Knife Block Reviews

Being a student, I can't afford the knife set I really want, but this one will do until I graduate. The knives aren't very heavy due to their plastic handles, yet they are still fairly well balanced. They did need to be sharpened out of the box, but once that was done they cut everything from a very delicate bread to bagles to tomatoes to meat very well. Other knife sets in this price range tend to be "eversharp" (where they have that microserration so you can't use a steel to sharpen them), and this set is far better. I'm giving this set 5 stars not because I think these are the best knives I could buy, but because they are a very good set for very lilttle money.

Very pleased with these knives, they are very sharp. Perfect for those steaks coming off the grill!

I have had these knives for 24 years (wedding gift), we had six but over the years have lost them along the way. I still reach for this knife first, sadly we are down to only one but will be buying more soon. I love this knife because it is NOT serrated. Never had to have them sharpened either. If you are considering buying them DO IT. You won't regret it.

I've had my set for almost ten years; they're nice (better than Farberware "never-sharpen" serrated) but not the best. They're working fine for me now, but when it comes time to replace them, I'll go with a Global.
I also prefer the wood to the plastic handles-- the plastic doesn't feel as good.
FWIW, I use the steel every time, and have had them professionally sharpened once, after about 6 years. And of course, they don't go in the dishwasher.

These knives are made the way I wish all of my knives had always been made. They require the use of steel and occassional sharpening and oiling. Relatively speaking, they're high maintenance knives ... yet I have tried many knives that are far more expensive and haven't found one that matches the cutting ease nor good balance. The maintenance is the price you pay to have knives that are of such high quality, and I wouldn't take them any other way. While the blade will not hold an edge as long as some others, when well taken care of it will outlast the others and the edge will be sharper than all others out there, a result of their using high carbon non-stainless steel, a metal not used in virtually any other knives, and certainly none of this quality.

I give these knives 5 stars not because they are the best knives on the market, but rather that they are probably the best knives in their price range. I have had my set for about 4 years and, while someday I will probably upgrade, they have never let me down. I use a steel every time and wash by hand. As the handles are wood, I oil them occasionally as well.

These knives are not the best that money can buy, if you are looking for that prestige, there are better choices. However, they are solid knives, even for someone like myself who uses them constantly, that will hold up and perform very well for a very reasonable price.

If you are purchasing these knives with this understanding, you will not be disappointed.

I recently purchased this set after spending several weeks trying to decide which set was right for me. Not a chef, just a regular guy who likes to cook. I looked at several competators and decided that, for the price, this set was the best one out there. I've had the opportunity to use most of the knives at this point and I find that they keep their edge very well and are extraordinarily easy to clean up. They have a nice heft to them and the handles seem to be just the right size. The only drawback that I see is that I would have preferred an 8" chefs knife instead of the 6" that comes with the set. Overall excellent for the price and an absolutely sufficient set for novice.

This was my first set of "nice" knives. I am SO disappointed ! Right away they began to rust and are continuing to do so, more and more. Even my cheap knives from Target don't rust. The positive comment I have about them is their sharpness is awesome. I wish I had investigated the quality before I bought these. I just assumed any Chicago Cutlery product would be great since the name is supposed to mean quality. Wish I had saved for something of better quality ....

We got these knives as a gift about 6 months ago. They look nice and they are sharp and do cut well. The knives rust very easily though, cheap steel I guess. They are also not well balanced in my hand. The handles are hollow not solid so the blade is heavier than the handle. I don't think these will last very long.

I would not have purchased these on my own, I would have bought better knives that would last me longer. For the price they are fine but you can do much better if you spend more. I would rather have 3-4 really good knives than a bunch of OK knives.

We bought these knives with a gift certificate we received for our wedding. They're terrific! The blades stay nice and sharp, and they're easy to keep clean since the blades and handles are one continuous piece of metal. They fit nicely in both my and my husband's hands, and the weight is just right.

I highly recommend these knives for anyone looking for a good set at a medium price.

I should have listened to the reviews. I bought the knives in hopes to match my kitchen decor. I was so excited when I saw these knives and there are so many! But a las', the handles are rough once washed. So that means you can only use these knives once. Plus they are somewhat flimsy. Stay away if you can.

I bought these knives 3 years ago for my new house. I went by the Chicago Cutlery name and great price. The knives are great, but when you're ready to wash them, you can not (and I mean can not) let the handles touch the water. The handles get very dry and start cracking. I'm afraid that I will get a splinter one of these days. I'm actually in the market for new knives. These knives look great in my kitchen, but I think I need something with more comfortable handles.

I have had a set of Chicago Cutlery knives for over 10 years now (not these, though) and I still love them. I'm a professional chef so I use them every day and they get washed over and over. The thing about wood handles that you have to remember is OIL. In my kitchen the wood is always coming in contact with butter and oils so it's not a problem, but definately try one of the wood oils or waxes, even vegetable oil works. The wood actually gets "softer" as you go on. This should take care of the rough feel on the handles. I don't recommend placing knives in the dishwasher every day, but a good knife can take it.