Product Review: Wüsthof Epicure Knives

The Ranting Reviewer does not get paid or receive any revenue from manufacturers or retailers of products reviewed. I occasionally receive products that I am asked to use and see what I think. I take a look, try them out and tell you all about them.

When it comes to European knives, it is widely known the Wüsthof brand among the best. When they decide to introduce a new line of knives, the cooking world listens. In April, Wüsthof introduced the Epicure line to the world.

They are available as individual knives, or in a set (see below for options). Wüsthof has been making knives in Solingen, Germany, for over 200 years and they brought all of that design and manufacturing knowledge to bear with the new Epicure line.

Today we are looking at both the 9″ Chef’s knife and the 3.5″ paring knife. If you were to have only two knives in your kitchen, make sure it is these two. A chef’s knife is the workhorse and can do virtually anything. For close work, peeling and the like, the paring knife is invaluable. (For a third knife get a serrated blade for breads). Let’s take a closer look.

The Epicure design has a large bolster (the point where the blade of the knife meets the handle). This makes it comfortable to grip and easy to handle and provides a good balance.

The knives come with a full tang. For those who are unaware of the terminology, that is the metal piece you see doing down the middle of the handle. Notice it is an uninterrupted piece of metal that the blade is made from. This gives it strength. The wood of the handle is made from a wood composite material.

The blade is coated with a translucent ceramic coating on the entire surface to increase hardness, enhance resistance to corrosion, and protect the blade’s surface from scratches.

The Epicure features the company’s patented Precision Edge Technology. With this advancement, knives are made sharper to 14 degrees per side. This refinement also doubles sharpness retention because exacting angles and edges last longer than edges sharpened by hand.

Notice the difference in the curve of the cutting edge. The paring knife has more of a straight blade while the chef’s knife has a nice curve. That curve allows a rocking cutting motion which reduces wear and tear on the chef! Let’s put them to work!

The paring knife glides down the cucumber easily.

Sharp and nimble, the knife makes quick work of any task.

Slicing grape tomatoes and need some precision? This is your knife.

How about making thin slices of garlic? Yup. Same knife.

The chef’s knife handles all of your chopping and slicing needs.

This bowl of diced veggies was quick to complete.

For some, a 9″ chef’s knife may be a little big (Epicure offers a 6″ and 8″ option), but few knifes can slice both halves of a good-sized onion at once. This also shows the blade is sharp all the way along the edge.

Slicing brisket thinly? No problem.

My Take: A high quality knife is essential to both the professional and home chef. You need knives that will last, are easy to handle and will stay sharp. The Wüsthof Epicure meets all these criteria with flying colors! You can find the Wüsthof Epicure online and at stores where you find high quality knives. The Wüsthof Epicure line  can be found in a 7-Piece Block Set (3.5-inch Paring, 5-inch Serrated Utility, 9-inch Double Serrated Bread, 8-inch Cook’s, Come-Apart Kitchen Shears, 9-inch Steel, and acacia storage block) or sold as individual pieces.

• 3.5-inch Paring Knife
• 4.5-inch Utility Knife
• 5-inch Serrated Utility Knife
• 7-inch Santoku, Hollow Edge
• 6-inch Cook’s Knife
• 8-inch Cook’s Knife
• 9-inch Cook’s Knife