Cook’s Knife

This is a great knife. I was originally going to buy an entire set as a gift to my mom, but after much thought - realized that it's better to spend the money on a few quality knives than buying a set where most of the knives are rarely used. After some reading and research, I decided on this 8-inch cook's knife and a 4.5" utility knife. I'm very happy on my decision, and so is my mom. The large knife is used for most meal prep, and the smaller knife is used for more delicate cutting (for fruits, etc.) This knife cuts beautifully and feels great in your hand. It retains its sharpness and looks good too. In fact, everyone who came to visit during the holidays and spent some time in the kitchen for meal prep, exclaimed (unprompted) how great these knives were. They're unbelievably sharp, cutting through meat, cooked conch, vegetables, fruits, and so much more with great ease. The splurge on the Wusthof Classic line is well worth it. They have several others, such as the gourmet line, which are cheaper, so be careful when you're looking. The classic line is full tang (blade is forged from a single piece of metal and extends into the entire length of the handle), and are therefore much more durable and feel a lot better in your hand. I'd highly suggest giving lots of thought into getting really great knives, and think about the knives you use most (i.e. if you don't often eat bread, a really expensive bread knife really isn't a must) when making a purchase like this one. Meals together is a big part of our family, and cooking a meal together as a family when we're all home for the holidays means a lot to all of us. Having a great knife to ease through the long process of preparing a good meal really does make a huge difference. I think this knife will last for a really long time, and am glad to have added it to the collection at home.

My mom, browsing my Amazon wishlist one day, saw this listed there. She emailed me immediately to ask why I would ever want a knife that is that expensive. Aren't the knives that she gave me as a housewarming gift good enough? They are dishwasher-safe and have a lifetime warranty, she reminded me. I had to explain that while the knives she gave me were nice, they don't even compare to my Wustofs. My Wustof knives retain an amazing sharpness (even when I'm a little lazy about sharpening them). Their balance is unparalleled. The handle fits my hand perfectly. The knives that she sent me always feel dull in comparision, and the handle is simply uncomfortable. I consider a good cook's knife to be essential for anyone who cooks. The question of which cook's knife to buy depends on the person who will be using it. There are two different questions: which model to purchase, and which length to purchase. There are two main knife manufacturers: Wustof and Henckels. I think that Wustof knives are better made. However, some people prefer the handles on the Henckels. The Henckels handle is extremely uncomfortable for me, so I don't even consider them. The second question is that of length. If you are taller, you will want a longer knife. Shorter people will want a shorter knife. I stand at 5'7" (170cm), and find that the 8" knife is most comfortable for slicing and chopping. My best friend is about an inch taller than me and also prefers this knife. A friend who is a couple of inches shorter than me prefers the 6" cook's knife. If you have never purchased high-quality knives before, I would recommend that you go to a traditional store and try them out first. You want to see if the handle is comfortable and if the balance is right for you. Then come back here and order it -- the Amazon price is much better than that found in any kitchen speciality or upscale department store. Also, if you have never purchased high-quality knives before, I would recommend two other purchases: a knife holder of some sort and a sharpening steel. The former, which doesn't need to be very expensive at all (my best friend has one that cost him less a dollar; it is simply a plastic tray with slits for holding the blades), keeps the blade from getting nicked while it's sitting in your drawer. The latter keeps the blade nice and sharp. You should sharpen your knives every time you use them. This isn't very difficult, nor is it very time-consuming, but it keeps your knives in perfect condition. I am extremely happy with my purchase. I am slowly growing my knife collection. You will always find one of these knives on my wishlist. Even my mother has come around -- after experiencing these knives herself, she bought one for herself, and sent me the 6" cleaver as a birthday gift!

Very heavy, sharp, comfortable to grip, easy to use and absolutely the best knife you’ll have in your kitchen! I use it for almost everything! Such a great brand of kitchen cutlery. My Mom is a master chef and suggested I build this knife collection slowly and she was right on the money. Currently have this and the Santoku and will keep buying until I have a full set fit for a chef.

Does what it says and does it well.

Very sharp

While I am not a professional chef, by any stretch of the imagination, I do like to have decent tools when I do work and this Wusthof Classic 8-inch cook's knife has lived up to those expectations. It is well balanced, fits my hand well, very solid construction and its quality shines every time I reach for it in the kitchen. I am one of those types of cooks that ends up using about two knives out of the entire set 90% of the time. Yes, I have a fillet knife that ought to be used when I fillet fish, butterfy chicken or a meat or whatever else but, when this knife is already in my hand, I never think twice about doing it with this knife. I do know enough to NOT use this knife to cut through bone or use it on an improper cutting surface, such as glass. I have had this knife for several months now, use it nearly every day for normal home kitchen type use and have yet to be disappointed. I do the normal kitchen maintenance on the knife, as required -- a few passes on the hone with the proper angle - and this knife still works as well (or better) as it did when it was new. I do take very good care of my tools and have not had any issues with the tip breaking off, the handle coming apart or surface rust nor do I expect any of that to start now. I would suggest that you learn how to properly care for a nice knife or stick with the disposable $10 set from your favorite store -- either way, find something that works for you and enjoy! This knife is a great fit for me and I definitely feel that I have already gotten my money out of this knife. As my others need replacing I will certainly be looking to add knives from this series to my current set.

Chef's knife works wonderfully. Can't ever go wrong with Wusthof!

Durch meine langjährige Tätigkeit bei einem Party-/Veranstaltungsservice ist mir die Firma Wüsthof aus Solingen ein Begriff. Da ich zuhause über kein vernünftiges Kochmesser verfüge, sollte es deshalb ein Messer von Wüsthof sein. Ich blieb bei der Classic Serie hängen und sah hiesiges Kochmesser mit 20cm Klinge. Bestellt, bezahlt und auf die Lieferung gewartet. Leider hatte das gelieferte Messer 2 Beschädigungen an der Klinge. Der Retourenservice von Amazon klappte fantastisch und 2 Tage später hatte ich das neue Messer in der Hand. Und was soll ich sagen, dieses Teil fühlt sich sehr gut an, liegt ausgewogen und ausbalanciert in der Hand und hat eine unglaubliche Werksschärfe. (Da ist echte Vorsicht geboten) Die ersten Einsätze verliefen noch vorsichtig und etwas zaghaft, aber im Laufe der Zeit klappte das Schnibbeln und Schneiden immer sicherer und schneller. Gemüse und Obst lassen sich ohne große Anstrengung zerkleinern, auch hartes Gemüse (Kohlrabi, Möhren, Sellerie) schneidet das Messer mit Leichtigkeit. Fleisch wird auch sehr sauber ohne Reißen und Ausfransen geschnitten. Der Wiegeschnitt (beim Zwiebelschneiden) ist mühe- und tränenlos durch die unglaubliche Schärfe möglich. Mit diesem Messer kann man eigentlich alles ohne Wenn und Aber schneiden. Zur Reinigung verwende ich etwas Spüli und warmes Wasser. Vom Einsatz in der Spülmaschine rate ich dringend ab, selbst wenn es der Hersteller dafür freigegeben hat. Die Schärfe erhalte ich mit einem Wetzstahl. Zweimal rechts und links abgezogen reicht das für den nächsten Einsatz. Dadurch verzögert sich auch das Nachschleifen auf einem Wasserstein. Von der Benutzung eines "Durchziehschärfers" kann ich nur dringenst abraten, damit macht ihr nur eure Messer kaputt. Diese "Schärfer" reißen die dünne Schneide förmlich in Stücke! Im Fazit kann ich dieses Kochmesser bedenkenlos weiterempfehlen. Die Verarbeitung ist hervorragend, die Griffe sind übergangslos geglättet, es steht nirgendwo ein Grad über und der verwendete Stahl ist äusserst schnitthaltig. Das wird garantiert nicht mein letztes Messer von Wüsthof sein.

TL;DR - I recommend trying before buying, but this is far and away the best knife I've ever owned. Side note: the Victorinox Chef's knife is an excellent budget alternative. The following is the story of how I became willing to spend ~$130 on a knife and why you should consider it, too. I've heard from several chefs that the most important kitchen investment for any cook, fledgling or seasoned, is a top quality knife. My parents didn't see this as a universal truth, however, so I used budget knives for the majority of my life. You know the type. They're shoved into a humongous block or sold in 10,000 fabulous colours. You sharpen and hone them, but they can't keep an edge. But that's okay; it's supposed to be damned hard to cut an onion, right? In this fairytale land of knifehood, you're told you need a knife to suit every situation. You have your $20 chef's knife that dulls like a lecture, soft cheese knife, hard cheese knife, mystery cheese knife, knife for knife's sake. The knives go on. I didn't know what to do with them, so I mostly stuck to the chef's knife anyway. Turns out, my instincts were on point. Instead of an armory, I only required a small subset. The star of which? A chef's knife. It's perfectly fine to use a chef's knife for 90% of your kitchen fare. The rest consist of a paring knife, a bread knife, and MAYBE a filleting knife. If you're a butcher or carving large boned meat, you might pick up a cleaver, but now we're branching into specialty territory. I went on Amazon and looked up a few knives and stumbled upon the Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Cook's Knife. The reviews were glowing, but I still wanted to try it. I went into a local store and tested a variety of blades - from German to Japanese and, of course, North American. For me, the one that felt most comfortable (and that I could comfortably afford) was the very same Wusthof. I bought it immediately and haven't regretted it since. I use almost nothing else in the kitchen. I did buy a paring knife from Victorinox, however. More on that later. I've owned the Wusthof for a year and a half now, and it is an utter joy to use. I love the weight, the simplicity of the grip, and the razor edge. For me, it's a 5-star product, and I can't imagine my kitchen life without it. In spite of this, I highly recommend trying before buying. Hands aren't made equally, so one's "excellent grip and weight" might be horrible for another individual. Seriously, go to a knife store and try everything. Try cheap, try expensive, find what you like, then buy online to avoid the price hike. •• WHAT MAKES A GOOD BLADE? •• There are differing thoughts on the subject, but for everyday use, stainless steel with a high carbon content is a good way to go. It combines the rust-proof nature and durability of stainless steel without sacrificing too much in the sharp department. And sharp it is. I find slicing vegetables to be fun. Meat is just as easy. I've sharpened my Wusthof once in a year and a half, and I hone it before every use. Cuts like a dream. Another great thing about the Wusthof is that it has that western style curve, which allows for a gentle rocking motion. This is a style preference not possible with Japanese Sentoku style knives, so again, I recommend trying before buying. •• KNIFE GUARD NOT INCLUDED •• One fact is that the Wusthof doesn't come with a knife guard, so I'd recommend something like this: Wusthof 9920-5 Blade Guard Wide up to 8-Inch . The 8 inch version was sold out when I was looking, so I bought the 10 inch. It's a simple sleeve and works perfectly. See photos below. Update 01/05/2017: I recently bought a magnetic strip from Ikea. It was like $7-8, so consider that if you have room to hang. •• NO DISHWASHER FOR YOU! •• In addition, with a knife like this, make sure to clean it manually after every use. This isn't the kind of thing you toss in a dishwasher. That will likely damage the blade. •• THE BEST BUDGET ALTERNATIVE •• Another knife I had the pleasure of trying in store was the Victorinox, made by the manufacturer of the Swiss army knife. For around $40, the blade has a high carbon content, and it also has stellar reviews. Seriously consider purchasing it if you're on a budget. In spite of owning the Wusthof, I ended up buying the Victorinox this year. Honestly... it's such a great deal at $40, I couldn't resist. I handle the Wusthof like it's my baby, so I wanted something for less intensive duties. I always liked how light it is in comparison to the Wusthof; it's a great item for the beginner and experienced chef alike. If I was moving out again for the first time, and I needed ONE kitchen item, I'd probably go with the Victorinox hands down. The edge it keeps is remarkable compared to other budget options. It puts all my previous low-end knives to utter shame (including Tomodachi and Paderno from Costco). I feel like I'm beating a dead horse singing it's praises, but it's THAT much better. Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife 40520, 47520, 45520, 5.2063.20 The paring knife counterpart - also highly reviewed: Victorinox Swiss Classic 4-Inch Paring Knife, Spear Tip Thanks for reading. Think of a knife as an investment. It's the same as a car (minus the carbon emissions). If you care for it, it'll last an enjoyable 20+ years. I hope you find the perfect slice. Update 04/25/2017: Just over 2 years from the purchase date, the Wusthof looks... like I just bought it. Granted, the logo has faded from the handle, but we can chalk that up to vigorous hand scrubbing. I now sharpen it once every 6 months for safety reasons (better sharp than less sharp), and it still cuts through anything like a bazooka through paper. Still happy. I can't see these 5 stars slipping away. ALSO, I recently purchased: King 47506 1000/6000 Combination Grit Waterstone , which is a high-end sharpening stone. They're really cool and surprisingly easy to use. Google "Japanese Waterstone" for more info or check out how to use them on YouTube. If you don't want to take your knives in to be serviced, or you're just curious about sharpening your own knives... I'd highly recommend it. :) Update 09/08/2017: I love when I see products I've bought used on TV. Recently, I saw someone on Marvel's "The Defenders" using a Japanese Waterstone to sharpen a Katana. Smart ninjas, eh? :) Update 08/23/2018: I've linked a 15 minute video that goes over all aspects of chef's knives and will give you an excellent idea of what to look for. To get to the video, click the "comments" tab below my review. It's straightforward and helpful. Update 05/31/2020: I still sharpen this puppy once, maybe twice a year. As long as I'm honing it before every use, she's sharp sharp sharp. In terms of wear, it practically looks brand new. This thing will easily last me 20 years. EASILY. :) In the kitchen, I still maintain that nothing is as important as a sharp knife.

Good quality knife

Sturdy and strong knife.