Not until I was well into adulthood did I learn to appreciate the quality of a good kitchen knife. Having the correct knife and using it for its intended purpose makes such a difference when prepping and serving a meal. Today I’m reviewing the Cuisinart 11-piece knife set.
Unboxing the Cuisinart 11-piece knife set
Inside the box of the Cuisinart 11-piece knife set you will find the knife block, warranty information, eight knives, a pair of kitchen shears, and a sharpening tool. Each piece is individually wrapped in a plastic sleeve with a cardboard sleeve over the blade. Most of the pieces also have a clear plastic protector covering the tip of the knife to ensure no damage or chipping happens during shipping.
What does the Cuisinart 11-piece knife set include?
- Chef Knife – this 8-inch large knife is for cutting, dicing, chopping, and slicing a variety of herbs, fruits, vegetables, and meats.
- Santoku Knife – like the chef’s knife but without the tip, this 7-inch knife is for slicing, mincing, and dicing. They are best for thin precision slicing and are easy to control.
- Carving Knife – this 8-inch knife will produce thin, even slices of cooked meat such as lamb, beef, chicken, and pork.
- Bread Knife – the 8-inch bread knife can cut a variety of baked goods such as a loaf of bread, buns, baguettes, muffins, and cakes.
- Serrated Utility Knife – the 5.5-inch serrated knife is one of the most versatile knives. The serrated blade easily cuts through buns or bagels as well as salami and other cured meats. It will also cut through fruits such as tomatoes and citrus fruit without damaging the delicate insides.
- Paring Knife – In this set you’ll find both a 5-inch and 3.5-inch paring knife. Paring knives are for cutting and chopping fruits and vegetables. Many people prefer to use them for peeling potatoes as well. Having the two sizes allows you to cut a variety of sizes of fruits and vegetables with ease.
- Birds Beak Knife – this 3-inch paring knife gets its name because it’s curved like a bird’s beak. It’s extremely sharp, and the curve of the blade allows you to get close to the peel or rind of fruits and vegetables resulting in less waste. It’s also perfect for removing small bruised or blemished parts of fruits and vegetables as the sharp tip gets deeper into foods.
- Sharpening Steel – this sharpening tool is made of high carbon stainless steel and will ensure your knives are sharp and ready for use when needed.
- Kitchen Shears – kitchen shears are typically used for cutting herbs, opening food packages, and breaking down poultry. These shears also have metal teeth grippers on the inside of the handles that are great for helping open tight or stuck jar lids. On the outside of the shears, you will also find a bottle opener. Many people may say that kitchen shears are the most underrated kitchen tool and can also be used for much more such as cutting a pizza and breaking down food that’s already cooking in a frying pan.
Testing out the Cuisinart 11-piece knife set
After unboxing and carefully unwrapping all the stainless-steel knives and accessories, be sure to wash each one with warm soapy water and dry them well. In the past, I have had a knife get rust marks from having a wet spot that rested against other dishes, because of this I like to dry my kitchen knives immediately after washing. The knife block has a variety of sizes of holders so you can play around with the knives until you have them in places that work best for your prep and cooking needs.
I first tested out the Chef Knife and Santoku Knife by chopping a variety of vegetables such as broccoli stocks. We love a Santoku Knife in my house for food prepping and this one did not disappoint. The high carbon stainless-steel blade easily slid through the broccoli stem with barely any pressure applied. I also prefer the 7-inch blade over a longer blade as I find them more precise and easier to handle in my small hands.
Since I was also testing out some Cuisinart cookware and was making my son his favourite breakfast sandwich, I used the bread knife to slice open a brioche bun. The serrated blade easily cuts through a crusty outside without damaging the soft interior of bread, buns, or other baked goods.
The two sizes of paring knives allow you to cut a variety of sizes of fruits and veggies. I used the 5-inch knife to cut an apple into slices. I liked the thinness of the blade as I felt like it made a huge difference in how easy it was to slice through the apple. It needed very little pressure to cut through both the apple skin and inside the fruit.
Final thoughts on the Cuisinart 11-piece knife set
Overall, I like the style and sleekness of the knife block. The black base with clear sides is both modern and neutral enough to fit in any kitchen. I love that they went with a slim design for the block because I don’t like having too many bulky items taking up counter space.
It’s important to maintain your knives and sharpen them as needed for ease of use. Including the Sharpening Steel with the set makes it convenient and easy to do. I also love that there are kitchen shears included and the metal teeth grippers and bottle opener on them are a bonus.
The variety of knives in this set will help make cooking a breeze with a sharp knife ready within arm’s reach. In my house, the paring knives and Santoku knife get the most use and I was more than happy with their performance. I always think it’s important to wash and dry your kitchen knives quickly after use and put them away in case the blades get bumped or chipped. Proper care and maintenance of your stainless-steel knives will ensure they have a long lifetime.
You can find this Cuisinart 11-piece knife set at Best Buy online.
