In the brand’s colored knife set, the yellow blade is an 8” serrated bread knife that you can use to slice through bread and other ingredients like meat very easily. If you’re starting a collection from scratch, a chef’s knife should be your first addition. From there, add a paring knife for doing more detailed work. From there, check out my guide to essential kitchen knives for the at-home cook to see if you need any more for the style of food you want to cook.
That’s why I recommend paying close attention to the following six aspects on each of Cuisnart’s knives. Each criteria will give you greater insight as to the sort of knife you need, and how much you should budget for it. The Graphix series paring knife is the major standout from this line. That’s because a paring knife requires delicate movements, and even a small slip can lead to nicked fingers.
The Cuisinart 12-Piece Color Knife Set is a budget-priced, basic knife set that is versatile enough to meet the chopping and slicing needs of most home chefs. Each knife comes with a matching blade sleeve to prevent dulling — and protect you while you’re rummaging though the kitchen drawer. Not only are the jewel tones a fun pop of color, but they also make it a breeze to reach for just the right tool for each task — as well as reduce the risk of cross-contamination during food prep. And while a full explanation of every type of kitchen knife is outside the scope of this article, I can direct you to my article on essential types of kitchen knives for the at-home chef. There, I explain the design and function of 19 different knives, with examples of how they’re used.
It was also the lowest-priced induction-motor food processor we tested, stumbling only when chopping almonds to a consistent particle size—it finished last among our group of winners on that task. Cuisinart is confident the motor will survive making dough with gotham steel cookware sets the metal chopping blade, so we don’t see any reason to purchase a separate dough blade. The blades of all the knives in this set are made with high-carbon stainless steel, which assures the user that their tools will remain sharp for a long time coming.
In all cases, the work bowls twist and click onto the base. After that, the lid usually twists to lock onto the work bowl, though some companies are experimenting with different lid-locking mechanisms. Even after working with the machines for days on end, we often fumbled with many of them before getting them into action-ready position. We awarded points to models that included directional arrows or printed labels that help you align the motor, work bowl, and lid.
And yet, if there’s one piece of kitchen gear that elicits groans from the Serious Eats culinary team when they have to lug it out, it’s the food processor. For those with restaurant-grade knife skills, speed alone isn’t always a big selling gotham steel cookware sets point. When you add up the time it takes to get the 20-pound appliance out, set it up, use it, and then clean it, it can often feel like more trouble than it’s worth. Cuisinart also has forged, triple-riveted blades like the C77TR-CF-25.