3 1/2" Wüsthof paring knife. It's a testament to the quality of the Wüsthof that I'd rather use it, even for big knife jobs like chopping vegetables or cutting meat. The quality of the blade more than makes up for the lack in size.

This is an excellent knife - well weighted and holds a sharp edge. We use it almost every day for everything from fruits & veggies to cheeses.

I gave this knife to my dad for fathers' day, and he seems very happy with it. In the few times I have used this knife, I have been very impressed. The blade is so sharp that it actually cut into one of our cutting boards! Overall, a very multi-functional, suberbly made knife.

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 is 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.

Don't get me wrong; this is a very good knife. However, for the mainstream chef, I think its usage will be minimal, and thus it is overkill. Look for the 4 ½ inch utility knife first. If you own that knife, and you need this size for a specific application, this knife is great.

I never thought I would write a review of a pairing knife, but this one is so good I couldn't resist.

The thing I really like about it is the balance. It is just about perfect. I never realized how much of a difference that would make, but it does make a difference. Moving the knife one way and then another is just about effortless. That - combined with the sharpness of the knife - makes it very, very easy to use.

Additionally, it seems to be well made and of good materials. I have now had it for almost a year and it is as sharp as when it first arrived.

I like this knife so much I am going to buy another so I always have one when the other is in the washer.