My main knife set is Henckels Zwilling. We also kept my wife's Wusthof 8 in chef's knife when we got married, so I have direct comparison of that to the 8 in Zwilling chef's knife. I also keep several Victornox paring knives on hand for convenience that I throw in the dishwasher with abandon, because they are very easy to re-sharpen. I've used a variety of other knives. My thoughts:
- Henckels Zwilling - Decent quality knives that will last a long time even if neglected, but not outright abused. Not leaders in ease of slicing, edge retention, or value, but they're a reasonable value, they feel good in the hand, and they look nice.
- Wusthof - The same comments apply as with Zwilling.
I think Wusthof tends to make their knives slightly thicker and heavier, and design the balance point slightly forward of the handle, while Zwilling designs their balance point around where the index finger normally grips. I feel like Zwilling is easier to maneuver and the Wusthof is easier to apply more cutting force with, and my own preference is for the Zwilling.
- Victorniox - I agree with others that these are one of the best values for the average household. I don't like the handles or balance much, and they feel cheap overall, but I believe the blade quality is similar to the two above, they cost a bit less, and it seems like they usually make the blades a little thinner for easier cutting. The extra that I spent on Zwillings benefited me for ergonomics and aesthetics, not cutting ability. They advertise these as "dishwasher safe" because the molded plastic handles won't be harmed over time like riveted handles will. It's still bad for the edges.
- Henckels US - a lower tier of knives compared to their Zwillings brand made out of softer steel and with cheaper feeling handles. Most of them are stamped instead of forged. They don't hold an edge as well, but they will cut fine if sharpened more frequently. The same applies to most other brands in a similar price range.
Side note: I was once told the way to remember which Henckels brand is the better one is that if the logo is two people dancing, be happy. If the logo is one person holding a spear, be afraid.
- "Miracle Blade", etc - Junk. This applies to most knives that go for a couple dollars per knife, especially those where most of the blades are serrated. Decent serrated knives have their uses, but this level of knife won't hold an edge capable of cleanly slicing, so it relies on the serrations to tear at the food.
In my earlier life, I semi-routinely cooked dinner at a friend's house who saw the "Miracle Blade" TV ads and bought them. I very quickly came to loathe those knives. At the time, I only had an old paring knife and chef's knife my dad picked up a thrift store to give me when I moved out on my own. They were rather dull when I got them, and I never bothered even trying to sharpen them in the years I owned them, but they were definitely better than the as-seen-on-TV knives.
- Henckels Zwilling - Decent quality knives that will last a long time even if neglected, but not outright abused. Not leaders in ease of slicing, edge retention, or value, but they're a reasonable value, they feel good in the hand, and they look nice.
- Wusthof - The same comments apply as with Zwilling.
I think Wusthof tends to make their knives slightly thicker and heavier, and design the balance point slightly forward of the handle, while Zwilling designs their balance point around where the index finger normally grips. I feel like Zwilling is easier to maneuver and the Wusthof is easier to apply more cutting force with, and my own preference is for the Zwilling.
- Victorniox - I agree with others that these are one of the best values for the average household. I don't like the handles or balance much, and they feel cheap overall, but I believe the blade quality is similar to the two above, they cost a bit less, and it seems like they usually make the blades a little thinner for easier cutting. The extra that I spent on Zwillings benefited me for ergonomics and aesthetics, not cutting ability. They advertise these as "dishwasher safe" because the molded plastic handles won't be harmed over time like riveted handles will. It's still bad for the edges.
- Henckels US - a lower tier of knives compared to their Zwillings brand made out of softer steel and with cheaper feeling handles. Most of them are stamped instead of forged. They don't hold an edge as well, but they will cut fine if sharpened more frequently. The same applies to most other brands in a similar price range.
Side note: I was once told the way to remember which Henckels brand is the better one is that if the logo is two people dancing, be happy. If the logo is one person holding a spear, be afraid.
- "Miracle Blade", etc - Junk. This applies to most knives that go for a couple dollars per knife, especially those where most of the blades are serrated. Decent serrated knives have their uses, but this level of knife won't hold an edge capable of cleanly slicing, so it relies on the serrations to tear at the food.
In my earlier life, I semi-routinely cooked dinner at a friend's house who saw the "Miracle Blade" TV ads and bought them. I very quickly came to loathe those knives. At the time, I only had an old paring knife and chef's knife my dad picked up a thrift store to give me when I moved out on my own. They were rather dull when I got them, and I never bothered even trying to sharpen them in the years I owned them, but they were definitely better than the as-seen-on-TV knives.
Statistics: Posted by iamlucky13 — Thu Nov 27, 2025 12:31 am — Replies 44 — Views 2394