Customer Reviews

Wusthof Culinar 10-Piece Profile Knife Block Set

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4 star:		(1)
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2 star:		(1)
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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 Culinar line is an all stainless steel look, rather than a black handle. Although the picture and some descriptions want you to think this is a single piece knife, be advised that the hand is a separate piece of stainless steel molded onto the tang. I personally prefer the handle of the Grand Prix and Classic, because the grip is surer for me, but this is, to some extent, a matter of personal preference. This series "looks" more professional to some (like a Viking stove).

This set includes an 8 inch chef's knife, a 3 ½ inch paring knife, a 6 inch sandwich knife, 8 inch bread, a 5 inch salami, a 2 ¾ inch trimming knife, a sharpening steel, and an oak block

The 8 inch chef's knife is a great knife. Wusthof offers four sizes of chef's knives in the Classic version, 5, 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.

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 or 5 inch salami knives. I prefer the larger size of the chef's knife or the smaller 4 ½ inch utility knife. These knives are just the wrong width and length for most tasks, and falls into the overkill department, except when part of a set.

The 3 ¾ inch trimming knife, however, is a good length for small tasks, like trimming fat from cuts of meat.

The bread knife, is a great knife. Many people think tomatoes are the hardest food items to clearly cut. I think bread is much more difficult; but this knife makes the task seem easy. However, I prefer the 9 inch knife over the 8 inch included in this 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 good deal as far as price. However, keep in mind you really only get 7 knives. Adding the set of steak knives (which I consider a luxury, and not a necessity), will fill the remainder of the block.

The first time I ever saw a Wusthof Culinar knife, I did not know what it was. I already had a collection of Wusthof Classic kitchen cutlery, and I was looking for a second, smaller, chef's knife to fit one of the few remaining slots in my knife block. Among the many small chef's knives in that well stocked knife store was an unusual looking knife with a stainless steel handle - a marked contrast to the traditional black handles that were on all the other knives in the store, Wusthof or otherwise.

Curious, I picked up the unusual knife. It didn't feel like simply picking up a knife, though. Rather, it was as if the hilt molded itself to my hand, becoming an integral part of me rather than a mere implement. Despite the different look - at the time a major negative to a traditionalist like myself - I found myself considering buying it, in preference even to a traditional knife that would match the rest of my set.

When asked, the salesman stated, incorrectly, that the knife did not have a full length tang - and so I did not buy the knife on that day. I found out later that the blade - of the same high carbon stainless steel as Wusthof's traditional blades - has a tang that reaches nearly to the pommel end of the 18/10 stainless steel handle, where it is secured by a rivet embossed with the Wusthof trident.

I did not buy that knife on that day, but when it came time for me to upgrade my steak knives, I chose Culinar knives over all alternatives, despite the greater expense. I also dreamed of upgrading my kitchen knives to the Culinar line - to a set like this one - though I doubted I could ever justify the cost.

So what is in this set? Two pieces are not knives: the block and the sharpening steel. The block is handy for easy storage and drying of the knives after washing, and is of beautiful smooth maple - not oak - that is nicer than any other knife block I've seen. The steel is essential for occasional honing of the knives to keep them sharp. The tests I've seen on the internet show Wusthof steels to be more consistently hard than those from their competitors - important to ensure that it is the knives that are honed, rather than the steel that wears smooth.

Of the knives, the 20 cm (8") chef's knife is the one most used - perfect for all a manner of cutting. The 20 cm carving knife is used to serve roasts and birds after they leave the kitchen; the bread knife's serrated edge, also 20 cm in length, cuts the crustiest loaf.

The set includes three special purpose knives: a 9 cm (3.5") paring knife, a 14 cm (nominally 5", but closer to 5.5") boning knife, and a 14 cm tomato knife. The paring knife, while small for other tasks, is the perfect length for, well, paring - peeling potatoes and other tasks which involve cutting something held in the other hand, where a short blade helps to speed the work while avoiding injury. The boning knife has a narrow, maneuverable blade to help remove meat from sometimes irregular bones, and an oversize grip for the extra control that is sometimes needed for this job. The tomato knife has a serrated blade that is useful in slicing tomatoes and similar objects - where a nonserrated knife may slip when cutting the skin at a shallow angle - and a doubly pointed tip that can be used to position the resulting slices.

Finally, there are two more general purpose knives. One, a 12 cm (4.5") utility knife, is useful for odd jobs on the slimmer vegetables and other small objects. The other, a 16 cm (6") "sandwich" knife, can take on some medium size cutting tasks when the chef's knife is dirty, or can be used on the smaller odd jobs; it's also perfect for slicing a long, thin tenderloin roast.

This is an ideal knife set for the home chef. When I saw it on Amazon at less than one third of list, it was a bargain I could not pass up. That day I replaced my beloved Wusthof Classic knives with these Culinars. If you can get a similar price - or if the current price is something you can afford - I recommend that you, too, take advantage of this opportunity.

If you're serious about cooking good knives are probably the most important utensil. These knives are great. They cut through everything superbly. You have to be careful in handling them, though. I had a friend over who put one of them in a stack of other silverware where it got jostled around and the blade wasn't protected and the edge was noticeably dulled. It was easily sharpened with a few times through a standard knife sharpener (like any good blade) but you should take care to keep the knives in a block and not let the blade have too much contact with other metal. And of course use a wood or soft plastic cutting board.

The balance in the handle is excellent. It is really easy to use these knives because they do not put much strain on the wrist. The handles grip well. The knives clean easily. The only problem is that it will be hard for other knives to ever satisfy you after you've used these.

My biggest complaint was with the company which sells them through Amazon.com. Macy's shipped the order with a knife missing and over a month later I still do not have the knife from Macy's. Macy's has handled the problem incompetently, promising repeatedly to ship the knife "soon" and failing to do so. I may yet return the knives for that reason.

...the tang and handle ARE one piece, in all Wüsthof knives. They are also in a completely different category than Henckel, and the two no longer directly compete as Henckel has chosen to lean more towards quantity production rather than quality. This is not to say Henckel knives aren't good, but they aren't in the same class as Wüsthof.

I loved the way these knives looked when I bought them last year. They are gorgeous...but a few months ago the "W" logos on the handles started falling off! The knives have only been hand washed. Apparently the logos are glued on, very cheap. Disappointed.

These knives have amazing balance and they are beautifully sharp! I also feel like they were worth every penny and the Lifetime Warranty is awesome as well. Wustof have put together top notch chef knives!!

They were a gift for Xmas. I wanted a new set of knives, but was not expecting anything as nice as these. They are incredible, and have a very nice feel and balance...oh yeah, they are very sharp too. I first tested them on a not so fresh tomato, and they handled that with ease. I have since used them in a variety of manners, and have been impressed. The only other knife i would have considered buying on my own, were the Kai Shuns...

I gave this set to my boyfriend for xmas (he's been wanting a nice set of knives for awhile) and he LOVES them. Very good quality. You definitely get what you paid for with these knives.

A knife is meant to last you for life and what better than to have the best!

This is probably the only knife I know that's made of single piece construction! That means there's no shortcuts to making this knife, no ways in cheaping out to create this knife.

Made of pure 18/10 stainless steel and by one of the world's reputable German Knife Company you can't go wrong.