Product Review - Wusthof Cook's Knife and Sharpening Steel

That's not a knife...that's a knife!


I finally know what Crocodile Dundee was referring to when he said those famous words. He was describing a 20cm Wusthof Classic Ikon Cook's Knife, coz it's da bomb.

I've owned a number of Wusthof knives for a while and they are fantastic. So when I was asked by Kitchenware Direct what I wanted to review, I immediately wanted to try the Wusthof Classic Ikon Cook's Knife 20cm as that's the one missing knife I don't have. I currently have a Global Cook's knife, and while that is very good, I've never loved it like my Wusthof knives. To help keep the Wusthof knives sharp, I also wanted to review the Wusthof Trident Sharpening Steel 23cm.


To test out the knife, I've cut everything with it. I've done lots of vegetables, from soft tomatoes, to hard carrots, and lots of aromatics like lemongrass, chili, garlic, onions and lots of meats, from poultry to pork to beef. I've even cut a massive block of Valrhona chocolate with it. The blade is extremely sharp and just glides right through everything. It leaves the item being cut with a sharp clean edge. The knife handle is not only beautiful, but well shaped and fits perfectly in the hand. The part I love best is how well balanced the knife is. By that, I mean it has a good weighty feel so it helps you to cut the food, but when held in the hand, the knife sort of balances there and doesn't want to fall forward on you. The way the knife balances reminds me of when I read fantasy books and the authors describe knights and swordsmen and how well the sword balances in their hand to ensure they get most power out of every movement. That's how I feel about this Ikon knife. It's so great to hold. The size of the knife is good, as it's large enough to cut most items without being too hard to handle.



The sharpening steel is also really good. It too has a nice balance and feel to it when held. The steel does a good job in sharpening the knife. Like most steels, it needs to be used correctly and if done so, will help keep a knife sharp with use every once in a while. However, when I really have a blunt knife and want to sharpen it, I will use a stone, but the steel is useful for regular use as it's much more convenient.


Overall, I love love love the Wusthof Classic Ikon Cook's Knife 20cm. It is a thing of beauty in my eyes and also works perfectly. I'm quite cautious when I use it as I'm worried if I slip, I'd probably take off a finger, such is the sharpness of the knife. I haven't done the hair or silk test where I drop those items over the knife to see if it will cut them, but I suspect it might. The Wusthof Trident Sharpening Steel 23cm is a useful tool for keeping the beautiful knife sharp. If you don't already own any Wusthof knives, I highly recommend you buy some as they are a great investment in quality for the kitchen. It will make all your cooking so much easier.

I received the knife and sharpening steel courtesy of Kitchenware Direct.