In the past decade or so, Asian knives have also become popular. Designed to prep delicate foods like fish and tender vegetables with an up and down motion, they’re lighter and thinner and have blades with less of an angle. This article has been updated with new picks since its original publish date. This article has been reviewed since its original publish date for accuracy, pricing and availability. We stand by our list of top knife block set picks. Every home chef needs a solid knife set at the ready, whether it be for whipping up a four-course meal or simply chopping up some produce for your morning smoothie.
Each knife comes with a matching blade sleeve to prevent dulling — and protect you while you’re rummaging though the kitchen drawer. Both brands are relatively affordable, but Cuisinart knives are exceptionally cheap. Henckels blades are hardened to 57 on the Rockwell scale, while Cuisinart’s steel is softer, scoring 55. Both companies use durable synthetic material to make their handles. 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. Another benefit of a bolster is the weight and balance it provides.
Every kitchen needs a good set of knives, and basic sets usually contain six of them. The most common kinds of knives included in a knife set are a standard chef’s knife, a utility knife, a carving knife and a paring knife. Best Buy also has the Cuisinart 12pc Stainless Steel Knife Set with Blade Guards on sale for $14.99 (Reg. $40)! This set includes an 8″ chef’s knife, 8″ slicing knife, 8″ bread knife, 7″ Santoku knife, 5-1/2″ utility knife, and a 3-1/2″ paring knife.
The price for this set was right though, and with the blade guards I’m hoping they last a long time. With over 18,400 perfect ratings, shoppers say the Cuisinart set is more than worth the purchase. One reviewer wrote that this was a great knife set, adding that they’re “sharp, pretty, and easy to handle. Looks a lot more expensive they are.” We scoured review sites to see what recommendations were made by other sources and also pored over user comments to find out what home cooks have to say. The most popular Asian shape in American kitchens is the santoku, which has a long wide blade.
The sharpening steel guarantees the knives are always sharp and ready to use, too. Each knife in Cuisinart’s repertoire is part of a long history of Western culinary tools. From the workhorse chef’s knife, to the delicate paring knife, to the serrated bread knife, each fulfills certain roles in the kitchen. Yes, in the Cuisinart knife set I purchased some of the knives are serrated. All of the knives are very sharp, and beautifully tailored. I love this set, they are colorful, easy to clean and very sharp.
They’re a way of helping you to avoid cross-contamination, by keeping each knife for a dedicated purpose. On top of that, this series is true to its name, with each blade infused with nitrogen. This process creates a harder, sharper steel with better edge retention and corrosion resistance. That also makes the blades more prone to chipping, though, and less than ideal for first-time users. The Cuisinart Classic series is the baseline for all of their knives, and the first series they ever debuted.
Nothing is more essential for a cook than a good set of knives. Whether you’re prepping for dinner, grabbing a snack or carving a roast, you’ll need a sharp tool to get the job done quickly and neatly. When you go to shop, you’ll be confronted with knife block sets with a variety of styles and a wide range of prices. That means that, all said and done, the Cuisinart Classic series chef’s knife is the best blade you can get for under $20.
Its knives come in several colors and blade styles. If you’re not familiar, the bolster is the part of the knife where the blade and handle meet, and the steel thickens. It provides a smooth transition between the blade and handle and serves as a finger guard, protecting your hand from slipping onto the Cookware Sets blade. All of Henckels forged knives feature full bolsters, while their stamped blades are bolster-free. A major difference between Henckels and Cuisinart is their focus. Henckels is primarily a cutlery brand, while Cuisinart is best-known for its small appliances like food processors and coffee makers.