Kitchen Knives: Ratings of Sources
Total of 24 Sources
For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.
1. ConsumerReports.org
June 2009
Kitchen Knives: Cutting-Edge Performance
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
Our Assessment
About 50 knife sets are tested by ConsumerReports.org editors, including sets made by Wusthof, Henckels and Cutco. Generally, the higher-end sets are rated better in tests that factor in the level of care required to keep the knives honed, as well as comfort, performance and, of course, price. The article also provides a helpful graphic showing all the parts of a knife.
2. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
March 1, 2007
Innovative Chef's Knives
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine
Our Assessment
In this article, Cook's Illustrated magazine tests nine chef's knives with innovative designs intended to improve ergonomics and provide greater precision when cutting. Editors rate the knives on four… factors: handle, blade, kitchen tests and edge retention. This review is especially thorough. Knives were tested by cooks of all levels of experience, hand size and handedness, and testing included cutting whole chickens, chopping butternut squash, dicing onions and mincing parsley. Pros and cons are listed for each knife, and recommendations are made. While the tests are more detailed that those at ConsumerReports.org, only a handful of knives are rated.
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3. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Nov. 1, 2009
Hybrid Chef's Knives
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine
Our Assessment
Cook's Illustrated magazine reviews eight gyutou knives that combine Japanese knife-making techniques with European styling, comparing each with the inexpensive-yet-highly-rated RH Forschner by Victorinox… Fibrox chef's knife. Testers of varying hand size and skill were asked to dice onions, mince parsley, quarter butternut squash and cut up whole raw chickens. The knives were also machine-tested for sharpness and durability at a lab in the U.K. Each knife is rated for cutting performance and design. Two gyutou knives are highly recommended.
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4. Choice magazine
Jan. 30, 2008
Test: Kitchen Knives
by Editors of Choice magazine
Our Assessment
Australia's Choice magazine is roughly equivalent to ConsumerReports.org, with similar testing methodology. Male and female chefs test 13 fine-edged chef's knives. A laboratory also tests the knives for… sharpness. Commentary on each model highlights good and bad points, along with details like weight that are more a matter of personal preference. Most, but not all, of the tested knives are also sold in the United States.
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5. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
April 1, 2006
Paring Knives
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine
Our Assessment
Cook's Illustrated magazine puts 10 paring knives to the test in this review. Knives were used in a variety of tasks, including peeling apples, coring tomatoes and removing the membrane from pork tenderloin. Each knife is critiqued, and recommendations are made.
6. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
March 1, 2008
Serrated Knives
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine
Our Assessment
Editors at Cook's Illustrated magazine rate 12 serrated knives in this product test -- helpful because serrated knives don't get that much attention in reviews. Knives were used not only to slice bread, but also to split cakes, slice tomatoes and cut sandwiches. Two knives tie for first, but one is better suited for people with large hands.
7. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Nov. 1, 2008
Slicing Knives
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine
Our Assessment
Cook's Illustrated's team of testers went in search of a knife that could slice a roast, ham or turkey into thin even slices. They test nine knives and find three that meet their specifications after hands-on tests.
The Subtle Knife
by Gillian Duffy
Our Assessment
Chef Masayoshi "Masa" Takayama rates the expanding range of available santoku knives. The Shun Classic wins with its excellent layered steel. Of the 10 tested knives, the Rachel Ray Furi CoppertaiI 7-inch East/West knife comes in last; Takayama says the knife "does not have good balance." Testing methods are not discussed, but the prestige of the chef lends a great deal of credibility.
9. The Wall Street Journal
July 1, 2005
Making the Cut
by Kelly Crow
Our Assessment
Five santoku knives are tested by two chefs. Knives are rated on their ability to slice tomatoes, peppers, onions and fish. Though the Global is the "sexiest," its handle is deemed too slippery. The… Henckels Four-Star "dragged" through tomatoes. The Wusthof Classic, with a Granton edge, is rated the best value, and the Kershaw Shun Classic, with a uniquely shaped handle, gets the highest overall rating.
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Kitchen Knives
by Editors of Good Housekeeping magazine
Our Assessment
Good Housekeeping magazine editors discuss their top four picks for kitchen knives in this brief undated article, part of a series on kitchen equipment. Although knives were tested, there's no mention of what methodology was used or what models didn't make the cut. Wusthof, Henckels, Chicago Cutlery and RH Forschner knives are recommended.
Chef's Knives Rated
by Michael Chu
Our Assessment
Reviews focus on objectivity and precision, and this roundup of 11 popular chef's knives is no exception. The methodology is explained in great detail, but unfortunately only the website's founder, Michael Chu, actually tested the knives. Chu finds that the Global G-2 20 cm cook's knife is the best performer, but he prefers the MAC Mighty Chef 8-inch with dimples because of its superior comfort.
But Don't Ditch Steel, Yet
by Joseph de Avila
Our Assessment
Joseph de Avila tests four sets of ceramic knives in this article by slicing raw fruits and vegetables and boneless meats. He rates knives based on cutting ease, balance and feel, and chooses Kyocera Advanced Ceramics knives as his favorite. In general, de Avila finds that ceramic knives cut and handle well but are more limited than steel knives.
13. Fine Cooking
Oct./Nov. 2005
A Chef's Knife is Your Most Valuable Kitchen Companion
by Maryellen Driscoll
Our Assessment
This review is notable for its good buyer's guide on the anatomy of a chef's knife. Shoppers are advised to test as many knives as possible to find a good fit. Twenty-five forged knives are tested by… chopping veggies, but no two testers choose the same five favorites. The magazine lists four favored knives (Chef's Choice Trizor Professional, Friedrich Dick Premier Plus, Messermeister Meridian and Wusthof-Trident Classic), but there are no overall ratings. The other knives tested are not identified. Some Japanese knives are also listed, though we don't know how many were actually tested. The Calphalon Katana, Chroma Type 301, Global and Kershaw Shun Classic are highlighted but not rated.
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14. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
July 1, 2004
Santoku Knives
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine
Our Assessment
Recent buzz regarding santoku knives prompts Cook's Illustrated magazine to test 10 models against their favorite chef's knife. While editors conclude that chef's knives are still more versatile and perform… better on tougher jobs (such as cutting bone), they agree that santoku knives can be nice for precision work, such as thinly sliced vegetables. One model is recommended as a supplement to -- but not a replacement for -- a traditional chef's knife.
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The Kindest Cutlery
by Jane Bennett Clark
Our Assessment
Along with general buying advice, chef Wayne Nish dishes up some more specific preferences among knives. Nish prefers Wusthof Classic and Grand Prix knives for the most part, but he also admires the RH Forschner by Victorinox Fibrox stamped series, which he says "appear to be designed by chefs for chefs." Global knives make good slicers, says Nish, because of their thin blades.
16. Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Oct. 1, 2006
Inexpensive Knife Sets
by Editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine
Our Assessment
Cook's Illustrated magazine recommends buying individual knives rather than sets, which they say usually contain far more knives than you'll actually need. This review focuses only on knife sets costing… less than $100. Unfortunately, Victorinox did not manufacture a set of kitchen knives at the time this review was written, so this brand was not included in the test. Editors at Cook's Illustrated are disappointed to find that they could not recommend any of the six sets tested.
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Top 7 Chef's Knives
by Brett Moore
Our Assessment
This buying guide from Brett Moore, About.com's guide to gourmet food, discusses seven popular chef's knives. Material and construction are discussed briefly, although performance doesn't get a mention.… Among Moore's recommended knives are the Global 8-inch chef's knife, the Wusthof Classic 9-inch chef's knife and the Shun Classic 8-inch chef's knife. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
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Japanese Fusion Knives
by Elisa Huang
Our Assessment
This brief article from Bon Appetit discusses knives that combine European and Japanese styles. No methodology or ratings are given, but Elisa Huang describes three favorite knives in this style, the Masanobu Gyutou, the Shun Ken Onion chef's knife and the MAC Knives Mighty Santoku. The description of each knife is focused more on aesthetics than performance, although balance is also discussed.
19. Cook's Country
May 19, 2007
Top Kitchen Essentials
by Editors of Cook's Country magazine
Our Assessment
This guide provides a list of equipment that Cook's Country feels is essential for every kitchen. Along with recommendations for pots, pans and other cooking equipment, editors describe the need for a good chef's knife and paring knife. One knife brand is recommended.
Your First Kitchen Knives
by Dan Mifflin
Our Assessment
This short buyer's guide discusses various types of knives, offering suggestions for which shapes you should consider as the basis for your knife collection. No testing is mentioned, and no kitchen knives are recommended in this article. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Cutlery
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Our Assessment
There are a large number of owner-written reviews to be found at Amazon.com. Unfortunately, they are not well organized. Knives are mixed in with sharpeners and cutting boards, and you have to click several… times to get to the reviews. Most of the average ratings are in the same range of good-to-excellent, so you only start to get an idea of performance by reading individual reviews. We used the owner ratings at Amazon.com to corroborate picks made in professional reviews.
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Sharp as a... Tile?
by Tara Weingarten
Our Assessment
This short article only covers ceramic knives, which Tara Weingarten says are stronger and stay sharper than steel. No testing is referenced, and none of the knives are rated. We found it odd that the writer does not mention the fragility of ceramic cutlery compared with steel. Kyocera, Summit and URI Eagle are said to be worth a look.
From Soup to Knives
by Amy Esbenshade Hebert
Our Assessment
In this short article, chef Cat Cora, host of the Food Network's "Kitchen Accomplished," recommends three kitchen must-haves. Rather than buy a fancy knife set, Cora recommends going with a single good-quality chef's knife. Cora likes Global and Henckels knives. No testing or ratings are included here.
Cutlery
by Contributors to Epinions.com
Our Assessment
While Amazon.com offers a significantly greater number of reviews, reviews at Epinions.com are easier to navigate. This is the best place to find comments for Cutco knife sets, which aren't sold at Amazon.com. Several of the owners mention family members persuading them to spend the money on these pricey sets, and most seem happy with the overall performance of the knives.
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