This fall you may be cooking up some wonderful holiday meals, savoury soups or stews to keep you warm, or be entertaining guests with delicious feasts—you’ll definitely want to have a set of chef knives for all your meal prep needs. Today I’m reviewing the Cuisinart Classic Stainless Steel 21-Piece Knife Block Set and the Cuisinart Classic Impressions 17-Piece Knife Block Set.
Inside the Cuisinart Knife Block Sets
When you open the boxes for the Knife Block Sets you’ll find the knife block wrapped in bubble wrap, one box that contains the 8 steak knives, one box that contains the remainder of the knives, a card with “Use and Care” and “Warranty” information and another paper that informs you about what to do if you need to return the product for any reason.
Both of the Cuisinart Knife Block Set knives are made out of high-carbon stainless steel that gradually narrows to a sharp fine edge which makes them long-lasting and durable. The 21-piece sets handles are ergonomically designed, and are also made of the same high-carbon stainless steel as the blade and are resistant to stains, rust, and corrosion. The 17-piece sets handles have a textured pattern and are ergonomically designed for strength and control during use.
The Cuisinart 21-piece and 17-piece sets really only differ in the fact that their handles are different and one of the blocks comes with 4 extra pieces. In the 21-piece set you will also receive a ceramic peeler, a 3” ceramic paring knife with a sheath and an 8” Bread Knife. Both sets come with a 2.75” Birds Peak Knife but the one in the 21-piece set is very unique and looks exactly like a curved bird’s beak.
Testing out the Cuisinart Knife Sets
I love a good Chef’s Knife, it makes meal prep a breeze and I find I enjoy cooking more when I’m not struggling during cutting, chopping or dicing. The Chef’s Knife from both sets are extremely similar when in use. The main difference, besides the handles, is the 21-piece set’s forged extra-wide safety bolster between the handle and the beginning of the knife blade. As a person who often nicks themselves while prepping meals, this feature is important. We eat a lot of chicken in my home and the Chef’s Knife is perfect for chopping up both raw and cooked chicken.
The Serrated Utility Knife is another knife that gets used often as it’s the most versatile and is great for chopping, dicing or coring fruits and vegetables. It’s 4.5” in the 17-piece set and 5.5” in the 21-piece set. I used it to cut and core an apple and was impressed at how smooth the cut was and how little pressure I needed to apply to cut through it. I also loved the 3” Ceramic Paring Knife that comes in the 21-piece set. It peeled a potato like cutting through butter and didn’t take off too much potato with the peel.
I must confess I’d never heard of a Bird’s Peak Knife until testing out these Cuisinart Sets. After a Google search I found out they are used for soft fruits, removing blemishes from fruits and vegetables, or creating decorative garnishes out of food.
On the included card that gives information for the “Lifetime Limited Warranty” you’ll also find the “Use and Care” information. This lets you know that it is recommended to hand-wash your Cuisinart Knives and should you need to wash the block, simply wipe with a warm wet cloth, or sponge and dry immediately. The knife block should never be fully submerged in water and I always find it extremely important to make sure your knives are thoroughly dried before placing them into the knife block, this will ensure there is no moisture seeping into the wood of the knife slots.
Final Thoughts
The knife sets are both high quality and feel great in your hand as you chop, dice, slice or eat a steak dinner. I love the feel and design of the textured pattern of the knife handles from the 17-piece set. I find the texture helps with a good grip when in use and the polka dot type design is quite trendy. The fact that both Cuisinart Knife Sets come with All-Purpose Household Shears and an 8” Sharpening Steel is a great added bonus. Keeping your knives sharp throughout their lifetime ensures they will last longer, and you’ll get precision cuts every time you use them. I also like that the 21-piece set includes a bread knife as this is one knife that gets a lot of use in my house. Seeing as I’m not a professional chef, don’t judge me when I tell you it’s my favourite knife to cut cheese slices off a block.
The Serrated Utility Knife is another knife that gets a lot is use in my home. For what I use it for on a daily basis, which is slicing fruits and veggies, I find the 4.5” size is the perfect one for me. It’s a multi-use knife, size wise, and the serrated edge makes it versatile.
After purchase, if you ever have an issue with any of your knives or their block, simply contact Cuisinart’s Consumer Service Center or visit their website www.cuisinart.com for information or help on solving the problem you are having.
These Cuisinart Knife Block Sets are sleek in their design and don’t take up too much counter space which is important if counter space is limited. The neutral black with stainless steel accent allows them to easily fit into your décor as well. Having a Knife Block Set, like either the 21-piece or 17-piece sets offered here by Cuisinart, will encourage you to get in the kitchen more often and make meal prep a breeze. When making a meal for yourself, your family or entertaining a larger group, having the right kitchen tools will make cooking easier and more enjoyable.
You can find the Cuisinart 21-Piece and 17-Piece Knife Block Sets at bestbuy.ca.
I got a magnet rack to protect the blades from moisture that gets trapped in the wooden slits of the block. People often forget to carefully dry the knives off. Highly recommended for anyone who wants their set to last!
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