Victorinox 40521 10-Inch Chef's Knife, Black Fibrox Handle
by Victorinox
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List Price: Our Price: $25.95 You Save: $18.45 (42%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $18.72 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Victorinox 40521 10-Inch Chef's Knife, Black Fibrox Handle
Customer Review: A Home Cook's View
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not a professional chef and I don't use my knives to make a living, so my review is only based on my home cooking use. I was faced with rebuilding my kitchen essentials and I needed some decent kitchen knives at a reasonable price. After doing much research I decided to try the Forschner knives, and I'm awfully glad I did.
These are the best knives I have ever used. I will grant that I've never been able to afford and have never used the very top end, top brand knives, but I have used a wide variety over my many years. In the past, if the blade was good, the handle was awful, and vice versa. With this knife, I was completely satisfied with the edge right out of the package and it has been easy to keep sharp. The handle design fits my particular hand like a glove.
The ten inch knife is almost more knife than I need, as a rule. I also have the 8-Inch Chef's Knife and find myself reaching for that knife first. Then again, I have a very small kitchen with a limited workspace and though it may sound goofy, the smaller knife is easier to use in the space I have. Having said that, if the eight-inch is waiting to be washed I have no qualms about grabbing the ten-inch and chopping away. While I suspect that someone who does a lot of heavy duty cutting of heavy items might like a heftier knife with a wider back, I haven't had occasion to need it.
I like the fact that I don't have to worry about maintaining a fancy handle. The only problem I have with the care of these knives is not cutting myself while washing them. Highly recommended.
Customer Review: Awesome, cannot beat this at the price
Summary: 5 Stars
Originally I wanted the Shun Classic series 10" chefs knife, but at 160 dollars or so, I couldn't really afford it yet. I came across this on Amazon, and decided it would be worth a shot at 1/5th the cost of the Shun. Out of the box it's quite sharp, however I honed it with a ceramic rod prior to first use, and it became a razor. Slices through tomatoes, potatoes, even frozen meats, like they're butter. It isn't a heavy knife but the weight alone still does most of the work. It's fairly comfortable in the hands as well. Only downside, in a way, is it's size; I would like to have a knife block for it but I'll end up having to make my own since few can hold a 10" knife.
I've worked as a short-order cook, so using such a large knife became both comfortable and a preference to me. This knife hasn't disappointed in any way. Takes a great edge, comfortable, well balanced and inexpensive, I absolutely love this knife (I also have the 8" slicer and two 4" paring, also just as good in every way). I have used Wustoff and Global knives before, and they just seem over-priced now. These aren't as attractive as the high-end brands, but they can be just as sharp, and as far as holding an edge these seem to hold up just as well, too. I have only owned for a couple weeks, but my knives see quite a bit of action.
Overall, I'd recommend Victorinox knives, absolutely. Like most knives though, I also recommend hand-washing, honing before each use, and don't use with glass cutting boards.
Customer Review: Fantastic, Versatile Knife for the Price
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently made a career change into the culinary world, and this knife remains my favorite after 6 months of heavy use and abuse. Whether I'm slicing a cake, carving a turkey, or chopping mushrooms, this is the knife I reach for first. (It's also the knife the other cooks want to borrow most often.)
Most importantly, the knife is extremely sharp - I remember opening the package and finding a knife that was literally razor-sharp. I sharpen it at least once a day, and it seems to re-sharpen more quickly and stay sharp longer than my other knives.
Secondly, the handle it terrific. It is ergononically shaped and is made of a hardened rubber material, so it is much easier to grip than knives with handles of metal, wood, phenolic compound, etc... (you'll really appreciate the handle when dealing with slippery items such as raw chicken or fish).
Finally, the blade itself is nice and wide, so you can use it as a scoop to shuttle ingredients to and from your cutting board.
The one possible drawback is the weight of the knife - it doesn't have the heft of other knives I've used. However, some people may actually appreciate the lighter weight.
Can you find a better knife out there? Yes, but you'll have to pay upwards of $100 (and sometime MUCH more) for it. In my book, the price/performance ratio of this knife warrant 5 stars.
Customer Review: Great for a commercial cook's main blade.
Summary: 5 Stars
This Knife is a classic used in a great many restaurant and institutional kitchens by pro's-like me who may have it in hand 4+ hours a day 5 days a week. As sharp as it is out of the box...if you are good with a stone it can get sharper.
Try this. Rest the knife on the counter edge up. Drop a ripe black olive onto the edge from about 12". If a knife is REALLY sharp....the olive is impaled on the blade half sliced by just it's own weight. A knife CAN be sharp enough to shave..and yet you try the olive test-and the olive bounces off. My Forschner passed the test...or I re-steeled it. Most knives I have encountered could NEVER pass the olive test. I'd like to someday work on a Global,see what it can achieve. A co-worker's Global (way more $) was the only knife I ever got to use that felt about as sharp. Generally a forged blade-while strong-is a bit thick to get the acute angled edge.
In commercial kitchens I often have the use of a Norton triple stone,and with those you can lay down a really low angled edge then do a working bevel on the fine India stone,steel it and it's job ready.
If you cut/chop/slice in volume...you want a knife that is quick and comfortable,not heavy or sluggish or too tiny. You also want a knife you don't need to pamper and one you don't need to guard like it cost 2 days wages. This is it.
Customer Review: Serious tool for a great price
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been using a 10" Dexter carbon steel cook's knife(over 50 years old/belonged to my grandfather)It is thin, sharp and has enough flex in the blade to filet and skin fish easily yet it also handles hard vegetables without complaints. It does, however get a metallic smell and taste when cutting very acidic foods. I wanted to try a good stainless modern version of similar design. The Forschner is substantially thicker, stiffer and the handle is, of coarse, quite different. The blade is about 1/4" longer and relatively close in profile. That said, it is very well made, sharp and balances easily using a slightly different grip to accomodate the chunky handle. I feel the quality of its performance far exceeds the pricetag for general kitchen use. It came with a carefully polished edge and has maintained it well so far. I have no reservations about recommending this knife. My Dexter will stay on my cutting board for carving and filleting,but the Forschner will now have a place as well.