Knife Set Reviews

I was a little surprised with this set. Don't get me wrong, you should buy it, but the edge lacked a little of the visual refinement of the rest of the line. Also, the block of wood shipped with the knives is made of pine, or some other very soft wood. It would be nice if it was a Maple match to the block that shipped with the 15 piece set. This is a very good set, but it could use a little help upon arrival with a very fine whetstone, and a proper hardwood block. If you don't mind 2 minutes per blade with an ultra fine stone, this set compares well with the best of the two big homegrown German brands. Don't get me wrong, this set is far above any stamped steel set (even the stamped offerings from the big German brands). Buy it and enjoy!

I have had these knives for about 6 months now and could not be happier. They have excellent balance and feel. A major improvement to the stamped knives that comes with the Calphalon 15 piece set. The wood storage tray that comes with the knives is not very nice (light pine with no finish), but I don't use it anyway.

I just received these knives today.

I have a set of Henckels "International" Pro knives which I bought at Costco for about $150. The Henckels went dull very quickly. I looked at the blade, "Made in Spain". OK, now I know better -- only buy steel made in Japan or Germany.

So, I bought these Calphalon's based on the great reviews and the German steel in the advertisement here on Amazon.

Here's the revelation -- upon examining these knives, they are clearly stamped, "Made in CHINA. German Steel"

I'm not sure if I should feel good about these or not. Time will tell, but I wanted to stay away from products made in China and thought that I was getting a German product.

Having used them today, I can say that despite being made in China, they are very balanced and have an excellent weight to them. I found my hand subconciously and very naturally gripping around the neck of the handle, bolster, and blade and using the weight of the blade to chop down, something like how I'd use a cleaver.

I'm waiting to see how the German steel holds up on these Chinese knives, but so far so good. Minus 1 star for the misleading origin of these.

I've had this set for 6 months now, and am extremely happy with it. They are far superior to the less expensive Henckels and Wüsthof sets. I wouldn't go as far a saying they are the same quality as the top of the line Henckels and Wüsthof sets, but they are very close and cost a LOT less. No problems with rust or discoloration (the maids even ran the chef's and paring knives through the dishwasher by mistake). The stamped steak knives are not the best,(I have the forged steak knives as well)but they work good for everyday tasks. All in all, you can't go wrong with this set.

Friedrich Dick knives are a staple in culinary schools. Their blades have a higher carbon content than most, which makes them a bit harder and capable of holding an edge longer. (Friedrich Dick knives are also sold under the name Calphalon Professional Cutlery). Perhaps this is why the gentleman had a problem with rust. These knives are slighly more prone to rust than some others. All the good qualities described in the other reviews here are true, and with a little more care you get a superior set of knives at an excellent price/performance ratio bettered only by the Farberware Pro Forged set which are 85-90% of the quality for half, or less, the price.

I have used this set for seven summers of cooking at summer language villages, and have never been disappointed. These are good knives; the blade is of great quality and keeps its edge for longer than you might expect. I have seen these knives get a lot of hard wear from the workers in my kitchen, and have had to use them in the same manner myself. They hold up excellently and are dependable for big food prep needs. Now I just need to get a set for my home. As with anything, you need to know your tools and keep them in repair (with sharpening on regular basis, etc.)

Of late, Calphalon has tried to extend their market by putting their good name on flatware, baking equipment, and most recently, knives. Calphalon made thier name by making one of the finest lines of anodized pans in the world - so one would assume their other products would be equally good.

I have purchased three sets of these knives, including a full block set, and I find them to be good, albiet heavy, general purpose knives of a VERY hard stainless steel.

I buy them as gifts for my up-and-coming chef friends because they are well priced and well made. They are not, however, truely fine knives.

Their particular type of stainless - which is not listed on the blade as is the case with most fine knives - is challanging to sharpen to a true beveled edge and does not stay sharp as long as my WMF knives.

They are heavier than many other forged knives and made of thicker metal which is fine for most uses, but they do sacrifice some flex.

One interesting note is that while the advertising on these knives proclaims "German Stainless", the stickers that are all over the box and knives say "Made in China". Perhaps the metal is shipped there...

Overall, I would say that they are perfect for the light duty serious cook. They'd make a nice gift for the just-out-of-college-and-I-want-good-knives kid. They wash well, they cut well (professionally sharpen them first - they arrive dull), and they are really well priced.

For the price, good knives....

The previous reviewer said these knives arrive dull. My thumb disagrees. Sliced very cleanly through it! In spite of my wound I really like these knives. I thought they were well balanced and had a nice edge on them. I have only Chicago Cutlery and Cutco to compare them to. Calphalon Cutlery beats them both by a long shot. Probably ought to professionally sharpen them once a year and use the sharpening steel before each use.