Ok quality grossly overpriced.

At those prices they can afford to back their warranty and give you new knives every so often.

Their business model depends on young people selling to family, close friends, and business colleagues that want to buy from the boss's kid or their customer's kid.

Lol, I was recently reading about them too! So far that purchase was my one and only with them. But we really like the products we have. That funny looking knife is crazy, it cuts through a potato like it's a tomato.

Most of what I read was from young kids that worked for them short term. My impression was they have no idea how sales works. Most home businesses involving sales require purchase of a starter kit, which is one of their major complaints, as well as starting with family. Guess how people selling 31, or party light, or princess house do it! That's how that business model works.

I have no experience with their guarantee or other products. I do think their knives are very spendy, and we have Wusthoff. I'd consider buying more products, people seem to love them, but only if it was unique. The guy I bought from even admitted they only have a few pieces people that already own good knives buy to supplement their set.

I'm very curious to hear what people have to say, I'd never heard of them until recently.

I have had them for at least ten years. They have been resharpened 1x for free about 3 years ago. I really love them. They were incredibly sharp when I first got them. I have a lot of them. We were feeling flush when we bought them. And it was from a friend's kid. I love them still.

I had Wustofs and Henkels. Both were good but I find my cutco's maintain their sharpness much longer. I love their short chef's knife. Their scissors are amazing.

I have two from the late 1970's. among the various in this kitchen they are really okay-bread knife and large chef's knife. I use them and they perform. I wouldn't buy a whole set of them....personally prefer different knives of all sizes/handle materials and brands.[bought a few"tomato" knives a couple yrs ago-shamed to say how many things I use those for]

I wasn't impressed trying a friend's. I love, love, love, love, love my Shun knives so much. More than any Cutco, Wusthof, Dexter, Forschner, or Henkel I've tried. I don't feel an entire "set" (of someone else's determination) of knives is necessary. Daily, I use a non-granton santoku, small paring, and an offset bread. I have a 7.5" slicer and small non-offset serrated knife that I use often also.

If money were no object, I'd buy a beauty from my neighbor down the road. Assuming he ever starts taking orders again, that is....

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EDIT: Adding...IMHO as long as one practices good knife etiquette (washing and drying knives by hand after each use, no DW, never standing a knife upright on the tip, etc) and sharpening skills, most of us home chefs are probably fine with whatever feels comfortable in our hand. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Master bladesmith Bob Kramer's knives

This post was edited by breezygirl on Sun, Mar 24, 13 at 3:36

I was one of those college kids selling Cutco for a very short time in the late 80's. (sales wasn't my bag). I've had the sample set I used then ever since, and they've been great. My wife and I both love them. In the past 25 years I've only had to have them sharpened once (for free) and they do a great job for everything with routine daily use. They stay amazingly sharp. And yes, the scissors are great.

I don't think they are the kind of elegant cutlery that is going to impress people. They are functional working tools.

I've not bought any in the intervening years, so I can't speak to their current pricing, though I know they are expensive. But I've never had the urge to buy any others after owning these for all this time.

ha! my niece was selling cutco many, many moons ago so of course i had to buy a whole set. i remember she did a really cheesy demonstration -cutting through a thick rope, or something along those lines. they are way overpriced for what they are, but they worked for me for a long time. i still like their utility knives very much and use those all the time.

like breezy, i LOVE my shun knives (ken onion). that's a serious upgrade. ;-)

I have used Cutco before but wouldnt ever pay the price. I am a Shun snob now as well. I have a Premier 8" Santoku that I use for just about everything, 3" Ken Onion paring knife and thats about it. Heck, I think the santoku knife can cut bread better than some bread knives out there.

The key to Shun knives is getting them on sale through Amazon or Woot. I paid $80 for the Premier Santoku on a lightning deal through Amazon

Cutco has been around forever. My grandmother and my mother-in-law had complete sets purchased in the late '50's. Never would have considered buying a set for myself but my college age son did sell them one summer and I wound up buying a set.. My favorite knife is the cheese knife. WOrks better than anything I've tried. I know they're not something preferred by top chefs, but they're fine for the average homeowner's use. They're American made, feel comfortable in my hand and have a great warranty.
Have I mentioned that the Cutco warranty is awesome? DH found a well-used set with block at a garage sale. I sent everything to Cutco and they replaced them all including an updated block. All for the cost of postage ($9) and the $5 DH paid at the garage sale! They are now in the possession of my other college aged son and he's happy to have them!

I have a variety of mfg.'ers knives including Cutco. The cutco knives are my go to knives because of the handles. I have arthritis in my hands and they have the most comfortable grips of any knives that I have ever used. My favourite is the 6" santoku.

I only have the steak knives personally but my mother in law has a butcher block full that she's apparantly had since her children were in school, and I use them often at her house. I always thought they were decent knives but I didn't realize they were so expensive!

I have a handful of the old Cutco paring knives inherited from my farming grandmother, complete with seed advertisements printed on them. LOVE them! Only thing I'll use on a ripe pear.

Something I've found comparable in terms of sharp little knives are from Forschner (made in Switzerland), similarly produced steel, I think -- cheaper but wicked sharp and sharpenable with my Dremel grinder wheel.