What’s the Best Wüsthof Knife for Your Kitchen?
When you’re looking to make your next investment for your kitchen, the benefits of a high-quality line of kitchen knives are invaluable. For a tool that you use so often when you cook, quality is going to pay for itself many times over.
If you’ve ever used a dull set of kitchen knives, you know the frustrations well. Hacked up meat, crumbling bread, and damaged veggies. Dull knives make it difficult to prepare a beautiful meal. Even more importantly, dull or low-quality knives are not enjoyable to use and they’re hard on your hands and wrists. And for folks who care about aesthetics, low-quality knives don’t look as good in the kitchen.
Investing in quality kitchen knives might be intimidating at first due to the price tag, but when it comes to using your kitchen knife, excellent products pay for themselves time and time again.
As you research for your next kitchen knife investment, you’ll surely come across products made by the renowned brand Wüsthof. The brand is well-known for its meticulously-crafted products made in Solingen, Germany – the steel capital of the world.
Wüsthof was founded in Solingen, Germany over 200 years ago, and the products are still made in Solingen today. The brand has a cool history but they’re not stuck in the past. Wüsthof’s use of the latest technologies like their patented Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) literally puts the edge on their forged knife collections. And if you’re conscious about environmental impact, you can feel good about Wüsthof’s commitment to environmental awareness and sustainability.
As far as quality knife brands go, Wüsthof products offer ease of use, durability, and not to mention a lifetime warranty. These quality knives save energy and frustration. And they’re a joy to use in the kitchen, making food prep so much easier.
You can count on all of the following product lines to be:
- Purposefully sculpted to be beautiful i.e. a sleek, upscale look in your kitchen.
- Full-tang. This means that the knife is made from one solid piece of metal that extends fully to the end of the handle, and the handle is made of two pieces, pinned to the blade on either side.
So how do you decide which is the best Wüsthof knife for your needs? We’ve pulled the stats to give you a snapshot of the 7 knife lines from Wüsthof USA. Let’s find out which series is right for you.
WÜSTHOF EPICURE
For the production kitchen or home chef.
The EPICURE line is optimum for the eco-conscious, and its sustainable design is both beautiful and ergonomically-crafted to reduce fatigue for the professional or home chef.
The contoured handles are designed for a comfortable grip and optimal performance. The material is durable Richlite, a composite of recycled wood known for ultra-durability and sustainability. (Richlite is the material found in high-end Epicurean® cutting surfaces.)
The EPICURE line offers a precision-forged, wider blade made for agile handling. The blade edges are sharpened using patented Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) and treated with a clear ceramic coating to boost corrosion-resistance and protect from scratches.
Want something to start out but don’t need to furnish your kitchen with every knife on the market? If you’re looking for a couple of knives to cover the basics, try the Prep Set. The Prep Set offers versatility to cover all the bases for cooking at home or in a professional kitchen.
- Handles made from sustainable material Richlite, a composite of recycled wood
- Ergonomically crafted for comfort
- Precision-forged from a single piece of tempered high-carbon stain-free steel
- Patented Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) ensures 20% sharper edge
- Made in Solingen, Germany
WÜSTHOF CLASSIC
For the professional and at-home chef.
As the name implies, the CLASSIC line from Wüsthof is the traditional best-selling collection. CLASSIC offers the widest range of excellent quality products for any professional or home kitchen. When in doubt, go CLASSIC.
The CLASSIC series features the precision-forged stainless steel blade you expect from Wüsthof, with a distinguished handle design. The handle is made of a specially-developed, highly-durable composite material that resists fading and discoloration.
On the triple-riveted, full-tang handle is Wüsthof’s classic trident logo that holds the vision of the company’s traditional core values: “Passion, Diligence, and Perfection.”
- Full-tang for even weight distribution and better leverage
- Tang is triple-riveted to the handle for precise control
- Synthetic Polyoxymethylene (POM) material handle
- Precision-forged from a single piece of tempered high-carbon stain-free steel
- Patented Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) ensures 20% sharper edge
- Made in Solingen, Germany
Wusthof Classic Two Piece Prep Set
WÜSTHOF Classic 8 Inch Chef’s Knife
Wusthof Classic Paring Knife,
WÜSTHOF Classic 6-Piece Knife with Spoon
Wusthof Classic 7-piece Slim Knife Block Set
WÜSTHOF IKON
For the home chef.
Wüsthof describes the IKON line as “The Jewel of Our Collection,” so you might imagine that this series is top-of-the-line. As the name suggests, this series has a distinctive, iconic look and lasting quality.
The IKON’s beautifully-designed hardwood handle is made from one of the hardest, heaviest woods in the world: Grenadill wood, otherwise known as African Blackwood. The wood grain is dense and distinctive for a beautiful look in any kitchen.
The double-bolster feature of the IKON line promotes exceptional balance for cutting. The full-tang exclusive steel blade is precision-forged from a single piece of German stainless steel for utmost quality.Z
- African Blackwood (Grenadill) handle for extreme density and distinctive wood grain
- Forged steel blade from high-carbon stainless steel
- Distinctive double bolster for exceptional balance
- Easy-to-maintain sharpness
- Precision-forged from a single piece of tempered high-carbon stain-free steel
- Patented Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) ensures 20% sharper edge
- Made in Solingen, Germany
WÜSTHOF CLASSIC IKON
For the professional chef and home chef alike.
CLASSIC IKON is a balanced series with a contemporary appearance. The CLASSIC IKON features a distinctive double-bolster design to provide balance and a contoured handle for a comfortable grip and an elegant shape. The ergonomic handle is specially designed for comfort without sacrificing durability. This full-tang handle touts the fade-resistant Polyoxymethylene (POM) material and features Wüsthof’s classic triple-riveted look.
The CLASSIC ICON features a half-bolster at the center which makes it easy to sharpen the knife all the way to the blade. The second bolster at the butt of the knife adds balance for easy, every-day use.
- Triple-riveted full-tang handle for precise control
- Heel bolster for excellent balance when cutting
- Highly durable Polyoxymethylene (POM) handle
- Ergonomically crafted for comfort
- Precision-forged from a single piece of tempered high-carbon stain-free steel
- Patented Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) ensures 20% sharper edge
- Made in Solingen, Germany
WÜSTHOF Classic IKON 8 Inch Chef’s Knife
WÜSTHOF CLASSIC IKON Seven Acacia Block 7-Piece German Set
WÜSTHOF CLASSIC 19-PIECE KNIFE BLOCK SET
WÜSTHOF GRAND PRIX II
The GRAND PRIX II is a versatile line for any cook.
The GRAND PRIX II speaks modern and contemporary, and doesn’t skimp on performance. This series is built for outstanding performance in any kitchen.
The sleek look of this line with its signature pebble-textured black handle not only looks bold and beautiful, but it’s made of a specially-developed material for optimal comfort and durability. The full-tang blade is buffed and polished by hand and seamlessly attached to the handle with a classic trident-stamped rivet.
- Full-tang blade seamlessly attached to handle
- Blade is buffed and polished by hand
- Synthetic polypropylene handle for a secure, comfortable grip
- Long-lasting blade sharpness
- Precision-forged from a single piece of tempered high-carbon stain-free steel
- Patented Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) ensures 20% sharper edge
- Made in Solingen, Germany
WÜSTHOF GOURMET
The GOURMET is for home cooks and professional chefs alike.
The GOURMET line is incredibly versatile and will meet the needs of professional chefs and home cooks alike. The GOURMET line offers the excellent quality you expect from Wüsthof with precision-cut German steel blades and a synthetic handle for a lightweight, classic feel.
The wide assortment of GOURMET knives features a precise laser-cut blade for sharp edges and easy slicing. The GOURMET line offers a new, lightweight polyoxymethylene handle material that’s highly durable and resists fading and discoloration. The handle is stamped with Wüsthof’s red Trident logo for a classic look. Pro chefs and home chefs alike are bound to find a winning knife in the GOURMET series.
- Incredibly sharp precision-cut laser-cut blade
- Easily maintained high-carbon stainless steel blade
- Laser-cut stamped from high-carbon stainless German steel
- Polyoxymethylene (POM) handle resists fading and discoloration
- Well-balanced and durable
- Made in Solingen, Germany
WÜSTHOF Gourmet 12 Piece Block Set
WÜSTHOF Gourmet 16-Piece Block Set
WÜSTHOF Gourmet 18 Piece Block Set
WÜSTHOF PRO
Think PRO = professional kitchen.
The PRO line is arguably the best Wüsthof knife for the professional kitchen. This series offers superior quality knives designed to meet the heavy demands of commercial kitchens. Chefs and their staff can be confident in the high performance of the PRO series and will be pleased with the price point. With the PRO’s ergonomically-designed and slip-resistant handle, this series is designed for comfort and control.
Our pick: the PRO 10″ Cook’s Knife is the all-purpose kitchen knife. This versatile knife is built for mincing and heavy-duty work alike.
- Unique hygienic handle for professional chefs
- Ergonomically crafted for comfort
- Laser-cut stamped from high-carbon stain-free steel
- Made in Solingen, Germany
WÜSTHOF Pro Cook’s Knife
WÜSTHOF 5-Piece Starter Set
How to shop for a Wusthof knife
When shopping for WÜSTHOF knives it is important to understand as much as you can about the brand and available products.
All WÜSTHOF knives are created using a steel formula of X50 Cr Mo 15. It is a special alloy of high-carbon stain-free steel. Each knife is either forged or laser-cut stamped. Here are the product lines for each:
Forged Product Lines
- EPICURE
- IKON
- CLASSIC IKON
- CLASSIC
- GRAND PRIX II
Laser-cut Stamped Product Lines
- GOURMET
- PRO
- ZEST
What sets WÜSTHOF knives apart from other brands that is is one of the few brands permitted to use the label “Made in Solingen” (the steel capital of the world) on their knives instead of the “Made in Germany” which is less restrictive. The label “Made in Solingen” means that all key manufacturing stages have been processed and finished within Solingen.