High End Cutlery: What Should I Buy?

[SoDesuKa]

I am buying my daughter a belated Christmas present - an 8-inch chef's knife. Wusthof is the top of the line, selling everywhere for about $90. Is it really worth it? Can you suggest a less pricey alternative?

However, if it really is head and shoulders above the rest, well I'll spring for it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. It's a good knife!

The $90 you spend now will save her from having to spend $20 every year for a cheaper, but piece of shit, knife.

But it depends on how much she would use it, how serious she is, and whether she knows how to use it properly, and whether she knows how to sharpen it.

[SW FL Dem]

2. It's worth it!

I have one and I love it. If you have a Bed Bath and Beyond near you, look for one of their 20% off coupons and you can support a blue company and save some bucks at the same time.

[SoDesuKa]

6. Bed Bath and Beyond

I was in the BB&B in Manhattan today, and three separate staff people said hello to me - not to sell me anything but just to say hello. I was impressed!

The price of the Wusthof Classic 8" Chef's knife is the same there as everywhere. Macy's has it for $89.99, same as on the internet. I wonder if Wusthof insists on it.

Manhattan is full of specialized shopping areas, so tomorrow I'm going to The Bowery, where the restaurant supply houses are. If they have the Wusthof knife at $89.99, I'll accept my fate. I am a bargain-hunter and I don't give up easily.

[SW FL Dem]

7. If you have a BB&B coupon you can save 20%

Thats $18 on a $90 knife. I get the coupons in the mail all the time. I also find them in the Sunday paper. Even though the coupons say you can only use one at time, the store has recently changed its policy and allows you to use one coupon per item you purchase, my local store even lets me use them on the items listed on the coupons as not subject to the coupon (e.g. Henckels, Yankee candle etc.)

[Tyrone Slothrop]

15. If you don't mind travelling to Brooklyn

there's a really good store called A Chef's Companion on Atlantic Ave. just west of Court St.

I got a couple of Wusthofs there before Christmas, and the prices were really good. (It may have been a holiday sale, however. You might try to call if you're interested.)

[sleepyhead]

18. A Cook's Companion, actually.

Agreed - very nice store, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. DH has bought me several Le Creuset pots there - I get one every year for my birthday!

[Spider Jerusalem]

3. Look at Henckels, too.

Their cutlery is excellent, and probably equal to Wusthof in quality...but it's about as pricey, too. You might find the same knife by Henckels for abot $10 less, but that's about as much as you'll save...but it is worth it. After all, it's a professional tool, so the expense is more than justified.

[fluffernutter]

4. we have Henckels. they are very good.

[flamingyouth]

5. I have both kinds and agree with you

Both are great knives.

[HamdenRice]

8. It's not the knife -- it's the sharpener!

I have several Henkels and a Wustof (sp?) and both are very good, although some are better than others.

My girlfriend whom I live with grew up in a restaurant and we both love to cook.

That said, I truly believe that buying a great sharpener is much, much more important than what kind of knife you buy. Even the best knife gets dull pretty quickly and let's face it, most of us are not going to take our knives to be sharpened.

The electric Chef's Choice is excellent. They will probably try to sell you the 3 stage sharpener, but for most of us the 2 stage sharpener will do and I recently bought one for about $70 at Target. I used to have a 3 stage -- my dog got to it -- which you should get if you can afford it. I would have bought it but it wasn't available.

That sharpener will even allow you to put a great edge on a crappy knife.

[Left Is Write]

9. Yes, it's worth it.

[kick-ass-bob]

10. Cutco's stuff is awesome too...

if you can find a seller.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

11. Wustoff's are definitely worth it

They are the absolute best knives around, hands down.

[Worst Username Ever]

12. Yes. Buy it. However, buying the knives one at a time is the priciest

way to go. If you look at the Wusthof knife SETS, you will see a set of 10 knives for 250 dollars, including the one you are likely buying. If you buy a set it is a lot cheaper-per-knife.

[SoDesuKa]

17. One At A Time

Macy's had Wusthof's entire line in a single package costing $1,200. It might be a bargain!

I'm not buying the knife for myself - it's a gift for my daughter. She has a lot more money than I do. I rarely get the chance to get her something expensive.

[radwriter0555]

23. One at at time is fine, because, in reality, we only need 3 knives in the

kitchen.

The 8 inch is excellent, a bread knife is a must-have and a larger butcher style is also excellent to have around.

With a whole drawer of knives, I always reach for the 8 incher. You should also get her a sharpening steel, as that is how we keep our knives' edge in the best condition. They're only a couple more bucks.

[AlCzervik]

13. I like Henckels, as each of my crappy knives go i replace them one at a

time with Henckels and i make sure i take very good care of them.

[jandrok]

14. Chicago Cutlery is very, very good as well.......

I've had good experiences with it.

[Patiod]

16. I second what everyone has said, esp about getting a sharpner

I'm enjoying food prep so much more now that I have a decent knife that I can keep sharp. Amazinging the difference a well-weighted, balanced chef's knife makes.

What a great gift.

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. Are you Japanese?

Or have an interest in Japan?

I just ask because of your username.

[koneko]

21. Ditto that

I was going to ask the same thing.

My first reaction when I read it tonight was "SoDesuYo!"

OK, I admit, I'm a goof!

[Rabrrrrrr]

22. You may be a goof

But you're also a nut!

:hi:

Are you Japanese as well?

[koneko]

28. Nihonjin ja nai

I'm just an avowed Japanophile. I lived there for 6 years after college.

Loved it.

I have often wondered if your user name was a Japanese take on an English word or not. How do you know Japanese?

:toast:

[Rabrrrrrr]

29. Actually, my name comes from authentic frontier gibberish

But I know Japanese since I'm a long time fan of Japan (though never lived there) and my partner is Japanese (from Kyoto). And when I say "I know Japanese", I mean "I know it when I hear it, and I can say a few child words, and I know what the characters for KYOTO and NO look like, and I can even write the character for NO".

:-)

Where did you live in Japan? I'm assuming you were in Tokyo, based on your previous post in which you changed desuka to desuyo, but I could be wrong.

[mondo joe]

20. Wusthof IS the best. She might be fine with a 2nd rate Henckels though.

She might be fine with another option.

But buy the Wusthof for yourself. :-)

[Magrittes Pipe]

24. Wusthof can't be beat...

...but the professional line Henckel's are just as good. The trouble with Henckel's is that they also make a whole bunch of low-end knives for the Wal-Mart market. Buy the good stuff, and you won't be disappointed.

And I must disagree with the talk about sharpeners. If you treat your knives right, you'll only have to sharpen them every couple of years -- go to a good cooking supply store and have them do it with professional equipment. A steel is a MUST, though, because honing your knives every time you use them is part of proper care, and will prolong the life of the blade (and reduce the frequency of needing to have them sharpened).

[BiggJawn]

25. Wusthof is great, Henckels "Twinnworks" is great, too.

The Henckels with only one "stick figure" are second-rate and less on the quality scale.
I have a Wusthof paring knife, and a Henckels Twinnworks Ice Hardened chef's knife. I also have a set of Henckels "Eversharp" (cheap) that I don't use much because they aren't "eversharp".

But my most prized knife is a 10" Mod.35 J.A. Henckels Carbon Steel Twinnworks that was made before WWII. I can SHAVE with that knife, and I can carve you slices of turkey and ham that you can see through...
Awesome blade!

[Aiptasia]

26. or a Homegoods if they have one of those

in your neck of the woods.

[eoberhauser]

27. These are my favorite knives!

I absolutely LOVE my Wusthof knives. They are the best that I have ever used. Very nice! Go for it.

Erin