Wusthof Knives Review

Solingen, Germany…also known as the City of Blades is the birthplace of WUSTHOF (also called Wüsthof Dreizackwerk in German and Wusthof Trident in English) and is the subject of this WUSTHOF knives review. 1814 is the birth year, and the company has been in the family for 7 generations.

The City of Solingen is synonymous with very high quality knives, and therefore there has been legislation created to protect the Solingen name. This is called “The Solingen Decree”. This decree means that any knife made in Solingen has to be made to very specific standards, in order to maintain high quality.

WUSTHOF still makes it’s knives in Solingen, and therefore marks each knife with “Made in Solingen”.

At present the company is ran by Harald Wüsthof and Viola Wüsthof.

The Knives

All of the Wusthof knives are precision forged, except for 3 product lines. They are the laser cut Silverpoint, Emeril and the Gourmet line. These 3 non-forged lines are stamped, and have 14 steps in their manufacturing process. The forged products have a whopping 40 steps in their manufacturing process.

This is the Wusthof logo….a trident with a circle around it. The company says the trident represents their 3 core values. They are Passion, Diligence and Perfection.

Presently, the company employees around 350 people.

German knives are sharpened to a 14 degree angle on either side of the blade. Fyi, Japanese knives are sharpened to a 10 degree angle on either side.

Wusthof 9822 Classic IKON Twenty-Two Piece Block Set

One of the best knife sets that Wusthof offers on the market. This professional set comes with everything you need to slice and dice for the most exquisite meals.

What’s included in this package is 22 knives and perfectly designed wooden block holder.

Of the knives that come with this package is the 5” and 7” Hollow Edge Santoku – a blade that combines the versatility of a chef’s knife and the power of a butcher’s cleaver. Both of which are designed with a hollow edge that works great at rejecting any stuck on gunk.

The 8” Cook’s knife, also called a chef’s knife, is a multipurpose blade that works to do just about anything – everything from cutting, grinding, chopping, and slicing.

Both the 8” Hollow Edge Carving Knife and eight 4 ½” Steak Knives work great with cooked meat.

Each knife has a hardy POM handle that is reinforced three rivets. The edge of each knife is laser tested to ensure razor sharpness. Each blade is made from the world renowned German steel from Solingen.

To give you peace of mind each blade comes with that Solingen name stamped on it – letting you know that you have a great Wusthof product.

Researching through the WUSTHOF knives review on Amazon, we see that consumers say that that while these blades aren’t by any means cheap, they are by far the absolutely best made knives you will ever find. So sharp are these blades that some users warn to use them extremely carefully as they can cut you to the touch.

Classic 36 Piece Cherry Knife Block Set

One of the largest sets that Wusthof offers – a full 36 different types of knives that lay in a beautifully wrought cherry wood block.

Most notable is that this set comes with a Super Slicer knife – this product is a slender blade with a serrated edge and rounded tip that is great for cutting through everything from turkey, bread, and tomatoes without damaging it.

Also included is a pair of cheese knives – an extra sharp one that is great for softer cheeses, while a hardier one that works best on hard cheeses.

The fillet knife that comes with this set is a more flexible version of a boning knife that easily gets under the skin of cooked and uncooked meat.

Each of these blades come with a full tang, tough black plastic handles that is kept together with a triple rivet.

The blade itself is made from a high carbon stainless steel and is a single piece.

The knives are also designed with Precision edge technology (PEtec) for sharpness that will last a considerable time.

Gourmet chefs comment that this Wusthof Classic is a must have, while this one in particular more than covers all of your cooking needs.

Many others have raved that it was well worth the price tag as it not only gives excelling performance, but also is a beautiful set of knives.

The whole set is made from high craftsmanship that will give you a lifetime of use.

Wusthof Classic 26-Piece Block Knife Set

This particular set of knives comes with the best blades needed in a chef’s repertoire. Uniquely there is the 2 ¾” Bird’s Beak Paring knife – a curved knife that gives precise cuts on soft fruits and garnishes, along with easily peeling off their skins.

This great set also has a pair of 4 ½” and 6” Utility knives, which are amazing knives that work for most everyday tasks such as making sandwiches.

The 9” Bread knife can cut through not only most bread products without damage, but also softer fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and citrus.

The 10” steel shears can snip up herbs, chops down poultry, and slice through food packages easily. There are a total of 14 kitchen knives, and eight 4 ½” steak knives with this set.

As expected, the Solingen name is imprinted on each set of knives to let you know that this product is made from all star German steel.

The edge of the blade is tested with a laser to ensure that blade stays sharp for a long time. You can also cut with confidence knowing your holding triple reinforced POM handle with full tang.

Those who have purchased the Wusthof Classic 26-Piece set have said that this superb knife set has everything a chef will need to cut, dash, and slice their way to an awesome meal. Others have said that this is the “mother of all knife sets” that can work in residential or a high end restaurant kitchen.

Wusthof Classic Ikon 14-piece Walnut Knife Block Set

This Classic Wusthof knife set has a block that comes in both Walnut and Acacia.

Of the 14 knives that come with this, the most notable is the 7” Santoku knife – this blade has the power of a butcher’s knife, while combining with the movement of a basic chef’s knife. Able to cut through just about anything, it also has a hollow edge which makes it highly resistant to anything sticking to the blade.

The 8” Offset Carving knife is an L-shaped blade that functions with a downward profile helping you avoid scraping your knuckles while cutting up food.

To make sure these knives and all the others stay sharp, there is a 10” Sharpener made from a tough steel with loop. Additionally, this set has a total of four 4 ½” steak knives and a pair of kitchen shears.

Made in Solingen Germany, this blade is made from a high-carbon stainless steel that is notable for being stain resistant. With Rockwell Hardness of 58 and designed with PEtec edge enhancement, you know that these blades will last you a lifetime or more.

The handle is fully synthetic and contains 3 rivets for further support – that is specifically designed for perfect balance.

Customers have raved that the Wusthof Classic Ikon 14-Piece set of blades that comes super sharp right out of the box. The blades themselves have a heavy feel that gives you more power when cutting.

The block itself is mentioned to be impeccably made with a handsome looking exterior.

Wusthof Classic 20-Piece Knife Set with Block

With a full 20 different knives and tools, you will find little that you can’t handle with this superb set!

Included is a 8” Hollow Edge Carving knife which easily cuts through cooked meats like ham and turkey while allowing none of it to stick to the blade itself.

To help with this carving process, you also have a 6” straight meat fork.

The 8” Bread knife has a serrated edge that can break up many soft things without harming them. The 8” Cook’s knife is a multipurpose tool that works great for fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood alike.

This set comes with 20 different knives, 9” steel Kitchen Shears, along with 3 additional slots so you customize your set with additional knives.

Each blade is designed with Precision Edge Technology (PEtec), which is supposed to make the blade up to 20% sharper and doubling the life of the edge.

The polypropylene handles are triple reinforced with rivets. The handle itself is ergonomically designed to fit the contour of your hand, allowing you to keep cutting and chopping away with less fatigue.

For more power and precision control, each of these knives has a full tang. Many customer’s who did a WUSTHOF knives review, have remarked that Wusthof makes the best blades, and the Wusthof Classic 20-Piece Knife set is no exception.

The high carbon German steel is resistant to most stains and cleans easily. Coming from the cutlery capital of the world, each of these knives are stamped with the Solingen name.

Wusthof Classic 16-piece Acacia Knife Block Set

Being about half way through the Wusthof knives review, we’re sure you see why we felt compelled to do this. Few products have made it’s consumers so satisfied.

This wonderful knife set has a wooden block that comes in six colors – including walnut, cherry, and black.

There are a pair of 4 ½” and 6” utility knives, which are multipurpose instruments that can be used in just about any capacity.

For another great multi-purpose knife you have the 8” Hollow Edge Wunder Knife – this highly functional knife works great with chopping, carving, and slicing.

The 8” Bread knife can break through fresh loaves without any harm coming to them.

To help keep all your blades sharp for a long time, this set also comes with a 9” piece of Sharpening steel. This 16 piece set also has a pair of tough kitchen shears and six 4 ½” classic steak knives.

Being a Wusthof Classic you can be sure that these knives have full tang, with triple reinforced gromets, a high carbon stainless steel construction, and an incredible 58 on the Rockwell hardness scale.

The PEtec edge lets your blade’s edge last twice as long as other knives, while also being noticeably sharper.

The handle itself is made from polyoxymethylene – this synthetic material is known for being ultra tough and fade resistant.

People who use the Wusthof Classic 16-Piece Acacia Knife Set product have remarked in their own Wusthof knives review that there isn’t a single negative thing that can be said about this set – with many people unable to control themselves from singing praise.

It isn’t a wonder either as this Wusthof set, like all their other sets, is made in Solingen Germany.

Wusthof Classic Ikon Creme 10-piece Walnut Knife Block Set

This small but useful 10-piece knife set has a block that comes in five colors – walnut, cherry, natural, acacia, and bamboo.

The 3” Straight Paring Knife works like a smaller version of a Chef’s knife – the biggest difference is that this blade excels at cutting up fine things like herbs.

The 7” Santoku knife has plenty of power for chopping through even tough meats, while also having a hollow edge that helps it resist any sticking.

The stainless steel shears can easily snipe through parsnips and other woody vegetables, while also being great at cutting open containers. For added customization this set comes with an additional 7 slots so you can put the knives you want in it.

Using innovative manufacturing techniques, these blades where made with Precision edge technology (PEtec). This technology lets you slice and dice with ease as it improves the sharpness while also allowing it to last much longer.

Forged in Solingen, the blades themselves are full tang and made from impressive German stainless steel. Being high carbon, the steel itself is highly resistant to corrosion and stain.

The handle itself is made from a special synthetic substance that makes it tough, while being additionally reinforced with three rivets.

Customers say that the blade itself is extra sharp – able to cut through just about anything like hot butter. Each of these knives is stamped with the Solingen name – letting you know that the Wusthof Classic Ikon Creme 10-Piece is a high quality knife set.

Wusthof Gourmet 23-Piece Block Knife Set

This Wusthof knife set has a block that comes in a natural wood color and contains 22 slots.

The 5” Boning knife curves inward for superior control when taking the meat off of bones.

The 6” Cleaver has a thick blade has a great deal of power that makes it great at chopping through even the toughest food.

The 8” Carving knife is great for slicing up already carved meat in thin, easy to eat slices. For an everyday use application there is also a 4 ½” and 6” utility knives with an additional 8” Chef’s knife.

This 23-piece set comes with eight 4 ½” steak knives along with a set of come-apart kitchen shears.

The blade itself has been sharpened with a laser cut, that ensures great slicing every time for many years to come.

The handles are made with powerful polymer that works well with reinforcing the full tang design that increases slicing power while also provided grade A comfort.

Customer’s say that the blades are extra sharp and they have no problem cutting through anything they set their mind to.

Others have mentioned that the weight of the knives in the Wusthof Gourmet 23-Piece knife set is nice because it gives them excellent control.

You’ll find that the Solingen name stamped on each of these knives to let you know that these blades come from high quality German steel.

You can be sure that these blades will last a long while too – it isn’t a coincidence that the Wusthof brand has been arond for 200 years, and is one of the reasons for our Wusthof knives review!

Wusthof Classic Knives Cutlery Set with Storage Block, 12 Piece

This great Wusthof set comes in the classic style – because of this every blade is made with a full tang and triple reinforced riveted synthetic handle for improved power and control.

The 3 ½” Paring knife has a curved blade which works wonders at shredding up herbs and leafy vegetables, with the sharp tip great at checking the tenderness of cooked meats, straight off the backyard grill.

The 8” Bread knife is serrated and is made in such a way to make sure it never damages anything soft when you are cutting.

The 8” Cook’s knife works wonders on just about anything – all of which can be kept sharp with the 9” honing steel.

Included in this 12 piece set is a set of kitchen shears and a impeccably made storage block.

The steel of each knife is stainless and high carbon – making it extra resistant against stain and discoloration. Balanced to perfection, this blade has a weight that is comfortable enough to give you the ease of movement and power you need with dicing away.

This German made Wusthof brand comes with the Solingen mark of excellence on each knife. Reviewers say that they highly recommend this set as it is the best knives they have ever owned.

In many cases they don’t even have to try to chop and slice through their food because of the amazing sharpness. Others rave on their own Wusthof knives review that this Wusthof Classic Knives 12-Piece Cutlery Set will be the last knife set you will ever buy because of their long lasting durability.

Wusthof Classic 10 Piece Knife and Walnut Block Set – BigKitchen Exclusive

Rounding out the WUSTHOF knives review is the Wusthof Classic 10 Piece Knife and Walnut Block Set. This set comes in a smaller 8 piece variant – but why get the smaller one when the 10 piece is such a great deal?

This 10 piece set comes with a 7” Santoku knife, which is the versatile combination of a Chef’s knife and the powerful cleaver.

There is also a 8” Carving knife which makes short work of cooked turkey and ham – both of these blades have a hollow edge, which improves slicing power while also being nonstick.

The 6” Curved Boning knife takes the meat off of fish, poultry, and other meats with a simple maneuver.

Regardless of your blade preference, you can keep all of them sharp with the 9” Diamond Honing Steel. For further customization the walnut knife block comes with an additional 7 slots on top of the 10 that you need.

Using Precision edge technology (PEtec) this blade has a sharper edge than the competition, while also lasting noticeably longer.

To reinforce the already tremendous strength of the high carbon German steel, the Wusthof Classic 10 Piece Knife and Walnut Block set of knives comes with a full tang. This full tang comes with a ergonomically designed synthetic handle that has three rivets for peace of mind.

People who have published their own Wusthof knives review stated that this knife set is a well balanced set of knives, and that the extra set of slots in the block is a nice inclusion. Imbued on each knife is the Solingen name, a mark of excellence that let you know that these blades are made from the “Culture capital of the World”.

Wusthof Knives Review – Maintenance & Care

Cleaning

Cleaning your Wusthof Knives is a simple process. Firstly, be very careful when handling the blade portion, as these are amongst the sharpest cooking knives available on the market. Also, we felt it would be a useful addition to add some extra maintenance, care, and sharpening information to this Wusthof knives review.

Use a clean cloth, a mild dish detergent and warm water. That’s right, hand-wash these babies. They’re top of the line, and should be treated with respect. If you do it this way, these knives will last you a lifetime…and then some.

No dishwasher, for theses special culinary tools. Putting them in the cutlery basket, along with the other cutlery, will slowly destroy these high end knives. The blades will bang around against the other cutlery, and slowly dull them, or worse…knick them!

There’s also the possibility of rust from other items, ending up on your special knives. While these can be easily cleaned with an appropriate steel cleaner, you don’t really want to go there. It can all be avoided by not using the dishwasher.

Storage

Knife Blocks are one of the best ways to store knives. They can be placed on the counter or island, and be ready for use instantly. A good quality knife block can be very attractive, while being super convenient. Also, are excellent protection for your Wusthof knives, as each knife has it’s own little protective home.

Magnetic holders are another ingenious way to store your knives. They save space by being able to be place on a wall (or other vertical surface), out of the way, while still being within easy reach. Two magnetic strips hold your knives, conveniently.

Special knife cases & knife rolls are what you need if you’re on the go with your knives frequently. Usually used by professional chefs, but also enjoyed by people who cook on the go a lot. These knife cases and knife rolls offer good knife protection, while simultaneously providing portability.

Honing vs. Sharpening

So, what’s the difference?? Well, honing a knife is a maintenance task. A honing steel, keeps a knife’s edge clean and realigns the microscopic teeth along the blade.

Sharpening the knife means using the sharpening steel. The sharpening steel has diamond abrasives, which actually remove a bit of metal from the blade, and gives it a new edge.

Watch below, as Hannes explains the difference between honing and sharpening.

Electric Sharpeners and Hand Held Sharpeners

Using an electric knife sharpener is very simple, and just as effective as using a steel. Just run the blade through each of the slots 2 to 3 times, starting with the most coarse and working up to the fine grit.

The hand held sharpener is also effective, utilizing 2 notches. Very simply, there’s a coarse grit, and a fine. Use them both when the knife is dull. The finer grit is moreso for a periodic maintenance. Use the coarse side only once or twice a year, as it’s actually removing metal from the blade.

A whetstone is another excellent method for sharpening your knives. If you can master the whetstone, you will get the sharpest edge possible.

Watch along as Hannes teaches how to use a whetstone the proper way.

Wusthof Knives Review – Final Thoughts

Clearly, and without a doubt these are very high quality knives, and designed for professionals and people who are serious about food. While being pricier than many knife products on the market, they are also much higher quality than most of those cheaper products. Having said that, in the long run, these knives will save you money….as they are knives that will last a lifetime.

Items that you should spend more for higher quality are things that you use every single day, like kitchen knives and pro cookware.

Exceptional Reviews

While compiling the information for this Wusthof knives review, we also learned a lot. It’s not everyday that you find a 200 year old company that has stayed in the same family the entire time. Also, this company is flourishing! There’s a reason for this….

So many happy customers have done their own Wusthof knives review, and the comments are so revealing!