Brighten up your kitchen now with this gotham steel cookware sets set for just $15. However, Cuisinart knives are some of the cheapest I’ve ever seen, especially the collections with stamped blades. If this assumption is true, Henckels knives are significantly sharper than Cuisinart knives. And due to the softness of Cuisinart’s steel, the edge will dull and require resharpening more often. I found retailers advertising their blades at a rating of 56, but 3CR13 stainless steel is rated between 52 and 55.
Though not for the professional chef, Cuisinart’s knives are easily the best you can get for under $20 a piece. It’s impressive how well they work given their price, making them a good choice for first-time knife buyers. Once you’re well practiced with your knife skills, consider upgrading to a higher end brand. The best cuisinart knife set is the Cuisinart C77WTR-15P Classic Forged Triple Rivet 15-Piece Knife Set in White. This Cuisinart knife set contains everything you could possibly need for almost any dish, as well as a few valuable extras like a knife sharpener to properly maintain your knives’ edges. “I often reach for these over my “expensive” knives!” says one of 29,000 five-star reviewers.
The consequence of its sales model is that its knives aren’t available on retail shelves and are only sold through third-party retailers online, which raises concerns of fair prices and seller legitimacy. If you need to replace a knife in your Cutco collection, you may be scouring the depths of eBay and Craigslist to do so — likely at a markup. Most sets come with a storage wood block, but you may not want to use it if your kitchen is short on counter-space like mine. I prefer Japanese-style knives , which are sharp but quite fragile. Many other chefs prefer hard German steel (like Wüsthof and Zwilling, and J.A. Henckels), because they don’t chip as easily and are easy to sharpen.
This is especially nice for the all-purpose Artisan utility knife, which makes a great backup to your chef’s knife. Though they’re all priced within about $10 of each other, each Cuisinart knife set is designed to appeal to a certain sort of cook. Let’s take a closer look at what makes each series unique, with notes on what cooking style each is best for.
Get the latest reviews, deals, giveaways, and exclusive content. Join our free newsletter and get the latest reviews, deals, giveaways, and exclusive content. Both brands are relatively affordable, but Cuisinart knives are exceptionally cheap. Henckels knives are sharper with a 30-degree cutting angle, while Cuisinart’s are sharpened to 44 degrees. Henckels blades are hardened to 57 on the Rockwell scale, while Cuisinart’s steel is softer, scoring 55.
Each knife has a sloped bolster, which means it’s easier to learn how to properly grip the knife on the blade instead of by the handle. Still, it’s hard to complain considering you’ll receive five impressively sharp knives that performed as well as sets three times the price. In addition to the sharp blades, each knife has a great balance and we love the grip of the handles.
If price isn’t an issue, these ultra-sharp, super-light knives are a perfect choice. They make a great upgrade set and would definitely be on my wedding registry if I had one in the near future. We didn’t observe this, but other reviewers claim the ceramic nonstick coating on these knives are prone to chipping when you sharpen them or run them through the dishwasher. Luckily, washing by hand is easy since not much food sticks to these knives. These knives are eye catching thanks to their bright, cheerful primary colors.
The Wüsthof Classic Ikon 7-Piece Knife Set almost rivals our top pick, but it only comes with four knives plus shears. The utility knife’s long, semi-flexible blade makes it stand out in a set we already love. If you don’t need any of the extra knives, you really can’t go wrong with this one.
Steel this soft will dull quickly, so be prepared and have a quality sharpener on hand if you go with Cuisinart. It’s difficult to determine the exact hardness of Cuisinart blades because different sources give different numbers, and when I spoke to a product specialist, they were not sure. The hardness of a steel blade is measured on the Rockwell Scale, and the ideal rating is between 56 and 61. And the Marble Style collection exhibits unique handles that look like natural stone. Another benefit of a bolster is the weight and balance it provides.