I have an 8" Wusthof chef's and a 10" Victorinox chef's; I like both quite a bit. The folks on the previous thread seemed to like Shun.
shun or global are pretty much the best store bought knives available. go to a store check how the grip and balance suits your hand.
i have 6 or 7 henckels 4-star knives in a block. they hold up great and and the handles are very comfortable to me. thhe reason i say 6 or 7 is because i don't remember - i use the medium sized santoku 90% of the time.
globals weigh virtually nothing. some love that. some hate it. i am about to start building a set of shuns this xmas. the shun kaji, or whatever the shiniest bladed ones are are strikingly beautiful knives. i actually like them better than the ken onion ones.
#1. Shun #2. Global #3. Wustoff #4. Mac #5. Henckles I have Henckles, but if I could do it over I would have Shun, I got a Wustoff Santoku and love it.
I started the last thread on this topic... and trust me... I did a TON of research. Globals look cool, but weight very little, require specialized techniques for sharpening, and easily chip. Shuns are great, but are quite pricey. They are very functional knives, but you are really paying for their look which is achieved by the layering technique they use in making the knives. The two big German brands are the classics. They are heavy, strong, and easily sharpened. However, you are paying for the 'brand names;. From what I understand, Mercer and Forschner knives are what most culinary students and professionals use because of their cost to performance ratio. For ~$30 you can get either in an 8-Inch Chef variety. The other brands above range from 80 to 130 for that size knife. Heck, some of them have fancier varieties that go up to 200. I decided, as somewhat of a kitchen novice, to go with a Forschner 7 inch Santuko. I orginally purchased a Chef Knife, but changed my mind at the last minute. Santukos are the trendy option for chefs as they provide the versatility of a chef knife, with a few extra features. They are typically a little more expensive... but frankly, I like the way they look & perform so it is worth it. Feel free to throw more questions out there. I've learned a lot about knives and don't mind sharing...
Here's a suggestion: If money is no object, go to all the nicer kitchen supply stores around town (Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma, Breed's, etc.) and just ask to hold and fiddle with the different knives. See how the grip, handle shape, and weight suits you. If money is an concern, go to Acemart and ask the hold the Mercer and Forschner models (as suggested above). Once you know what you like, go on Amazon and get them cheap. I prefer the 10" blade. Forschner 8" chef's Forschner 10" chef's Also, I suggest getting a good chef's knife, a good paring knife, and a good bread knife. You might also get a filet knife. Many of the knives in a large set will be worthless fluff.
I just got an 8 inch Wustof for my mom today. She has NEVER had a proper chef's knife. She is a great cook, and was a stay at home mom. She cooked a hot meal for our family every night growing up. As an adult it almost pains me that she cuts everything up with what is a sandwich knife. She picks everything up and cuts it in her hand, so she would have to learn a new technique. I just hope she enjoys the new knife. I should state I have the same knife and use it almost all the time..... love it.
she is not Italian in any way shape or form. She a Texan born and reared. And also, she cuts potatoes in her hand as well.
also, regarding homer's analysis of global: many chefs PREFER the weightless nature of Global Cutlery. it is totally personal preference. i can not wait until my birthday in january, when I get my first shun.
I have a set of Messermeister San Moritz Elite and I love them. Good heavy knives with great balance. I've had them for almost 3 years and except for putting an edge on them with a steel I've never had to have them sharpened. And, they're still as good as the day I got them. I use the Chef's knife for everything. They are a little more expensive the some of the others but worth it.
In my opinion it all really boils down to 1) how it feels in your hand, 2) how it cuts, and 3) the total cost of ownership. The third bullet isn't a factor for many people, but I'm a big fan of getting good deals. Total cost of ownership includes durability. The salesman at William Sonoma told me he has many customers complain about their Globals chipping. It also includes endurance. How long does the knife stay sharp? How easily is it to sharpen? And of course, the up front cost. There are plenty of online comparisons of all the different brands. Each food network personality also seems to favor a different brand. Rachel Ray likes her own knives (the orange ones), but I've read horrible reviews of them. Alton Brown loves Shun knives. Bordain, as someone mentioned, enjoys Globals. As for the Mercer vs Forschner debate... I spoke with a friendly old man that works at Ace mart. He said that most culinary students lately have been favoring the Mercer brand because of their grip. He personally swears by Forschner and says he uses his 6 inch Forschner chef knife 90% of the time. He mentioned he also had a Henckels knife that was great, but he still prefered his Forschner. The chef at my favorite sushi shop owns a global, but I noticed he rarely used it in favor of a generic knife. I asked why, and he just said he liked the way the generic knife felt in his hand. It really all boils down to personal preference. What can you afford? Does the more expensive knife really feel/cut all that much better? Do you want a knife that performs well and is also a peice of art that you can display? Do you want a bright orange knife? I've noticed Caphalon advertising a ton on the Food Network lately. Honestly, I don't know much about their knives.
I think I'm leaning away from getting one of those 15 knife sets, because frankly, I don't need ultra-performing steak knives for six people. If I were to ever serve steak to guests, I think they should be fine with cheaper knives that can be put in the dishwasher. I think I'm leaning towards an eight piece Wusthof Grand Prix, needing an 8" chef's knife, a carving knife, a paring knife, a Santoku, shears, and a boning knife. Thoughts?
i would build the set one at a time. i never need a utility knife. i will buy the santoku shun first, then the chef's, then paring, etc. steak knives are of no use to me, regardiing getting really expensive ones, so i'll skip that.
A lot of people like having a block of knives. Alton Brown once said something along the lines of "Have you ever stopped and wondered what kind of crap falls into / grows in those deep dark holes of your cutlery block"...." which is why I generally suggest to just start off with either a 7" santuko or a 6"/ 8" chef knife... and working my way from there. But seriously, do what makes you happy.... because that is really all that matters....
Obligatory... Dwight Schrute: Looks like you got a little Nakiri knife action going there. Chef: No, it's Usuba. Dwight Schrute: Yeah bet you wish you had a Nakiri though. Chef: Actually the Usuba's a better knife when you're working with this quantity. Dwight Schrute: Meh, I donno. Still think Nakiri's better.
I'm just bumping this because there is a pretty good deal on Victorinox knives on Amazon. I'm not big on sets, but this set doesn't have any dead weight, all of the knives are useful. These are the kind you see in restaurants with the plastic handles. The Link
ttt because my question has changed slightly. I have been given the $ at Christmas to buy Wusthof Classics, if that's what I want. Given that $ is not such a big issue, what are the recommendations?
If money is no option, I'd get the Shun Kaji. Unless you're worried about being blinded by the reflection of the light off the "damascus steel". The Link