Video Transcript

Hey, it's Brad. I'm one of your Kitchen Experts here at curated.com. Today, we are doing a side-by-side comparison of versus, if you will, of two Wusthof knives: the Classic Chef's Knife and the Classic Ikon Chef's Knife. Other than the fact that one is priced at $170 and the other at $135, you might be wondering what the difference is. They look pretty similar, right? When placed side by side, it's kind of hard to tell them apart. That is, until you really get into the details.

The first thing that you need to know about every Wusthof knife is that they're all made with the exact same metal and the same blade. So, it doesn't matter which one you buy, you're going to end up with the same precision-ground German stainless steel blade that has a really high Rockwell hardness. This means it's going to hold its edge really well. It's also going to run all the way down into the handle, which is called a full tang, and then it is attached to the handle by these three rivets. This is the same for both of these knives.

WÜSTHOF Classic Chef's Knife

So, it gets a little confusing, right? You're trying to figure out which one is the right option for you. Let's go back here to the main picture for each of these knives and take a real close look at it. We have a handle, we have three rivets, we have the butt of the handle, and then we have what is called the bolster. Now, let's take a look at the Classic Ikon. It's kind of the same thing, right? The handle, butt of the handle, it all looks a little bit different. Ah, there's our big difference. It's the bolster.

If you look at the original Classic Wusthof Chef's knife, it has a large bolster. If you're like me and you have big fingers or a big hand, having that extra amount of metal on the bolster means that you're going to be able to grip that knife better and safer. The problem that I have had when I have tried to use the classic ikon is that my index finger ends up getting pinched right here underneath this real sharp point at the heel of the blade. That is because there is not much metal here in the bolster for me to grab onto. It also makes a difference in how the knife is weighted.

WÜSTHOF Classic Ikon Chef's Knife

In this one, because we have less weight here, Wusthof has made up the difference by adding a weight to the end of the handle. If we look at the Classic Chef's knife, there's no weight at the end of the handle. It's because there's more weight here in the middle of the bolster. Now, what does that mean? I feel like the difference is not huge, but it's significant enough that it may make a difference for you and which one you choose.

Similarities and Differences

For this one, what I love about it is if you actually stick your finger right here just behind that bolster or just beneath that bolster, it'll balance right there on your finger. There's next to no weight at the front, next to no weight at the back. So for me, when I'm doing a fast rocking chop on things like herbs, that actually works out really well. On the classic ikon, your center of gravity for the knife is actually a little bit lower. It runs right here, kind of across the bottom of the blade and then the bottom of the handle, and so it's not quite as easy for me to rock back and forth. But what it's really good for is long slices, which is often times what people use a chef knife for.

So, which one is right for you? Well, first off, ask a curated expert. We're here to help. But beyond that, just figure out how you're going to use your knife. What's more important to you? Is it that rocking chopping motion, or is it more of a longer slice? That may help inform your decision. There are lots of great options out there. We're looking forward to helping you grow here at curated.com.

Comparison Table