Thursday, November 15, 2007
Review: Cutco Santoku Knives
I recently received a set of Santoku knives from Cutco to test. I've tried some of their products before and was generally impressed - good feel, good edge, good finish. They make the knives in New York and they come with a lifetime guarantee - though, really, how often do you have to replace a decent knife because it fell apart? More interesting is the free sharpening service, though you pay $3 for shipping back to you for up to three of their knives. I could see this as an occasional treat, getting the blade back to a pristine edge every now and again.
The two Santoku knives - one with a 7-inch blade and the other with a 5-inch - are examples of a Japanese design that has become popular around the world. (If you'd like to read more about them, check this Wikipedia article.) The blades are thin and short compared to a French kitchen knife, and the profile allows a sharper edge, making them keener than a good chef's knife, even when newly honed. I generally like a larger blade, but find myself reaching for both of these pretty frequently. It actually surprises me that I've been sometimes using the 5-inch model, but I was cutting some small vegetables and found that I gained more control.
One thing to remember is that these are knives made for slicing, not for chopping or for cutting through tougher material like poultry bones. I'd be concerned that the thin blade would be too brittle and could chip, so don't toss that chef's knife yet.
Another point is that buyhing from Cutco is a little complicated ... and expensive. The site points everyone to a company called Vector Marketing, which sends college students out on appointments with people who want knives. Smells like potential high pressure sales, but at least the products are superior to many in the market, you never have to follow up on a magazine subscription, and apparently you can buy over the phone. (Although not over the web, which is what makes me suspect advanced sales tactics.) At these prices, that's good, because the two-knife set runs $186. The 7-inch is $99 and the 5-inch is $87. At prices like that, they'd better last a long time.
The two Santoku knives - one with a 7-inch blade and the other with a 5-inch - are examples of a Japanese design that has become popular around the world. (If you'd like to read more about them, check this Wikipedia article.) The blades are thin and short compared to a French kitchen knife, and the profile allows a sharper edge, making them keener than a good chef's knife, even when newly honed. I generally like a larger blade, but find myself reaching for both of these pretty frequently. It actually surprises me that I've been sometimes using the 5-inch model, but I was cutting some small vegetables and found that I gained more control.
One thing to remember is that these are knives made for slicing, not for chopping or for cutting through tougher material like poultry bones. I'd be concerned that the thin blade would be too brittle and could chip, so don't toss that chef's knife yet.
Another point is that buyhing from Cutco is a little complicated ... and expensive. The site points everyone to a company called Vector Marketing, which sends college students out on appointments with people who want knives. Smells like potential high pressure sales, but at least the products are superior to many in the market, you never have to follow up on a magazine subscription, and apparently you can buy over the phone. (Although not over the web, which is what makes me suspect advanced sales tactics.) At these prices, that's good, because the two-knife set runs $186. The 7-inch is $99 and the 5-inch is $87. At prices like that, they'd better last a long time.
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I pretty much agree with your review, with a few minor comments. Regarding the warranty, if I recall from my brief stint as a cutco (Vector Marketing) sales dweeb, it's a forever warranty, not just your lifetime, which makes them heirlooms of a sort. And it covers all needs for replacement, including damage you caused, not just faulty construction. In addition, for a flat fee of $7, you can send as many of your knives back to the factory for sharpening. I sent my scissors back and they actually replaced them completely, rather than sharpen them. My whole set got sharpened for $7. Sure I had to be without them for 2 weeks, but I was on vacation most of that time and didn't even miss them (much). I did this in 2006, so perhaps they've changed that policy to reduce the price but limit the batch to 3 knives? Anyway, I've had my knives for 12 years and love them. I couldn't sell them (yeah, high pressure sales) but I was sold on them myself. Oh, and you can buy direct, you don't have to find a college kid to support.
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