Chicago Cutlery Review & Top Picks for 2022 | Tools Of Chef

A warm welcome to our beloved chefs at this detailed Chicago Cutlery Review!

Everybody loves having a great kitchen in their house as it is the most important part of any house and there is no doubt. However, the kitchen itself is incomplete without a competent culinary set in it that you will be using every day and that too for a couple of times. If you are fond of cooking, you will agree!

So, you can surely say that a culinary set is a great workhorse for any kitchen to get the work done effectively. You will be considering this as an investment for your asset which is going to help you out for quite a long time. However, you need to select possibly the best culinary brand that manufactures a great culinary set.

As demand increases, so does the supply and cost! Nowadays, there are hundreds of culinary brands claiming themselves to be the best culinary provider but that’s not the real case for most of the time. When kicking them out of the list, you’ll get a few brands that perform pretty well but you need to pay a premium for that.

Here, if budget isn’t an issue for you or you are a rich guy, you can choose from Shun, Miyabi, Yoshihiro, and Wusthof culinary. But, not everybody is comfortable paying for an expensive thing, even if it performs pretty well.

Now, you need a reliable yet inexpensive culinary brand to meet your needs whether you are looking to cover your commercial or home requirements. However, you shouldn’t compromise on quality when buying a set for Professional needs, but it isn’t a big deal for home chefs.

After skimming through tens of brands, we’ve found Chicago Culinary for this guide. In this Chicago Cutlery Review, you’ll get to know what knives you should get and how well these knives perform. In the end, we’ll also tell whether or not, Chicago Cutlery Review is worth it? So, stay tuned and keep scrolling the guide!

Who makes Chicago Cutlery & Why should you choose?

As far as brands like TUO, Tojiro, Global, or Zwilling are concerned, you’ll be pretty confident about your choice as you are aware of these brands. But, Chicago Cutlery isn’t pretty famous like any of these mentioned brands so your query is valid. For this, let’s take a look at their history and timeline!

So, the history dates back to almost a century ago when Chicago’s parent brand known as Corelle started making blades and knives for American butchers as it was a pretty demanding need of that time. One thing that should be pretty clear for you; Chicago cutlery isn’t Corelle’s only brand, but there are several others.

Soon, Corello realized they should expand their circle of products to other categories as well and they started several other brands around them. Chicago cutlery was officially formed back in 1991 almost 03 decades ago. Also, it is one of the most successful brands that make budget-friendly knives. Originally, it was started back in 1930 according to some claims.

Whatever is the case, they are a real and quality brand making productive knives mostly for home chefs at reasonable pricing. Though they also produce premium sets as well, they are mostly focusing on their budget line-ups as they are the most selling and popular. Also, their knives mostly feature forged blades.

To make you more productive, Chicago delivers their knives in a solid block that protects those knives and keeps your countertop neat and clean. Chicago cutlery is mostly recognized due to their knives set and pricing. For the price of Shun’s single yet premium knife, you could get an entire set of Chicago Culinary!

Theory aside, let’s dive deeper into this Chicago Cutlery Review so you would find the best match according to your kitchen requirements and budget obviously.

Top 3 Pick Of Chicago Cutlery Review

Chicago Cutlery Review At A Glance

IMAGE	PRODUCT	SHOP
Overall Best Chicago Knives Set	Chicago Cutlery Fusion Knife Set Benefits: Sharp & balanced knife set, The complete set of knives, Features a decent sharpness, With a comfortable handle	Shop Here
The Cheapest Knives Set	Chicago Cutlery Essentials SS Knife Set Benefits: The cheapest knives set, With a Double bevel blade, Best for beginner home chefs, You get what you pay for!, Versatile and has a decent handle	Shop Here
Best deal Under $100	Chicago Cutlery Malden 16P Knife Set Benefits: Balanced yet strong blades, A Maneuverable knife set, With double bevel blades, Lightweight & productive set	Shop Here
Rust & Stain Resistant Set	Chicago Cutlery Insignia-2 Knife Set Benefits: An easy to sharp knives set, The durable knives & blades, A Double bevel cutting blade, Bolstered yet comfortable handle	Shop Here
A Well-Balanced Knife Set	Chicago Cutlery Belden HCS Steel Knife Set Benefits: Well Balanced & nicely build, Features a Gorgeous design, With an optimal sharpness, Maneuverable & versatile	Shop Here
The best one for Casual Chefs	Chicago Cutlery Design Pro Knives Set Benefits: Versatile & high-quality knives, The Precise yet smooth cutting, Nicely build and straight blades, Easy to use & a maneuverable set	Shop Here
A Durable & Sharpest Set	Chicago Cutlery Insignia Knife Set Benefits: A Decent edge retention, Pre Sharpen cutting blades, Balanced & great handling, Easy to maintain & sharpen	Shop Here
Ideal for Culinary Students	Chicago Cutlery Avondale Knife Set Benefits: Durable & a maneuverable knife set, For a Smooth cutting experience, A Bolstered and comfortable handle, Looks pretty decent & slip-resistant	Shop Here
The gorgeous Cutlery Set	Chicago Cutlery 1134513 Precision Knife Set Benefits: Another budget knife set, Precise & smooth cutting, Balanced & an optimized set, Comfortable yet durable knives	Shop Here
Easy to Clean with a nice handle	Chicago Cutlery 1109814 Elston Knives Set Benefits: Sharp and a versatile knife set, The knives are quite durable, With a Stunning design & handle, Easy to sharp and maintain blades	Shop Here

Chicago Cutlery Review | Our Best Picks & Reviews

1. Chicago Cutlery Fusion Knife Set

Let’s rock with Chicago’s best-selling and most famous culinary set that is known as Fusion. It was launched back in 2018 and this cute family consists of up to 17 pieces in total including its block as well. It does not just come in a 17P set, instead, you will also find it for other sizes that depend on your requirements.

First thing first; Fusion knife set consists of a 07-inch long Chef and a bread knife with a serrated blade. Along with this, you will get two Santoku knives of a 05 and 07 inches long blade with a proper utility knife of the same length. Plus, there is a tiny little paring knife that comes along with the steak knives that are 08 in total. To maintain all these knives, there’s a sharpening rod and a wooden block also.

This entire set is made up of nicely built high carbon steel in which Chicago has integrated a slightly higher ratio of carbon to make it outstanding. For its kitchen knives, you will get a strong blade with nice edge quality and a straighter profile. Not a single knife comes with any pattern, but they still don’t catch rust easily.

To provide an exceptional cutting performance, you will get a slightly tapered cutting length that features a 26° bevel for its collective sides as all these knives are double bevel. As per Chicago’s claims, these are forged knives, but it doesn’t seem like that in any way. Still, these are durable enough to bring prosperity.

Fusion knives come to sharpen right out of the box and you can experience their longevity for quite a long time until you are maintaining it properly. Here, you will get a nicely designed yet comfortable handle that is built nicely and features an optimal balance along with it. Also, you will get a chop assistant to chop nicely.

2. Chicago Cutlery Essentials SS Knife Set

Essentials knives set from Chicago is a fascinating line-up for several chefs. This set was launched back in 2011 and features a lightweight yet passable construction for all of its mentioned knives in the set. The best part of any knife or a knife set is its value to the money thing. Here, you’ll be amazed as it is the cheapest knife set in the industry that you can grab by paying for the price of just a single chef knife.

The essential knife set is basically designed for regular kitchen tasks to be done just with consistency. All these essential knives contain all knives but Chicago is missing a chef knife which is the basic knife for any kitchen.

This set consists of a pair of Santoku knives of 05 and 07-inch blades respectively. There is a set of six steak knives and all these come for a reasonable weight thankfully. Alongside, there is a kitchen shear, paring, and peeling knives of 3.5-inches, a pair of serrated knives with 4.25-inches long blades. The block is of durable build and an 08-inches bread knife makes it the longest knife in this set.

The Chicago essential set is made up of high carbon steel that features sort of a strengthened blade so it would last better. The knives are hard due to additional carbon content in the structure that also makes you a harder edge. Although it is durable it’s brittle as well, which is more likely to chip out once fallen straightly.

Anyways, these knives feature a double bevel blade of the same profile that we had in the Fusion series of Chicago. You will mostly get almost the same blade angle in their entry-level and mid-range culinary sets. However, these knives are quite easy to sharpen due to a larger filet in their cutting lengths.

3. Chicago Cutlery Malden 16P Knife Set

Malden is quite a prominent series of knives by Chicago that was launched back in 2018 same as for the Fusion series. If you are limited at a specific budget in your mind, this specific set is definitely worth investing every penny into this. Here, it is a complete set that features up to 16 total members in the family.

In this set, you will get a set of eight steak knives that features a blade of a bit less than 04.5-inches. The 08-inches long chef knife delivers an outstanding versatility that you will be loving. Alongside, there is a 06-inches of Santoku that you will be using to deal with the chopping sort of tasks.

Other than that, Malden also comes with a paring knife of 3.25-inch, 6.25-inches of bread knife with serrated teeth and a kitchen shear along with a very productive chop assist, to be honest. And of course, there is also an ebony wooden block that will be storing all these boys pretty nicely.

The whole Malden set has got a comfortable handle which is balanced though, but its durability could be still outperforming. However, for the price, there is nothing to regret about. All these knives feel pretty good in one’s hand. With their overall design, all these knives look so impressive and premium, undoubtedly.

Again, there is a double bevel blade in every knife that is waiting for you. The sharpness is quite effective as it can cut everything without any problem. Also, it is easy to sharpen knives and its build quality is also acceptable due to the incorporation of high carbon steel in its structure.

4. Chicago Cutlery Insignia-2 Knife Set

Insignia is a very shiny series for Chicago cutlery, same as Shun Kanso for the Shun knives. Chicago officially launched this set back in 2006 and this set has got a very decent body to weight ratio that makes it sort of a high-end knives set that doesn’t let you get tired or less productive at any point.

This set features a very beautiful wooden block of walnut texture and color that looks stunning and the best of all in my point of view. However, this is an 18P knife set in which you will get a couple of paring knives with 03.5-inches of blades. Alongside, there is a 07-inches Santoku knife providing the best versatility.

Furthermore, it also has a 08-inches long chef knife, a 05.5-inch of a utility knife, a 7-inch bread knife with serrated teeth Plus, there is also a set of steak knives in which you will get up to 08 steak knives along with a sharpener as well. Also, Insignia contains a Kitchen shear that is also quite useful for home chefs.

Insignia is a complete build-up of high carbon steel blades that all feature exceptional durability. All these kitchen knives are based on straight cutting length, so your accuracy wouldn’t be disturbed. Another best part of this set is its full tang handle that was a common missing element of the rest of the other sets.

Insignia features a bolstered handle in all these kitchen knives so you will get decent maneuverability when holding out the blades. Further, it is a forged bolster that isn’t going anywhere else, nor does it slip. Along with this, the entire handle is triple-riveted, providing you with the taste of a Japanese knife.

5. Chicago Cutlery Belden HCS Steel Knife Set

Belden by Chicago was launched back in 2012 that features some of the balanced blades in the market that you will never regret. Considering the design, Belden features a truly western sort of blade and handles in all these knives that look fabulous. By the way, Belden has a family of up to 15 members in it.

First of all, this set provides you with a set of up to 06 steak knives and all these knives feature a nice build quality. Then, you will get a pair of chef knives with an 08-inches long blade, a pair of paring knives with a 04-inches blade in each, and a peeling knife with a 03” blade to deal with little and handy vegetables and fruits.

Along with these things, this set also comes with bread and a slicer knife with a 08-inch long blade in each. There is also a 5.5-inch utility knife and kitchen shears. All these things come packed in a cherry wooden block which is very gorgeous and durable as well. It has also got dedicated non-slip pads.

Belden features high carbon steel construction for all of its blades. It is a durable set of knives without any doubt. But, edge retention is still not quite good if you are sort of an aggressive chef. With its straight cutting profile, a chef will be experiencing a precise cutting experience that is nicely supported by its bevels. Overall, you can expect a maneuverable and easy to control experience with it.

Though the set isn’t completely forged, it does give a forged feel that is due to the added weight in its blade and for the handle part as well. Just like any other knives set by Chicago, this one is also easy to sharpen without any exception. Also, its handle is pretty decent as it is a full tang construction.

Check out: Chef VS Santoku Knives

6. Chicago Cutlery Design Pro Knives Set

Design Pro knives set was launched back in 2013 by Chicago cutlery and it is also a balanced and rightly designed set as the name suggests. In this set, you will get up to 13 pieces including its wooden block as well. Here, you will get a sharpening tool as well, but believe us; it isn’t good enough to make your knife razor-sharp.

Anyways, this set is holding a set of up to four steak knives that you will get in a blade size of 4.25-inches. Then, there is a 08-inches long chef and a bread knife as well. To effectively deal with the vegetables, you will get a 07-inches Santoku as the knife set doesn’t come with Nakiri knives at all.

As per Chicago Culinary’s claims, most of the knives in the set are forged but it doesn’t seem to be forged as such. However, they are durable knives without any doubt and you can always expect decent longevity with these guys. You will be experiencing a flawless cutting experience with all these knives.

Design Pro of Chicago is also based on double bevel blades that all perform quite decently and you will always love it. Due to its straight cutting length, the knife performs outstandingly and your cutting precision would not be compromised. Alongside, all these knives feature optimal control while cutting out the veggies.

7. Chicago Cutlery Insignia Knife Set

Expanding this Chicago Cutlery Review with Insignia’s another variant that is a launch of 2019 and it features a weight of up to 09 pounds in total. This is a 13P set and this set holds the prettiest knives to be very honest. The silver handle gives a complete metallic feel that looks very stunning and durable, of course.

In this set, you will get a Chef knife, a utility, and a bread knife with serrated blades. All these blades are 08-inches long in length, providing you with the most impressive versatility as they belong to the Insignia series.

This set doesn’t just end here; instead, the list goes far away. Here, you have got a Santoku knife of a 07-inch long blade, a kitchen shear along with a 3.25-inch paring knife as well. Furthermore, the knife set also consists of a set of 06 steak knives of the 4.5-inches blade each. A sharpener is the only missing thing.

Insignia set features a strengthened build quality due to the incorporation of high-quality carbon steel. So, durability isn’t an issue with these guys at all. The overall blade profile is a bit hard, but it is totally fine as edge retention is still good. Also, it doesn’t rust easily unless you are taking care of it properly and regularly.

Overall, both the sharpness and versatility are great as all these knives feature a straight cutting blade that doesn’t affect your precision at any point. Also, it has decent handling because it comes incorporated with a metallic and full tang handle which is durable and comfortable both at the same time.

8. Chicago Cutlery Avondale Knife Set

Avondale took the 08th spot on this mighty list which is an official launch of 2016 by Chicago culinary. It has got 08 pounds of weight for the entire set and half of this weight is for its wooden block which is quite durable by the way. It has also got slip-resistant pads so this set won’t slip if touched mistakenly.

Coming to the set itself; this set features up to 16 pieces in total that also consists of its wooden block. Besides this, it has a chef knife, a serrated utility knife, a plain utility knife, a bread knife, paring knife along with up to 08 steak knives of quite a good quality. Plus, it has also got a sharpening rod along with shears.

As compared to other sets of knives on the list, this one is specifically featuring a completely metallic knife from the edge towards the end-cap of its blade that is nicely covered with a comfortable handle. The knives are made up of high carbon steel blades & all these things feature sort of a forged design to make it balanced.

Overall, the kitchen knives of this set are nicely balanced and you will find it pretty easy to maneuver right out of the box. Comparatively, it has a thicker chef knife so you can expect good longevity of this set. By the way, the entire blade features a straight cutting blade with a bit of contoured profile as well. Moreover, it has a strengthened handle which is bolstered and provides quite a good grip out there.

See Here: Best Santoku Knives

9. Chicago Cutlery 1134513 Precision Knife Set

Precision Cut is sort of a sibling to the previous Avondale by Chicago with a few considerable differences as well. This set was launched back in 2019 and the entire set comes for a rightly balanced design. It is a 15P set of knives that consists of a walnut wood block along with a sharpening rod for these knives.

Then, you will get a 08-inches long chef knife along with a serrated bread knife of the same length. Later, you have got a 05-inch utility knife, a 3.5-inch paring knife, kitchen shears along with a set of 06 steak knives that features 05-inch blades each. All these knives are nicely crafted and feature a triple-riveted handle.

The chef knife here doesn’t feature a fully straight cutting blade at all. Instead, it is a contoured blade to some extent, but you will still get a precise cutting experience with any of these knives. Plus, all these knives come with a pre-installed bolster for amazing and responsive cutting except for the steak knives.

Along with that, the complete set is balanced and delivers just an optimal weight. Not any of these knives are safe for dishwashers, so you are only supposed to wash it manually, so this set would maintain its life. Overall, this set is worth it.

10. Chicago Cutlery 1109814 Elston Knives Set

Let’s wind up this Chicago Cutlery Review with Chicago, another great yet underrated knife set known as Elston. Chicago made this set back in 2016 and it is not the lightweight set as such. So, this is the possible reason why it couldn’t stand out there in the market. Anyways, this is a 16P set, and let’s explore it deeply.

In this 16P knives set, you will get a sharpening rod and a kitchen shear along with a wooden block. Moreover, this set also consists of an 08-inch chef knife, a pair of utility and paring knives with a bread knife as well. All these knives come with a standard size blade. Its wooden block is also quite impressive.

Elston knives are composed of high carbon steel with stainless steel layering on top of the blade to bring sort of a rust-resistant touch to the blade. It isn’t everlasting but it still protects the knives from rusting. Something is better than nothing! Both the blade and handles are quite compelling and decent in look as well as in performance. Overall, it is a neat and clean set for home chefs.

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Chicago Cutlery Review | Frequently Asked Questions

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Summing Up the Chicago Cutlery Review

Picking up the right set of knives is a dream of every true chef whether for home or his professional tasks. With the best culinary on your countertop, you get peace of mind along with all the necessary things that a cutlery set should have.

However, culinary sets now come for expensive pricing and not everyone’s willing to invest that much when there are other budget options. Here, some chefs pick the cheapest option and they later regret it. So, you need a budget brand that makes the best knives and at reasonable pricing.

For this reason, we brought this Chicago Cutlery Review so you’ll never regret the decision you make. If you are a passionate chef who loves cooking at his home kitchen in his leisure time, Chicago Cutlery is the best match in every regard. So, take a skimmed look at this guide and pick the set that best matches your needs.