In order to know which Wusthof Classic knife set to buy we have looked at the entire line of over 40 Wusthof Classic sets. The Classic line is one of the most versatile lines from Wusthof. Thus you will get a large variety of knives and knife sets that may fit even the most pretentious user. Basically you have 2 types of sets, the “block sets” and just the sets.
In order to know which one to pick, you have to know if you need storage for your knives or not. If you do you can pick the block sets but, if you don’t, you can just buy a set without the block. Also, block sets, have a larger number of knives and are usually intended for larger households. While normal sets have a smaller number of knives, but in a greater variety. Thus, are intended for a specific user.
There are many questions to answer when deciding to buy the best knife set for your needs. What types of knives should my set have? How many knives should my knife set have? Do I need storage for my knives? But, in order to find what knife line is best, you need to ask “Are the features of these knives good enough for my needs?” How the knife is made, its design, sharpness and price, all matter in deciding if the knives are good enough for you. Then you just have to pick the set that fits your needs best.
Wusthof Classic Knives Features
The Classic line from Wusthof is the most emblematic series of knives from the brand. Plus, it offers the largest variety of knives. Thus, it fits everyone, from professional chef’s to beginner cooks or, even the most specific users. You can get almost everything from the basic chef, paring, slicing or bread knives to a variety of speciality knives.
Also, it is the most popular and best sold line of knives from the brand. It can be seen everywhere from professional kitchens, to cooking TV shows or movies. With variety and popularity in check, we now have to just look at how these knives are actually made in order to see what all the fuss is about.
How are the Wusthof Classic knives made?
All Wusthof Classic knives are forged from X50 Cr MoV 15 steel and feature a full tanged, triple riveted design with a bolster. The material from which the blade is forged is made exclusively for Wusthof. The alloy is basically a mixture of high carbon steel with 15% Chromium plus, Molybdenum and Vanadium, that give the steel its unique properties. The X50 Cr MoV 15 steel knife will have a long lasting edge that is also rust and corrosion resistant.
Because of the high engineering involved in the production process, you get the same great knife every time. Almost all steps in the making of the Wusthof knives is automated. Steel sheats of X50 Cr MoV 15 reach the factory where the knife blades are cut, forged and sharpened. The handles are attached and polished. Plus a final hand honing is applied for a razor sharp edge. In between each step of this process regular cleaning and quality control is applied to ensure a flawless end product.
Blade
The blades of the Classic line of knives are forged and reache 58 HRC on the Rockwell scale. This will ensure a very good edge retention while the blade is still flexible. The knives have a “V” shaped edge ground at 28 degrees, 14 degrees on each side. This is also a Western edge. By comparison, generally a Japanese style edge will have around 10 degrees on each side. The higher angle of the edge ensures it will not get damaged as easy. A steeper angle (japanese knives) is prone to nicks and chips. This is why a western knife can also be used to cut small bones without the risk of chipping the edge.
Handle
The handle of the Wusthof Classic knives is made out of POM (polyoxymethylene). This material is a very hard plastic that stands up to high levels of scratching and damages. Plus it does not react to water which makes it a great material for knife handles. A knife will usually scratch between other tools or get dropped and slightly damaged. In the case of wood handles this is bad as water can seep into the unprotected wood and further damage the handle. In the case of using POM this will not happen.
The material of a handle is not the only factor you should take into consideration. The way in which this material is fixed to the blade is also important. As these blades are full-tang knives the material will be fixed on the sides of the tang. By using a triple-riveted design, Wusthof ensures a very sturdy handle fixed in place by 3 strong rivets. The design of the handles is very much western in style, with finely polished edges and a safety notch at the end.
Sharpening
In order to grind and sharpen its knives, Wusthof, uses its innovative PEtec process. PEtc stands for Precision Edge Technology and it does exactly what the name describes. Through this system, lasers and computers, measure and calculate the exact edge that has to be applied to every knife. Then precision robotic arms sharpen each blade at the required amount and angle. This results in a much steeper edge than with conventional sharpening methods. Thus a sharper knife. Finally, in order for you to receive a extremely sharp knife out of the box, experienced workers hand hone each blade in order to achieve a scalpel like edge.
Price and Warranty
When compared to the other Wusthof forged knife lines, the Classic, is the best budget option you could go for. Also, because it is one of the oldest lines on offer, you usually find that you get discounted prices on most knives and sets. Thus we believe that the Wusthof classic line is a great deal for beginners who intend to get a forged knife.
The great materials and consistent, automated production process involved in creating the Classic line determines the overall quality of the knives. As everything is really high standard at the Solingen, Wusthof factory so is the end product. Thus, the company offers a limited lifetime warranty on all Wusthof Classic knives.
Unboxing the Wusthof Classic Knife Set
If the features of the Wusthof Classic line suite your expectation of what a good kitchen knife, at the right price should look like, we can move on to choosing the best set for your needs. You might be a beginner cook and might want to keep it low on the budget by selecting the best all in one, basic knives set. Or, maybe you do not have a specific budget, love the knives and want to get a set for the whole family. In any case there are over 40 sets and 15 set sizes from which you can choose one that’s best for you.
In order to make your decision easier, we have grouped the Wusthof knife sets in two categories. Thus, you have the sets that come with a block and the ones that do not have storage. We did this for two reasons. First, for the obvious fact that one has storage and one doesn’t. Second, because the sets that come with a block, usually feature between 7 and 36 pieces in the set (including the set). This makes these sets ideal from the smallest to the largest household.
On the other hand, the sets that come without a block have a smaller number of pieces per set but in a larger variety. Thus these sets are best for a single intended user. Because of the variety in types of knife sets, you can get around 10 versions of a 2 piece set. In which case, most cooks can find something suited to their needs.
Should I buy a Wusthof Classic knife block set?
There are over 10 types of 7 to 36 piece Wusthof Classic block sets on offer which might make it a bit confusing to decide. But let’s make it easier and divide them into 2 categories. The sets that feature steak knives and the ones that don’t. If you are not interested in buying steak knives or you already have your own you might want to take this factor into consideration.
When deciding which one to pick you must know that the number of pieces in a set is irrelevant to the number of knives. In order to find out the right number of knives you have to first subtract the block, the steel and the kitchen shears. In other words you take out the storage, maintenance and accessories part of your set. Thus from 7 to 36 piece knife sets you get between 4 and 33 knives.
Also keep in mind that the larger knife sets have multiple steak knives featured in the set. If we subtract that number also, you might find that some sets that initially felt large, might not be big enough. For example the larger 12 to 20 piece sets actually have between 5 and 9 cooking knives in the set. While the top two 26 and 36 piece sets remain the largest at 15 and 25 cooking knives.
Now let’s take a closer look at each set to see what unique cooking knives you actually get.
Wusthof Classic 36 piece knife Block Set
The Classic 36 piece block set is the biggest on offer. Actually it is also called the MEGA and for no odd reason at all. The set boosts 36 pieces from which 25 cooking knives from a total of 33. It is huge. But why on earth would you even think of getting such a monster? It’s simple.
Maybe you have a larger family where most members enjoy cooking and you would like for everyone to have a tool and join in on the action. Or, maybe you regularly have friends over which also like to pick up the slack and do their part. In any case, the 36 Piece MEGA Wusthof Classic knife block set will take care of everything.
The set features 6 different types of paring knives and 6 chopping knives. Imagine, 6 people could be peeling and chopping anything you can imagine at any one time. And, with a simple division of labor you could get even 12 people in that kitchen, peeling and chopping. Of course you get the bread and slicing knives as basic also. But these are just the basics.
The truth is that the basics are not even close to enough when getting a gigantic set like this one. Thus, adding some speciality knives makes everything seem closer to complete. In this case the set features, the “butchery pack” (cleaver, boning knife, fillet knife), the “cheese pack” (hard and soft cheese knives) and as we call it the “sandwich pack” (deli knife, tomato knife, + 2 utility knives).
Wusthof Classic 26 piece knife Block Set
The Classic 26 piece knife block is yet another large set. It basically contains 3 accessories (knife block, sharpening steel and kitchen shears) and 23 knives from which 15 cooking knives and 8 steak knives. In regards to cooking knives, you get all the basic knives and more. When compared to the 36 piece set, you receive 2 paring and 4 chopping knives as opposed to 6 and 6. But honestly that could be enough for almost any household.
You also get the bread knife and slicing knife (well carving knife), with the exception of the 10 inch Super Slicer. But that shouldn’t be a big issue as you can replace it with the bread or carving knife in most cases. Also our so called “sandwich pack” and “butchery pack” are also featured but with the exception of the “cheese pack”. For the sandwich pack we include the 2 utility knives together with the tomato knife. And for butchery you get a cleaver, a boning knife and a Fish fillet knife.
Even though it is a smaller set in regards to the previous, it is still a large set. It is more balanced and you don’t get so many of the same tools. If you can live without the cheese knives and a few of the paring and chopping knives this is the best large set for your kitchen.
Wusthof Classic 20 piece knife Block set
Basically the 20 piece set features 17 knives from which 9 cooking knives and 8 steak knives. There is an almost equal ratio of steak knives to cooking knives, which might sound odd. But, if you need some good steak knives accompanied by all the cooking knives you will probably ever need to cook anything, this is the set for you. Maybe you have friends over often for bbq and grills. Everyone should have a steak knife and you should have all the high quality knives you need to cook.
When it comes to cooking knives, with the Classic 20 piece set there is almost no more multiplication of the knives that have the same use in the kitchen. The set features the basic paring knife, bread knife, slicing knife and 2 chopping knives. A 8 inch chef’s knife and a 5 inch Santoku are more than enough for your chopping tasks. Also, you get 2 sizes of utility knives and a cleaver. So you do get more than the basics which is great.
Wusthof Classic 16 Piece knife Block Set
The 16 piece block set is really the smaller version of the previous. So, this time you get only 6 steak knives and you miss out on the meat fork and cleaver.. But you get the basic paring knife, chef knife, bread knife and slicing knife accompanied by 2 utility knives and a 5 inch santoku. This is a great set but still, it has too many steak knives for most.
Wusthof Classic 12 Piece knife Block set
The 12 piece Classic knife block set is the best budget set if you are interested in steak knives. You get all the basics. Meaning, the chef knife, a paring knife, a bread knife, a carving knife and a utility knife , all at the proper sizes. And, of course, you get the 4 Wusthof Classic steak knives. This set is the best option for someone who wants a knife set with storage, maintenance equipment, kitchen shears and steak knives on top of the basic tools you need in day to day cooking.
Wusthof Classic 10 Piece Knife Block set
The 10 piece Classic block set is the largest set without steak knives. You get 7 cooking knives but there are some doubles. You have the 2 chopping knives (chef knife and santoku) which is understandable but then you get 2 utility knives. Not saying that this is bad but you could replace one with anything else and it would be better.
Wusthof Classic 9 Piece Knife Block set
From the Classic 9 piece block set you will get 6 cooking knives. All the basic knives are featured and this time, you get only one chopping knife, the 8 inch chef knife. Which is great if you are on a budget. But, then you get 1 extra paring knife and a utility knife. Again, this is not bad. But, it would have been much better to change that extra paring knife with any other blade in the product line. In any case you might need that extra knife and then this is your set.
6 Types of Classic 8 Piece Block sets
No matter if you pick the 8 piece block set or the 7 piece block set, you will get 5 actual cooking knives in each. The only difference is that the 8 piece block set comes complete with the block, the kitchen shears and the steel for maintenance while, the 7 piece set is missing the sharpening steel. But it is a good set with all the basic knives except for the carving knife.
5 Types of Classic 7 piece Block sets
The Classic 7 piece set is one of the most sought after sets in the Classic line. As the 8 piece set, it comes in a few different versions but the only difference is the wood your knife block is made of. Again, same as the 8 piece set, you get all the basic knives but without a carving knife and this time, the sharpening steel is missing too. This is somewhat disappointing but not such of a downfall. This set is one of the smallest in the knife blocks and it is intended as a studio set. Thus the size of the set and the number of knives offered. In any case you get everything you need plus you can store it in tight places.
Or, Should I Get a Wusthof Classic Set Without the Knife Block?
Storage it’s very important but sometimes you already have a safe way of storing your knives and then buying a block set becomes useless. Also you might be on a tighter budget and you don’t want to include the extra cost of the block, kitchen shears or even sharpening steel. Or, maybe you are a beginner and just want the 2 most basic knives that you will use over 90% of the time when cooking. In any case, buying just the knife set is for you.
The Classic line is generally the best budget buy for Wusthof forged knives. In this case the sets will reflect the lower price but also come in a larger variety. There are over 15 types of different sets in 5 sizes. The most you will get is a 6 piece knife set with 5 cooking knives. But, if you look close at the block sets, you will see that they feature the same number of cooking knives for most of them. The larger sets get that big just by adding the same type of knife in a variety of sizes and anywhere between 4 to 8 steak knives.
So if you are a beginner or on a budget and you intend on buying a Wusthof classic knife set, excluding the extras will surely give you the best deal. Also these smaller sets come in a larger variety because of their size. Thus no multiplication of knives in different sizes is needed. If you choose right you can get all you will probably ever need in one set with no extras.
In order for you to find out which is the best Wusthof Classic set for your needs we will try to detail what you get and what you don’t with different types of sets types of sets.
2 Types of Classic 6 piece knife sets
Wusthof offers 2 types of 6 piece knife sets. One comes with a block for storage and one is a stand alone knife set. The block is a very good basic knife set containing only the basics plus storage. But, the stand alone set is the best knife set to go for at this category. With the block you get only 3 cooking knives (paring knife, bread knife, chef knife) but, with the stand-alone you get 5.
The stand alone Wusthof classic 6 piece knife set is everything you need and more. It’s perfect for a budget buy with a little room for more. The set contains all the basics at the proper sizes. You get the basic 4 inch paring knife, 8 inch chef knife, 8 inch bread knife, 9 inch carving knife and a sharpening steel. Plus you get a extra 5 inch boning knife, Great deal!
2 Types of Classic 5 piece knife sets
In very similar way to the 2 types of 6 piece sets, the Wusthof Classic 5 piece knife set, comes in a block and a stand-alone version. The block features 3 cooking knives (paring knife, utility knife and a 6 inch chef knife) plus the block and kitchen shears. There is no sharpening steel and no bread knife in this set which doesn’t really make it a good set to buy. But, the 5 piece stand-alone set is our pick for the Wusthof Classic best complete budget buy for beginners.
This Wusthof Classic knife set contains all the basics and only the basics. It is all you need as beginner and only what you need. Nothing more and nothing less. Thus you get a 4 inch paring knife, a 8 inch bread knife, a 8 inch chef’s knife, a 9 inch carving knife and a 9 inch steel. This is probably the best proportioned all-in-one set for beginners. Especially if on a budget.
Wusthof Classic 4 piece knife set
The 4 piece Classic knife set comes in only one version. It is a great set that features a paring knife, a 8 inch chef knife, a carving knife and a sharpening steel. Too bad that the carving knife wasn’t replaced by a bread knife. The bread knife is one of those indispensable tools in the kitchen. In order to slice ingredients with hard exterior and soft interior, no other knife will outperform the bread knife. In any case it is a good set that could have been much better with a bread knife instead of the carving knife.
3 Types of Wusthof Classic 3 piece knife sets
The 3 piece sets on the Wusthof classic line come in 3 types. The Wusthof Classic knife starter set, the Wusthof Classic 3 Piece Cooks Knife Set and the cheese set are the 3 sets featured. The cheese set contains a parmesan knife plus a hard and a soft cheese knife. Then both the starter set and the cooks set feature a chef knife and a paring knife. But, one has a carving knife while the other has a bread knife. The starter set which is made of a 3 1/2 inch paring knife, a 8 inch chef knife and a bread knife is the best option in this category.
10 Types of Classic 2 Piece Knife sets
There are 10 types of Wusthof Classic 2 piece knife sets. From prep sets with a 6 inch chef knife and a paring knife to, 2 piece asian style sets or even a paring knife and shears set. Even though most sets are good, we consider the 2 piece starter set as best basic budget option for a beginner. The set includes just a 8 inch chef knife and a 3.5 inch paring knife. But, these are the most important 2 knives in your kitchen cabinet. You will realize that these two knives are not interchangeable in their functions and that you will probably use them more than 90% of the time.
Conclusion
If the Wusthof Classic knife features suit your expectations of a high quality knife for your budget should be, then all you need to do is to pick the right set for your needs. Thus you have 2 options. You can pick a knife block set which will include maintenance equipment, accessories and of course the storage. Or, you can pick just a collections of the knives you need without any extras.
The knife block sets will come with a larger number of knives but that doesn’t always mean variety. Most large sets will have between 8 and 4 steak knives. While other categories of knives will have repeated versions of one knife in different sizes. Thus you can get anywhere between 2 and 6 paring and chef knives in any one set.
The single sets are most suited for a someone on a budget that only needs the basics. No steak knives, no storage and no accessories are included. There is a lot to choose from. There are 10 types of 2 piece sets, 3 piece sets, 4 piece and up to complete 6 piece sets. You can get a set with all the basic knives you will ever need to prepare a great dish. And all this without wasting money on other tools you don’t really need.
If like the Classic knife sets from Wusthof but are not interested in a full set of knives, you should take a look at all Wusthof Classic knives on offer.
