Wusthof 9659 Culinar 3-Piece Starter Set
by Wusthof
(Click here)
Product Summary
Manufacturer: WusthofBrand: Wüsthof
Model: 9659
Color: Metallic
Product features:
- 3-piece starter set includes 8-inch cook's knife, 6-inch utility knife and 3-1/2-inch paring knife; handsome gift box
- Blade, bolster, tang forged from single piece of high-carbon stainless steel
- Compound tapered blade is laser tested for sharpness and the correct cutting angle
- Handle sculpted from 18/10 stainless steel with elegant satin finish
- Hand washing recommended; backed by limited lifetime warranty; made in Germany
- Wusthof Long-Term Knife Care Kit
- Wusthof Culinar 2-1/2-Inch Parmesan Cheese Knife
- Wusthof Culinar 2-Piece Carving Set
- Wusthof Culinar 3-1/2-Inch Paring Knife
- Wusthof Culinar 4-1/2-Inch Steak Knife
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Wusthof 9659 Culinar 3-Piece Starter Set
Customer Review: More than just looks
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a hard time believing that someone who has actually used both Wusthof's Culinar and Classic knives would dismiss the differences as merely "looks". Having recently replaced my entire collection of Wusthof Classics with Culinars, I can say the difference goes much farther. The difference was obvious to me the first time I picked up a Culinar knife: it felt like the handle molded itself to my hand, as if the knife was an extension of myself, rather than a mere implement.
A close look at the shape, rather than just the color, of the handles will show why. Wusthof Classic and Grand Prix knives have a traditional handle shape, thicker in the middle with a straight back. That provides a good strong grip if your hand is the right size - and they are pretty good for me, since my hands are of average size.
The gently curved shape of the Culinar handles, though, while providing as good a grip, allows more control over the cutting action and the precise angle of the blade. The convex back of the hilt fills out the palm, providing more contact for a more secure hold, while the subtly curved bolster facilitates a forward hold for a fast rocking cut. The taper in the handle makes it a perfect fit not just for average size hands, but for any size hand: a smaller hand will stay toward the bolster, where the handle is thinner, but a bigger hand will cover the handle further back, where it is thicker.
The three knives in this set are good knives to start with. The chef's knife and the paring knife are needed in any well equipped kitchen; the "sandwich knife" can substitute for any of three or four other special purpose knives.
The Wusthof classic chef's knife is available in several different sizes; the 8" (20 cm) blade size works well for almost any cutting task in the kitchen. There are times when it feels like a larger size might work even better, such as when using a rocking cut on a large vegetable, but the 8" always seems to be sufficient in the end.
Paring - for example, peeling potatoes - is a more specialized task, for which a specialized knife is really superior. The 3.5" (9 cm) blade length in this set may seem short, but it's short for a reason. Often while one is using the paring knife in one hand, one is holding the object being cut - such as a potato one is peeling - in the other. The short blade length makes it easier to avoid stabbing oneself while maneuvering both the knife and the object.
The 6" (16 cm) "sandwich" knife can substitute for a variety of other knives. For example, it can be used for utility tasks that require more than the 3.5" blade length of the paring knife - which is to say, most utility tasks - if the cook doesn't already have a 4" or 4.5" utility knife. It can also be used, in a pinch, when what the cook really wants is a second chef's knife - for example, to cut fresh vegetables for a salad when it wouldn't be hygienic to reuse the big chef's knife that was just used on raw meat. Finally, it can be used to slice and serve smaller roasts, for those who do not have a carving set.
One note: a sharpening steel, such as the Wüsthof Culinar 9-Inch Chrome Sharpening Steel, is an important complement to any set of quality knives. A cook who does not already have a sharpening steel will need one to go with this set - or if your budget is limited, you may consider a steel with just the Wusthof 4589/20 Culinar Chef's Knife 8-in. instead. For a cook who has a sharpening steel, however, this is the perfect starter set.
Description of Wusthof 9659 Culinar 3-Piece Starter Set
Good knives make any cutting task more enjoyable. These three, must have, knives are a perfect starter collection in any kitchen. The sandwich, 8inch cooks knife and a paring knife are the most versitile kitchen knives and are used for a variety of tasks. The Wusthof Culinar brush stainless handle design is combined with a contoured shape to add comfort and control. Located in The Cutlery Capital of the World, Solingen Germany, the Wusthof factory history goes back as far as 1814 when the company was listed with the Duchy of Berg. To this day, the company remains family owned. Throughout it?s history, Wusthof has focused almost solely on the manufacturing of forged knives for the professional chef and home cooking enthusiast. Wusthof uses a special blend of German steel through out the whole length of the knife. The ingredients of this steel are proudly etched on each blade. Wusthof not only uses the best materials to make a fine knife, but it is also crucial that each blade is precisely tempered. This tempering allows the knife to hold its edge for an extremely long time, yet still be able to be maintained in your home kitchen with out the need to be sent away for maintenance. Our unique compound angle is not seen in many knives. This angle tapers from the spine of the knife to the edge to allow for a sturdy, yet extremely sharp edge while it also tapers from the bolster to the tip to give the knife strength as well as flexibility.Elegant satin-finish handles sculpted from 18/10 stainless steel distinguish Culinar cutlery from Wüsthof's other cutlery lines. Otherwise Culinar knives embody all the virtues of other Wüsthof knives that have earned the German manufacturer world renown. The principal parts of a Wüsthof knife--blade, bolster, and tang--are forged from a single piece of high-carbon stainless steel, and the blade is precisely tapered from bolster to tip and from back to hand-honed edge. Blades and beautifully formed bolsters are not as thick as some knives'. As a result, despite their heft, strength, and durability, Wüsthof knives are pleasingly delicate and marvelously balanced in action.
The three knives in this set exemplify that control while providing a cook with the essentials: an 8-inch cook's knife (chef's knife) for rocking through chopping and mincing tasks, a 6-inch sandwich knife for myriad slicing and cutting needs, and a 3-1/2-inch paring knife for fruits and vegetables. Like all fine cutlery, these knives should be hand washed. --Fred Brack
Block Chef Sets
Kitchen and Housewares
Bestsellers in Block Chef Sets
Mundial Future 16-Piece Knife Set with BlockMundial Inc.; Mundial; Kitchen
Best price: $516.13
Price in other shops:
Mundial Olivier Anquier 12-Piece Knife Set with BlockMundial Inc.; Mundial; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Farberware Classic 14-Piece Cutlery SetFarberware; Farberware; Kitchen
Best price: $139.98
J.A. Henckels Four Star 2-Piece Chef's SetHenckels; Henckels; Kitchen
Best price: $164.00
Wusthof Classic 3-Piece Slicing SetWusthof; Wüsthof; Kitchen
Best price: $219.95
Price in other shops:
Cuisinart Continental 14-Piece POM Knife Set with Natural BlockLifetime Brands; Lifetime Brands; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Chicago Cutlery Insignia Steel 12-Piece Knife Block SetChicago Cutlery; Chicago Cutlery; Release date: 2005-05-01; Kitchen
Best price: $83.47
Price in other shops:
Sabatier Precision 14-Piece Stainless-Steel Knife Block SetSabatier; Sabatier; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Wusthof Classic 10-Piece Cooking Couple's Knife Set with BlockWusthof; Wüsthof; Release date: 2001-07-31; Kitchen
Best price: $539.95
Price in other shops:
Revere 7-Piece Knife Walnut SetRevere; Revere; Kitchen
Price in other shops:
Similar Kitchen and Housewares Products
Wusthof Stainless Kitchen ShearWusthof; Wüsthof; Kitchen
Best price: $69.95
Price in other shops:
Wusthof Create-A-Set Knife Storage BlockWusthof; Wüsthof; Kitchen
Best price: $49.95
Price in other shops:
Wusthof Culinar 7-Inch Hollow Edge Santoku KnifeWusthof; Wüsthof; Release date: 2001-07-31; Kitchen
Best price: $149.99
Price in other shops: