Wusthof is one of the most popular knife brands in the world. Their knives are known for superior quality, durability and performance. Wusthof has many different kitchen knife lines you choose from. Their best-selling line is the classic, while their most elegant line is what they refer to as the “Jewel of Our Collection”, the Wusthof Ikon. In this article, we will provide a detailed review of the best Wusthof Ikon knife set for you and cover all the aspects of the knives, including material, design, handle and durability. But before then, let’s first discuss the differences between Wusthof classic and Wusthof Ikon knives.
What are the Similarities between Wusthof Ikon Knives and Wusthof Classic Knives?
Despite the fact that Wusthof Classic and Wusthof Ikon knives are different, both knives share some common features. For example, their blades are forged from a single layer of high carbon German stainless steel for maximum durability, toughness and excellent corrosion and rust resistance properties. The blade is then ice hardened to a hardness of 58 on the Rockwell Scale.
The edges of both blades are sharpened at a total angle of 28 degrees using the Wusthof’s Proprietary technology (PEtec). With a Rockwell rating of 58 degrees, you can rest assured that the knife will retain its sharp edge for an extended period of time. If you are working on long cutting processes, you do not need to sharpen your knife frequently to keep the edge razor sharp. Lastly, both knife lines come with a limited lifetime warranty that protects you against defects in craftsmanship and material.
The 3 Main Features of the Wusthof Ikon Knife Sets
Knives Design
Overall, the Wusthof Ikon knives are beautifully designed. The blade has a full bolster that adds weight and balance to the knife. The bolster also acts as a safety feature as it prevents your hands from slipping onto the blade during intense cutting tasks. The Wusthof Ikon blades also have another half bolster that adds less weight and still protects your hands from slipping. The second half bolster at the butt end of the handle also helps to add weight, balance as well as another unique design element to this knife line.
The Wusthof Ikon knives design is further enhanced by the triple riveted V-shaped handle. The handle has no straight edges and is curved downwards at the back to provide a firm and comfortable grip. In fact, some knives experts consider this handle design one of the most comfortable and best looking knife handles of the German knives on the marketed today. The triple-riveted handle design ensures that the blade and handle never separate.
Knives Blade
The blade of the Wusthof Ikon Knives is forged from a single piece of high quality German Steel. Just like the Wusthof Classic Knives, the Wusthof Ikon Knives undergo a 40-step process in which they are heat molded from German high carbon steel. The steel contains 15% chromium, 5% carbon, molybdenum and vanadium.
Chromium is an alloy that enhances the stain resistance properties of the blade. Wusthof knives are very easy to clean and this is due to the presence of chromium in the metal. 5% of the blade is carbon, which increases the longevity and hardness of the blade. Vanadium is another chemical element that helps to enhance the longevity and hardness of the blade. Molybdenum is a chemical element helps the blade to resist corrosions and increases its hardness.
The Wusthof Ikon Knives are sharpened at a 14-degree angle on each side, using the Wusthof’s PEtec technology. The Wusthof PEtec entails the use of lasers, roots, whetstone and special disks to measure, sharpen and polish the edges. The technology helps to make the blade 20% sharper than other blades on the market. With a 14-degree angle, these knives are outstandingly sharp and can be used for a wide range of cutting, boning and slicing tasks.
Hardness is an important factor for any kitchen knife. The harder the blade, the better its edge retention capabilities will be. Wusthof Ikon knives are hardened to a Rockwell hardness of 58. The knives come with a limited lifetime warranty that guarantees knives will be free of defects in craftsmanship and material.
Knives Handle
Handle Material
The handles of Wusthof Ikon are made from Grenadill Wood, which is commonly known as the African Blackwood. The African Blackwood is one of the heaviest and the hardest types of wood in the world. As the name suggests, this type of wood is naturally black with straight fine grains. It is very dense and has high resin content and low porosity. These properties make it extremely durable and strong enough to withstand exposure to moisture without expanding and getting damaged.
One of the major benefits of African Blackwood is the beauty and elegance it adds to Wusthof Ikon handles. Apart from being used to make handles of Wusthof Ikon knives, the African Blackwood is also used to make a wide range of musical instruments, including clarinets and guitars. The only shortcoming of the African Blackwood handles is that it requires frequent polishing to maintain its luster. Wusthof has a specific mineral oil for polishing these handles.
Handle Design
The Wusthof Ikon knives come with a handle that is rounded on all side and have smooth contours. Unlike the classic knives that have a distinctive curve at the butt end, the handles of Wusthof Ikon knives only bend slightly to offer you a firm grip. The natural grains and dark color of the African Blackwood handle gives these knives a beautiful and elegant aesthetic. The handles of these knives are firmly attached to the full exposed tang using three stainless steel rivets for maximum durability.
The Top 3 Wusthof Ikon Sets You Should Buy Today
Wusthof Ikon 9-Piece Knife Set
The Wusthof Ikon 9-piece knife set is the most popular knife sets in this line. The quality and flexibility of the knives make this set, an ideal option for culinary students, professional chefs and home enthusiasts. Also, this set does not feature any steak knives making it the best knife set without steak knives.
The Set consists of the following:
Wusthof Ikon 3.5 Inch Paring knife
The Wusthof Ikon 3.5 Inch Paring knife has straight-edge blade and the spear tip makes the knife ideal for most small kitchen chores, including cutting vegetables, coring fruits or even studding meat. The knife comes with a short blade length to make it easy for you to control the blade. The finger guard and full bolster are safety features that ensure you do not cut yourself while peeling fruits or cutting vegetables.
Wusthof Ikon 6-Inch Utility Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 6 Inch Utility knife is commonly used for slicing thin cuts of sandwich meats, hams, salami and other meats, cheeses and vegetables. Unlike the cook’s knife, the Wusthof Ikon 6 Inch utility knife is thinner to allow you to carve thinner and more precise slices of meat.
Wusthof Ikon 9 Inch Hollow Edge Carving knife
The Wusthof Ikon 9 Inch Hollow Edge Carving knife is used for slicing cuts of meat, including poultry, roasts and other large cooked meats. Unlike the cook’s knife, the Wusthof Ikon 9 Inch Carving knife is thinner which allows you to carve thinner and much more precise slices. Also, the hollow edge will prevent the slices from sticking to the blade while cutting.
Wusthof Ikon 8 Inch Bread Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 8 Inch Bread Knife is another important knife the Wusthof Ikon 9-Piece Knife Set. The knife boasts incredibly sharp serrations that allow you to glide through crusty bread with minimal crumbs and without damaging the inside. You can also use Wusthof Ikon 8 Inch Bread Knife on delicate fruits and vegetables or even use in angling food cakes.
Wusthof Ikon 8 Inch Cook’s Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 8 Inch Cook’s Knife offers you precise cutting versatility through its super sharpness properties. It is ideal for a wide range of kitchen cutting tasks such as slicing, dicing and chopping. The size of the blade also makes it perfect for heavy cutting actions, especially the straight up and down motion.
Wusthof Ikon 7 Inch Santoku
The Wusthof Ikon 7 Inch Santoku plays an important role when it comes to slicing and chopping food items. This Santoku is extremely lightweight and well balanced making it much less fatiguing, the short length and lack of weight means the knife isn’t great for large-scale chopping. It has an incredibly sharp blade to allow you to cut foods with ease. You can the Wusthof Ikon 7 Inch Santoku for cutting meats, slicing, chopping or dicing fruits, vegetables and nuts, creating fine slices, particularly for seafood and vegetables among other uses.
Wusthof Ikon 10-Inch Double Bolster Steel
The Wusthof Ikon 10 Inch Double Bolster Steel helps you to keep your knives sharp. The honing steel helps to remove microscopic amounts of metal from the blade and helps to straighten just about any knife that make up the Wusthof Knife 9 piece Knife Set.
Stainless Steel Come-Apart Kitchen Shears
The Wusthof Ikon Stainless Steel Come-Apart Kitchen Shears are commonly used for cutting chicken breasts, shaping parchments or slicing dried fruits.
Wusthof Ikon 15-Slot Walnut Block
Also included in the set is a dark brown 15-Slot Walnut Block. The knife block allows you to store all your knives safely. It is slanted at the bottom to ensure to prevent the wood from getting moist as well as to enhance the appearance of the block.
Wusthof Ikon 7 Piece Knife Set
The Wusthof Ikon 7 –Piece Knife Set is another commonly bought knife set. The set contains:
Wusthof Ikon 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 3.5 Inch Paring Knife is ideal for chopping and peeling fruits and vegetables. The knife is extremely versatile and can be used for many other kitchen tasks.
Wusthof Ikon 6-Inch Utility Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 6-Inch Utility Knife is a mid-sized ideal for cutting larger vegetables and sandwich meats that are not large for the Wusthof Cook’s knife.
Wusthof Ikon 8-Inch Cook’s Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 8-Inch Cook’s Knife is a multi-purpose knife specially designed for a wide range of kitchen tasks, including slicing, chopping, mincing meats and vegetables as well as disjointing large cuts.
Wusthof Ikon 8-Inch Bread Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 8-Inch Bread Knife is one of the many kitchen used by chefs. It has serrated blade that is able to cut soft food items without damaging the interior.
Wusthof Ikon 9-Inch Honing Steel
The Wusthof Ikon 9-Inch Honing Steel is an important tool as it helps you maintain your kitchen knife by honing them whenever necessary.
Wusthof Ikon Pull-Apart Shears
The Wusthof shears are ideal for a wide range of cutting tasks including slicing dried fruits, shaping parchments, cutting chicken breasts etc. The Wusthof Pull-Apart shears comes with a slip resistant polypropylene handle for a secure grip.
Wusthof Ikon Knife Storage Block
The knife also comes with a wooden knife block that allows you to store all your knives and honing steel properly and safely. The knife block is well designed and will make a great addition to any modern kitchen.
Wusthof Ikon 5 Piece Knife Set
The Wusthof Ikon 5-Piece Knife Set consist of the following:
Wusthof Ikon 3-Inch Flat Paring Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 3-Inch Flat Paring Knife can be used for chopping and peeling vegetables and fruits.
Wusthof Ikon 4.5-Inch Utility Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 4.5-Inch Utility Knife is another multipurpose kitchen knife. You can use to cut and peel mid-sized food items, including small winter squash, apples, potatoes etc.
Wusthof Ikon 6-Inch Cook’s Knife
The Wusthof Ikon 6-Inch Cook’s Knife can be used to perform all the tasks of a normal 8-Inch cook’s knife. It is ideal for people with short hands.
Wusthof Ikon Come-Apart Shears
The Wusthof Ikon Come-Apart Shears are made of high carbon stainless steel for maximum strength, easy sharpening and excellent corrosion and rust resistance properties. The shears are used for a wide range of cutting tasks. This includes snipping twine, shaping parchment, slicing dried fruits and more.
4-Slot Walnut Knife Block
The 4-slot Walnut Knife block allows you to store all your knives and the come-apart shears safely. The block has an elegant design and is a great addition to any modern kitchen.
Final Verdict
No matter which Wusthof Ikon knife set you choose all knives included are made from the same high quality materials and attention to detail. If you are looking to buy a big 9 piece set with all that you need or the small 5 piece studio set, the knives will surely not disappoint. The Ikon line is one of the most emblematic series from the brand. But, the sets are somehow limited as the line consists of a larger variety of knives than those included. Thus, be sure to check out the entire Wusthof Ikon knives line to get what’s missing.
