calphalonCalphalon manufactures much more than cutlery, focusing equally on electric appliances, cookware, bakeware, kitchen tools and kitchen knives. While the styling of Calphalon seems limited to stainless steel and black polymer, the quality is just as predictable. Within the company’s small selection of knives, you’ll find forged cutlery in classic German patterns, modern hybrids of European and Asian designs, and a few Japanese patterns in modern Damascus steel.

History

The predecessor to Calphalon’s rugged stainless steel cutlery was inexpensive aluminum cookware. Ronald Kasperzak, company founder, purchased the Commercial Metal company of Perrysburg, Ohio, in 1963. Mr. Kasperzak renamed the firm as the Commercial Aluminum Cookware Company and set out to expand and improve the assortment of products Commercial Metal had marketed to the food service industry. Commercial Aluminum Cookware’s first major success was the development of hard anodizing technology for food service applications, using concepts first applied by the aerospace industry. The new cookware proved itself lightweight, efficient and much more rugged than ordinary aluminum. Commercial Aluminum introduced the new cookware to retail markets for the first time, as Calphalon cookware. In 1993, the consumer division accounted for so much of the company’s business that the company permanently closed its food service branch. Purchased by Newell Corporation in 1998, Calphalon soon branched out into stainless steel products including Tri-Ply cookware in 2001 and traditional cutlery in 2002. Calphalon’s Contemporary cutlery emerged in 2003, joined by the Katana Cutlery series in 2005.

The Products

Calphalon manufactures both Calphalon Contemporary Series cutlery and Calphalon Katana Series cutlery, producing knives of high quality with a modern look, the best modern materials, but the finishing touches of traditional designs. Full tang forging gives the Contemporary knives a strong build with blades of Solingen stain-free steel and an assortment of patterns that includes bolsterless knives as well as the traditional European styles. Calphalon’s Katana series includes an 18-piece and a 14-piece knife block set. Knives in the Katana series feature Japanese handle and blade styles, using 33-layer Damascus-like steel with a core layer of hard VG-1 steel for extra sharpness and better edge retention. All knives are fully guaranteed against defects in workmanship for the lifetime of the original purchaser.

Read all of our Calphalon reviews below:

Calphalon

Simply Calphalon Kitchen Knife & Shears Set of 3 | Forged Granton Santoku & Paring Cutlery

From Simply Calphalon, this three-piece cutlery set offers two excellent knives and a pair of kitchen shears that’s handy but a...
JT Hats
58 sec read

Calphalon Katana Knife Block | Bamboo 13 Slot Laminated Cutlery Storage

The unusual tiered design of this distinctive laminated bamboo knife block fits the unique angled bolsters of one of Calphalon’s best...
JT Hats
58 sec read

Calphalon Knife Block Set | Traditional Forged Full Tang Cutlery 6 Piece

Four good knives plus a sharpening steel and a hardwood storage block, the Calphalon Traditional 6-Piece Block Set keeps to the...
JT Hats
1 min read

Calphalon Contemporary Steak Knife Set | 8 Piece Serrated Full Tang

This stamped steel steak knife set from Calphalon of Germany keeps some of the features of the company’s full sized forged...
JT Hats
46 sec read

Calphalon Contemporary 15-Piece Knife Block Set

Calphalon files under the radar a bit when it comes to kitchen knives. Without the name-recognition of a Wusthof or the...
Ken
45 sec read

Calphalon Katana Stainless Steel 8-Piece Knife Set | Kitchen Knives | VG-1

If you’re looking for a basic set of sharp knives, and don’t want to have to mess with the piecework of...
Ken
54 sec read