If you like Forschner cutlery but prefer the natural beauty of rosewood to the company's black indestructible Fibrox, the Rosewood Utility knife offers users the same economy and quality with traditional styling. With only slightly more care, the rosewood-handled utility knife should survive kitchen duty just as well as the ...

Victorinox's Restaurant Cleaver offers professional quality at a bargain price. The Forschner version of this traditional kitchen knife cuts back only a little on size and weight, resulting in a blade that matches the needs of modern home kitchens.

With a blade only 2-1/2 inches wide and 7 inches long and a ...

Thick laser-cut steel and a cutting edge ice-hardened by J.A. Henckels' Friordur process makes the Twin Meat Cleaver strong enough for any tough chopping job in the kitchen. This is not a lightweight vegetable cleaver -- the blade of the Henckels chops through gristle, joints, and even heavy bone and ...

The six-inch carving fork and eight-inch carving knife in the Wusthof Classic Carving Set bring hand forged quality and strength to the dinner service. This elegant pair has a rugged build that serves equally well in the kitchen. As much care went into the production of this tempered high ...

The J.A. Henckels International Traditional 4-Piece Steak Knife Set uses natural hardwood handle slabs that many will prefer over the usual dark polymer versions. Plastic composites may have much the same look as finished wood, but knives with composite handles never have the same feel.

The International Traditional series features high carbon ...

If you're looking for a well made set of four lightweight and slender steak knives, the J.A. Henckels International Classic Steak Knife Set is a good match. Forged blades and bolsters and full tang slab handles match the look of other knives in the Henckels Classic series, but without the bulk ...

The Henckels Gourmet 3-Piece Starter Set of three high carbon stainless steel knives pares back the complications of J.A. Henckels manufacturing to the bare minimum but still provides three very useful blades of good quality. The alloy steel matches Henckels' usual standards, but construction methods are much simpler ...

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 ...

The four knives in this Shun Classic 7-Piece Bamboo Block Asian Knife set all feature the Damascus style steel that gives Shun's VG-10 blades their superior edge-holding ability and strength. A central VG-10 layer forms the cutting edge and is hardened to Rockwell 61 -- excellent for sharpness, but ...

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 ...

Built with one of J.A. Henckels' best manufacturing processes this Twin Pro-S two piece Carving Set won't disappoint. An eight-inch carving knife and matching seven-inch carving fork handle even large roasts and poultry with efficiency and grace. The construction is ergonomically correct, and the appearance matches the look of ...

Much lighter than the typical forged Wusthof knife, this Wusthof Gourmet 9-Inch Fish Fillet Knife features a slender blade of razor edged and flexible laser-cut stainless steel. The high carbon blade of Wusthof's special no-stain X50CrMoV15 alloy steel holds an edge well and is easily re-sharpened with a handheld honing steel.

The ...

The briefcase-sized metal bound carrying case of this set holds three styles of sushi knives plus four reusable lacquered chopsticks and four ceramic chopstick holders. All pieces fit into cutouts in the foam liner, locked away securely until it's time to cut some fish.

Sushi knives have a distinctive look ...

Large game fish like salmon are too valuable to risk on inferior tools -- if you're lucky enough to need a way to slice smoked salmon this 11-inch cutting edge Wusthof Gourmet Salmon Slicer provides the method. Designed especially for thin precise cuts of delicate fish, the salmon slicer's plain edge ...

MIU France offers this four-piece pakkawood steak knife set without providing much technical information or even a description of warranty terms. The design of the knives in the set is very rustic and won't be out of place at most table settings. Large handles and wide blades offer a ...

This Wusthof Classic Santoku 6-Piece Block Set switches the classic European chef's knife for the classic Japanese santoku -- which more and more of us are discovering to be the real workhorse of the modern kitchen. More specialized than the versatile cook's or chef's knife, the slimmer and more efficient ...

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 ...

This bird's beak paring knife from J.A. Henckels features the same rugged slab handle build and full tang high carbon stainless steel as the larger knives in the Henckels line. The bird's beak has a very specialized function. Designed for curved peeling and shaping of garnishes and fruits, the ...

The Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star four-knife steak set offers forged high carbon stainless steel blades and a lighter build than the Henckels full tang cutlery. With rat tail tangs enclosed in molded polymer handles, the construction is clean and functional but not heavy duty.

Backed up with a limited lifetime warranty, ...

Four good knives plus a sharpening steel and a hardwood storage block, the Calphalon Traditional 6-Piece Block Set keeps to the basics. Some of the features you'd see in the German-made Calphalon knives have been trimmed out of this Chinese version of an old German pattern, but the results are functional ...

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 ...

Lighter and harder than European forged steel knives, Yoshikin Global cutlery outperforms heavyweight German patterns in many ways. Using these fine blades does require some adjustment in technique, but most chefs will find it worth the trouble. Older knives won't be obsolete in your kitchen, but you'll love these for ...

The Henckels Twin Select 3 Knife Starter Set offers the three practical blades most needed in any kitchen. The style and build of the Henckels set is similar to the Wusthof Culinar 3-Piece Starter Set but lower in price. Though the Wusthof Culinar set is nearly bulletproof, this competitive selection from ...

Laguiole knives forged in the small town of Laguiole, France, sport a trademark brass bee at the junction of blade and handle and have a fine reputation as quality cutlery based on a old locally developed workman's design. The Sabatier Laguiole knives in this set aren't those knives. Laguiole ...

Using the same solid construction as the Henckels Twin Professional Series chef's cutlery, this four-knife steak set brings traditional quality and style to the dining table. Triple-riveted polymer handle slabs enclose the full tang of the one-piece drop forged knife set with the durability and practicality of Henckel's prep knives. The ...

Though this set of forged high carbon stainless steel knives is manufactured in Brazil, the design and quality is thoroughly German. Adhering to proven ideas from Solingen knifemakers, Mundial's knives buck no trends. You get knives as knives were made decades ago, with strong bolsters and solidly built blades ...

One good chef's knife does a lot for the kitchen, easing all kinds of prep work from slicing vegetables to carving meat and even mincing herbs. In skilled hands, every part of the chef's knife efficiently performs a different essential task. The Meridian Elite Chef's Knife from Messermeister of Solingen, Germany, ...

This starter set from Messermeister of Solingen, Germany, includes three of the most used knives in any kitchen. The eight-inch blade of the chef's knife covers most slicing, carving, and chopping work. The six-inch utility knife bones poultry and meat and comes in handy for sandwich prep. The paring knife with ...

The Henckels Classic series still uses the steel alloy developed by J. A. Henckels for its distinctive high performance cutlery. This unique blend of carbon, chromium and other trace elements creates the backbone of this drop forged carving set. A slim carving knife with an eight-inch blade backed up by a stout six-inch ...

This 38 piece Knife Block set plus an assortment of kitchen tools won't match the quality of Wusthof, Victorinox or Henckels. Actually it won't match the usual offerings from Sabatier, the company which contracted the Chinese production of this full-scale kitchen tool assortment.

Handles of measuring cups and spoons are held on ...

Messermeister's Meridian Elite 6" boning knife overcomes one of the drawbacks of what is otherwise a very efficient forged pattern. Many of the older German cutlery patterns feature the same full bolster forged blades. That makes these old designs very strong, but the bolster does sometimes interfere with the work. In a ...

Kitchen shears usually look and work like ordinary scissors. The only feature that makes them kitchen shears is that they come apart easily for cleaning. This pair of poultry shears from Chef's Choice beats that old paper-cutting design handily. The 9-Inch Poultry Shears cut meat, skin and gristle, and snip ...

Since I don't think that a good steak needs to be cut with a huge knife, this four knife set of high carbon stainless steel steak knives from J.A. Henckels appeals to me. Knives like this fit into a dinner service visually and don't give the impression that the food ...

The Wusthof Trident Classic Tomato Knife solves a consistently frustrating kitchen problem that only bothers some people. Tomato knives aren't essential tools unless you spend your days behind a deli counter making sandwiches. For the rest of us, they're a convenience. Some would even feel guilty for owning one, except that ...

Henckels International products differ considerably from the traditional Henckels knives. The first impression here is lightweight -- compared to the heavy forged blades from the German branches of the company. The 7-piece International Fine Edge Pro comes from Japan, and the construction methods use stamped steel and welded handles -- ...

Even though eight of the knives in this 26-piece knife block set from Wusthof are steak knives, many home chefs could be overwhelmed by this many choices of working blades. Minimalists will find the collection excessive, but part of the draw is the ability to tackle any recipe and have the ...

Along with the high-tech Twin Select knives in this 7-piece Block Set, Henckels gives the home chef room to expand with four unused slots and a space for kitchen shears in the oval granite-finished hardwood block. Three different grades of high carbon stainless steel welded seamlessly together create blades, bolsters, ...

The Henckels Four Star 9-Piece Knife Block Set provides all the fundamental cutting tools the average chef needs, along with a space-saving countertop hardwood knife block. Polypropylene handles and the trusted stain-free high carbon Friodur blades give cooks the option of fast dishwasher cleaning. Edges and finish last ...

Often mentioned positively in reviews of the Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse, this set of four rugged steak knives brings restaurant-quality cutlery to your own dining table. Built to handle any steak, tender or tough, these cowboy-sized steak knives feature solidly-built hardwood handles, ergonomically shaped and large enough for a ...

The infinite repeatability, consistency, and precise control a mandoline brings to the table isn't something which many cooks can easily duplicate with a knife. Normally, I'll simply reach for an extremely sharp thin knife, but even professionals and skilled home cooks will have a tough time making consistent, precise cuts. And ...

Do the words filet mignon, porterhouse, flat iron, sirloin, and delmonico stir your taste buds? If they do, you'll undoubtedly benefit from a good set of steak knives. Let's be honest: the last thing you want is a lame knife when you've got a nice steak on your plate, ...

If you're looking for a flexible Western-style boning knife with the performance of Japanese steel, look no further.

Global knives were the first mass-marketed Japanese kitchen knives aimed at the Western market. They won fans in restaurant kitchens everywhere with their mix of lighter weight, thinner blades, high performance molybdenum/vanadium steel which ...

In the not so distant past, it used to be that if you wanted a santoku, it took a bit of effort to find one, and when you found one, it would be made by a Japanese knifemaker. Nowadays, courtesy of a certain perky thirty-minute TV chef, the "three virtues" ...

It's unlikely that you'd find many knives from this Henckels budget/entry level line in professional kitchens, but for the casual home cook, a starter set for a young cook, or as a set for the "vacation" house, this set would make a fine choice.

I'm not typically fond of "sets," but ...

In my experience, I've found little use for the traditional "carving knife". In my view it's a specialty knife. I generally prefer to use knives which are a bit more utilitarian.

Traditionally, the carving knife is most often seen around the holidays when turkeys, hams, and roasts grace most tables, and is ...

This Henckels Twin Select Santoku with a granton blade shows the company's idea of what a good knife should be, and does not exactly copy the familiar Japanese design. Some of the good ideas from both cultures are expressed in this high quality knife.

With a heavier forged blade ...

Not to be confused with the butcher's cleaver well known in European kitchens, this Vegetable Cleaver from Shun's Classic series is the Asian general purpose equivalent of the western cook's knife. With the superior edge and Damascus stainless steel of the Classic line, this knife is one of ...

This stamped steel steak knife set from Calphalon of Germany keeps some of the features of the company's full sized forged blades but in a lighter one-size-fits-all handle style. The eight knives match the contemporary pattern of Calphalon's forged chef's cutlery, with changes appropriate to dining service.

Edges of these ...

The Global 6-inch serrated utility knife incorporates the best of modern design and modern materials, produced entirely from forged Cromova 18 stainless steel and balanced with a precise amount of sand in the sealed hollow handle. Movement of the sand during use is said to decrease fatigue, but I'd bet ...

It certainly has a German shape and a German name, but that's where the similarity ends.

This isn't quite the same level of quality that most folks expect from Wusthof. This stamped blade knife shouldn't be confused with its more expensive "forged" brethren, but it will offer a respectable level ...