Kitchen Cutlery Brands

Chef's Outlet brings you an excellent assortment of top quality kitchen knives and utensils from around the world. This brief description of the brands we carry may help you put things into perspective.

Al Mar was well known cutlery entrepreneur who was one of the first to bring high quality Japanese made sporting cutlery into the U.S. Over the years they have also imported narrow but very high quality lines of kitchen cutlery. The current Ultra Chef series of chef knives incorporate warikomi construction with VG-10 stainless at the core hardened to RC60. Click here. High end.

Avant Garde is a line of knives that are forged in China using European cutlery steels. The result is knives that compete head to head with the famous European brands but at a lower cost. We've had these knives reviewed by professionals, some of whom prefer them to the famous German brands. We like them because they have half bolsters with good balance which make them easy to maintain. If you are looking for knives on a modest budget, we can't think of a better choice. Click here. Budget

Boker makes several types of kitchen cutlery. We carry their ceramic line with Kyocera blades made of zirconium oxide. The knives are light and delicate but the blades will hold an edge for long time - perhaps 5 to 10 times as long as a steel blade. They are not recommended for commercial kitchen use because of their delicate blades. Click here. Mid Priced

F. Dick is an old line German cutlery manufacturer best know for their forged traditional patterns. We have chosen the Eurocut knives which are an outstanding value in knives that can work in any kitchen. The company isn't well known to consumers because they market primarily to chef's and professional cooks who value the hsitory and quality the brand represents. Click here. Budget

Fallkniven is a Swedish company whose knives are imported from Japan. They are at the forefront of employing very high tech steels in their sharp, thin bladed Western style knives from Japan. The Fallkniven blades are hard even by the standards of the Japanese knifemakers. Hard blades mean sharper angles on the edge and superior cutting performance. Click here. High End

Forschner knives are imported into the U.S. by Victorinox, the Swiss Army knife people. Cook's Illustrated reviewed the Fibrox line a few years ago so favorably that they have become one of the most popular products in the marketplace. We carry both the Fibrox line and the attractive Rosewood line. Click here. Budget

Global is growing in popularity at an amazing rate. These knives are made by combining flat blades with hollow ergonomic handles in a very contemporary style. The knives are light, sharp, perfectly balanced and good looking as well. We carry a fairly broad assortment of the these knives which most chefs are asking about. They feature the regular benefits of the hard, thin blades common to most Japanese kitchen knives. Click here. Mid Priced

J.A. Henckels has been making high quality cutlery in Germany for over a century. They are among the most popular mid priced knives in the U.S. and around the world. We have the Professiona S series as well as the affordable but excellent International series made in Spain for Henckels. Click here. Mid Priced

Hirotomo traditional Japanese knives share most of the benefits of the hand forged, custom yanagis, usubas and debas but at a lower cost because most of the process is mechanized. They feature blue steel kasumi construction and razor sharp blades. Click here. Mid Priced

Kasumi knives are similar to the well known Kai Shun knives marketed by Kershaw. We like them better, however, because the handles are riveted to the tangs rather than being held by a press fit pommel. They feature warikomi construction with hard VG-10 stainless in the core and "ink pattern" soft stainless on the exterior. The handles are like traditional Japanese knives and are made from resin impregnated laminated ebony. Click here. High End

Kikuichi has been manufacturing cutlery by hand in Sakai, Japan for 700 years. They make an amazing array of high quality cutlery from traditional hand forged Japanese patterns to modern knives for the Western cook. These knives are not inexpensive but will provide a lifetime of high performance for their owners. We have Western style knives in clad VG-10 and in carbon steel as well as warikomi construction. We also have traditional patterns in shiroko kasumi construction and in forged carbon steel. These knives are the best we have. Click here. High End

Kyocera is a Japanese giant known for a broad range of products. Since they are the world's largest maker of industrial ceramics they are also well known for their ceramic bladed knives. Ceramic knives are light and delicate but will hold an edge seemingly forever. We carry both the Ming Tsai signature series and the Kyoto P high end series. Click here. Mid Priced

Kiyotsuna Josaku from Japan makes high value gyutos. They feature laminated steel with hard cores for high performance. The knives have good performance and good ergonomics and are an excellent way for cooks to get involved for the first time in high performance Japanese cutlery. Click here. Mid Priced

Mac Knives became known because of a favorable review of one of the santokus by Cook's Illustrated magazine. However, this Japanese cutlery manufacturer has been impressing chefs and serious cooks with their hard, thin blades for quite a while in the U.S. Chef's Outlet has the blocked Superior series and the bolstered Professional series. Click here. Mid Priced

Messermeister is our recommendation if you prefer forged European knives. The Elite series is made with half bolsters for easy maintenance but they still balance better than the other brands of forged European knives with which they compete. In addition to the Elite series we carry their Park Plaza blocked line and the Asian Precision line as well. Click here. Mid Priced

OId Hickory knives have been around for a very long time. They are made from carbon steel and very inexpensive. If blade discoloration and maintenance to prevent rust aren't an issue, these knives will get the job done with a very small monetary investment. Click here. Budget

Ryusen knives are among our favorites for the warikomi (steel sandwich) type Japanese Western style knives. They feature a hard VG-10 stainless core and beautiful 32 layer damascus exteriors. The handles are completely Western style with riveted scales of resin impregnated laminated ebony. The blades are particularly thin and sharp. High tech performance with eye pleasing beauty. Click here. High End

Wusthof are the most popular forged knives in the United States and for good reason. These german made knives are consistent in quality and performance and the product line includes everything a cook could need in a cutting tool. We carry the Classic line as well as the Le Cordon Bleu and the Grand Prix II. They are the most often ordered mid priced knives on our website. Click here. Mid Priced