Best Kitchen Knives

Great Knives – There are 8 knives in the set plus a steel and the block itself. The full retail price of $399 or thereabouts was probably a bit hopeful and they… Read more

were routinely available for $140 or so. At that price they are very good value indeed (this set is discontinued but I note you can still buy individual knives at $30-$40 each).

These look to be a copy of Wustof Classic Ikon, and they have done a great job:

- Bolsterles design

- Very cleanly forged

- Great heft and balance (except for mini chef knife)

- Good steel (same as Wustof DIN 1.4116, ice hardened HRC 55)

- Great factory edge

- Good looking block

After nearly a year of use there are no chips on the blades and the synthetic handles are like new (I don't put them in the dishwasher, that will weather the handles and blunt the edges). Now 8 knives is essentially too many - I really only use the Chef, Mini Chef and Paring knives. The bread knife is superfluous as either of Chef's cut crusty loaves easily. My only complaint about the design is the balance of the Mini Chef - it is handle heavy, whereas the Chef is completely neutral, would have been great if they were both the same (and neutral).

Edge retention is good. I started using the steel to stop them losing their edge, but probably could have prolonged that for 3 months or so. The steel makes the edge a little rough looking compared to the factory grind, however you can use a stone to get a completely clean edge again.

You can modify the grind (I've got mine re-edged to 15 degrees instead of the factory 20), but then retention does suffer noticeably - only do this if you like sharpening knives! However the usage does improve immensely (I note that the Wustof Ikon is edged at 15 degrees...so the steel is in theory able to handle it).

Probably worth noting that the bolsterless design (remember I said they are a copy of Wustof Classic Ikon), means you can cut yourself really seriously on the heel of the blade. Proper finger/hand guarding is needed, especially as the Chef's knife is heavy - if it gets you it will hurt!

Global GF-33 Awesome – Bought one of these this year after using the (lighter) G-2. While the G-2 is a great knife, I wanted something more substantial for coping with… Read more

tougher vegetables. The GF-33 fits the bill completely - being heavy but still perfectly balanced! It is made differently from the usual Global range (it is forged), and just looks and feels amazing (very clean lines on the spine).

The blade geometry is ideal for me - I'm keen on something in between the flatter French chef knife and a Gyuto - preferably with a sharp point. This describes the GF-33 completely.

Like all the current Globals, it comes with a really sharp, but visually a bit 'raggy' edge (factory grind is a belt sander from my research). However what I really like about this knife (and in fact all of the range) is that they are very malleable. I've redone the edge on 1000 and 6000 grit wetstones plus a leather strop with Dialux green compound and the edge is now really clean and equally sharp, but nicer to use (cuts without any tearing action). I've probably got the grind angle considerably less than the factory standard 15 degrees (approx 11), so I do need to sharpen them a bit more often.

A knife so beautifully made, so unparalleled in excellence, that it is a work of art – Chefs and good hobby cooks tend to be very personal in their likes and dislikes of knives. It's not only a matter of brand or series, but also the… Read more

specific knife being used for specific tasks. When it comes to slicing and chopping vegetables and more, one's knife has to be safe to use, powerful, sharp, long-lasting. There are many good knife brands, but the very first time that I held a Tojiro 'Flash' knife in my hand, it was like suddenly being connected to what a knife was supposed to be, of which all other knives had only ever been the shadow or forerunner.

Tojiro knives are made by Tojiro Co. Ltd, in Japan. They have created quite a few knife series, but the superb 'senkou' ('lightning' - the series is known in Australia as 'Flash') series is something else again. Centuries of Japanese technique in sword making for the elite and mysterious samurai have been the driving inspiration behind this magnificent series.

The blade is folded and forged Damascus steel with a 63-layer construction, so that the heart of the blade is hard and strong while simultaneously being flexible. The VG-10 cutting edge is unparalleled in its hardness (Rockwell 62 HRC), and as a result, the cutting edge is as sharp as anything you will encounter.

The handle - of Micarta with stainless steel inlays - is superbly balanced, and one can hold this knife in a myriad of ways, in the manner most comfortable to the person wielding it. It's the most inspiring, the most ergonomic and the most comfortable knife I have ever held, and it cuts without effort, as though through butter.

The santoku knife is 18cm long (comparable in length and purpose to the 18cm chef knife and naikiri (vegetable) knife). Some people will prefer either of those rather than the santoku, but for this particular length and purpose, I find the santoku ideal.

All of the knives in the 'flash' (senkou) series are exquisite to look at.

It's no surprise that these knives are Heston Blumenthal's knives of choice for their 'precision, quality and design'.

They are pricey, but the quality sings out with each moment of use. In my view, these are the finest knives in the world, and the santoku knife is one of those workhorse knives that will be used every day. I would not be without these magnificent knife.

Global G-12 Cleaver - Perfect Match For Chef or Santoku – The design of the more standard Global knives (very thin blades, welded tang) mean that they can't really be abused the same way a western Chef's… Read more

knife can. Enter the G-12. Wow - this guy is solid! Featuring a forged construction (the lighter Globals are stamped), and while it too has a welded tang it is very beefy, so I've had no hesitancy about using it to smash through pumpkin, and pound garlic cloves (the latter using the flat of the blade).

It arrived not terribly sharp, but is easily sharpened (water stones seem to work best - I'm using Naniwa). I've got the edge ground 11 degrees and it works fabulously!

I ended up buying a number of Global knives (mainly out of interest in assessing them) - but you could get away with this guy plus a Chef or Santoku as your entire set.

High quality knife, for all levels of use – After 3 months daily use of our I O Shen Chefs knife I can say without doubt, it is an excellent knife. I have used a number of other brands such… Read more

Wenger, Global, Scanpan, Mundial, Whustof and absolutely prefer the cutting edge, balance and shape of the IO Shen Chef’s knife.

Regarding the shape, the blade is shorter compared to European knife brands. If you have very large hands and thick fingers, your knuckles will most likely contact your cutting surface in use. Initially I was mindful of this, but after 3 months use, the feel is natural and balanced for me. There is no thickened butt on the blade, which I prefer, as it lets you sharpen the full length of the blade properly if need be and doesn’t get in the way.

The blade weight seems perfect, not light or heavy and has an excellent balance.

Over 3 months of daily use I have only had to refine the cutting edge with a sharpening steel every week or so. This may sound frequent, but it is only less than a minute on the steel and this retains an almost razor sharp edge. I have not needed to sharpen the blade on a stone and do not expect I will need to if maintained with the steel. Even if not sharpened on a steel, the cutting edge retains its sharpness very well - depending on your frequency of use and cutting surfaces.

Fantastic knife and reasonably priced. I would recommend IO Shen knives compared to knives 2 to 3 times it price, but I am aware that knives do retain a very personal preference, so if you can, try before you buy (or like me just try one blade first).

Wonderful, High Quality, Super Sharp 7 piece Set – Hubby and I purchased this stunning 7 piece Chef X Kurai set during the New Year Sales, subsequently getting very good value for our dollar. We… Read more

purchased them from Myer, and we understand they’re exclusive to Myer.

Firstly, visually, it’s very appealing, and looks solid and strong. The Ash Wood storage block unit looks great, finished beautifully and looks of a high quality. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the knives itself, which, because they’re made from high quality Japanese Stainless Steel, really puts them in a class of their own. Stunningly crafted, I love the TPR handle with the deep grooves which ensures slip resistance, even with wet hands.

The Set includes knives for just about everything you’re ever likely to need on the kitchen when preparing meals. (Chef’s Knife 20cm, Bread Knife 20cm, Carving Knife 20cm, Santoku Knife 16cm, Utility Knife 12.5cm, Paring Knife 8.5cm) all of which are beautifully encased in the pre-cut slots in the high quality Ash Wood storage block.

These knives are surprisingly super lightweight despite their somewhat bulky appearance, and, I found out the hard way, they are incredibly sharp, so much so, that I actually cut my finger badly on the first use. So, customers need to be aware of how sharp they are and use with caution. They are a modern, sleek and stylish addition to our kitchen. It’s such a pleasure preparing food and cooking with this set. It comes with a “Lifetime “ warranty which is another significant indication of how good these knives are. Overall, we couldn’t be happier with our purchase.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this knife block set to anyone, whether they are an experienced cook, or just as a starter kit because it’s great for both. Just make sure fingers are well away from the cutting edge.