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About Zwilling
Zwilling is one of the most recognized names in kitchen appliances and tools. It started out back in 1731 as a knife-producing company, but its rampant success meant that it had to add more products to its catalog.
Nowadays, Zwilling is many customers’ go-to brand for good culinary tools. It’s known by many aliases across the world—like Staub in France and Miyabi in Japan. In addition, the brand’s global reach allows it to draw influence from some of the world’s best craftsmen.
About Wüsthof
Not to be outdone, Wüsthof has been around for over 200 years. And the German company is still based in the same city that it was founded in all the way back in 1814. In fact, it still forges all its knives in Solingen, Germany. And its artisans adhere to time-tested forging techniques so that every Wüsthof knife carries the company’s pedigree.
Knives are Wüsthof’s specialty. Although it makes other products, its knives take center stage and are the items that have earned the brand two centuries of unparalleled success. As a matter of fact, if you were blindfolded and holding two knives, you may be able to tell which one is a Wüsthof from feeling alone.
But what about if you weren’t blindfolded and also didn’t have two knives? How could you tell in that scenario? Considering that’s your current situation, it’s a good thing you’re reading my Zwilling vs Wüsthof review.
In this comparison article, you’ll find out about how the brand’s knives stack up against one another, what their qualities are, how their prices vary, what customers think about them, and much more.
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What To Consider
The main purpose of this Zwilling vs Wüsthof review is to see what each brand does that the other doesn’t. So, it’s less vital to compare the features that don’t overlap because that won’t help you make a more informed decision.
Instead, I’m going to tell you about some of the variables that could swap your opinion toward one company or the other.
Product Range
Zwilling has a much deeper well of products than Wüsthof. The former creates nearly every type of kitchen appliance under the sun so it’s better as a one-stop distributor.
Conversely, Wüsthof only manufactures knives and accessories for those knives. So, its catalog is smaller as a whole, but that’s because it focuses squarely on knives.
Target Audience
Due to their different product lines, Zwilling and Wüsthof cater to similar yet slightly different markets. Wüsthof is for knife enthusiasts who want a company that specializes in just those utensils.
That same audience will likely find something they enjoy in Zwilling’s product catalog, but that’s where the overlap ends. More people are probably attracted to Zwilling because it offers so many more products which have more diverse designs.
Design
Design-wise, Zwilling likes to mix things up more than Wüsthof does. The latter really enjoys its traditional designs, which I applaud because that’s what made it a darling in the eyes of its customers.
On the other hand, you’re likely to find more collaborative designs with Zwilling since its craftsmen are all over the world and have a wider pool of influences to draw from.
Quality
You can rest assured that both Zwilling and Wüsthof have some of the most consistently high-quality products on the market.
Accessibility
These two powerhouse companies both export their goods all over the world, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them.
With those considerations out of the way, it’s time for us to pit some items against each other in the head-to-head portion of this Zwilling vs Wüsthof review.
Zwilling 8-Inch Chef’s Knife Vs Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
How about we kick off the direct comparisons between products in this Zwilling vs Wüsthof review by looking at their best knives?
First up is the Zwilling 8-Inch Chef’s Knife. It’s made out of SG2 micro-carbide powder steel for a resolutely sharp yet thin blade. Its sharpness is improved by its ergonomics, as its welders in Seki, Japan selected the best angle of the blade and handle shape. They crafted it so that the blade can slice through vegetables, meats, and other food with ease.
Compare that to the Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife. It’s a forged metal knife that can be your anything and everything when it comes to kitchen cutting jobs. This knife is designed to handle fish, poultry, meat, vegetables, herbs, and more. It has a Rockwell hardness rating of 58 HRC so it should be durable enough to tackle any job.
Pitting these two knives head-to-head is akin to comparing an imported car versus one made in-house. Both are reliable, but you may find that the handmade touches of the Zwilling 8-Inch Chef’s Knife are better suited to your culinary interests.
Zwilling Vedge Sharpener Vs Wüsthof Easy Edge Electric Knife Sharpener
Knives are no good if they’re as dull as an Ed Sheeran album, which is why this segment of my Zwilling vs Wüsthof review will look at each brand’s sharpening tool.
Zwilling’s entry here is the Zwilling Vedge Sharpener. It’s easy to use despite its bevy of options that allow it to bring different classes of knives back to life. Plus, you can switch between two anglers so that you can sharpen American or Japanese knives.
Additionally, the Zwilling Vedge Sharpener has coarse and fine sharpening rods and green medium fine sharpening rods, so you can match your knife’s intended grittiness and texture to the proper rod.
How does the Wüsthof Easy Edge Electric Knife Sharpener compare? Well, for starters, it’s an electric knife sharpening tool. All of its processes take place internally, meaning all you need to do is insert your knife into the slot and press a button.
The Wüsthof Easy Edge Electric Knife Sharpener can sharpen both American and Japanese knives. Additionally, it can operate at three separate speeds—each one being ideal for either sharpening, honing, or polishing.
To conclude, both of the knife sharpening instruments in this Zwilling vs Wüsthof review are versatile enough to replace multiple tools in your kitchen, but you may want to stick with Wüsthof’s if you want an automatic process.
Zwilling Magnetic Easel For Knives Vs Wüsthof Magnetic Knife Block
The last head-to-head product comparison in this Zwilling vs Wüsthof review will look at how both companies remedy this age-old problem: where do you put your knives when you’re not using them?
Zwilling’s answer to the philosophical question is its Zwilling Magnetic Easel For Knives, which is a unique item, to say the least. Not only is it made from bamboo (making it as safe as it is gorgeous), but it uses magnets to hold the knives in place.
That’s more than just a gimmick. The magnets mean that knives won’t have to stay inside tight pockets where moisture can gather. And too much moisture could damage the knives over time. Therefore, the Zwilling Magnetic Easel For Knives can help you prolong the longevity of your most precious cutting utensils.
Wüsthof offers a similar product with the Wüsthof Magnetic Knife Block. Rather than bamboo, however, it’s made from beech wood, which has a deeper color but the same moisture-repelling properties as bamboo.
Where the Wüsthof Magnetic Knife Block separates itself from Zwilling’s offering is its shape. It has six magnetic surfaces so it looks more like a cog than a regular easel. Looks can be deceiving though, as these surfaces can hold up to two knives at once. The added surface area gives the Wüsthof Magnetic Knife Block a massive carrying capacity.
That capacity is the main difference between the two items in this section of my Zwilling vs Wüsthof review. They function nearly the same way, however, so the deciding factor will be which wood type you prefer and how many knives you want to store.
Zwilling Vs Wüsthof: Quality
Both these companies rely on tried and true methods when it comes to producing quality products. Yet even though they both come from the same German city, their practices differ. For example, Zwilling’s international connections mean that its knives are made with diverse techniques that Wüsthof does not employ.
For example, look back to the comparison between the Zwilling 8-Inch Chef’s Knife and the Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife. Both are made with top-grade metal but are still fundamentally different.
Zwilling’s knife doubles as both an American and an Asian chef’s knife. Its creators in Japan combined the best features of both types of knives. And, in general, that’s a practice that’s more common among Zwilling’s items than Wüsthof’s.
Basically, the biggest difference between the quality of their knives is that Zwilling is more open to new techniques and styles.
Zwilling Vs Wüsthof: Price & Value
The reason why I put the price differentials so late in my Zwilling vs Wüsthof review is because comparing them is fruitless if you don’t understand the difference between the products. The prices may differ—for example, Zwilling’s knife costs much more than Wüsthof’s—but it’s important to know the features of the products before looking at the prices.
That said, here are the prices for Zwilling’s items in this Zwilling vs Wüsthof review:
- Zwilling 8-Inch Chef’s Knife: $440
- Zwilling Vedge Sharpener: $100
- Zwilling Magnetic Easel For Knives: $138
And here are the costs associated with Wüsthof’s items:
- Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife: $170
- Wüsthof Easy Edge Electric Knife Sharpener: $200
- Wüsthof Magnetic Knife Block: $395
As you can see, the two companies have similar price ranges for their products. The individual costs may vary between similar items, but on the whole, you’re looking at around the same ballpark price range for both Zwilling and Wüsthof.
Zwilling Vs Wüsthof: What Do Customers Think?
This is perhaps the most important section of my Zwilling vs Wüsthof review. I cannot properly compare these two companies if I don’t take their customer reception into consideration.
As such, I’ve listed the Amazon review scores of some of the most popular items on each brand’s page.
- Zwilling HENCKELS Professional ‘S’ Completer Set: 4.6/5 stars from 35 customers
- Zwilling Professional S, Chef Knife, Kitchen Knife, German Knife, 8-Inch, Stainless Steel, Black: 4.7/5 stars from more than 1,000 customers
- Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star Anniversary 8-pc Knife Block Set: 4.6/5 stars from more than 235 customers
- Wüsthof Classic 8″ Bread Knife: 4.7/5 stars from more than 200 customers
- Wüsthof Classic Seven Piece Knife Block Set: 4.9/5 stars from more than 340 customers
- Wüsthof Classic 2-Piece Asian Knife Set: 5/5 stars from more than 30 customers
Clearly, customers were pleased with both brands. Yet, let’s investigate a bit deeper and see what people loved about them in particular.
Wüsthof’s knives were repeatedly praised for their quality and craftsmanship. Many customers started out by purchasing one knife but were so impressed with it that they added more and more to their knife collection until they were dedicated fans.
Here’s what one buyer wrote about their Wusthof knife: “Great product and great quality. We ended up buying more knives that match for our set.”
Furthermore, Wusthof’s knives were almost always called durable. Here’s one telling piece of customer feedback that demonstrates how long these knives can last: “Worth every penny. The last one we had lasted 16.5 years before we decided to get this replacement.”
Zwilling’s customers were also complimentary about their knives, but they focused more on the feel and handling. One person, in particular, raved about those features of their Zwilling knife. Check out their review below:
“Absolutely the best knife I’ve owned. It is very well balanced & is effortless to use. Sharp, sturdy, again, did I say how well balanced it is?”
Customers also said that Zwilling hit the sweet spot between money and quality. They chalked this up to the fantastic quality of the products, the longevity, and the fair price. That’s exactly what one buyer touched upon in their Zwilling review.
“If I had to go back and choose again, I’d still get this knife. Great bargain between utility and price.”
Basically, it’s hard to split hairs in this section of my Zwilling vs Wüsthof review. Both of these brands earned similar levels of customer praise but for slightly different reasons.
For instance, Zwilling’s knives were praised for how good they felt in people’s hands and their pricing. Meanwhile, people dug Wüsthof because their knives felt like they’d last for decades.
What this tells me is that it’d be hard to go wrong with either company if you’re only going to base your decision on what customers think.
Zwilling Vs Wüsthof: Promotions & Discounts
I’m going to start off with Wüsthof’s promotions here. You can earn a $10 discount if you sign up for its email list. Besides that, there wasn’t anything else in the form of promotions currently running.
Zwilling on the other hand nearly always has discounted products available. You can search through the sale section on its website to find items that are on sale for a fraction of their original price.
The ongoing nature of Zwilling’s sales makes its promotions both more consistent and more rewarding. You can always go back to the brand to purchase good products for reasonable prices, whereas Wüsthof’s $10 discount is only valid once.
Zwilling Vs Wüsthof: Shipping & Returns
Both companies are capable of shipping their products across the globe. In fact, their shipping capabilities are so far-reaching that they can afford to offer customers free shipping.
Zwilling and Wüsthof both offer free shipping on all US orders worth over $99. And considering that’s less than any of the products in this Zwilling vs Wüsthof review, you can pick up whichever item you like the most and rest easy knowing that you’re going to get free shipping.
They do, however, have different return windows. You’ll have up to 60 days to return any product you buy from Zwilling’s website but you’ll only have a 45-day window to return items that you bought from Wüsthof’s website.
Either way, these are both generous return time frames so 15 days isn’t worth spilling milk over.
Who Will You Shop With?
Shopping for a good kitchen knife is important because a bad kitchen knife can make you feel demotivated when it comes to cooking. Plus, it also poses a health risk, as a bad knife can lead to injuries.
Thankfully, it seems that my Zwilling vs Wüsthof review has shown that you’d have to try pretty dang hard to find a shoddy knife in either company’s catalog. There are certainly reasons to select one brand over the other, but there are no other knife makers I’d rather have to choose between than these two.
Next, check out some related reviews you might find useful:
Zwilling JA Henckels Knives Review
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