Cutlery Reviews

I'll start by admitting that I'm a Wusthof fan. As far as my knives go; even though I'll freely admit that the Calphalon Traditional series are an excellent value, my Wusthof Classic set is enough better to justify the price difference in my eyes. That loyalty stops fast when it comes to things like meat forks. Yes, the Wusthof is a little beefier, but the Calphalon is more than good enough for any conceivable home use at one-fifth the price. This fork is a pleasure to use for both carving and turning roasts and such. In fact, my only complaint is that at this time, they don't offer a curved fork as well (anyone listening out there?). If you are in the market for a fork like this, there is simply nothing else I've seen that even remotely approaches it for quality and value.

While manufactured in China, you'd never know it were it not forthe small "made in China sticker. forged from Solingen steel( rumors say it is provided by the High end A.B. Dick cutlers.)perfectly balanced andas as rigid as any carving fork sold by the German big names ( Wusthoff /Trident, Henckels, etc.)but at a fraction ofthe price. In appearance this fork will actually match the big names'top knives.My advise: grab one or two before Calphalon realizes that they can easily doublethe price andstill be competitive

Fully forged, with a full tang and bolster and finely finished this tool is akin to a 600 pound gorilla: Stronger than isreally needed, great looking, points as sharp as a samurai sword and the only missing element is the Calphalon name etched somewhere on it; otherwise, the Chinese maker hasn't missed a trick:it matches the Calphalon chef Knife to a "T", rightdown to the rather squarish handle which on the chef knives mayoffend some very tender palms but on thefork helps in preventing twisting. While I haven't lifted a 20 lbs turkey with it, Im quite certain that it would not succumb to even a 30 pounder if called to the task. At one third the price of a Henckels or Wusthoff, it is this decade's best bargain in cutlery ; grab one before Calphalon comes to itssenses and brings the price more in linewith the hallowed competition andwhile you're at it, look into the 6, 8 and 10 inch chef knives which, while not quiteas lofty as the bignames' ones,pollish wise, onlyneed a good sharpening to equal their performance: you just cannotmiss!I understand thatthe steel is provided by F Dick - aGerman maker in the Henckels/Wusthoff class.(theKnives are quite heavy, which helps when chopping, particularly when chopping through cooked poultry bones, whichI do routinely without problems or damage

I have had this knife for 6 months and it is starting to oxidize(If this is made of German steel I wonder what grade of steel it is?). I wonder how long before it starts to rust? and another problems it is so poorly formed compared to knives by Henckels, Wusthof and other German makers of fine cutlery. It definitely pays to spend the money on much better cutlery by Henckels than this poorly made product.

crafted(forged) in China using German steel(reputed to be furnished by F. Dick, a companycompeting with Henckels and Wusthoff, this knife is, as one reviewer noted very heavy, perhaps heavierthan it needs to be.Onereason may be the fact that the handle's top was left unshaped: quite square. this might repell cooks with tender hands - not a problem for me. the weight to me is an advantageand any professional chef or butcher will tell you that a heavy knife does more work than a light one will. so much forthat!

the only flawI found is that it was not subjected to a final honing: it is sharp but not to high standards. Fortunately,I'm good at sharpening(have done it professionally - for pay.)AND thesteel is great- has notrequired sharpening in a year of use, just normal"steeling" after or before use.Onereviewer complained of tarnishing -might he have put it into the dishwasher?, I wonder.I wash mine with standard liquid detergent and rinse in very hot water, then let the water drip off. oftenI use a strong hard surface cleaner to restore immaculate appearance and No discoloration of anykind.(used and washed several times daily for a full year.)I bought it from Amazon for about half the current price( Calphalon cutlery was still unknown to most . . . .Even at today's price, this knife cost 40 to 50% less than thebetter known German knives by Henckels or Wusthof/ Trident. if weight and a squarish handle do not turn you off - you will notregret your purchase( ideally after a good sharpening by an expert) and it'll last a lifetime or two.Don'teven thinkofthecheaper Sabatier offerings( most are pure garbage.)Now, if money is ofno great consequence, look at Japanese knives(global is one brand orthe Australian Furi) orbetter yet Japanese laminated knives(at thetop are Damascus steel laminations but you may be looking at a 7 inch santoku (all purpose chef knife)costing over $1000 and a decentset inthe $5000 range(why isn't it your butler doingthe shopping?)

When my estranged husband got custody of the Wusthof, I knew I had to find something to replace it. My budget dictated something less expensive than the typical eighty or so dollars I'd spend for one of the German knives I preferred. I bought this Calphalon. I decided to try it because of the known quality of the Calphalon cookware.

Wow.

The price/value is incredible. It was more solid and heavier than I expected with good heft and surprising balance. It doesn't "rock" as well as the Wusthof, but for the price, it's something I can live with! I prefer the "classic" look and was not disappointed in the quality of the handle.

I'm pretty sure that eventually, I will get an entire set of Wusthof or Henckels (sp?), as they are superior. In the meantime (like in months and months) I will continue to use the Calphalon(s)- yes, I will be buying more - because of the value and great quality for the price.

I bought this as a replacement for a damaged Wusthoff slicer. It was a total waste of money. Even slicing poultry, it simply will not stay sharp. Other knives get honed on a monthly basis, but this one needs to be honed three times in a single turkey slicing job! It is "outa here"!!

As with several other Calphalon knives that I have reviewed, I purchased this knife as part of the 15 piece set. It is a beautifully constructed kitchen tool with the heft that can only be provided by a steel forging. The edge is very fine, and can be easily honed to a true razors edge. Using this knife on a turkey is a revelation. Although the blade is thin, and can slice with very little effort, it has a contour and stiffness that simply cannot be matched by a stamped steel knife. When you plan a particular slice, that is what you get. No self steering, no endless sawing motion, just clean slices every time. This knife looks so good, and works so well, that I ordered the 10" model for slicing the really big birds. I have a few Henckles knives, and this is at least as good by any standard. When you realize that you can buy two of these for the price of one of theirs, you either feel like a thief, or start to wonder why some people throw their money away. If you must have a famous name knife, go for it. Better to spend far too much for a good knife than to buy TV junk. On the other hand, the big German brands have been etching their name on offshore stamped steel "affordable" knives lately. This is in an effort to capitalize on their name yet maintain profit in the face of quality value brands like Calphalon. Don't be fooled. Stamped knives are junk no matter how much they cost. Buy this knife and understand.

These are a well made pair of cooking shears, I particularly like the ease with which they can be taken apart for cleaning, the only problem is that they are very uncomfortable, if it hadn't come in the Calphalon 15-piece set I bought, I wouldn't use them.