With a history consisting of just about two centuries, Wusthof continues to provide the world with well-made kitchen knives and shears, pocket knives, and other accessories. Based in Solingen, Germany, this manufacturer is still run by the original family and currently employs in excess of 350 workers, all of whom, we can assume are enthusiastic about creating each Wusthof knife set as sharp as its character.

Product Lines

The Wusthof knives are crafted by two methods - forging for Wusthof's higher-quality line and stamping for their more affordable line. As a result, depending on your budget, you can become the very pleased owner of a set of renowned Wusthof knives albeit at assorted levels of sharpness.

The forged knives are used for the Classic, Ikon, Classic Ikon, Le Cordon Bleu, Culinar, Grand Prix, and Grand Prix II lines and the stamped knives can be found in the Gourmet, Emeril, and Silverpoint lines. There is a solid difference between forged and stamped knives in any Wusthof knife set, with experienced cooks choosing forged knives all the time when choosing their chef's knives. Stamped knives are normally only good for steak and paring knives.

Whatever Wusthof knives set you decide upon, though, all Wusthof knives are an amalgam of 15 percent chromium, 0.5 percent carbon, and a small amount of molybdenum. Adding this to the Wusthof logo - a trident in a circle against a red background - Wusthof blades are distinctive from thier competitors' knives.

Advantages

At the risk of sounding like a spokesperson for Wusthof, their knives were judged year after year to be among the best cutlery in the business. Evidence of this statement is Wusthof knives are the number one blade of celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and James Martin, in addition to being consistently judged as one of the top-rated knives by Consumer Reports and Cook's Illustrated.

For non-professionals, the easily controlled traditional handle corresponds comfortably to different hand sizes that, in turn, allows many in the family to feel competent using the knives in the set. Of course, these knife blades are quite sharp and just about never rust, stain or dull. More than any other issues, high-quality craftsmanship and materials are the primary aspects of a quality knife.

Disadvantages

The main thing that can dissuade the hobby chef from buying a Wusthof knife set will be Wusthof's expensive price. With the most affordable set of low-end Gourmet paring knives is priced at $35, you will probably find different knife brands offering more knives at comparable prices. For the the more expensive collections, $300 is peanuts.

Also, there are sets that have thinner-than-usual handles like the Wusthof Classic. Naturally, men are more bothered by this issue because of their bigger hands. Additionally, certain cooks do not prefer a stainless steel handle, preferring instead the polypropylene type.

Overall, Wusthof knife sets will give more product for any price. It slices very nicely and efficiently like all high-quality knives ought to, does the job for a long time as the company has done, and appears very professional sitting on your countertop. With value as good as this, you probably will wish to invest in another set as a gift for newlyweds.

Moses Harun owns & operates a site that assists consumers in making better decision when shopping for knives. One of the highest rated knives reviewed on his site are Wusthof knife set.