Review: WÜSTHOF Classic Ikon 7" Santoku, Hollow Edge
By Kitchen Expert
Leo Cocchiara
7 photos
The Curated Take
4.7/5
The WÜSTHOF Classic Ikon 7" Hollow Edge Santoku Knife is ideal for both expert and novice chefs looking for a versatile kitchen knife. The Santoku design offers precision cutting, slicing, and dicing, while the grommets on the blade prevent produce from sticking, making it ideal for various food preparations. The knife's German steel construction provides reliability and durability, although it may be heavier than some prefer. Its 58 Rockwell hardness offers sharpness but may require more frequent sharpening. Overall, it's a top choice for those seeking a high-performing, durable kitchen knife.
Ideal for
- Reliable precision cuts
- Grommets on the blade keep produce from sticking while cutting
- Very sharp
Not ideal for
- Full tang might add more heft than desirable for some folks
- 58 Rockwell hardness may require more sharpening
- Grommets on the blade are suited for right-handed users, so lefties might consider a blade without grommets or a left-hand Santoku
Blade Length
The standard size is a 7" blade, which is just an inch shorter than a traditional Western-style chef's knife. There's no need to mess with perfection in this case. It's...Read more
Blade Quality
The Classic Ikon series is designed with the professional chef in mind while still being approachable for the home cook. It's the first knife I take off the magnet every...Read more
Handle Comfort
The primary reason I went for the Classic Ikon WÜSTHOF Santoku over the standard Classic series was the design of the handle. The Classic Ikon's handle is rounded and ergonomically shaped with...Read more
Durability
The knife is designed to be a workhorse. This knife is meant to be used daily for all my major cutting applications and doesn't mind being used aggressively. The 58...Read more
Blade Sharpness
The hardness of steel is described by a ranking called the Rockwell scale. The higher the number, the sharper one can get the metal; the longer it stays sharp, the...Read more
Weight
The German construction of this traditionally Japanese-style knife gives us the best of both worlds regarding precision and durability but comes with more heft than a Japanese construction. The durability...Read more
Curated Experts are not sponsored by brands. Their reviews are based on their honest experiences testing products.
Leo Cocchiara
About the cutlery
- Model: WÜSTHOF Classic Ikon 7 Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
Test conditions
- I bought this in 2022 and have used it for countless applications in my home kitchen.
- How many times I've used it: 100
Expert Reviews of the WÜSTHOF Classic Ikon 7 Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
Leo Cocchiara "Santoku" in Japanese means three virtues or three uses, underscoring the versatility of this design for chopping, slicing, and dicing. The WÜSTHOF Classic Ikon Hollow Edge Santoku Knife is an excellent daily driver in the kitchen for experts and novices alike, suited for just about any preparation for meat, fish, and veggies. The 7" blade is well-balanced and easy to handle, especially in tight spaces or smaller hands where a traditional chef's knife might feel unwieldy. Because it's easy to control, it's easy to cut with precision and good technique. "Hollow edge" refers to the grommets on the blade, which prevents one's produce from sticking to the blade, making it great for cleanly getting through a cucumber or tomato.
Overall, I couldn't be happier with the performance of this knife. It delivers exactly on its intended performance. However, there are a few things about the German steel construction of this knife that I don't think surpass my Japanese steel santoku. For one, it's heavier. That isn't necessarily bad, but I find that a Santoku with a lighter Japanese-style handle feels nimbler in my hand. Secondly, the 58 Rockwell hardness dulls more quickly compared to the sharper 60 Rockwell hardness of my Japanese blade. There is an upside to that, though, in that it's less brittle, so I feel less bad about using it aggressively, and it's easier to sharpen at home on whetstone versus having it professionally done.
Product Specs
| Tang | Full |
| Production method | Forged |
| Blade material | WÜSTHOF Steel |
| Made in | Germany |
| Manufacturer warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty against manufacturer defects |
| Blade width (in.) | 1.81" |
Review Ratings
Blade Length
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The standard size is a 7" blade, which is just an inch shorter than a traditional Western-style chef's knife. There's no need to mess with perfection in this case. It's long enough to handle big jobs like large cuts of meat, a butternut squash, or a watermelon and nimble enough to do fine tasks like mincing herbs, juliennes, and wafer-thin cuts.
Blade Quality
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The Classic Ikon series is designed with the professional chef in mind while still being approachable for the home cook. It's the first knife I take off the magnet every time I step into the kitchen. The blade has a forged construction with indentations to reduce friction, drag, and sticking, which it performs flawlessly. The quality of this blade in shape, balance, and performance is exactly what it promises to be as a champion of versatility in the kitchen.
Handle Comfort
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The primary reason I went for the Classic Ikon WÜSTHOF Santoku over the standard Classic series was the design of the handle. The Classic Ikon's handle is rounded and ergonomically shaped with its resilient synthetic handle that feels a lot more comfortable and balanced, especially for more precision tasks like dicing, mincing, or making the wafer-thin cuts Santokus are known for.
Durability
5/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 5 of 5 stars. The knife is designed to be a workhorse. This knife is meant to be used daily for all my major cutting applications and doesn't mind being used aggressively. The 58 Rockwell hardness of the German steel isn't at all brittle, which means I can wield it without fear of putting force behind it. It's going to stand up to a tough cut.
Blade Sharpness
4/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. The hardness of steel is described by a ranking called the Rockwell scale. The higher the number, the sharper one can get the metal; the longer it stays sharp, the more brittle and less durable it becomes. The lower the number, the softer the metal and the quicker it loses its edge, but it makes up for it in durability and ease to sharpen again. Most kitchen knives range between 52-62 Rockwell hardness. At 58 on the Rockwell scale, the WÜSTHOF Ikon Classic hits a nice sweet spot of sharp, durable, and easy to sharpen, but I subtract one star because I can get a Japanese blade sharper and have it stay sharper longer. However, my fine Japanese steel requires professional sharpening, and I can sharpen my German steel at home.
Weight
4/5
Leo Cocchiara gave 4 of 5 stars. The German construction of this traditionally Japanese-style knife gives us the best of both worlds regarding precision and durability but comes with more heft than a Japanese construction. The durability comes from the full tang construction in the handle of the knife with its classic three rivets. It is also constructed with German steel, which is heavier than the more carbon-infused Japanese steel. This construction adds more weight to the design overall, which is neither good nor bad; it is just personal preference.
FAQs
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Leo Cocchiara Cooking dinner for my family is always the highlight of my day. It's a moment to step away from the grind and do something wholesome for myself and the people I love. This knife has opened the door to experiments with finer techniques to take my meals to the next level. A good example of this was trying a new take on eggplant parm.
Why did you choose this product?
Leo Cocchiara I chose this knife because I wanted a durable hollow-edged Santoku to sharpen at home. I use a WÜSTHOF honing steel to keep the edges honed in between sharpening sessions on the whetstone.
What do you love about this product?
Leo Cocchiara There's a lot to love about the WÜSTHOF Classic Ikon Santoku. It perfectly marries the durability of German construction with thoughtful Japanese design. The two things I love most about this knife are the comfort of the ergonomic handle in my hand and the hollow edge indentations that prevent my produce from sticking to the blade as I cut.
