Paring Knives Reviews

All three knives are the Wusthof quality I expected. Three different shapes seemed over-kill at first - but I found them extremely useful. A well thought out product.

I really liked the look and feel of the Wusthof's Culinar line and had three pieces from it. I had only used them for a couple of weeks when they started to rust! The company leads you to believe that the Culinar knives are made from a single piece construction, but they are actually *two pieces* and there is a joint. Mine all rusted right at that joint, just from normal kitchen use. Needless to say I was very disappointed...I have switched to the Wusthof Classic line instead. I do not recommend buying the Culinar line knives.

There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Culinar line is an all stainless steel look, rather than a black handle. Although the picture and some descriptions want you to think this is a single piece knife, be advised that the hand is a separate piece of stainless steel molded onto the tang. I personally prefer the handle of the Grand Prix and Classic, because the grip is surer for me, but this is, to some extent, a matter of personal preference. This series "looks" more professional to some (like a Viking stove).

This particular model is the 3 ½ inch paring knife. This knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 ½ inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 ½ inch paring knife and the 4 ½ inch utility knife.

Don't get me wrong; this is a very good knife. However, for the mainstream chef, I think its usage will be minimal, and thus it is overkill. Look for the 4 ½ inch utility knife first. If you own that knife, and you need this size for a specific application, this knife is great.