Aside from visiting a store and standing at the knife case and holding each style in your hand, which we highly recommend, understanding key differences of each brand is a great starting point.
Differences can include material, weight, shape, style and overall design/construction, which is influenced by the region of the world where they originate.
Check out a few of our favorites and what they mean to you here or come and see us for the full-meal deal at any of our stores. Happy to talk knives for days.
Founded by former line cook Ellen Marie Bennett, Hedley & Bennett is a powerhouse in professional-grade culinary gear. While famous for their iconic "game-day" aprons, their Japanese steel knives are equally legendary. Designed alongside Michelin-starred chefs, these blades offer a perfect balance of weight, precision, and durability. This women-owned brand brings a bold, "proper badass" aesthetic to the kitchen, empowering both home cooks and pros to tackle every recipe with confidence.
Wüsthof
Known as the best of the best in German cutlery. The cream-of-the-crop, the top of heap, favored by chefs all over the world. Each blade is made of a single hand-forged piece of stainless steel, from the tip to the tail, and they're heavier because the blades are thicker than blades from other regions. Lots of lines to choose from — Classic, Ikon, Amici and more. A knife style for every need and everyone.
Shun
Shun is widely known as a leader in handcrafted Japanese cutlery. With precision thin blades, sharper edges and lighter weight, they are widely thought to be easy to handle as well as beautiful. Each Shun takes at least 100 steps to complete, remaining true to its heritage of quality. At the same time, by utilizing modern, premium materials and state-of-the-art technology that provide outstanding beauty, impeccable precision, and the very highest performance, Shun continues to be culinary leader.
Zwilling
Still made in Germany, the blades of this stainless steel cutlery are hand-forged in Solingen. Single pieces of steel from tip to tail, they offer a weighty distribution of steel to handle ratio. Many styles are available to fill your block, from chefs to paring and everything in between. We like the diverse assortment and price points available for burgeoning chefs to pros.
MADE IN
Founded by childhood friends Jake Kalick and Chip Malt, the brand leverages a multi-generational family history in kitchen supply to source high-performance tools. Their knives are fully forged in Thiers, France—a region with a 500-year legacy of blade-smithing. Featuring a 12.5-degree cutting edge and nitrogen-treated stainless steel, these knives are celebrated for their exceptional sharpness and "restaurant-grade" durability.
