Chicago Cutlery started as a completely American enterprise but now depends on a global corporation for manufacturing and distribution. With several different styles of knives and block sets to choose from, Chicago Cutlery offers shoppers an economical alternative to expensive German steel.
Alfred Paulson founded Chicago Cutlery in 1930. In its early days, the company provided sharpening services for meatpacking companies and other professionals. Responding to the demand for sharp knives, Chicago Cutlery started its own line of American-made cutlery, intended for the meat and poultry industries. Not until 1969 did Chicago Cutlery knives become available to the general public. Chicago Cutlery based its retail business on providing professional quality to private consumers.
In 1988, General Housewares Corporation purchased Chicago Cutlery. GHC changed its name to World Kitchen, LLC, in 2006. World Kitchen owns the Chicago Cutlery brand and distributes and manufactures the knives from facilities in the U.S., Canada, and the Asia/Pacific region. That means that today your Chicago Cutlery knife probably originated in a Chinese factory.
Chicago Cutlery brand knives currently come in four main types, based on handle materials used. Each construction type includes several different styles. Three styles of all-stainless steel knives contrast with three traditional walnut-handled product lines, including Chicago Cutlery’s simplest variety, the Walnut Tradition set. More durable polymer slab handled knives are available in six different patterns, and knives with a combination of polymer and stainless steel grips provide five colorful choices. Chicago Cutlery offers fully forged knives as well as knives made from stamped stainless steel.
See all of our Chicago Cutlery reviews below
This bargain set of forged steel knives appears to be more than it actually is, since six of the knives in the block are stamped steel steak knives. After counting the block, sharpening steel, and kitchen shears, that leaves only three actual prep knives.
The workhorse knives you do get include ...
The Chicago Cutlery Signature series uses full tang construction with blades ground from the same blank of stamped high carbon stainless steel. The handle shape and grip is completely formed from the slabs of American black walnut hardwood fixed to the tang with three solid brass rivets. Blades ...
This three-knife set from Chicago Cutlery's Fusion series updates a classic forged knife pattern with a sleek, modern look. These three prep knives could be a practical first step in setting up a kitchen. Although the look is modern, details are definitely old school.
With a 7-3/4-inch chef's knife backed ...
For the cook who wants just the basics at a good price, Chicago Cutlery offers the Metropolitan three-piece Prep Knife Set. If you don't mind a few minutes refining some pretty good workmanship with a whetstone and sharpening steel, you could get a good set of prep knives for ...
Designed to never need sharpening, the knives in this block set from Chicago Cutlery feature thick stamped high carbon stainless steel blades with serrated edges. The set is a tempting mix of good values and troublesome ideas.
The Basics 25-piece Wood Block Set, made in China to Chicago Cutlery's specifications, includes ...
This ten-piece block set in the Classic Chef pattern from Chicago Cutlery does not represent the best that China offers today. Out of this large assortment of imported standard kitchen knives, only the wooden knife block gets an honorable rating.
Serrated knives -- and all knives in this set are ...
Wood, brass, and steel combine to form this six-piece Walnut Tradition Knife Block Set from Chicago Cutlery. Full tang high carbon stainless steel knives with simple walnut hardwood handle slabs have a frontier look and basic serviceability. The brass rivets holding handles to tangs are the only decoration.
How good ...
This eight-piece Metropolitan Knife Block set from Chicago Cutlery offers no-nonsense practical quality. Rated as a "Best Buy" by Consumer Reports Magazine in 2007, this Metropolitan set includes only the most basic knives. Many owners will choose to expand it, but the knife set is still a good start for a small ...
These three knives from Chicago Cutlery's Signature series are about as simple as good knives get. The design is completely functional and could have come from any American frontier kitchen. The black walnut hardwood handle slabs and brass rivets create durable grips for the full tang high carbon stainless steel ...
Chicago Cutlery's Insignia Stainless Steel twelve-piece block set offers a low cost alternative to all metal knives from top modern manufacturers. Made in China, the Insignia series includes taper ground plain cutting edges, gap-free construction, and weight-saving hollow steel handles.
What looks like a satin finish version of today's best knife construction ...
I have an old Chicago Cutlery cooks knife which is an amazing example of what American knife makers once regularly produced. Unfortunately, this knife isn't a suitable heir to that reputation. To be fair, this is an inexpensive "specialty" knife aimed at the casual home cook who might use a ...
Of the many "block sets" on the market, this is one of the few which comes close to getting it right. Refreshingly, it offers only a few of the essentials and very little filler.
This isn't a professional grade set, nor even a set aimed at the accomplished home cook. This ...
This knife will cost you ten bucks or so. How good could it be? But read the reviews on Amazon and I bet you're taking out your wallet.
Twenty-three people bothered to write that they had discovered a steal of a bargain on this bread knife. It's one of the most popular knives for ...
This Santoku is a seven-inch Japanese style chef's knife. Chicago Cutlery specializes in delivering high value knives. When I say value, I mean that you get more than what you pay for, not that this is the highest-end knife out there. I'll link to a slightly higher-grade knife below as well so you ...
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